Reader can partake in French lessons, and now cancan during ‘Moulin Rouge' Chicago run

Chicago Tribune

09-04-2025

Last week, I was talking with reader Carol Dionne of St. John about her three years of French language lessons she had taken at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Dyer.
'I'd taken Spanish language classes in high school and Latin and French in college, and I've always loved the French language,' said Dionne, a retired nurse.
'The classes I've been taking recently only cost a nominal fee, and it was a group class that met in-person, and I loved the social aspect of the gathering. Recently, the classes transitioned to Zoom virtual classes, and I prefer meeting in person.'
Sometimes, the stars and planets align perfectly, as is the case for the answer for Dionne's request.
Alliance Francaise de Chicago is a non-profit located at 24 West Chicago Ave. in downtown Chicago, and among the many opportunities offered are language courses, both beginning and advanced options, as well as many other cultural programs and possibilities with more information available at www.af-chicago.org or call 312-337-1070.
I only learned about this institution, founded 125 years ago, after receiving a press release alerting about a promotional partnership for this organization with the Broadway touring cast of the stage hit 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' now playing through April 20 at Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago.
The touring musical's dance captain Katie Lombardo conducted a free dance workshop on Tuesday morning this week to teach the history and classic high-kicking steps for the iconic French cancan dance which was made so famous at the Moulin Rouge nightclub of Paris. Lombardo said despite the seamstress secrets and crafting creativity of today's costumes, the layered ruffled dresses the cancan dancers wore still tip the scales at more than 10 pounds of fabric per dress.
It remains unknown the exact origin of how and who it was that dreamed up the animated and flirtatious kick-line of cancan dancers that became a popular trend in the 1820s. By the time the Moulin Rouge nightclub was founded in 1889 in Paris, the cancan became the signature dance of this internationally famed stage.
The Tony Award-winning Best Musical 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' was last in Chicago when presented by Broadway in Chicago for a month run in April and May 22 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre. The winner of 10 of the 2021 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, it opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in the Summer of 2019 and then reopened in September 2021 following the shutdown of Broadway due to the pandemic.
Directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers and the book by Tony Award winner John Logan, the choreography is by Tony Award winner Sonya Tayeh with music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Tony Award winner Justin Levine. The production is based closely on the Oscar-winning 20th Century Fox film 'Moulin Rouge!' — starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and John Leguizamo — which premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.
Tour cast member Jordan Vasquez, who grew up in Illinois just outside the Quad Cities, is the understudy for the role of Santiago.
'I've been with this tour for the past year and previously toured with the musical 'Chicago,' which was my last time here in Chicago when it played at the CIBC theater,' said Vasquez, who attended Tuesday's dance workshop.
'I've always loved the movie 'Moulin Rouge,' and when it was adapted as a Broadway musical, I knew one day I'd be part of the cast. The story is timeless, and the music and songs are amazing. One of the differences between the movie and Broadway musical is there are even more songs included.'
Tickets start at $36.50 at 800-775-2000 and www.broadwayinchicago.com or visit MoulinRougeMusical.com. Running time is two hours and 35 minutes, which includes a 15-minute intermission. The show is classified as suitable for ages 12 and older.