Boy George to Join the Broadway Cast of 'Moulin Rouge'

Boy George, lead singer of the ’80s band Culture Club, will be making his return to Broadway in "Moulin Rouge! The Musical" next year.

The singer-songwriter, known for hits including "Karma Chameleon" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," will tackle the role of Moulin Rouge club owner Harold Zidler in the production, which is an adaptation of Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film, USA Today has reported. 

Boy George will take over the role from Tituss Burgess, who exits the show on Dec. 17. He will make his first appearance on Feb. 6 and conclude his role on May 12.

Directed by Alex Timbers, "Moulin Rouge!" opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in the summer of 2019 but temporarily shut down as part of the industry's COVID pandemic closures, Deadline reported. It reopened in September 2021. 

Set in a Parisian nightclub from the turn of the century, the show won 10 Tony Awards in 2021, including Best New Musical. It has been updated to include hits such as "Single Ladies" and "Firework," in addition to the popular track "Lady Marmalade."

Boy George's last Broadway appearance was in 2003's "Taboo," a show he both musically contributed to and performed in. The production, following a flamboyant character in London, was inspired by George's life and produced by Rosie O'Donnell. And while Boy George performed in the production, he did not portray himself.

"There's nothing wrong with camp. You can be camp and have substance," he told USA Today of "Taboo" at the time. "At the end of the day, as RuPaul said, we're all born naked, and everything's drag.

"Some people, like the guys going to Wall Street or blue-collar jobs, use their drag to fit in. People like me prefer something a little more exotic. But when you strip people down, we all have similar stories."

• Bruce Springsteen 'All Good' Despite Ongoing Ulcer Disease
• Conservative-Loved 'Sound of Freedom' Streams on Amazon