The lights of Broadway have dimmed on this sad day, to mourn Karen Olivo, dedicated method actress and female lead in Moulin Rouge! who has tragically passed away due to self-inflicted tuberculosis.
Olivo took on the role of Satine, the star of the popular nightclub, the Moulin Rouge, who in-show suffers from the then unidentifiable ailment called consumption. In an interview before her demise, the actress stated she was doing her best to understand exactly how Satine felt, down to the cellular level.
“She always gave 110%,” said Aaron Tveit, co-star, “I don’t think any of us expected it to go this far though. She was planning a stint as Doc Holliday in Tombstone: The OK Choral Line after this, before she got cured. Who knew the disease would take such a hold on her.”
The star timed her passing precisely, dying at the same moment her character counterpart does in the production. Members of the ensemble didn’t realize until the actress didn’t rise for her final bow. Luckily, stagehands worked with great speed to affix the corpse to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre’s fly system, and with a bit of puppetry the audience was none the wiser. That’s live theater for ya!
The show plans to rework and open its doors again soon as the new and improved Weekend At Satine’s, getting the most out of the contract signed by Olivo before her untimely demise.
Broadway’s “Moulin Rouge!” Closes After Method Acting Star Dies Of Consumption.
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Special thanks to Déjà Jade and The Dodson Family.
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