Over the past couple of seasons, Broadway has seen a big influx of Hollywood and music stars making their debuts on the Broadway and Off-Broadway stages.
Josh Groban, George Cloney, Bob the Drag Queen, Ariana Grande, Robert Downey Jr, Daniel Dae Kim, Alyssa Milano, Adam Lambert, Rachel Zegler, and Shailene Woodley have all made their Broadway debuts in the past few years.
The newest artist to add their name to the list of Broadway debuts is three time Grammy Award winning rap artist Megan Thee Stallion.
Megan will replace Bob the Drag Queen – who recently made his Broadway debut – in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”. Bob will be playing Zidler until March 22.
From March 24 through May 17, Megan will take on the role of Zidler (Harold Zidler that was originated by Danny Burstein).
Bob the Drag Queen will join fellow “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” alum Jinkx Monsoon in a gender-bending role – Monsoon portrayed Mary Todd Lincoln in “Oh, Mary!…twice).
Bob will be the first performer who identifies as female portraying a male role in “Moulin Rouge” – in any “Moulin Rouge” production worldwide…including the currently running Broadway production.
Megan Thee Stallion issued a statement about taking on the role saying, “stepping onto the Broadway stage and joining the ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ team is an absolute honor. I’ve always believed in pushing myself creatively and theatre is definitely a new opportunity that I’m excited to embrace. Broadway demands a different level of discipline, preparation, and storytelling, but I’m up for the challenge and can’t wait for the Hotties to see a new side of me.”
Show producer Carmen Pavlovic added, “welcoming Megan Thee Stallion into the ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ community is a thrilling moment for us. Megan is a true global superstar. She is one of the most influential artists of her generation and her impact on music and culture is undeniable. This historic casting is a major part of our closing celebrations: our farewell gift to Broadway audiences and one of our biggest announcements in the history of ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’. We want our show to go out with a spectacular bang, and Megan is the force of nature to lead us there. And yes, there will be a hint of music from her own iconic catalogue. It’s an unmissable moment for both Megan’s fans and ours.”
The Tony Award winning musical has announced that it will be closing in July after seven years on Broadway.