Director Jamie Lloyd and 2025 Tony winner Nicole Scherzinger delivered heartfelt speeches at the final curtain call for the hit revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Blvd., which ended its extended limited engagement July 20 at the St. James Theatre following 20 previews and 312 regular performances.
Director Lloyd said that the vision for the show as well as the idea of Scherzinger in the leading role came to him in a dream. An emotional Scherzinger countered, "I'm so grateful for Jamie Lloyd's dreams." Watch the two artists' speeches in the Instagram video below.
One of the most radically revised productions in the history of Broadway revivals—no set, no glamorous costumes, a few deleted songs, the title tune performed on the streets of NYC, giant screens illuminating the action, and a bloody finale—Sunset Blvd. earned three 2025 Tony Awards June 10: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for Scherzinger, and Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Jack Knowles.
As she did in London, where she earned an Olivier for her portrayal of Norma Desmond, Scherzinger took New York City by storm with her stentorian vocals, winning not only the Tony, but also the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance and a Theatre World Award. (Lloyd's minimalist production had won seven Oliviers, including one for the director and the top prize of Best Musical Revival.)
READ: To Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd. Is the Perfect Musical for Her Broadway Debut
The second Broadway revival of Lloyd Webber's Sunset Blvd. began offering new ways to dream September 28, 2024, at the St. James. Opening night was October 20. Read the reviews here.
The critically acclaimed London production arrived in New York with its four leads: 2024 Olivier winner Scherzinger as the faded silent screen star Norma, 2024 Olivier winner (and 2025 Tony nominee) Tom Francis as ill-fated screenwriter Joe Gillis, 2024 Olivier nominee Grace Hodgett-Young as aspiring writer Betty Schaefer, and Olivier winner and 2024 Olivier nominee David Thaxton as butler Max Von Mayerling. Hannah Yun Chamberlain also reprised her performance as Young Norma.
READ: Sunset Blvd. Closes This Weekend; Look Back on Its Now-Iconic 2nd Act Walk
Mandy Gonzalez, who created the role of Nina in the Tony-winning In the Heights, guest starred as Desmond, typically playing one show a week. Caroline Bowman was the original standby for the role of the former movie star but left the company to star in the recent new musical Smash. Rashidra Scott succeeded Bowman as the standby.
In recent weeks, the Broadway production welcomed several new leads,
as the original London stars departed for previous commitments. Jordan
Donica, last on
Broadway in a Tony-nominated turn as Lancelot in the Lincoln Center
Theater revival of Camelot, stepped into the role of Max von
Mayerling, while Pierre Marais, who played the
role of Sammy and understudied the role of Joe Gillis, took over the
latter full-time July 8. And, Sydney Jones, who played the role of
Dorothy and understudied the roles of Betty and Young Norma,
succeeded Young as Betty July 15.
The Broadway staging also had 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 was the production stage manager, and 101 Productions, Ltd. served as the general manager.
Video: How to Be a Camera Operator on Sunset Blvd., According to Cast Member Shayna McPherson
Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard (with a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton) is based on the 1950 Billy Wilder movie of the same name, which featured Gloria Swanson as the reclusive Norma Desmond who falls in love with an unlucky writer—Joe Gillis—who happens upon her home by accident. William Holden played Gillis in the film, which was directed by the late Billy Wilder. Swanson, Holden, and Wilder all received Academy Award nominations for their work.
Photos: Look Back on Past Productions of Sunset Boulevard
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. Other musical Normas include Tony winner Betty Buckley (London and New York), Olivier winner Elaine Paige (London and New York), Tony winner Diahann Carroll (Canada), Petula Clark (London and U.S. tour), Debra Byrne (Australia), Helen Schneider (Germany), and Linda Balgord (U.S. tour). After bringing her Norma to London, Close starred in the 2017 Broadway revival of Sunset, while Tony winner Stephanie J. Block played Norma in a recent production at the Kennedy Center. Sarah Brightman starred in an Australian production.
Sunset Blvd. was 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 Billy Wilder.
