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KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES
Tuesday, July 23: 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 24: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 26: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27: 2 p.m. Saturday, July 27: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 28: 1 p.m. Sunday, July 28: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 30: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 31: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, August 1: 7:30 p.m. Friday, August 2: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 3: 2 p.m. Saturday, August 3: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, August 4: 1 p.m. Sunday, August 4: 6:30 p.m. MOULIN ROUGE TOUR DATES
Aug 6–Aug 11 TULSA, OK Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Aug 20–Sept 1 DES MOINES, IA Des Moines Civic Center Sept 3–Sept 15 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK Civic Center Music Hall Sept 17–Oct 6 DETROIT, MI Opera House Oct 8–Oct 20 NASHVILLE, TN Tennessee Perf Arts Center Oct 22–Oct 27 CHATTANOOGA, TN Memorial Auditorium Oct 29–Nov 3 MEMPHIS, TN Orpheum Theatre Nov 19–Jan 12, TORONTO, ON CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre Jan 14–Jan 19 INDIANAPOLIS, IN Murat Theatre Jan 21–Feb 2 GRAND RAPIDS, MI DeVos Performance Hall Feb 18–Mar 2 LOUISVILLE, KY The Kentucky Center Mar 4–Mar 16 RICHMOND, VA Altria Theater Mar 18–Mar 23 SARASOTA, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Mar 25–Mar 30 WEST PALM BEACH, FL Kravis Center Apr 15 –Apr 27 GREENVILLE, SC Peace Center Apr 29 –May 11 KNOXVILLE, TN Tennessee Theatre May 13 –May 25 AUSTIN, TX Bass Concert Music Hall May 27 –Jun 8 SAN ANTONIO, TX The Majestic Theatre Jun 10 –Jun 15 FORT WORTH, TX Bass Performance Hall Jun 24 –Jul 6 SAN DIEGO, CA San Diego Civic Theatre Jul 8 –Jul 20 SAN JOSE, CA Center for the Performing Arts July 22 –Aug 3 TEMPE, AZ ASU Gammage Aug 5 –Aug 10 DENVER, CO Buell Theatre Read More
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The attention’s currently all on the City of Lights with the Summer Olympics just starting...but without a flight or passport, can those in Kansas City transport themselves to Paris, and during all of its Belle Epoque-era glory?! – Yes, you can Can, CAN!!
Adapted from the acclaimed film from director Baz Luhrmann that starred Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is currently playing at The Music Hall in downtown Kansas City, now through next Sunday, August 4.
The ten-time Tony Award® winner is out on its first North American Tour and with more than a little help from the songs, tells a classic tale of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love. This freshly updated version is directed by Alex Timbers, with a book by John Logan; music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Justin Levine; and choreography by Sonya Tayeh, all of whom are Tony Award® winners for the production.
In a potentially risky, but necessary move, the soundtrack (which drives so much of the two acts), has been expanded and updated to include more contemporary hits (including familiar chartoppers by divas Adele, Katy Perry, Sia, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Britney Spears), many in the forms of medleys and mashups.
The choices mostly work (now including 70 songs from 160 songwriters) and in addition to newer songs, manages to include selections from artists like The Rolling Stones, who did not grant permission to be included in the film version.
The show’s promise to "enter a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur, and glory", is immediately delivered upon your walk into the auditorium, seeing the illuminated logo and bright-red stage set, that resembles an oversized 3D Valentine’s Day card come to life.
As expected, the burlesque costumes, set design, and lighting were par excellence as cast members portraying bohemians and aristocrats sang and danced about, with a special nod to the handful of perfectly executed lighting cues that required exact precision throughout the show.
Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris in 1899 (right before the 1900 Olympics there, FYI), the musical tells the story of Christian, a young composer (the role now Americanized, as he’s come from Ohio [why not KC for this run?]) and the cabaret dancer and actress, Satine, whom he falls in love in.
Both leads (Christian Douglas and Gabrielle McClinton respectively) were in strong voice, with McClinton particularly shining during the first act singing a Katy Perry hit, and Douglas during the second act, with the tango version of The Police’s first hit and the production’s signature song, “Come What May”, both of which were also in the theatrical version.
Robert Petkoff was entertaining and provided much comic relief as ringleader Harold Zidler, and the remainder of the cast was in collective sync and hit all their notes and marks without fail. The story (inspired by the classic Italian opera La Traviata) is a timeless and tragic story of boy-meets-girl; but like the film, the attention and the attraction is more on the ‘icing’ than the ‘cake’- the grandeur of the production, the flash and splash of colors, and the numerous pop hits and medleys... and that’s more than ok.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is not a production to ponder philosophically- it’s a wonder to behold, an extravaganza whose hand you want to take, and quite possibly the 'most jukebox’ of any jukebox musicals with so many familiar songs. It invites you to their party, offers you a cup of absinthe (to see the Green Fairy) and is a lavish spectacle that happily takes you along this highly enjoyable ride. Should you go to this ‘Paris’? – Yes, you can, Can, CAN!!
Moulin Rouge! The Musical plays in Kansas City at The Music Hall through Sunday, August 4 with Tickets available here: Moulin Rouge (Touring) Tickets | Event Dates & Schedule | Ticketmaster
(National Tour Photos by Matthew Murphy and provided by their website) / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)
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| john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com |
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