The Phantom of the Opera's Sarah Brightman heads the cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, which began previews at Melbourne's Princess Theatre May 21 prior to an official opening May 29.
Brightman is taking on her first theatrical role in more than three decades, with the
internationally acclaimed concert artist playing faded
silent screen star Norma Desmond opposite the Joe Gillis of Tim Draxl. (Meanwhile, the recent, minimalist, London revival of Sunset, starring Olivier winner Nicole Scherzinger with direction by Jamie Lloyd, is Broadway-bound.)
Get a Sneak Peek at Morgan Large's Monochrome Set for Australian Sunset Boulevard
Brightman and Draxl are joined by Robert Grubb as Max Von Mayerling, Ashleigh Rubenach as Betty Schaefer, Jarrod Draper as Artie Green, and Paul Hanlon as Cecil B. DeMille. Silvie Paladino plays Norma at select performances.
The ensemble includes Regan Barber, Amy Berrisford, Billy Bourchier, Campbell Braithwaite, Benjamin Colley, Grace Driscoll, Madison Green, Peter Ho, Leah Lim, Mary McCorry, Charlotte Page, Morgan Palmer, Caity Plummer, Taylor Scanlan, Tom Sharah, Lisa Sontag, Riley Sutton, and Dean Vince.
Check out new photos of the production in the gallery below.
Ashleigh Rubenach and Tim Draxl in Sunset Boulevard
Robert Grubb in Sunset Boulevard
Tim Draxl in Sunset Boulevard
Sarah Brightman in Sunset Boulevard
Sarah Brightman and Tim Draxl in Sunset Boulevard
Company of Sunset Boulevard
Sarah Brightman in Sunset Boulevard
Company of Sunset Boulevard
Sarah Brightman and company of Sunset Boulevard
Company of Sunset Boulevard
Brightman originated the role of Christine in Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera both in the West End and on Broadway and subsequently appeared in Aspects of Love. Since then, she has become the world’s best-selling soprano, with global sales of 30 million, more than 180 gold and platinum awards in over 40 countries, and over 1 billion streams worldwide.
Video: Watch Title Song From Australian Sunset Boulevard
"I am so delighted to be returning to Australia after many years, and to be marking my return to the stage in a musical after so long, it is only fitting for it to be with such an exquisite production as Sunset Boulevard. I have always admired Andrew’s work on this musical and I very much look forward to exploring the incredible score and also the iconic character of Norma Desmond. 'Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close up!'," Brightman said in an earlier statement.
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The Australian production is directed by Paul Warwick Griffin with set and costume design by Large, choreography by Ashley Wallen, and musical supervision by Kristen Blodgette.
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 production at the Kennedy Center.
Following Melbourne, the Australian production will play the Sydney Opera House starting August 28.
Sunset is presented in Australia by GWB Entertainment and Opera Australia by arrangement with The Really Useful Group.
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