Florence Lacey, who has a long history as a popular Eva in Lloyd Webber's Evita, stars as forgotten silent-screen actress Norma Desmond, who seeks a 1950s return to stardom via a new picture, the screenplay of which is being cleaned up by a handsome young screenwriter that she ensnares. D.B. Bonds (The Phantom of the Opera; Les Misérables; Signature's The Visit) plays writer Joe Gillis.
Dixon — whose Broadway credits include Les Miz, The Iceman Cometh, The Three Musketeers and The Scarlet Pimpernel — grabbed a camera and shot some photos backstage at the Arlington, VA theatre:
The story of a hungry young screenwriter who hitches his wagon to a faded film star also features Susan Derry (Wonderful Town) as love interest and fellow screenwriter Betty; three-time Helen Hayes Award winner Fred Shiffman as Sheldrake; and Harry Winter as Cecil B. DeMille.
Eric Schaeffer directs the production. Music director and conductor Jon Kalbfleisch leads the orchestra. The creative group consists of Karma Camp (choreography), Daniel Conway (sets), Howell Binkley (lights), Kathleen Geldard (costumes) and Matt Rowe (sound).
The Sunset Boulevard ensemble features Sandy Bainum, Matt Conner, William Diggle, Rebecca Fale, Gia Mora, Jake Odmark, Kirstin Riegler, Stephen Gregory Smith, Sean Thompson, Matthew Wojtal and Kara Tameika Watkins.
Tickets range in price from $59-$85 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at (703) 573-SEAT (7328) or visiting www.signature-theatre.org.
