Photo Flash: Glenn Close, Andrew Lloyd Webber and More at Opening Night of SUNSET BOULEVARD

By: Apr. 05, 2016
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Glenn Close (Norma Desmond),Michael Xavier (Joe Gillis), Siobhan Dillon (Betty Shaefer) and Fred Johanson (Max Von Mayerling) were joined by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Christopher Hampton and Dan Black on stage following the opening night performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard (4 April 2016). BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

In her mansion on Sunset Boulevard, faded, silent-screen goddess, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world. Impoverished screen writer, Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into herreclusive 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.

Sunset Boulevardis the second production in the partnership betweenEnglish National Opera (ENO) and the GradeLinnit Company.With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book and lyrics by Don Black andChristopher Hampton, Sunset Boulevard is produced by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd and is based on the original Paramount film by Billy Wilder.

Lonny Price directs the strictly limited run of 43 performances at ENO's London Coliseum which runs until 7 May 2016. The full ENO orchestra appear on stage alongside the cast in this semi-staged production. Orchestrations are byDavid Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber with choreography by Stephen Mear, set designs byJames Noone, costume designs by Tracy Christensen, Glenn Close's costumes designs byAnthony Powell, sound by Mick Potter and lighting by Mark Henderson. Musical Director isMichael Reed who also conducts.

Further cast member for the production are Anna Woodside as Hedda Hopper,Emily Bull as Hedy Lamarr, Julian Forsyth as Cecil B DeMille, Mark Goldthorp as Sheldrake,Fenton Gray as Manfred,Haydn Oakley as Artie Green and James Paterson asJonesy. Further company members include Carly Anderson, Michelle Bishop, Jacob Chapman, Nadeem Crowe, Cornelia Farnsworth, Ria Jones, Katie Kerr, Aaron Lee Lambert, Matthew McKenna, Jo Morris, Tanya Robb, Ashley Robinson, Vicki Lee Taylor, Gary Tushaw,Adam Vaughan and Stuart Winter.

Tickets forSunset Boulevard are £12 - £105, with 400 seats at £25 or less including 100 at £12 for every performance.

Based on Billy Wilder's classic film, Sunset Boulevard originally premiered in London at the Adelphi Theatre in 1993, where it ran for almost four years and played to nearly two million people. It went on to open on Broadway in 1994 to what was then, the biggest advance in Broadway history, $37.5million.

Sunset Boulevard will be presented byMichael Linnit and Michael Grade for Gate Ventures PLC with ENO. Johnny Hon as Executive Producer.

In March 2015ENO and the GradeLinnit Company presented the critically acclaimed sell-out run ofSweeney Todd with Emma Thompson and Bryn Terfel in the inaugural production of their partnership.

For more information, visit: www.eno.org

Photo Credit Dan Wooller



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