Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD. back to Broadway?- Page 2
Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD. back to Broadway?
jo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#25Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/4/16 at 9:18pm
I never saw Glenn Close on Broadway ( I saw Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige on the London stage instead) but she did appear as Norma Desmond in a tribute concert honoring Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Her performance of WITH ONE LOOK some twenty years ago was remarkable on this video and shows why she is a great actress. Hope the film adaptation does happen and that Glenn is a top-running candidate for the role.
jo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#26Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/4/16 at 9:24pm
In the same concert, she also sang the other Norma song ( AS IF WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE) --
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#27Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/4/16 at 9:53pm
Saw her in L.A. and on B'way, and always thought she owned the role (though I found the Paige Norma the most overall accomplished.) It's daring to come back 20 years, but it sounds like she has made it a personal triumph.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
#28Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/5/16 at 1:41am
I really wish this would come back with all the chorus numbers gone, and focus only on the five main players. Sadly missed Close in the role, but Australia's Maria Mercedes ( who under studied for the purely awful Debra Byrne ) was a tour de force and really a major pity she was never recorded.
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#29Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/5/16 at 9:32am
I would respectfully argue (agreeing with Frank Rich) that the choral material is among the best ALW has composed, so jazz-inflected and grounding in the era. The opening sections are quite extraordinary, and really burrow us deeply in the LA of the late 40s/early 50s. If it's just a show with pop arias, it loses much of its texture and sense of time and place.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#31Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/6/16 at 12:04am
I LOVE the film, and was completely floored when I heard Barbra Streisand singing the two songs from the show on her "BACK TO BROADWAY" album. I bought tickets to see Ms. Close on Broadway. I was never so disappoined in my whole life. I loved the sets and costumes, but I thought Ms. Close's performance was nothing more than running up and down the steps and tons of overacting (Gloria Swanson did NOT overact in the film, she was basically recreating the looks of what she did when she was a silent film star). Her winning of the Tony that year was inevitable, only because there were no other musicals that were in contention (the only competition for Best Musical that year was "Smokey Joe's Cafe" and Ms. Close's only competition for Best Actress was Rebecca Luker in the revival of "Show Boat". I had really high hopes for the musical, but I was very sadly disappointed...
#32Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/6/16 at 10:53am
Is it just me or someone else agrees that Chita Rivera would be fantastic in this show? I know they advertised The Visit heavily as her last show... but oh lordy would this be a great role to come back with!
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
10086sunset
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/16
#33Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/6/16 at 1:05pm
BroadwayConcierge said: "https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-York-Next-for-Glenn-Close-Back-in-SUNSET-BOULEVARD-20160405
"
I would SO love to see this happen.
#34Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/6/16 at 1:08pm
Glenn Close is one of the best living actresses in the world. I'd love to see her do this in NYC and in the film. She knows this character. Her off kilter singing fits the neurosis of Norma. Her cast recording sounds like a radio play-its glorious. It pisses me off to hear people ripping apart her age and her looks. Pacino wasn't exactly fresh as a daisy on Broadway.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#35Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/6/16 at 1:19pm
Saw the original Broadway version with the bells & whistles. I would see it again with Chita in it - no disrespect to Ms Close.
Poster Emeritus
10086sunset
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/16
#36Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/6/16 at 1:22pm
Bettyboy72 said: "Glenn Close is one of the best living actresses in the world. I'd love to see her do this in NYC and in the film. She knows this character. Her off kilter singing fits the neurosis of Norma. Her cast recording sounds like a radio play-its glorious. It pisses me off to hear people ripping apart her age and her looks. Pacino wasn't exactly fresh as a daisy on Broadway.
"
Agree with you Bettyboy72... Her sense of the character is unmatched. You make a great point regarding her off kilter singing matching the neurosis of Norma...
#37Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/6/16 at 1:24pm
Not a big fan of Miss Close in this role. I saw it and I was utterly disappointed in her performance and mind you I really like Glenn Close, just not in this. Her acting was hammy and as someone else pointed out in another thread all that was left for her to do was lick that damn staircase's banister.
I'm also not a fan of the Broadway Cast Album.
I hope she doesn't get to do the movie either.
jo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#38Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 10:33am
In his BBC radio show, Michael Ball talks to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0769t71
At around 1'26"31, they talk about the ENO return of SUNSET BOULEVARD and how the show came about...about Glenn Close ( after listening to the Los Angeles cast recording featuring AS IF WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE)...about Cameron Mackintosh's advice that the female lead should be cast with " a great actress who can sing...and not a great singer who can act"...and the prospects of a film adaptation.
Michael and ALW have enjoyed a professional relationship since Michael was cast as the first replacement for Raoul in Phantom of the Opera in London, some 30 years or so ago. Michael was also the first one to sing the songs of Joe Gillis in the first presentation of the musical score in ALW's Sydmonton Estate (where he usually premieres his musical scores).
#39Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 10:55am
I did manage to see Miss Pet(ula) Clark as Norma Desmond several times in 1999 and in one of her final stops in April 2000 (damn...16 years ago!) here in Austin, Texas. Anyway, I've never cared for Glenn (obviously). In this article, Ms. Clark discusses what she thought of Glenn Close and the character of Norma Desmond. http://www.petulaclark.net/theatre/austonchronicle.htm
I remember Petula Clark's perf as o.k., but thought her Norma was too hammy/comedic and not sufficiently dark. But that's my own perspective.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#40Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 12:32pm
Is it just me or someone else agrees that Chita Rivera would be fantastic in this show? I know they advertised The Visit heavily as her last show... but oh lordy would this be a great role to come back with!
You ARE aware that Norma Desmond is 50 years old. At 83, Chita is old enough to be Norma's mother.
The story takes place in 1949/1950 so Norma would have been about 20 in 1920 during her silent movie reign. Chita would make it that Norma was 50. Totally unrealistic.
#41Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 12:36pm
I would love to have seen Chita take on the role sometime during the original run. I do think she would have been fabulous 20 years ago. During the original run in the UK, they hinted that Dame Shirley Bassey was going to take on the part, which would have been something crazy to behold too.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
#42Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 12:39pm
I'd pay double to see Alice Ripley play Norma.
#43Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 12:43pm
I just have a feeling Alice Ripley's vocals would be distressing. But I'd love to see her take on the role.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
#44Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 3:52pm
No more or less distressing than Glenn's vocals.
#45Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 4:36pm
By distressing, I mean disheartening. Glenn Close was never a great singer. Alice Ripley was. Maybe it would work on some meta level, since the character is a 'shell' of what she once was, but hearing Ripley try to sing that score the way LuPone or Buckley attacked it would be a sad reminder of how much the instrument has diminished.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
RW3
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#46Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 5:48pm
If Glenn Close doesn't do it, I think Audra would be a great Norma.
#47Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/10/16 at 5:51pm
I think Ripley's voice has recovered quite nicely from Next to Normal. Her As If We Never Said Goodbye at her 54 Below show with Emily Skinner was thrilling.
#48Glenn Close in SUNSET BLVD.
Posted: 4/22/16 at 4:27pm
Glenn has been out for the past 2 nights.
Audiences are not happy- refunds are being refused...
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