Glenn Close, who won the Evening Standard Award for her West End debut as Norma Desmond, will reunite with her London Sunset Boulevard co-stars for the 2017 Broadway revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
Joining Close from the English National Opera production of Sunset Boulevard will be Michael Xavier as Joe Gillis, Siobhan Dillon as Betty Schaefer, and Fred Johanson as Max von Mayerling.
Additional casting will be announced.
Directed by Lonny Price, previews will begin February 2, 2017 at the Palace Theatre, with an official opening night set for February 9. The production will play a limited 16-week engagement.
The Broadway return of the Tony Award-winning musical will feature a 40-piece orchestra.
Sunset Boulevard features music by Lloyd Webber, and book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.
“In her mansion on Sunset Boulevard, faded, silent-screen goddess, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world,” according to press notes. “Impoverished screen writer, Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into her reclusive world. Persuaded to work on Norma’s ‘masterpiece’, a film script that she believes will put her back in front of the cameras, he is seduced by her and her luxurious life-style. Joe becomes entrapped in a claustrophobic world until his love for another woman leads him to try and break free with dramatic consequences.”
Check out production photos from the recent London staging of Sunset with Close:
Lloyd Webber’s score includes “With One Look,” “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” and “Perfect Year.” When Sunset Boulevard opens at the Palace, the composer will have the rare distinction of having four musicals running simultaneously on Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera, School of Rock—The Musical, Cats, and Sunset Boulevard.
Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at (877) 250-2929 or online at Ticketmaster.com/sunset.
