Norma in Sunset Boulevard transfer — Page 3

I think Christine Ebersole could do a great job.

Bernadette Peters, too. She doesn't look her age at all.

Or Donna Murphy.

Or Victoria Clark. Saw her recently at the Boston Pops and her range was really surprising. She did a number called "To Keep My Love Alive" and she was really crackers the way she delivered some of the lyrics!

Donna Murphy would make an excellent Norma Desmond but I doubt she would be interested since she has turned down chances of being in a few revivals before.
Alice Ripley would be my number one choice, since Norma Desmond is not supposed to be incredibly old either. I think Bebe Neuwirth could also turn in a great performance and I could definitely buy her as a silent film movie star.

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I don't enjoy Ebersole's "As If We Never Said Goodbye" and I think her performance has the potential to be predictable (ala BLITHE SPIRIT), she should probably do an original show instead.

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Would she be eligible if she was cast? I know Lonette McKee was not eligible for the Hal Prince revival of Show Boat since she had previously won for playing Julie back in the early 80s. I wonder what the ruling would be for an actor who had been a replacement in a role to later be opening a revival in the same role.

However I think Betty Buckley is getting a little too old for the role now. Max met Norma when she was 16, most likely somewhere in the years between 1915-1920, putting Norma in her late 40s, maybe 51 at most. Betty turned 62 today.

I agree. This production, directed by Craig Horwood, puts anything Doyle's done to shame.