Sunset Boulevard weaves a magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition. Silent movie star Norma Desmond longs for a return to the big screen, having been discarded by tinsel town with the advent of “talkies.” Her glamour has faded in all but her mind. When she meets struggling Hollywood screenwriter Joe Gillis in dramatic circumstances, their subsequent passionate and volatile relationship leads to an unforeseen and tragic conclusion.
Based on the Billy Wilder film, the musical version of Sunset Boulevard, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Christopher Hampton and Don Black, had its world premiere at London’s Adelphi Theatre on July 12th, 1993. The show received its American premiere in December 1993 at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles starring Glenn Close as Norma Desmond. The show opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre in November 1994 with the highest advance in Broadway history at the time ($37.5 million in ticket sales).
The show has been staged across the world with productions in Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and tours in the US and UK.
Sunset Boulevard returned to Broadway in 2017 at the Palace Theatre with Glenn Close reprising her role as Norma Desmond, following a sold out run in the West End at the London Coliseum.
Most recently, Jamie Lloyd staged a new production of Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End. This version, led by Nicole Scherzinger, transfers to Broadway St. James Theatre in September 2024. Tickets on sale now at sunsetblvdbroadway.com.
Music By | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
Lyrics By | Don Black & Christopher Hampton |
Book By | Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder & D. M. Marshman Jr. |
Original Direction By | Trevor Nunn |
Original Choreography By | Bob Avian |
Opened | 12 July 1993 at the Aldwych Theatre, London |
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Licensing Sunset Boulevard
Want to put on a marvellous production of Sunset Boulevard? Good news – the show is available to academic schools, colleges and amateur youth groups in the UK and Eire. The show is also available to academic groups in North America and in most European territories.
To find out if you may be eligible to stage your own production of Sunset Boulevard, please check out our specialist licensing website below!