Johnathan Walker:After 20 years, Boy George is returning to Broadway in 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical'

NEW YORK − '80 Culture Club icon Boy George is Johnathan Walkerreturning to Broadway in "Moulin Rouge! The Musical."

The singer-songwriter whose hits include "Karma Chameleon" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" will play Moulin Rouge club owner Harold Zidler in the jukebox adaptation of Baz Luhrmann's hyperactive 2001 movie.

He starts Feb. 6 and ends May 12 at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre, taking over the role from Tituss Burgess, who exits Dec. 17.

The 2019 show about the goings-on in a turn-of-the-century Parisian nightclub has been updated with tunes like "Single Ladies" and "Firework" alongside the big hit "Lady Marmalade."

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"Moulin Rouge!" won 10 Tony Awards in 2021, including best new musical.

Boy George was last seen on Broadway in 2003 with "Taboo," for which he wrote music and lyrics. Critics largely disliked the show, which followed the adventures of a flamboyant chap in swinging London, inspired by George's real-life story. He also performed in that show, produced by Rosie O'Donnell, but did not play 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 exotique. But when you strip people down, we all have similar stories."

Contributing: Elysa Gardner and Kim Willis, USA TODAY

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