Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Jay Armstrong Johnson as Christian and Arianna Rosario as Satine in the North American tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
There are moments in life that feel like a scene from a movie you’ve waited your whole life to be part of — the opening night of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at Bass Hall was exactly that. As a journalist, I’ve covered everything from sweaty punk shows to candlelight vigils, but somehow, a true Broadway musical had eluded me. Until now.
From the moment I stepped into the glowing red cocoon of the theater, I knew this wasn’t just a show. This was a vibe. Performers in decadent cabaret garb slinked around the iconic neon Moulin Rouge sign, and the line between stage and real life blurred in the best way.
And then — boom — Fort Worth repped in the spotlight.
There, stage right, was Jay Armstrong Johnson, a Fort Worth native playing the love-struck Christian with the kind of electricity that takes years to master. But Johnson wasn’t the only hometown performer to take the stage. Fellow Fort Worthian Rodney Thompson played Baby Doll with a kind of kinetic grace that made every glance count. However, when Johnson took the stage in his co-leading role, his entrance triggered the kind of applause usually reserved for surprise cameos or playoff wins.
Based on Baz Luhrmann’s dazzling 2001 film "Moulin Rouge!"— which racked up eight Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and took home two — the jukebox musical burst onto Broadway in 2019 to rave reviews. It dominated the Tony Awards with 14 nominations and walked away with 10 wins, including Best Musical. The musical has now brought its unstoppable energy to Fort Worth, led by four Tony winners: director Alex Timbers, book writer John Logan, music supervisor Justin Levine, and choreographer Sonya Tayeh. This isn’t just a show coming to town — it’s a full-throttle Broadway knockout making a grand entrance.
Stephen Montoya
Set in turn-of-the-century Paris, “Moulin Rouge!” is a remix of eras, colors, and chart-toppers, spliced together with an emotional precision that sneaks up on you. The Elephant Love Medley between Johnson and co-star Arianna Rosario (Satine) was full of cheeky pop references and real romantic ache. It was like watching two people flirt in subtitles made entirely of lyrics. And yes, Rosario’s “Firework”— sung solo during a poignant scene change — absolutely soared.
The next day, I sat down with Johnson and Rosario at a press junket. What started as a formal Q&A quickly turned into what felt more like a conversation between old friends.
“I’ve had at least three or four Whataburgers since we hit Austin,” Johnson admitted with a grin, still buzzing from the night before. During an earlier interview, when I asked him what he missed most about Cowtown, he said, “I am really craving a Whataburger.” Now, back in Fort Worth, he says, “It just feels good to be home.”
Rosario laughed and chimed in: “It’s only my second time in Fort Worth. Last time was ten years ago with “West Side Story.” The city has changed so much — I’m hoping I can get out and explore a bit, if the rain holds off.”
When I asked them about the rapid-fire banter and choreography in the Elephant Love Medley, Johnson didn’t miss a beat. “It’s so well directed by Alex Timbers,” he said. “But the musical version was tough for me. I knew the movie version so well, I kept wanting to go back to it.”
Stephen Montoya
Rosario nodded. “The trick is finding the truth in all those songs. Each one’s a tactic in this flirty chess match. We want it to feel fresh and funny — but also grounded.”
That duality — heightened theatricality and authentic connection — is what makes “Moulin Rouge!” sing. Literally and figuratively.
Of course, behind the velvet curtains is a world of quick changes, vocal warmups, and choreographed chaos. Rosario described the whirlwind of costume swaps between songs and setups: “I think I have 45 seconds to do a full change, and then I’m right back out there. There’s a team, a whole choreography backstage — zip, corset, arm, wig — it’s its own show.”
Johnson nodded, adding, “You could make a documentary just about what’s happening offstage.”
We talked tech, too. Turns out the entire “Moulin Rouge!” tour travels with its own deck. “That wasn’t the Bass Hall stage you saw,” Johnson told me. “It’s a mobile stage we bring with us, complete with tracks, automation, everything. One guy runs all the set movements from offstage. It’s wild.”
And voice care? Rosario keeps it simple: hydration, rest, and vocal straw exercises in the morning. “We give everything on that stage,” she said. “There are no real breaks for me. If I’m not performing, I’m changing backstage. The only time I get to breathe is intermission.”
Stephen Montoya
Watching them perform and then hearing them talk about the work behind the glamour reminded me of why live theater — real theater — still matters. It’s sweat. It’s memory. It’s timing. It’s trust. It’s a little bit of Broadway magic and a whole lot of real people giving everything they’ve got, eight shows a week.
And for this first-timer? It was unforgettable.
If you’re lucky enough to snag a ticket before the tour rolls on, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” runs at Bass Performance Hall until June 15, go. Let the red lights wash over you. Let Satine break your heart and Christian piece it back together. Let the harmonies give you chills.
And when Johnson belts “Roxanne,” know that somewhere in the crowd, I was grinning like a teenager at his first Springsteen show, scribbling notes in the dark, whispering to myself:
“So this is Broadway.”
