Boy George Set to Star in Broadway’s ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’

Iconic singer Boy George is poised for a dazzling return to Broadway, taking on the role of Harold Zidler in the Tony Award-winning ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’.

The 62-year-old Grammy winner is scheduled to join the cast from Tuesday, Feb. 6, through Sunday, May 12, in a limited engagement at New York City’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre. In preparation for his debut, a teaser video will be released on Tuesday, showcasing Boy George, born George Alan O’Dowd, getting into character. The preview features a blend of his hit “Karma Chameleon” with the pulsating beats of “Lady Marmalade”, a signature song from ‘Moulin Rouge!’.

In the video, Boy George, donning his makeup in front of a dressing-room mirror, playfully quips, “Bit more rouge, yes?” offering a hint of the charisma he’s set to bring to the stage.

 

 

This appearance marks Boy George’s first return to Broadway in over two decades. He previously made a splash with ‘Taboo’, a musical that he not only wrote the score for, earning a Tony nomination, but also starred in, portraying Australian performance artist Leigh Bowery.

‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ has seen a variety of stars take on the role of Harold Zidler, including Broadway veteran Danny Burstein, who received his first Tony for the part, and actor Tituss Burgess. The show has also welcomed stars like JoJo and Casey Cott in the lead roles of Satine and Christian, respectively.

The musical, based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, narrates the love story of an American writer, Christian, and a performer, Satine, in the famed Parisian cabaret at the turn of the 20th century. Since its opening at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in 2019 and subsequent reopening in 2021 post-COVID-19 shutdown, the musical has captivated audiences with its vibrant portrayal of the bohemian spirit.

Boy George, renowned as the lead singer of Culture Club in the 1980s and later as a solo artist, also announced in 2021 his involvement in a biopic based on his life, titled ‘Karma Chameleon’. The project is currently under development. With his foray back into Broadway, Boy George continues to demonstrate his multifaceted talents in the world of entertainment.