Tim Omaji (known to most as Timomatic) and former Neighbours actor Ben Hall are heading to the Moulin Rouge, for the musical’s Sydney return.
Alongside Tyler Chapman and Thalia Smith, the pair are the first performers confirmed for the latest Australian staging of the Tony Award-winning musical, with its leading roles of Satine, Christian, and Harold Zidler still to be announced.
Hall will take on the role of The Duke of Monroth, adding the production to a theatre resume that includes Les Misérables, Pretty Woman, and Elvis: A Musical Revolution. The actor, also known for playing Ned Willis on Neighbours from 2016 to 2022, is also set to appear in the upcoming Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical as Glenn Wheatley.
Omaji will return as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec after previously playing the role in the original Australian production. His recent stage credits include TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, RENT, Pretty Woman, and In the Heights.
Chapman will make his professional musical theatre debut as Santiago, while Smith will step into the role of Nini following appearances in productions including “SIX the Musical, CATS, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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Producer Carmen Pavlovic said of the first announcement: “Moulin Rouge! The Musical demands an extraordinary range of performance skills, and Ben, Tim, Tyler and Thalia are outstanding performers who each bring something uniquely special to these iconic roles. Together, they capture the spirit and passion at the heart of this story.
“As we build this new Australian company, we’re assembling a cast that will honour everything audiences love about this spectacular production while bringing fresh energy and excitement to the stage for Sydney in 2027.”
Further casting, including the performers taking on Satine, Christian, and Harold Zidler, will be announced in the coming months.
Based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical features a book by John Logan, direction by Alex Timbers, choreography by Sonya Tayeh and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Justin Levine.
The stage adaptation premiered on Broadway in 2019 and went on to win 10 Tony Awards in 2021, including Best Musical. Its soundtrack spans more than 160 years of music, combining songs featured in Luhrmann’s film with pop hits released in the years since.
The musical previously toured Australia from 2021 to 2024, while international productions have played across the US, UK, Germany, South Korea and Japan.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical returns to Sydney in March 2027, with tickets on sale now here.
From Variety Australia
