Karen Olivo, Aaron Tveit to star in ‘Moulin Rouge!’ musical

April 4 (UPI) — Karen Olivo, Aaron Tveit and Danny Burstein are to lead the cast of Moulin Rouge! when the stage musical has its world premiere in Boston this summer.

Based on the 2001 movie of the same name, the show is scheduled to play 36 performances at Ambassador Theatre Group’s Emerson Colonial Theatre from June 27 through Aug. 5, the producers from Global Creatures said Wednesday.

Alex Timbers is directing the musical, which will co-star Sahr Ngaujah, Tam Mutu, Ricky Rojas and Robyn Hurder.

“Set in Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France at the turn of the century, a world of indulgent beauty and unparalleled extravagance, of bohemians and aristocrats, of boulevardiers and mademoiselles, Moulin Rouge! The Musical tells the fictional story of an ambitious, lovesick writer, Christian, and a dazzling, entrancing chanteuse, Satine,” a news release said. “Their lives collide at the Moulin Rouge with its many characters including the host of the Moulin Rouge, Harold Zidler; the brilliant and starving artist Toulouse-Lautrec; the greatest tango dancer — and gigolo — in all of Paris, Santiago; the tempting Nini; and The Duke of Monroth, the wealthy and entitled patron of the club who thinks he can buy anything he wants, including love.”

Written and directed by Baz Luhrmann, the film version starred Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and Jim Broadbent. It was nominated for eight Oscars and won two.