I would LOVE to see Caroline Bowman take on the role in any capacity. Having seen her in both the Evita and Frozen tours, I think she's a very powerful performer - a true triple threat.
Broadway Flash said: "Well I was talking to one of the great viola players of broadway the other day, and he said they want even strings now to play multiple instruments. "
It’s not atypical for musicians to double on violin and viola. In the past, bass and tuba used to be a pretty common double. Jason Robert Brown makes his string players double on percussion and celeste in The Last Five Years, and that was over 20 years ago. Doubling is not a new occurrence, and it requires you to pay musicians more for playing more than one instrument.
Mandy Gonzalez will be the Norma alternate.
Updated On: 7/18/24 at 01:11 PM
Is she doing Tuesday shows? It says she starts on a Tuesday and will do one show a week, but is it consistently Tuesdays?
My guess is that she’ll mostly perform Tuesdays, but there’s likely enough exceptions to that rule that the producers are just saying “certain performances.” They’ll definitely announce her dates in advance once they solidify the schedule.
ColorTheHours048 said: "Mandy Gonzalez will be the Norma alternate."
Missed opportunity for Mary Todd Lincoln
Stand-by Joined: 12/28/22
I wonder if Caroline Bowman is the second Norma cover. I still think it's plausible that she's somehow involved in this production
Fabulous casting and I will be going again on a Tuesday to see her performance.
"Gonzalez will play her first performance on Tuesday, October 22 and will normally perform one show per week with Olivier Award winner and Grammy Award nominee Nicole Scherzinger scheduled to play all other performances."
Odd that they won't say that Gonzalez will perform every Tuesday. Does Sunset have a unique performance schedule that differs week-to-week?
Odd that it says October 22, since that date never had a performance listed, and still doesn't. October 29 would make more sense anyway, since October 22 would be first performance after opening night.
Updated On: 7/18/24 at 01:41 PMBroadway Star Joined: 8/7/10
SeatGeek already has "The role of Norma Desmond will not be played by Nicole Scherzinger at this performance" showing up for the specific dates - mostly Tuesdays, but looks like an occasional Monday depending on the shifting performance schedule.
Updated On: 7/18/24 at 01:44 PM
Not gonna lie, Bowman was kind of a meh choice IMO to take on a big alternate role. Gonzalez, on the other hand, is an extremely pleasant surprise. And I have to say, having both the main and alternate Norma not being played by the typically white leading ladies is refreshing.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/17
ColorTheHours048 said: "Mandy Gonzalez will be the Norma alternate."
Looks like the Sweaty dude was wrong again!
And now I'll actually go to the show. I will never forget Mandy opening her mouth to sing for the first time at the Baryshnikov Arts Center for In The Heights. Absolute star of a woman. Thrilled for her!
Mmm she claims to be the first Latina playing the role but didn't Rita Moreno do it in London almost 30 years ago?
Broadway Star Joined: 4/30/22
imeldasturn said: "Mmm she claims to be the first Latina playing the role but didn't Rita Moreno do it in London almost 30 years ago?"
Rita Moreno did indeed do it. She didn’t do it well, but she did it.
imeldasturn said: "Mmm she claims to be the first Latina playing the role but didn't Rita Moreno do it in London almost 30 years ago?"
Indeed. EGOT Rita Moreno played the role in the London production for a vacationing Petula Clark for several weeks in September and October 1996:
Mandy Gonzalez said, “In my 25 years playing leading ladies on Broadway, I’ve never been more excited for a show. The role of ‘Norma Desmond’ is iconic, Jamie Lloyd's direction is masterful, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score is sumptuous. To reinterpret a timeless story with such raw sophistication, especially as the first Latina to take this role on, is a dream come true.”
Um, no ma'am. You are not the first Latina to take this role on.
JSquared2 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "Mandy Gonzalez will be the Norma alternate."
Looks like the Sweaty dude was wrong again!
"
Mandy’s involvement is very akin to Donna Murphy in Hello, Dolly. Mandy is strictly the alternate and not a standby or understudy. Bowman is due to be the Norma standby,
Dan6 said: "SeatGeek already has "The role of Norma Desmond will not be played by Nicole Scherzinger at this performance" showing up for the specific dates - mostly Tuesdays, but looks like an occasional Monday depending on the shifting performance schedule. "
The first Monday being 11/4, since the show is dark on Election Day.
TaffyDavenport said:”
The first Monday being 11/4, since the show is dark on Election Day."
Yes the show and everything else, I fear 😨
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