Sunset Blvd Changes Question- Page 2

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 8:45pm

I had the opportunity to see Miss Pet(ula Clark) during Sunset's 2nd National Tour: December 1998 (Houston, TX), July 1999 (San Antonio, TX) and at the very last stop of the tour.. March 2000 (Austin, TX). Through it all, I thought that Miss Pet's interpretation was far too hammy and comedic for my preferences. Although it had its good points, there were parts of her perf which reminded me of Carol Burnett's parody of Norma Desmond.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 9:59pm

I have a full show audio with Rita Moreno as Norma. She's quite good, actually. More in the Glenn Close vein (passable vocal; excellent interpretation of the lyrics).

I also have an excellent full show video of the 2nd US National Tour. I also have some footage of Diahann and Rex in the Canadian production. I should cap some sections of these to post on that site.

In time, folks...in time -- but in the meantime...for your viewing pleasure...here is the 2nd US National Tour's version of Norma Desmond's mansion set (sorry for the divide in the middle -- I had to blend 2 pages from the souvenir program):

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 10:11pm

I actually sort of prefer that mansion set over the original, but only for a tour. It's just so much more reasonable. It also reminds me a lot of the Phantom set. I can't believe they didn't do that for the first national tour instead of spending millions trying to cart that huge mansion piece from city to city.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 10:16pm

It is very Phantom-like, especially with the curtains.

Posted: 5/14/07 at 11:22pm

Thanks as always Brody--what a great picture. So did Napier redesign the set--I can't make out the credits there. I have to admit it's not bad actually--but it does miss (of course) that baroque over the topness of the original (and I assume tricks like that amazing opening shot were abandoned--though frankly I could do without the car chase as much as I liek the underscore for that--it seemed a bit much and silly)

And I'd love to see any of those caps--I knwo there was a lot of news footage and a Cnaadian special done for the Livent Canadian production but I didn't seem to save any of it oddly enough (as I have their Phantom, Ragtime, Show Boat, etc specials still) and I remember A&E had one a bit before for the US premiere--but nothing on youtube
Updated On: 5/14/07 at 11:22 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

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

As always, you're quite welcome, Eric.

Since they are not visible on the photo, here are some notable credits from this 2nd US National Tour:

Petula Clark: Norma Desmond
Lewis Cleale: Joe Gillis
Sarah Uriarte Berry: Betty Schaefer
Allen Fitzpatrick: Max Von Mayerling
Michael Berry (Sarah's husband): Artie Green
George Merner: Cecil B. DeMille

Scenic Design: Derek McLane
Lighting Design: Peter Kaczorowski
Sound Design: Tony Meola
Projection Design: Wendall K. Harrington
Orchestrations: David Cullen & Andrew Lloyd Webber
Choreography: Kathleen Marshall
Directed by: Susan H. Schulman

Original Costume Design: Anthony Powell

[chernjam]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 12:05am

Brody - your lucky - when Sunset came to Newark NJ (and Conn - I saw it 3 times) the programs weren't available

For me, who saw the show 13 times, I actually loved the 2nd US tour -the director made so many really nice changes to it, including the finale where the set disolved into a thing where you didnt know if the whole show was just a film or in norma's head or reality - it was kind of neat seeing the whole set disolve into a movie screen...

Eric - as for all the changes - there was SUBSTATNTIAL changes from Aug 1993 to Dec 1993 - London to LA. Yes the show was "darker" in tone - and while Close brought comedic moments, her take was much more serious, much darker than LuPone. She was a serious woman - to be taken seriously. LuPone as she clumped up and down those stairs came across as out of character (as many of the initial critics correctly pointed out). It's too bad that she didnt have the benefit of 6 months later growing into the role... but that was her choice - ALW initially offered her London, LA and Broadway, and she turned that down... (I've followed the ENTIRE Sunset saga from workshop to tour...)

It's funny - and a recurring problem with ALW that he seems to have problems with his finales (Aspects, Sunset, Whistle - even Woman in White had three or four diffent endings that were even being alternated during the final weeks of it's run).

Anyway - I can give a disertation on all the changes - but I don't have the time. PM if you want some more info...

Jim

Posted: 5/15/07 at 12:44am

I just remember reading that the Lond version was "overhauled" but it sounds like that was a bit hyperbole. I definetly prefer a sligthly darker take on the work.

I think it's hard to find the right ending for musicals in general (and of course Miss Saigon ahs had many probs with that)--Didn't Woman in White change it again to make it slightly happier 6 months or so after opening?

Thanks Brody--can't say I recognize Derek McLane's name from other designs

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 12:45am

Holy crap! I don't know how to thank this thread as it's rekindled my love for SUNSET BLVD. all over again.

While browsing thru my archives for the video of the 2nd US National Tour, I came across a videotape simply labeled SUNSET. Upon sampling it, it turns out to be a full show video of the 1st US National Tour (with Linda Balgord!). I've had this for almost a decade and didn't even know it!

Anyway...I'm now watching the video of the 2nd US National Tour and the staging is as I remembered -- inventive and quite well done. How anyone would confuse this for a non-Equity tour is beyond me.

Guess I'm heading to work tomorrow morning with only a couple of hours of sleep. I'm too energized right now for any sleep.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 12:54am

Is the Petula Clark/Michael Ball concert available anywhere? Why didn't they release it on CD?

I wish I could have seen the 2nd national tour. It looks and sounds like it must have been great.

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 12:57am

Regarding Patti and Sunset, didn't the story go that she signed the contract to do the show both in London and New York, but then she was fired supposedly on the insistance of the show's backbenchers?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:01am

Oh, La LuPone was not fired -- she quit. No questions asked. She simply left the London production.

The only person ever fired from any production of SUNSET BLVD. was Faye Dunaway -- and she never even got to go on.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:05am

Great pic Brody, I don't see any problem with a touring cast getting that set to use, it looks absolutely fine. If only other places had been so fortunate as to get away with that and not blowing the budget on some massive car thing. I can't complain about the beauty of the Broadway set, but that re-design seems very well thought out.

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:06am

She always says she was fired and Amazon also mentions the backbenchers story. If she only quit the show by her own decision, I doubt she would have any ground to sue ALW and get that hefty settlement.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:14am

Patti sued on grounds that she took the role in London because it was under the conditions that she would also play the role on Broadway. It had nothing to do with being fired, which she wasn't. ALW basically paid out her contract plus 'damages', though she never returned to the show. She didn't get a settlement -- that was Faye, who sued ALW for other reasons than just being fired.

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:17am

Patti did fo course basically change her public stance on performing any ALW right after that too

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:17am

Thanks, I thought that Patti also settled out of court.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:20am

I just bought the Petula Clark 3 song CD. I love the clips on her website. I think I would have loved her.

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:22am

No other fans of the Canadian CD (or no one else even saw it??)

My friend who's a ALW nutter (somethign we argue about a lot0 told me many ALW fans consider it by far the best produced of the cast albums for Sunset

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:24am

I have the Canadian cast album. Diahann Carroll is quite good, I like her approach, but the London cast recording remains my facorite due to cast and orchestrations.

[simon_wilkie]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 3:39am

I would have to agree with Eric's friends. The Canadian cast recording is brilliant. Simply the richest orchestrations and finest ensemble. And the bitterness in Rex Smith's voice is astounding. My only problem is that I find Diahann Caroll a bit too mediocre. If they'd had Glenn or Betty AND made it a full length recording then it would definitely be the best ever!

The UK Tour was another complete overhaul. In the next couple of days I'll fish my old brochure out and take some pics- it'll only be digi cam quality but hopefully you'll get the idea. Personally, I wasn't struck on the UK Tour although many many people professed Faith Brown to be the best Norma ever. The 3track promo CD is well worth a gander though.

And yes, in response to an earlier question, Moreno played Norma for one month when Petula was ill I think. She got quite good reviews. I was fortunate to get a copy of the programme with her in it a couple of years back and there were cuttings inside it from the Daily Mail (a UK newspaper) which were quite positive. Like I say though she was only there to stand-in for a month. Quite surprising really. Maybe in they'd never put Pet back in it wouldn't have closed so soon after. Personally I find her too comic. Although Elaine could have her funny moments as could Faith and Patti, I find Petula's performance awful. I have the 3 track CD but can never find it in my heart to put it on. Maybe I should try again, or listen to the 2004 concert- hopefully Michael Ball and Emma Williams will compensate for her!

Posted: 5/15/07 at 7:16am

I think Caroll comes off better on CD than Close does--but much of what I liked about her performance I do have to concede was the physical presence and acting she brought to it--which only comes off so so on CD. You're dead on about SMith though--sometimes I find the various Joe's a bit too Broadway or even happy in some of their bitterer songs (like the title song)--which really should be scathing, and even self loathing

[chernjam]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 8:46am

Wow Eric - you sparked a hell of alot of interest...

Couple of thoughts:

- It seems to me Patti was fired. She might call it something else or legally or technically it might be called something else, but she was suppose to play NY. Maybe because there was a buyout clause in her contract, she can call say she wasnt fired.

- The Canadian CD - Dihann Caroll's voice never did anything for me. First time I listened, I was really enjoying the sound quality of the CD and the different leads - but as soon as she Caroll's first notes sang "Surrender" I was turned off. She never grew on me

- Of all the normas/albums - my favorite is Helen Schneider in the German Cast CD. The drawback is it's sung in german, but Schneider's voice is perfect to me. And the recording is really well done

- Elaine Paige? I think she killed the NY Production - look at the Broadway grosses here on this site - it wasn't till she came in that the show went below it's $600,000 break even point. She seemed completely wrong in the role playing it So comically.

- The 2nd US Tour had some real great moments - would love to see that again... One thing I loved was "Too Much In Love To Care" - it was the first time that the song really made sense. In Nunn's production, they simply walked around and sang that. In Susan Schulman's produciton - Betty and Joe were playful with things they found in the studio lot, and the ending to the song ended on a slow, soft, harmonized note (with an embrace and kiss) rather than the big loud IF WE ARE FOOLS THAN WE'RE TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO CARE. In fact, that seemed closer to how Lloyd Webber had it in his Sydmonton workshop of Sunset - don't know why he changed it

- Eric - there were set changes done from LA to London - can't remember all of them (and I'll have to look for my articles from then) - but that was one reason they shut the London production down for 2 weeks before they "relaunched" London Sunset with Betty Buckley

Jim

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 8:54am

Re Patti: She always says she was fired from the Broadway production, which can be true, since she was under contract to do it.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 10:48am

I wish I could get my hands on the Patula concert. That would be my favorite, but I do like Diahann Carroll and I adore Patti in everything, even Sunset though I wish she had put a little more characterization into her scene work. Maybe it was brilliant on stage, but on CD, and admittedly I did hear Glenn first, on CD Patti's performance comes off as slightly stale. I feel like, for the recording, she just needed to put a little more emotion into it since we don't have the visuals.