Music theatre fans, hold onto your hats. A new production of a beloved classic is coming our way and it's bringing a revered star soprano, who originated one of the most famous musical roles of all time, to Melbourne.
Sunset Boulevard will shine with the glitz of old Hollywood in a brand new lavish production on the Princess Theatre stage for a strictly limited season this May through August, starring the one-and-only Sarah Brightman.
If her name is familiar, it's because she was the original Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera on both the West End and Broadway. The international superstar has since gained global acclaim as a beloved soprano and recording artist, and is now returning to the stage to play her first role in a musical in more than three decades – right here in Melbourne.
The British songstress will play the lead role of Norma Desmond, a character made famous by Glenn Close, in the Tony award-winning musical. Based on the 1950s film noir by Billy Wilder, Sunset Boulevard features music by prolific composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (known for a vast array of treasured musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Evita and more) and a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.
The full cast for this exciting production has just been announced, with Tim Draxl playing the co-starring role of Joe Gillis. Renowned Australian Soprano Silvie Paladino will also join the cast for select performances in the role of Norma Desmond. Emerging leading lady Ashleigh Rubenach will play Betty Schaefer and stage veteran Robert Grubb will portray Max Von Mayerling. Music theatre performer Jarrod Draper will play Artie Green and established theatre actors Paul Hanlon and Troy Sussman will play Cecil B DeMille and Sheldrake, respectively, supported by an ensemble cast.
The original 1994 Broadway production won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book, and had the highest ever ticket pre-sales in Broadway history at the time. The new Australian production will be the first time the musical has graced our shores in almost 20 years, where it played to sold out theatres.
Sunset Boulevard follows the journey of forgotten silent movie star Norma Desmond, whose Hollywood career takes a turn for the worst with the advent of "talkies" movies. It regales her story of faded glory and unfufilled ambition, and how a chance encounter with struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis and their subsequent passionate but volatile relationship leads to an unforseen and tragic ending.
Presented by GWB Entertainment and Opera Australia, the upcoming production will see the classic musical refreshed with new staging, directed by Paul Warwick Griffin, featuring extravagant sets and costumes to evoke the glamorous Golden Age of Hollywood. Audiences will be treated to the hits from the score like ‘With One Look’, ‘The Perfect Year’, and the anthemic ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’. This production is undoubtedly set to be the unmissable theatrical event of the year.
Sunset Boulevard will open at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne for a strictly limited season in May 2024. Tickets are now on sale here for shows until August 11. The production will also play at the Sydney Opera House in August 2024.
