'Moulin Rouge!' to open on broadway in 2019

"Moulin Rouge!", the spectacular stage adaptation of the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film of the same name is set for a broadway opening in summer of 2019.

Previews of "Moulin Rouge The Musical" will begin June 28 next year prior to its July 25 opening night, reports variety.com.

The transfer has been in the works for some time. A theatrical reimagining of the big screen musical opened last summer in Boston, where it earned strong reviews, and a great deal of hype for its reported $30 million budget. All of what was invested appeared to have payed off.

The Broadway show will once again focus on a love story between an idealistic writer and a courtesan, all set to a parade of pop favourites that range from Lady Gaga to the Beatles.

As with the film, the couple will meet cute in Paris's iconic cabarets and dance halls.

The cast from the Boston run will make the trek to New York with the musical.

The performers include Karen Olivo, Aaron Tveit, Danny Burstein, Sahr Ngaujah, Tam Mutu, Ricky Rojas and Robyn Hurder.

"Moulin Rouge!' will take up residence in the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, which currently houses "Kinky Boots", which will close on April 7, 2019.

"We are thrilled to be bringing 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' to the Broadway. We are especially delighted that the show is going to the Hirschfeld -- the perfect theatre for this production -- with its lavish architecture and rich history of landmark Broadway shows," said producer Carmen Pavlovic.

The show continues the trend of turning movies into stage shows.

Musical re-imaginings of "Pretty Woman", "Mean Girls", and "Waitress" are already playing in New York, with a musical version of "Tootsie" and "Beetlejuice" also expected to hit Gotham in the coming months.

"Moulin Rouge!" is directed by Alex Timbers, a Tony Award nominees for "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" and "Peter and the Starcatcher".

--IANS

dc/in