This has been a scary, confusing, and heartbreaking season for Broadway, with many shows closing early and others that have been on stage for some time beginning to close. That’s exactly what is happening to one well-known show on Broadway, Moulin Rouge. Unfortunately, it was announced on Feb. 5 that Moulin Rouge will close on July 26.
The Broadway show was based on the 2001 movie Moulin Rouge!, which starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The Broadway show opened on July 25, 2019. It was nominated for 14 Tony Awards at the 2020 Tony Awards and won 10, including Best Musical. Not only was that a big accomplishment, but it also set a record that stood for over 100 years at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. It has also had over 2,000 performances and will become the 36th-longest-running Broadway show in history. Moulin Rouge is also a popular show worldwide, with performances in the West End of London, Germany, Korea, the Netherlands, and a current North American national tour.
It honestly breaks my heart that Moulin Rouge is closing, especially since Moulin Rouge has had a major cultural impact, not only on Broadway, but also across pop culture. You may have recognized the song “Lady Marmalade” from the iconic Kris Jenner video, but that’s not all. Not only is the music one of the most recognizable aspects of the show/film, but the intimate environment of walking into the theater is also memorable. It feels as though you traveled through time and were brought inside the show. Not only that, but during interactive moments with the cast members, they sometimes walk through the audience while dancing, or even sometimes break the fourth wall to connect with the audience.
Overall, I hope this won’t give any other long-running Broadway shows any ideas about closing. Like, imagine Wicked giving the closing announcement, which I doubt would happen for a while, given the popularity of the movies Wicked and Wicked: For Good. At the same time, it still feels insane to me that shows are beginning to shut down. This isn’t the first show to close the curtain. On Jan. 15, it was announced that the Alicia Keys show, Hell’s Kitchen, will also close its curtains on Feb. 22. It makes me wonder which upcoming show will take its place inside the theater. Is it a new show coming for the 2026-2027 season? Or will it take some time to strike before a new show can even set the stage? Regardless, I’ll plan to see the show again soon, before the last time.