28 years ago today: ALW fired Faye Dunaway from LA's 'Sunset Boulevard' ! - Page 3

[greensgreens]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 10:53pm

I have heard it said that the Canadian album was recorded days after opening and Diahann was struggling. I also think the orchestra didn’t sound very full for the recording, almost tinny in some places. In live clips, Diahann appears to have much more excitement in her delivery and we know the orchestrations are solid, so I always guessed it was an off recording. Her finale is ferocious and that final look leaves me in shock. I believe she was offered the tour, but salary demands couldn’t be met and she may have balked at not going to B’way. No one was running a good “Norma Relations” Department for RUG. I completely believe she was up there with Buckley. Rex Smith also seems like a standout Joe. 
 

As for full recordings, my fave is the German Premiere with Helen Schneider. I think this show sounds beautiful in the language and I think performances are solid across the board and the orchestrations sound so dark and lush! Schneider does an excellent job with the big notes and the scenes.

I’m grateful for all the EPs too so many of the Norma’s were preserved. I could listen to Buckley’s New Ways To Dream on repeat!

Cher or Liza would’ve been my top picks in the 90s. Vanessa Williams is ideal for today. 😃

[nealb1]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 2:13pm

Scroll to 5:40 to hear about Faye Dunaway in rehearsals for "Sunset Blvd" at The Shubert - from fellow cast member Anastasia Barzee.

Billy Masters LIVE (S03E09) - 6-16-22 - Tonys Recap Panel - YouTube

In this interview from around 1h13min, Rex Smith says it was 5 and a half weeks into rehearsal, at the dress rehearsal, that the plug was pulled on LA.  

https://youtu.be/NfgML33D2qA?si=dUBR83J031cxEktL

Both interviews when discussing Faye are very, very complimentary to her, and very fair regarding what she could and couldn't do.  Anastasia's insight was pretty spot on.