Sunset Blvd Changes Question

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:06pm

OK I'm sure at least a few people will answer this with "not enough" but... Is there a list of, or a good website listing, the changes made to Sunset Blvd from its original London production to the US productions (and later reworked into London?)

The only cast album I own and listen to often is the Canadian cast--partly as that's who I saw in 1996 Vancouver and partly because I think the one disc is ideal--I love the show but there isn't any music left off it I feel the desire to play often and the three leads are as good as on any other recording, at least.

So I knwo that Every Movie's a Circus was added but what did it replace? Any other major changes? And I knwo they initially had a lot of trouble with Napier's set--was it redesigned at all? (I remember reading something about originally the show being more "black and white' in appearance but can't find anything to back that up)

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:24pm

"Every Movie's a Circus" basically replaced a scene from the OLC. So it was a new song and then a reprise of "Every Movie's a Circus" replaced the reprise of "Let's Have Lunch" at Shwabs Drug store.

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:30pm

What musical theme did the scene it replace use? Or was it somethign else al together?

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:34pm

I'm so embarassed that I don't know the asnwer off the top of my head.

That's right...my name is Mother's Younger Brother, and I'm a huge fan of Sunset Blvd.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:52pm

The underscore for the scene was the beginning of the car chase music. Then there was a brief reprise of "Let's Have Lunch" that the end of was still retained and used for at the end of "Every Movie's a Circus" in the revised version. It's hard to describe because in the original the scene in Sheldrake's office took place after "Let's Have Lunch" and was incorporated together with Joe and Betty's scene and in the revised version the office scene takes place during "Let's Have Lunch" and then Joe and Betty's scene is it's own separate moment after "Let's Have Lunch".
Updated On: 5/11/07 at 07:52 PM

Posted: 5/11/07 at 10:32pm

Ah makes sense then--soiunds liek it was an improvement either way. Anything re costumes/sets?

Posted: 5/13/07 at 7:52pm

So nothing changed re set?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 8:05pm

Set-wise, nothing changed between London, Los Angeles then New York. The only changes, aside from those you guys just mentioned in the music, occurred with the direction -- in London, the show was originally darker in tone, but in Los Angeles Glenn brought some humor into it, thus the creative team agreed that this worked better for the show, therefore the tone was changed in ALL productions.

The 1st US National Tour also used the levitating mansion set, which limited the cities it could play since most theaters weren't equipped with the requirements that monster set required.

The 2nd US National Tour (with Petula Clark) completely modified the staging and set design (no levitating set, etc.), but used the original costume design.

Posted: 5/13/07 at 8:11pm

I saw the Canadian tour (which basiclaly on played in like Vancouver and Toronto where it opened and maybe Montreal) which had the full set--I always wondered if they were able to tour it anywhere else. I know there was recent.ly a British tour with a new set i believe

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 9:20pm

There were a lot more changes then just the new song and the tone. Too many to list. But, most of them were just minor lyric changes that were all pretty much for the better. The best way to understand is just to listen to the London CD and then the LA CD. The show was just polished up for its American premiere and it was better for it. Obviously the authors felt so too as they implemented the changes for all productions.

I thought that the second national tour was not directed by Trevor Nunn, though. Is that incorrect, Fosse?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 9:29pm

The 2nd US National Tour (starring Petula Clark) was re-concieved/directed by Susan Schulman, and choreographed by some Kathleen Marshall gal.

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 9:41pm

I saw the 2nd Nat. tour and hated it. Petula Clark was horrible. The only reason I wanted to see the show was for the set. I was pissed. I thought it was a non-equity tour. That's funny I'll have to find my playbill to read Kathleen's bio. I probably threw it away I hated it so much.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:21am

Didn't Joe wear a Bathing Suit and nothing else for The Title song in the second national?

[Yero]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:28am

Beside Petula Clark, was the second national tour bad?

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:39am

I saw it a week after it opened in London with LuPone

saw it a few years later in London with Clark

Saw it in LA with Close and Mason

Saw it on Broadway with Buckley and Paige

Saw the 2nd National Tour with Clark



The major difference in the look between L.A. and London was the lighting, color design.

In the UK it was primarily "warm" "sunset" colors.

In the US.. is was stark "cold" black/grey tones.

In the UK, at first, there was no car on stage when Norma returns to the studio. After it close and re-opened with Buckley there was a car as in L.A.

As hard as it may be to believe the Pace 2nd National tour was more imaginately staged than the Nunn version. Much of the recitative in the original score was actually spoken.

example

(sung)

Let me take you back since month...

was now spoken with music as underscoring.

During act Two opening, Joe was not fully dress by the pool as in the UK, but in speedo type trunk. Practically nude on stage it really showed how much he had prostituted himself. Very Smart. Plus the Joe was actually hunky and could act.

During "Too much in Love to care" instead of the "twinkling" star crap that Nunn lifted from Princes "All I ask of you" scene, Joe and Betty playfully run around a sound stage playfully chaning the movie back drop projection and changing their locals for seaside to on the moon to in a forest with the flick of a switch. Very effective.

As a whole the 2nd National tour was just "ok" Clark can't act. But it did us theatrical imagination rather than smoothering it with cash.

Updated On: 5/14/07 at 12:39 AM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:49am

Thanks for that rundown, BFB. I wish this show wasn't panned as it seems to have become by some standards. I know the lyrics aren't great, but what a story and is close second to Evita for me in terms of ALW score. The strings are so prominent and beautiful with some actually grand, theatrical moments that come across so well on disc.

[simon_wilkie]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 5:15am

IN my opinion, they butchered the show when it transferred- much the same as ALW does with all of his shows in the end (Jeeves; Evita; Whistle) by cutting perfectly good sections.

As well as those changes mentioned, there were changes before it moved to LA. For a look at how the original Sunset opened get George Perry's great book "Sunset Blvd: From Movie to Musical", usually available from 2nd hand bookstores and eBay. But my favourite bit that was deleted was a Charlie Chaplin tribute- much like they did in the film when Swanson surprised Joe with her impersonation.

Basically during The Lady's Paying, after the "Shut up I'm rich" line Norma continued

N: I own oil-wells in the desert.

Manfred: What a salesman, what a pitch!

Joeto M) I understand your game and I'm not playing.

N: Joe, please don't spoil the fun I get from paying. (Spoken) Let me show you what clothes can do for a man.

Here she went behind the clothes rack, changed from a red jacket to black jacket, put on a bowler and moustache and emerged through the rack and performed a little skit to a ragtime melody.

It was amazing and a nice reference to one of my fave scenes in the movie. If you can track down an original souvenir brochure there is a picture of Patti as Chaplin which is a nice reminder of this long deleted scene.

The UK Tour was very sparsley decorated. Basically there was a staircase, a table full of photos and a chez-longue against a black stage. Again, the brochure for the tour is great if you are interested in seeing it, if not I think the RUG website has photos of the UK Tour in the Sunset section.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 11:43am

That Rundown of the National Tour makes it sound a whole lot better than I remember hearing from people who saw it. Anyway it sounds like it was at least creative-which makes me wonder again why the show isn't available for release. I saw the show on Broadway with Close, Buckley and Paige and always couldn't wait to see what the Regional theaters would do with it. Seeing it in a place Like NSMT in Massachusetts, which is in the round, would be awesome. I think that the story is great, and I am a fan of the music, so I really wonder what the holdup in releasing the rights. Maybe this has been covered before on the board, I should do a search.

[Flight0017]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:42pm

I believe that in the original London production, mr Sheldrake's office was located at the top of a staircase (stage right)? Or am I just imagining this? Also, for the final scene, LaLuPone wore a headpiece with extremely long feathers. And for the first few performances, she didn't finish the show with "This time I'm staying etc." She just stood there.

How I miss this show... I saw it a total of twelve times in four different countries. Ah well.

Updated On: 5/14/07 at 01:42 PM

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 2:25pm

Ya know, for a show that I don't think is GREAT.. I sure did see it a ton of times. I give props to ALW for trying to write a "book" show. The Lyrics are pretty low grade, but you get the feeling that the authors really liked their subject.

And come on... Norma Desmond singing big ass showtunes, who could resist?

Yes, their was a very brief "chaplin" moment during The Ladies Paying. I have the program with the LuPone Photos. It was cut by the time it opened.

I saw some footage of that moment from the first preview and it was a little silly. As opposed to the movie where it tragic.

The headdress was HUGH and then it was minimized.

I remember there was a sheldrakes office adjustment. But I can't remember what from what.


As for the 2nd tour as a whole. It was not good. Done on the cheap. The "mansion" wasn't there. The staircase was a two piece thing that looked like it was lego locked together.

Normas house looked like the inside of Marriot hotel.

and worst of all, Clark can't act. Her Norma was a goofy old lady. She pretty much threw away the charater and played her for cheap laughs.

What it did have going for it was a Joe that was hunky, could sing and could act. I forget the actors name, but he was the best Joe. And truth be told. The Sunset Blvd story is really Joe's story.

Updated On: 5/14/07 at 02:25 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 2:32pm

Thanks for the heads-up. I also have that video of the 1st preview in London. Gotta pull that out of the archives and watch it again.

And yes...that original over-sized head-dress that Patti wore for her staircase descent at the finale' was hilarious. Somewhat reminded me of Lucy Ricardo's head-dress on that episode. I believe that was the first and only performance she ever wore that head-dress.

[Flight0017]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 3:07pm

In the 2nd US tour, Joe was played by Lewis Cleale.

Petula Clark may not have been to everyone's taste, but her singing was filled with emotions. She's not my favorite Norma, but she's not at the bottom of my list either. For the BBC radio concert in 2004, she "changed back" to her original London performance, which was simply amazing.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 3:32pm

I'll have to listen to that concert.

True Clark can sing.. one of those great voices.

But I saw both her West End Norma and her US Norma. In my book, both embarassments.

Later I saw her interviewed and she said "hated" the character. But over the many times playing her she had found a way to like her. It was pretty clear in the UK that she was fighting against what the character demanded and what she was willing to actually do.

In the US. She just did whatever she wanted. She mugged and pandered to the audience pulling every trick she could play to get the audience to like her Norma rather that be interested in her.

Posted: 5/14/07 at 7:34pm

Interesting--I'm a fan of Susan Schulman but didn't realize that the 2nd national tour was completely restaged--I assumed it was just a scaled down version. Great to know--now I'll have to track down images (I assume the UK more recent tour wasn't based on this but was its own creation).

Did anyone else see the Canadian cast? I knwo I'm biased but I think both Rex Smith and surprisingly diahann Carol (who I didn't expect to have such magnificent presence) were wonderful--it's the only CD I find myself playing much (partly too because I feel, like most ALW scores with maybe the exceptions of Evita, JCS and Aspects for me--all the music I really wanna listen to can nicely fit on one cd)

I'm not the biggest ALW fan and I have to admit sometimes it's hard being such a huge Sondheim nerd and then havign to defend ALW but I do think his four shows from Phantom-Aspects-Sunset-Whistle have merit despite their faults (which are usually--especially with Phantom--lyrical) and still stnad out better than many other attempts at doing shows in similar styles (coff Wildhorn coff)


(and Youtube has the Chaplin bit...)
Updated On: 5/14/07 at 07:34 PM

[pippin2]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 7:46pm

Did anyone see Rita Moreno as Norma? I recall reading online somewhere that played the role for a brief engagement.