'Moulin Rouge' to kick off Broadway in Detroit's 2024-25 season
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is making its way to the Motor City this fall, kicking off Broadway in Detroit’s 2024-25 subscriber season. The seven-show musical lineup also includes biographical musicals “MJ” and “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical,” and recent Tony Award winners “Some Like it Hot,” “Kimberly Akimbo” and “Parade,” plus a revival production of “The Wiz.”
“(The season) has got a great, fantastic variety of shows from the well-known story of ‘Moulin Rouge’ for the movie fans to the probably not known but incredible pieces like ‘Kimberly Akimbo,’ and everything in between,” said Jamie Budgett, Broadway in Detroit's general manager.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” brings the 2001 hit film to the stage.
Set in 1899, the show is a romantic drama about lovesick American writer Christian and Satine, star of the Moulin Rouge nightclub. The story is told through 40 pop hits from the 1940s to the 2010s, including Elton John’s “Your Song,” The Police’s “Roxanne” and Madonna’s “Material Girl” from the movie, plus newer songs like Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” Sia’s “Chandelier” and Katy Perry’s “Firework.”
“While fans of the movie of course are going to love seeing this, it’s not going to just feel like watching the movie,” Budgett said. “It’s got a whole freshness to it. I think anyone who knows the movie will know that they’re in for a night of dazzling entertainment.”
“MJ” and “A Beautiful Noise” use the music of Michael Jackson and Neil Diamond, respectively, to tell the singers’ life stories.
Budgett said the shows have more depth than your typical “jukebox” musical and provide insight into the singers’ minds and creative process. Scott Myers, Broadway in Detroit’s marketing director, said “MJ” has one of his favorite dance numbers of all time, and “A Beautiful Noise” is uplifting and bright and a great show for the holiday season, even for those less familiar with Diamond’s work.
“I didn’t know Neil Diamond’s story, and I found it really compelling,” he said.
Jackson fans can enjoy more of his music with the return of “The Wiz.” Jackson — along with fellow Motown star Diana Ross — starred in the 1978 film adaptation of the 1974 musical, which won seven Tony Awards in 1975, including Best Musical. The show reimagines the classic “The Wizard of Oz” story set in contemporary African American culture.
“It’s an amazing, big production that is going to make you dance and lift you up,” Myers said.” I cannot wait for this to return to Detroit.”
“Kimberly Akimbo,” “Some Like it Hot,” and “Parade” come to Detroit after cleaning up at last year’s Tony Awards. Winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, “Kimberly Akimbo” is a comedy about a lonely teenage girl with a condition that causes her to age rapidly. In addition to her genetic condition, she must navigate through family secrets, a first love and possible felony charges.
While “Kimberly Akimbo” may be the least well-known of the lineup, it is one of the shows they’re most excited to bring to Detroit, Budgett said.
“When you read premise, you think, ‘Huh, how is that going to work?’” he said. “It does, and it’s got some incredible music, and it’s a very wonderful show.”
Based on the classic 1959 film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, “Some Like it Hot” is a comedy about two musicians who disguise themselves as women while on the run from the mob. The show is a glamorous, high-energy production set in the Jazz Age, with grand dance numbers and a big band sound. It took home four Tony Awards, including Best Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Costume Design of a Musical, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations, plus a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
“It’s classic in its style, but it’s not like watching the 1950s Marilyn Monroe movie,” Budgett said. “The music is more fresh, …and it brings that modern element to it.”
“Parade” — Tony Award winner for Best Revival and Best Direction of a Musical — is the most somber of the series. Amid an antisemitic setting of 1913’s Georgia, “Parade” follows the true story of Jewish American Leo Frank, who was wrongfully accused of murder.
Myers said “Parade” is deep and powerful and a break from shiny, bright shows.
“It’s artistic, creative and a really a great piece of thoughtful, important musical theatre,” he said.
Myers said the upcoming season has a fantastic lineup, and experiencing musical theater goes beyond the productions themselves.
“While it is about the shows,” he said, “it’s also about the experiences with our loved ones and friends that we carry with us for the rest of our lives.”
Current season subscribers can renew for the 2024-25 subscription season now; new subscriptions will be available for purchase on April 1. Individual and group ticket sales will be available at a later date.
Most shows will be performed at the Fisher Theatre inside the Fisher Building at 3011 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit. “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” will be performed at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. For tickets and details, visit www.broadwayindetroit.com.
Broadway in Detroit’s 2024-25 season
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical”: Sept. 17 - Oct. 6, 2024 (Detroit Opera House)
“Some Like it Hot”: Oct. 1 - 13, 2024 (Fisher Theatre)
“MJ”: Oct. 23 - Nov. 5, 2024 (Fisher Theatre)
“A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical”: Dec. 24, 2024 - Jan. 5, 2025 (Fisher Theatre)
“Parade”: Feb. 25. - March 9, 2025 (Fisher Theatre)
“Kimberly Akimbo”: March 11 - 23, 2025 (Fisher Theatre)
“The Wiz”: June 17 - 29, 2025 (Fisher Theatre)