SUNSET BLVD. [?]- Page 3

[gymman]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 6:13pm

Oh NO! You are the only person I "know" who liked "Aspects..."; I thought it was excruciatingly boring, and way too long. I wanted to leave, but did not do so. Guess we all have different reasons for what we like, but that was one of my worst evenings in the theater.

[SondhFan]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:12pm

Major chicago production about6 years ago at Lyric Opera House. It had an elaborate set. It was too expensive and boring

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 12:43am

Im intrested in "Aspects." I still stick by my point that it is one of his better scores. I think the "Car Chase" and "Sunset Blvd." are some of his best "songs." I can't get enough of some of the songs, though I don't really care for any of Norma's songs, although it might be because of Glenn. I think the reason i'm so intrigued by this musical is because i saw the orignal film before I ever listen/saw the stage show and I fell in love with the movie. I think ALW captured the sound/ style of the film noir style. Esp, with his overture. And I love the fact that it is so gaudy and over the top with the sets and what not.

[Flight0017]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 5:06am

Hey, it's my favorite show, I love it, and I don't think it's bad. So there, mr. frontrow

I think the sets for the second US tour were more claustrophobic than the original ones. This made Norma seem more desperate, and Joe's looked like he was even more trapped. Also, the second US tour played a lot more with the movie aspect of the story. Backdrops, set pieces etc. all reflected this very well. Like for instance when Joe arrives at Norma's mansion, a huge soundstage door is revealed and opened, and the mansion then appears.

The show could work in an even more scaled down version, perhaps something more intimate. As mentioned direction and casting would be critical issues. The role of Norma Desmond must be a real horror to cast!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 9:27am

I've seen five of the major Normas (Patti, Glenn, Betty, Elaine and Petula), and Patti was by far my favorite. To me, she was able to convey power and sexuality almost effortlessly. I actually believed that she would be able to seduce Joe, which (aside from Paige) I can't say for the others.

Close, to me, was screechy, annoying, high-strung, and very bland. I got nothing from her performance except a headache.

Buckley was quite good, in my opinion. I don't really remember much about her performance, but I do remember liking it.

Paige is my second favorite Norma, behind Patti. As others have said, she found the humor in the part, and (like Patti) was able to convey believable sexuality. Did they ever record a CD sampler of her?

Didn't see Dihann Carroll but have heard her recording. It did absolutely nothing for me and I ended up selling my recording when it became a collector's item.

I've also heard the German Norma, whose name I can't remember (she was divine); Linda Balgord (nothing to write home about); and Faith Brown (great voice; wish I saw her).

[Jimmcf]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:43am

There is no complete recording of Elaine Paige, but she does sing some of the songs on her cd's, notably 'Encore.'

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002J85/qid=1122475378/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-4525995-7329645?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

[Flight0017]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:45am

You can hear Elaine Paige perform three songs from Sunset Boulevard on her "Encore" album. I think they also released a CD single with "As if...".

Which German Norma did you hear? There were three (not counting understudies and alternates): Helen Schneider, Daniela Ziegler and Sue Mathys. All three of them were recorded and released.

I thought Faith Brown sounded like a chain-smoker on her recording

[Flight0017]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:46am

Sorry, Jimmcf, I was writing my message when you posted yours.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:04am

The US tour opened here in Denver. They actually built the sets here for the tour. It was a big deal. We had a replica of the studio gates erected in the Arts Center along with a pool that had a floating body in it. This was all done especially for the opening night, which Weber attended. Linda Balgord was in the show and, for me, was close to wretched. Loved the show outside of her performance.

[Flight0017]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:06am

uncageg: That's cool, I never knew that. Are there any pictures of the gates or the pool?

Updated On: 7/27/05 at 11:06 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:12am

Flight0017 - I am sure there are somewhere but I don't remember them being published. I am sure the Center has some.

[M J R]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:20am

How totally refreshing to see an intelligent thread. People with actually interesting opinions and facts to voice. Haven't seen one of these in a LONG time!

I think Lansbury would have been an excellent Norma at the right time in her life. And while it's not even in my top 20 of shows, "With One Look" and "As If We Never Said Goodbye" are both touching.

Unfortunately, I own the typical gluttonous, self-endulging performance of Patty LuPone on CD....

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:27am

MJR -- TOTALLY agreed with the tone of this chat. Everyone has been expressing differing opinions, and they have been respected. I haven't seen any bashing going on with this one (which has been something that's made me leave threads in the past).

I also think Lansbury would have made a MEAN Norma if the timing of the project would have worked when it was originally reported. However, she wasn't appropriate for the ALW project because the time that had elapsed.

I think Ellen Greene would have made an amazing Norma. While she wouldn't have had the name to put butts in seats, I think she has the goods to tear up that role.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:37am

The list of potentially great Norma's could run a mile long! People always joked at the time that eventually Florence Henderson would be playing Norma, and I always laughed and said, you know what, she'd probably be brilliant.

When the show opened, I think it was THEATREWEEK printed a list of actresses invited by the RUG to audition. The list was long and fascinating (JoBeth Williams, Lesley Ann Warren, Kathleen Turner). I wish somebody could find it and post it.

[Flight0017]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:45am

Here are the names (taken from an article on Broadway.com, but I think the article has since been removed):

--A list of actresses supposedly contacted as to availability and interest in playing Norma at some future date (Broadway, London, Toronto, etc.) includes Anna Maria Alberghetti, Julie Andrews, Lauren Bacall, Anne Bancroft, Karen Black, Ann Blyth, Eileen Brennan, Carol Burnett, Diahann Carroll, Dixie Carter, Stockard Channing, Cher, Blythe Danner, Judy Davis, Patty Duke, Christine Ebersole, Barbara Eden, Sally Field, Joanna Gleason, Mariette Hartley, Florence Henderson, Judith Ivey, Olivia Newton-John, Shirley Jones, Madeline Kahn, Cleo Laine, Angela Lansbury, Carol Lawrence, Michele Lee, Ute Lemper, Shirley MacLaine, Ann-Margret, Julia Migenes, Ann Miller, Liza Minnelli, Mary Tyler Moore, Rita Moreno, Bernadette Peters, Debbie Reynolds, Chita Rivera, Diana Ross, Cybill Shepherd, Teresa Stratas, Meryl Streep, Marlo Thomas, Kathleen Turner, Lesley Ann Warren, Sigourney Weaver, and Raquel Welch.

Lots of interesting names! I know for instance that Sigourney Weaver was asked to do it in London, but said that her voice was so terrible that she would only do it if she could lip-sync! Still, Siggy would have been great in a straight play, or a reading (like the one with Anjelica Huston).

Updated On: 7/27/05 at 11:45 AM

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 2:26pm

i think betty is quite a wonderful actress, but she missed completely the more theatrical & grotesque parts of norma. she was wounded and vulnerable--kind of inward and yin-- when she should have been more outward and blazing. her decontructed recordings of the songs --arranged by kenny werner-- are also inward and wandering. i wish she would have been directed differently. perhaps she was trying to put a new spin on the role as glenn was (imo) all gargoyle and grand guignol.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 5:31pm

If you don't mind my asking, how exactly is the car chase done onstage? I love Sunset Boulevard, but I've never had the fortune to see it.

[Jimmcf]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 5:37pm

The car chase was done mainly with film showing it. They also had a wall with windows in which you could see headlight and Joe and the repo men driving.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 6:01pm

Yeah the car chase scene was "imaginatively" done, but I think it could be better. I think if they had something like in ASU when Chad is leaving on the bus, that same style. But it worked. I would love to see Sunset get a symplistic approach, like the recent Fiddler revival, which was successful. I think it could work and would be more emphasis on the music/show/actors rather than the massive sets (although, i am a set fanatic). For those of you who hate the score and whatnot, what would you say is wrong with it? Rather than saying it sucks, just say why its so bad? thanks.

EDIT: Yeah, finally i've created a thread that is appreciated!
haha. Thanks all for responding.
Updated On: 7/27/05 at 06:01 PM

[Jimmcf]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 6:13pm

I happen to love the score, but I believe some of the criticims are the score is repetative (Lloyd Webber has themes in his show that are often repeated throughout the score); the lyrics are simplistic; the songs are pretty interchangable.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 6:24pm

hmm...I think the songs would perfectly in the show. They all sound very film noir. A couple of songs are repetitive, "lets have lunch" for instance. I don't find it annoying when composers use the same "songs" or "sound" throughout. in Bare, for instance, they use the same melody in a lot of the songs. "one kiss" (i think that's the name of the song) and "One) are the same melody. I don't find it as repetitve. Also, I think its good that some of the themes are recycled. I think a good show has the same "theme" show up in different parts throughout the show. But that's just me.

[Luke0827]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 10:07am

The casting of Patti LuPone as Norma never made sense to me. She's an amazing talent, but a faded film star should still have the sense of glamor and elegance that are not characteristics easily ascribed to LuPone. She's a mighty talented lady, but the entire fiasco surrounding her hiring and firing created a terrible distraction.

From the moment it was clear Close was a major success, the producers ought to have been begging Meryl Streep to sign on as the next Norma. I know she was approached, but I cannot think of anyone who'd have been a better choice in terms of box office draw and appropriate talent for the role.

To be sure, Buckley and Paige are tremendous talents. But the show was set up in a way to have audiences expecting a star in the show of Hollywood calibre. Without a name of that kind, its fate was doomed.

[Sant]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 10:44am

Actually, Meryl Streep was considered for the role of Norma long before Glenn Close stepped in. Streep was a strong casting option for the role for the original London production but she lost the role to Patti LuPone, who won the part thanks to her great performance of the role in ALW's Sydmonton Festival. Streep was considered for the role again when Close's run in the L.A. production was nearing its end but I guess her schedule didn't make it possible for her to take over the role and eventually Faye Dunaway was chosen.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 11:14am

Streep didn't exactly "lose out" on the role to Patti LuPone. She was invited to watch the show at Sydmonton by ALW (Streep was at the time the incumbant EVITA for the planned movie) I assume with the intent of potentially "wooing" her to do the show at some point, but Streep wasn't interested in doing theatre. Her children were still in school then, and Streep repeatedly turned down offers to do theatre because she wanted her evenings to be free for her children.

She agreed to the limited run of THE SEAGULL in the Park because it was a brief run during the summer months, when her kids are off school.

Updated On: 7/28/05 at 11:14 AM

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 11:29am

ALW's ego killed that show. ALW wanted the show to be the star as with Phantom. he seemed to resent needing a star to carry the day resulting in the flap over the box-office receipts when glenn went on vacation.
was petula awful? i loved her in Blood Brothers.