Sunset Boulevard drops dates and venue for Broadway production

The Olivier Award-nominated musical is heading to Broadway this year with Nicole Scherzinger set to reprise her role as Norma Desmond.

Based on a 1950 film of the same name, Sunset Boulevard revolves around Norma, a fading silent-era starlet desperate to recapture her limelight. An unexpected meeting with a young screenwriter sets her on a path filled with twists and turns, triumphs and tragedies. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, the West End revival stars Scherzinger as the tragic lead. Already widely praised for her vocal chops, the singer also proved her acting abilities in the role, earning herself an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

An ode and a satire

Plenty of attempts have been made to capture the essence of fading stardom. A notable one is "A Star Is Born." So what sets Sunset Boulevard apart? The Academy Award-winning film from the '50s is considered a timeless masterpiece. It is a beautifully crafted film noir, deeply cynical in its view of the world, and deliciously meta in its commentary. While tackling the tragedy of stars cast aside by the very world that once adored them, it also beautifully satirises the very concept of "celebrity" and our desperate need to hold onto it.

The West End production brilliantly captured this aesthetic, stripping the stage and set design down to a bare minimum and awash in black and grey tones, allowing the script and performances to shine. Additionally, Norma's desperation to regain her youth and be a star again juxtaposed with her emotional turmoil and unraveling was peak cinema - and is peak theater. Scherzinger takes on the meaty role with gusto and delivers a stunning performance worthy of the award nominations coming her way.

Several other cast members of Sunset Boulevard also earned themselves nominations, including Tom Francis (as the young screenwriter Joe Gillis), Grace Hodgett-Young (as a young script editor named Betty Schaefer), and David Thaxton (as Norma's butler and chauffeur, Max Von Mayerling). Together, the cast and crew crafted a brilliant, praiseworthy production in London.

With some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best work, this musical is as much a fan-favorite as a hit among critics. The profound story, stellar acting, and brilliant performances have created a modern masterpiece that should make an equal splash once it hits Broadway's St. James Theatre, with previews beginning on 28 September and the official opening night on 20 October.

Stay tuned for tickets to see Scherzinger's Broadway debut as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.