The original Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard opened on Broadway at the Minksoff November 17, 1994. The production, directed by Trevor Nunn with musical staging by Bob Avian, played 17 previews and 977 performances before closing March 22, 1997. The musical earned 11 Tony Award nominations, winning seven, including Best Musical.
Based on the Billy Wilder film, Sunset Boulevard follows the events that occur when impoverished screen writer Joe Gillis is persuaded to work on the “masterpiece” film script of faded silent-screen goddess Norma Desmond. The musical features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a book and lyrics by Christopher Hampton and Don Black.
Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1994)
Glenn Close and Alan Campbell in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1994)
Alice Ripley and Alan Campbell in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1994)
Alice Ripley and Alan Campbell in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1994)
Alice Ripley in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1994)
Alan Campbell and Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1994)
Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1994)
Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1995)
Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1995)
Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard (London)
Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard (London)
Elaine Paige in Sunset Boulevard (Broadway, 1996)
Sunset Boulevard starred Glenn Close as Norma Desmond, Alan Campbell as Joe Gillis, George Hearn as Max von Mayerling, Alice Ripley as Betty Schaefer, Alan Oppenheimber as Cecil B. DeMille, Vincent Tumeo as Artie Green. Rounding out the cast were Sal Mistretta, Rick Podell, Sandra Allen, Bryan Batt, Lada Boder, Susan Dawn Carson, Matthew Dickens, Colleen Dunn, David Eric, Rich Hebert, Kim Huber, Alice Irving, Lauren Kennedy, Mark Morales, Tom Alan Robbins, Rich Sparks, Steven Stein-Grainger, and Wendy Walter. Rounding out the company were Karen Mason and Maureen Moore as standbys and Darrin Baker, Bryan Batt, Rosemary Loar, and Darlene Wilson as understudies.
Following Close's tenure as Norma Desmond, she was succeeded by Tony winner Betty Buckley and Olivier winner Elaine Paige. Tony and Olivier winner Patti LuPone opened the world-premiere production in London; she was followed by Buckley, Paige, and Petula Clark.
The musical featured production design by John Napier, costume design by Anthony Powell, lighting design by Andrew Bridge, and sound design by Martin Levan with stage management by Peter Lawrence, John Brigleb, Jim Woolley, and Lynda J. Fox. Visit the Playbill Vault for the complete cast and creative team.
