In support of the ongoing wildfire relief efforts in Australia, Moulin Rouge! The Musical—a Broadway show with distinct Australian ties—will hold a benefit performance and a separate benefit concert.
First, profits from the January 26 performance at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre will go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund and WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue. The benefit performance coincides with the nation’s Australia Day.
The following day, company members will take part in the Make It Rain Rally, an initiative developed by Australian castmates Karli Dinardo and and Reed Luplau. The event at (Le) Poisson Rouge, directed by Luplau, will also feature performances by Ben Folds, Postmodern Jukebox, Morgan James, Alexis Michelle, Moulin Rouge! The Musical cast members Amber Ardolino, Karli Dinardo, Ashley Loren, Reed Luplau, Fred Odgaard, Jeigh Madjus, Ricky Rojas and Aaron Tveit as well as Brittain Ashford (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), Kellie Drobnick, Mary Page Nance, drag superstar Pixie Aventura, MiG Ayesa, Reeve Carney (Hadestown), Spencer Clark, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper (Tootsie), Alison Ingelstrom, Zachary Daniel Jones (Beetlejuice),Justice Moore (Hamilton), Alise Morales (Betches Sup), two-time Tony Award nominee Eva Noblezada (Hadestown), Australian songwriter and actor Matthew Lee Robinson, Meghan Sanett and a performance choreographed by Karla Garcia (The Cher Show). Proceeds from the event, produced by Luplau and Hayley Isaacson, will also go to the two organizations.
Moulin Rouge!, based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 movie musical, opened on Broadway last summer. The Alex Timbers-helmed production is currently led by Aaron Tveit and Tony winner Karen Olivo as Christian and Satine, respectively. Like the original film, the stage adaptation features a catalog of pop hits from a span of decades.