Getting to Broadway is only the beginning. Sunset Blvd. has begun performances on Broadway, and its cast want you to leave your expectations at the door. "Come with such an open mind, sit and take it all in," says actor Grace Hodgett-Young, who plays Betty Schaefer, in the show. "Even though it looks simple, it's really not." See the young actor, and the cast of the show, talk about the new revival in the video above.
The show—featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton—features pop star Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond, a faded silent screen actor who longs for a comeback. Previous productions were known for their opulent staircase and glorious costumes, but this is not the case for this new revival, directed by Jamie Lloyd.
But actor David Thraxton, who plays Norma Desmond's butler Max Von Mayerling, disagrees with the assertion that the production is minimalist. "It's the absolute opposite of minimalist. It's maximalist. It's colossal in its scale and scope," he enthuses.
And for Scherzinger, the lack of screen star glamour on the stage is a good thing. "You're going to get a completely open raw, honest Norma who's completely free onstage and giving you everything," she says.
READ: To Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd. Is the Perfect Musical for Her Broadway Debut
Jamie Lloyd and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Company of Sunset Boulevard
Company of Sunset Boulevard
Jamie Lloyd and Nicole Scherzinger
Company of Sunset Boulevard
Nicole Scherzinger and company of Sunset Boulevard
David Thaxton and Tom Francis
Tom Francis and Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger
Grace Hodgett Young
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger
Company of Sunset Boulevard
Cydney Clark and company of Sunset Boulevard
This Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard was first performed in London's West End at the Savoy Theatre in 2023. It went on to win seven Olivier Awards, including for Lloyd's direction, the top prize of Best Musical Revival, and two for acting (for Scherzinger and Tom Francis, as ill-fated screenwriter Joe Gillis).
Sunset Blvd.: The Album, featuring the full London company, will be released globally via The Other Songs October 25. Click to pre-order the recording.
The Broadway company also includes Olivia Lacie Andrews as Nancy, Brandon Mel Borkowsky as John, Shavey Brown as DeMille/Stan/Finance Man, Hannah Yun Chamberlain as Young Norma/Patsy, Cydney Clark as Joanna/Guard, Raúl Contreras as Finance Man/Frank, Tyler Davis as Sheldrake, E.J. Hamilton as Lisa, Sydney Jones as Dorothy, Emma Lloyd as Mary/Heather, Pierre Marais as Sammy, Shayna McPherson as Camera Operator, Jimin Moon as Morino/Hog Eye, Justice Moore as Jean, Drew Redington as Myron/Jones/Camera Operator, and Diego Andres Rodriguez Artie. Swings are Giuseppe Bausilio (dance captain), Kristina Garvida Doucette (assistant dance captain), Brandon LaVar, Maggie Likcani, Abby Matsusaka, and Rixey Terry.
It was earlier announced that Mandy Gonzalez, who created the role of Nina in the Tony-winning In the Heights, will guest star as Desmond in select performances (typically one show a week) beginning October 22. Caroline Bowman (Frozen, Evita tours) is the standby for the role of the former movie star.
The Broadway staging also has set and costume design by Soutra Gilmour, choreography by Fabian Aloise, music supervision and musical direction by Alan Williams, lighting design by Jack Knowles, sound design by Adam Fisher, video design and cinematography by Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom, hair and makeup design by Cheryl Thomas, intimacy coordination by Ann James, U.S. casting by Jim Carnahan and Jason Thinger and U.K. casting by Stuart Burt. Johnny Milani is the production stage manager, and 101 Productions, Ltd. serves as the general manager.
Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard is based on the 1950 Billy Wilder movie of the same name. Tony and Olivier Award winner Patti LuPone created the role of Norma Desmond for the musical's world-premiere production in London, earning an Olivier nomination for her performance. Glenn Close played the role in Los Angeles and later in New York, where she won a Tony Award for her work as the aging actor.
The Sunset Blvd. revival is produced by The Jamie Lloyd Company, ATG Productions, Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, and Gavin Kalin Productions by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd and based on the Paramount Pictures film directed by Wilder.
Vist SunsetBlvdBroadway.com.
