Rapper Megan Thee Stallion to leave Moulin Rouge! The Musical early amid break-up
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Rapper Megan Thee Stallion will play her final performance in Moulin Rouge! The Musical on May 1.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Nicole Herrington
NEW YORK – The rapper Megan Thee Stallion will play her final performance in Moulin Rouge! The Musical on May 1, the production announced in a news release on the night of April 27, ending her run more than two weeks earlier than originally planned.
The production did not give a reason for her early departure in its news release but included a statement from the performer.
“It’s been such an honour to be part of Moulin Rouge! and I’ve met so many amazing people in this theatre!” the rapper’s statement read in part.
“Y’all work so hard, and I have so much respect for the dedication, the stamina, the work ethic, the time and the effort y’all put into the work!”
She continued: “I’m so grateful for the cast and crew that made this experience so meaningful. Y’all are really some of the kindest human beings I’ve ever met! To all the Hotties that showed up or planned to attend, thank you for supporting me during this incredible journey!”
The show had enlisted Megan Thee Stallion, 31, to play Zidler, a nightclub impresario in turn-of-the-century Paris, partly in an effort to increase its sales. It is not unusual for Broadway shows, particularly those deep into their runs, to hire musical artists and other celebrities in an effort to goose their grosses.
The production, which has had a seven-year run interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, has set a closing date for Aug 30.
Megan Thee Stallion was scheduled to appear from March 24 to May 17, but her splashy Broadway debut hit a rough patch early on. After a week of performances, she fell ill midway through a show and was rushed to a hospital.
At the time, a spokesperson for Megan Thee Stallion said in a statement that the performer had been evaluated at a hospital and diagnosed with “extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels”. She returned to the production two nights later.
The news of her departure comes a day after she was seen visibly upset, wiping away tears, at a curtain call on April 26. Hours earlier, she had announced the break-up of her relationship with Klay Thompson, who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA.
It is unclear if that development played a role in her decision to leave the production, or who will step into the role of Zidler once she departs. The production said in its news release that person would be announced soon. NYTIMES
