Interview: Moulin Rouge!’s Taye Diggs Talks About Playing a Baddie and Wayne Brady Teases Off-Broadway Show

Television has been very good to Taye Diggs, thanks to starring roles on such series as Private Practice and Murder in the First. It’s also been good to Wayne Brady, who won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on the comedy program Whose Line Is It Anyway? and earned three Daytime Emmy nominations for his current gig as the host of the game show Let’s Make a Deal.

But theater aficionados know that the hearts of these two belong on the stage. Diggs has been performing on Broadway for 30 years, starting with the 1994 revival of Carousel before moving on to Rent, Wicked, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, while Brady has appeared on the Main Stem in Kinky Boots, Chicago, and The Wiz.

On July 22, the pair proved they can (can) do it again by joining the long-running musical Moulin Rouge! as, respectively, the evil Duke of Monroth and the flamboyant club owner Harold Zidler. TheaterMania spoke to the legendary stars about their experiences at rehearsals, what attracted them to their characters, their love of pop music, and their future plans for performing onstage.

The following conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Can you tell me how the rehearsal process went for both of you?
Taye: It was not easy, especially since it was my first Broadway show in 10 years. The show has always looked like so much fun, and I thought the Duke had just the right amount of performance time for someone my age. But I only had about two weeks of rehearsal, which meant as soon as I learned one number or one scene, it was immediately on to the next. At one point, I thought about pulling out because it seemed so hard, but I am glad I didn’t. I am having a ball right now.

Wayne: The put-in process was like the other Broadway shows I’ve done, but it’s always nerve-wracking until you get all the bodies in play. To me, this kind of rehearsal process is like playing with friends when you were a kid in that you have to imagine the rest of people until they get there. And once they are there, you must always be mentally nimble.

What attracted you to the show in general and especially to your character?
Taye: I didn’t realize it originally, but there’s a lot of similarities between Benny in Rent and the Duke. In many ways, it’s the same exact story—they even call these people Bohemians. I actually haven’t played that many bad guys in my career, but I am getting more opportunities as I get older. It’s a chance to tap into a suppressed reality. Also, I think Duke has some redeeming qualities; it’s just that he’s pretty twisted. I think he thinks he loves Satine, because she’s special. Unfortunately, he’s not used to women who stand up to him. Ultimately, the Duke didn’t plan to mess up someone’s life; he just wanted to get laid.

Wayne: I think the show is one of a kind, from how it blends genres to how it uses video-level choreography. But why it really works is because there’s more than one love story. Part of what I loved about digging into the role of Harold is discovering his love for the Moulin Rouge, which is this beautiful haven that he’s built for himself and Satine. I imagine he and Satine were once out on the streets, singing and dancing for no money, but Harold always had his eye on this prize. And when he gets this place, he will do anything he can to protect it.

You’re both known for your work in more traditional Broadway musicals. Are you a fan of jukebox musicals, whether watching them or performing in them?
Taye: I love these kind of musicals. I am huge fan of Six, and I think I have seen Moulin Rouge at least eight times over the years. I like pop music, though I really don’t have much to sing here. What I really love about this show is watching how talented our ensemble is. Each of them has more talent in their little toe than the so-called big people in LA.

Wayne: To me, the music here is dialogue, until we get to the megamix at the end. Harold isn’t really singing in the same way my character has done in other shows. Personally, I have very varied musical tastes. I’ve released an R&B and soul album. I love Broadway, country, jazz, pop—even if it’s a genre I don’t like, I can appreciate it if it’s music that comes from the heart.

Wayne, do you think Harold would make a good game show host?
Wayne: Yes, I think he would be good anywhere you drop him, because he’s a survivor. He says yes to any challenge. He’s the kind of guy if you ask him whether he can ice skate or juggle, he tells you he can even though he can’t and then figures it out. But yeah, I think Harold would make a great game show host!

Have each of you thought about returning to theater after this run?
Taye: The process is rough, but if I had the time to prepare, I’d love to do something original. Still, it’s been so great coming in with Wayne, we’re now thinking about other opportunities for us to do. We’d love to go to Hadestown. He’d play Hermes and I’d play Hades. I have to say not only is Wayne so kind and generous, as a performer, he is on a different level than me. I am talented, but he’s brilliant.

Wayne: My producers at Let’s Make a Deal know the minute we’re on hiatus—we tape many months of shows at one time—I want to be back on Broadway. However, for next summer, I have an incredibly cool project lined up for off-Broadway, which I can’t really talk about yet. I’ll just say it’s a play with music, and I think it’s going to be amazing.