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Moulin Rouge: From Screen to Stage!

Scarlet, July 9th, 2025

How Moulin Rouge! became a dazzling show on Broadway

Before it was a glitter-drenched Broadway blockbuster, Moulin Rouge! was a a cult-favorite film that blended pop music, heartbreak and more rhinestones than they eye could track. Baz Luhrmann's 2001 movie was fast, loud and wildly romantic - a love letter to bohemian Paris and the power of performance. So how do you take something that cinemchatic and make it live on stage? With even more sparkle of course!

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part jukebox musical, part rock concert, and all spectacle.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2019, doesn't just recreate the film - it turns the volume up to eleven. The creative team reimagined the story for the stage, expanding the pop-music packed score with even more hits from modern icons like Beyonce, Adele, and Lady Gaga. The result is part jukebox musical, part rock concert, and all spectacle.

The romance between Christian, the dreamy writer, and Satine, the star of the Moulin Rouge, is still at the heart of it all. But now it's wrapped in jaw-dropping choreography, larger than life set pieces, and enough costume changes to keep an entire wardrobe team on their toes.

And yes, the elephant is there. So is the windmill. And the can-can dancers. And the heartbreak. It's all bigger, bolder, and more beautiful than ever-making Moulin Rouge! a stage experience that's not just seen, but felt.


Bonus Fun Facts! The Making of Moulin Rouge! The Musical

1. The stage version took nearly 10 years to develop.

After the 2001 film became a cult hit, fans begged for a stage adaptation - but it wasn't until 2010 that director Alex Timbers began work-shopping how to bring its fast-paced, music-packed style to life on stage. It finally premiered in Boston in 2018 before heading to Broadway.

2. The set transforms the theater into the Moulin Rouge itself.

The stage and auditorium are bathed in red, complete with velvet drapes, hanging lanterns, and the iconic windmill and elephant flanking the proscenium. It's immersive, dramatic, and 100% Instagram-worthy.

3. The musical expands the film's soundtrack with 30+ new songs. 

While the movie used hits from the likes of Elton John and Madonna, the stage version adds songs by modern artists like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Adele - blending decades of pop into stunning medleys that help drive the story forward.

4. Real stage magic replaces the film editing.

Baz Luhrmann's film is known for its rapid-fire cuts and visual effects. On stage, the team had to rethink how to create that same energy using choreography, light, set changes, and clever staging. Scene transitions are seamless, with dancers and set pieces working together like clockwork.

5. The choreography and set are in constant motion.

Choreographer Sonya Tayeh and scenic designer Derek McLane designed a world where everything move - people, platforms, furniture and lights. 

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