Erin Clare, Nigel Huckle and Reuben Kaye will lead the new Australian production of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” when it returns to Sydney next year.
Announced at a launch event on Wednesday morning, the trio will take on the principal roles for the Tony Award-winning musical, which will open at the Sydney Lyric in March 2027.
Clare will play Satine, the Moulin Rouge’s star performer, opposite Huckle as Christian, the young writer who falls in love with her. Meanwhile, comedian and cabaret performer Kaye will step into the role of Harold Zidler, the nightclub’s flamboyant owner and master of ceremonies.
This morning’s announcement follows an extensive national casting search, with more than 2,300 submissions received during six weeks of open auditions. More than 500 performers were auditioned for just 34 roles in the new Australian company.
Clare, whose previous stage credits include “Beetlejuice,” “We Will Rock You” and “Heathers: The Musical,” described the opportunity to play Satine as a dream come true. “It’s amazing to get to play someone so vulnerable yet powerful, stoic, strong,” she said on Wednesday.
“She is the ultimate showgirl. I knew when I grew up I wanted to be Nicole Kidman. Then when I saw the stage show, it just blew my mind how developed this character was. It’s such a gift, as an actor, to get a role that shows so much range, not only dramatically, but vocally as well… and comedically, and costume-wise… It’s such a dream.”
Huckle, who has previously starred in “Miss Saigon” and “West Side Story,” as well as the international tour of “Les Misérables,” said he connected with Christian’s optimism.
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“Christian is a role that I really resonate with because he’s an optimist like me. He’s an idealist and monotonous, and I think that’s why he and I are such a perfect match,” he said on stage. “He comes into the show with that sensibility and that wide-eyed excitement, and I always try to see the best in people and situations.”
For Kaye, the production marks an opportunity to showcase a different side of his performance career. Best known for his provocative comedy and cabaret work, he will take on a character previously portrayed on screen by Jim Broadbent in Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film.
“Zidler is an absolute gift of a role. He’s outrageous, cheeky, hilarious and completely in command of this extraordinary world, but underneath all of that spectacle there’s real heart and humanity,” Kaye said. “I think people who know my work might think they know what I’m going to do with him. I’m very excited to show them another side to me.”
Global Creatures CEO and producer Carmen Pavlovic said the casting process had demonstrated the strength of Australia’s musical theatre talent. “The calibre of artists we saw throughout this audition process was so impressive. We have assembled 34 extraordinary performers who bring not only phenomenal skill, but the individuality, energy and star quality that makes Moulin Rouge! The Musical what it is,” she said.
Pavlovic also singled out Kaye’s casting: “He will bring charisma, wit and heart to the role of Zidler. While Harold Zidler is one of theatre’s great showmen, he is also the beating heart of the Moulin Rouge, and Reuben has the unique ability to embody both.”
The three leads join an Australian cast that already includes Ben Hall as the Duke of Monroth, Tim Omaji (known to most as Timomatic) as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Tyler Chapman as Santiago and Thalia Smith as Nini. Omaji previously appeared in the production’s original Australian run.
Director Alex Timbers, who won a Tony Award for his work on the Broadway production, said he was looking forward to seeing the new company bring its own interpretations to the characters. “I’m particularly excited for audiences to see these artists make the roles their own – there are some genuinely thrilling and unexpected performers in this company, and I can’t wait to see them bring Moulin Rouge! The Musical back to life in Sydney,” he said.
Based on Luhrmann’s Oscar-winning film, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” premiered on Broadway in 2019 and went on to win 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The stage adaptation features more than 70 songs spanning 160 years of popular music, with a book by John Logan, choreography by Sonya Tayeh and music supervision by Justin Levine.
The production previously toured Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane, with its 2027 Sydney season featuring an entirely new Australian company.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” opens at the Sydney Lyric in March 2027. See ticket information here.