SUNSET BLVD with Donna Murphy?

So last November, it was widely reported that Donny Murphy was a part of a workshop/reading of a new production of Sunset Boluevard. Was wondering if anyone had heard anything further that perhaps I missed. Sunset remains one of my all-time favorite musicals. Would love to see a new production now that it's been over 20 years since it premiered on Broadway (and would be very interested with a Broadway production out of ALW's sometimes micro-managing hands)

Rewrite every lyric and it might be a worthy vehicle for her.

Good gosh, I hope this happens. Murphy would be sublime.

Jacki Weaver

Andrea Martin

I think ALW and team should look at this as a revisal (a la the last Jekyll tour) where they trim some of the fat and maybe add some to the Betty Schaefer role so that she is actually a character.

They did a knock-off John Doyle version in 2008 on the West End, and I don't think it sold too well. I don't think Norma nor Joe played an instrument, if memory is correct.

I think the film is much of a Hollywood story as is Norma's story (obviously hers is the main focus), and Gloria Swanson's (unproduced) musical version gave Betty some more to work with - I mean all 4 leads in the film were nominated for an Oscar. I'm not suggesting she get her own huge storyline, but she is certainly underdeveloped in the musical.

One other comment - I think that last dialogue line ("all those people...") is too iconic to be worked into a song.

"Donna would be terrific, but I'd really love to see Bernadette in this role. I think she'd sound sublime with the score. I can hear her singing Surrender, With One Look, and "No one ever leaves a star!" in my head. She may be a bit old for it (Norma is 50 and Bernadette is 67 right now, though she doesn't look it) so I'm not sure she could handle being on stage that much, but I'm still dreaming about it."

I love Bernadette. I think she is one of the finest performers to grace a Broadway stage. With that being said, she could not be more wrong for this role. She simply doesn't have the voice for it.

Alice Ripley needs to be Norma. She has the voice and the crazy!

Would love to see Vanessa Williams as Norma.

Bernadette's voice is a thousand times stronger than Alice Ripley's at the moment. If Glenn Close can sing it, Bernadette can sing it. I know I'm bias but reports of Bernadette's lack of vocal ability are highly exaggerated, in my opinion. She can still belt, and she still has a wide range. She isn't in the same category of people whose voices are severely limited due to ageing or other reasons (e.g., Alice Ripley, Chita Rivera, Elaine Stritch, Angela Lansbury etc.). She is no LuPone though. She'd never do it, but that would be a funny event I'd love to see.