Sunset Blvd - From Movie to Musical

[castlestreet]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 7:06pm

Hello all!

Im searching for a copy of the making of Sunset Blvd in Toronto. It was entitled Sunset Blvd. from Movie to Musical and was produced for local television in Toronto. I used to have a DVD copy of it and cant find it anywhere. I have the making of LA and Australia, but this one had a lot of great footage of the Toronto production that is hard to find. It had a female host/narrator and ran about 45-50 minutes if I remember correctly. Ive scoured YouTube and cant find it anywhere. Does anyone remember this and know what Im looking for?

[David10086]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 8:25pm

Never heard of this, but I'd love to see this!  

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 8:49pm

My memory of the stage musical--which I saw twice with Glenn Close in LA--is that it felt like the creators had taken the screenplay and simply produced it page by page, reducing the screen dialogue to make room for songs that (dramatically) might well have remained dialogue. By the time they literally showed the chase scene from the movie, I knew this was to be a "Why?" musical.

But the score is perhaps ALW's best; to say so, of course, is to damn with faint praise.

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 9:28pm

I have been looking for this old special too.... and the 'Dreamcoat Special' about the making of the Livent/Donny Osmond JOSEPH production... anyone? 

[castlestreet]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 9:48pm

I forgot about the Joseph special!!!

Ah - say what you want about Drabinsky - I miss the days when Toronto was truly a hub for musical theater!

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 11:34pm

I remember this documentary, It was on YouTube last year but I don’t see it on there anymore. Will see if I can get a copy to you.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 11:55pm

I'd be interested in seeing that Joseph documentary too.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 6:20am

CATSNYrevival said: "I'd be interested in seeing that Joseph documentary too."

 

I’ll second that. Please post a link if you find either online. Janet Metz and Donnie were fantastic casting, and the Elgin a stunning theatre. Toronto had such stella productions thanks to LiveEnt. The restoration of The Pantages for Phantom blew me away.

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 8:01am

All of the Livent tv specials were great but the JOSEPH one was my fav.... great production footage too. Would love to see it again if anyone finds it!

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 8:19am

GavestonPS said: "My memory of the stage musical--which I saw twice with Glenn Close in LA--is that it felt like the creators had taken the screenplay and simply produced it page by page, reducing the screen dialogue to make room for songs that (dramatically) might well have remained dialogue. By the time they literally showed the chase scene from the movie, I knew this was to be a "Why?" musical.

But the score is perhaps ALW's best; to say so, of course, is to damn with faint praise."

None of that addresses the OP's question, so did you just reply so you could demean the show?

[Joshua Kilimnik]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 10:50am

castlestreet said: "I forgot about the Joseph special!!!

Ah - say what you want about Drabinsky - I miss the days when Toronto was truly a hub for musical theater!"

I'm so disappointed that I missed out on so many iconic productions in Toronto. I was born long after Saigon, Phantom, Les Mis, CATS, Tommy, etc all had landmark Toronto productions. Really the only "landmark" thing Toronto has at the moment now that Dear Evan Hansen left is Come From Away. If only I was old enough to see Les Mis with Ramin while it was here, but what can you do.

[David10086]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 11:03am

I never realized (until joining this board) that Toronto was such a big hub for theater and stage musicals. What was the problem with 'SUNSET' having a rather short run? I know Carroll and Smith got rave reviews, and from what I read it was a sell-out for the run.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 11:20am

Joshua Kilimnik said: "If only I was old enough to see Les Mis with Ramin while it was here, but what can you do."

OMG How young ARE YOU??! Or more to the point how old AM I?! Ramin in Toronto feels like it was last year... Old as I am though at least I got to see Phantom at the Pantages. Twice. Some perks to a few grey hairs.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 11:40am

Sunset proved rather quickly that the show needed a bankable star to keep people coming. Carroll did earn excellent reviews, however she didn’t carry the weight at that point in her career like she had previously.

Livent missed on Sunset and the revival of Candide - both never came close to Phantom & Joseph in Toronto.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 11:41am

Joshua Kilimnik said: "Saigon, Phantom, Les Mis,CATS, Tommy,etc all had landmark Toronto productions. Really the only "landmark" thing Toronto has at the moment now that Dear Evan Hansen left is Come From Away.

And you’re right to acknowledge this as a golden-age for Canadian Musical Theatre.  Theatres pain-stakingly restored (in the case of Phantom), or purpose built (in the case of Miss Saigon); As well as important new musicals receiving their world premiere there prior to London or Broadway outings as was the case with Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime. Strange coincidence that both Rebecca Caine AND Patti Cohenour have written about their debt to performing in the Canadian productions of Phantom in exorcising their (similar) unpleasant experiences from the original London and Broadway casts. And no coincidence at all that the Canadian Phantom remains the only English language production recorded other than the OLC. Landmark productions indeed. Such a shame those days have passed..

[castlestreet]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 11:46am

I grew up in Rochester NY and in the mid-90’s you could take a two and a half hour ride to Toronto and see sit down productions (or productions that would announce for a few weeks and just keep extending) of Phantom, Joseph, Crazy for You, Beauty and the Beast, Showboat, and the list would go on.

It really was a great time.

[Joshua Kilimnik]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 11:46am

ukpuppetboy said: "Joshua Kilimnik said: "If only I was old enough to see Les Mis with Ramin while it was here, but what can you do."

OMG How young ARE YOU??! Or more to the point how old AM I?! Ramin in Toronto feels like it was last year... Old as I am though at least I got to see Phantom at the Pantages. Twice. Some perks to a few grey hairs."

I was only twelve when it (and he) was here! I actually ended up making a couple acquaintences that were in that production and myself graduated from Ramin's alma mater a couple months ago. That school did its own production of Les Mis (see profile pic) which Ramin graciously congratulated in a private message.

I envy you to have seen that production! I have a copy of the souvenir programme from that production that I found lying around in a store, and I've been ogling it ever since. I'm so interested in the history of the Toronto theatre scene and the productions/stars that have taken place here.

Updated On: 8/2/19 at 11:46 AM

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 2:23pm

This is interesting.  I didn't know it was a documentary.  I have a book that is essentially the same thing, except it was done when the show originally started in London.  I'm guessing ALW searched out and destroyed most of the copies of that book but it's a treasured piece since seeing the very original cast with all the original keys.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 2:37pm

BuddyStarr said: "This is interesting. I didn't know it was a documentary. I have a book that is essentially the same thing, except it was done when the show originally started in London. I'm guessing ALW searched out and destroyed most of the copies of that book but it's a treasured piece since seeing the very original cast with all the original keys."

That book is still available on amazon. Complete with that awsome photo of Patti dressed up as Charlie Chaplin in a section cut from “The Lady’s Paying” in London previews that was the ONLY decent moment in that song.. (IMHO)

https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Boulevard-George-C-Perry/dp/0805029273/ref=sr_1_fkmr3_1?keywords=Making+Sunset+Boulevard+Musical&qid=1564770556&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmr3

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 4:02pm

I don’t think Carrol was the issue with SUNSET, but the venue. It didn’t outright flop I don’t think, but could be wrong. It did transfer to Vancouver successfully I believe.

The biggest problem in Toronto was venue choice. Garth built this beautiful theatre.... in North York. Getting tourists to take the subway up there proves difficult.

Dancap tried in that space years later to mixed success. It’s since been subdivided into smaller theatres (live, not cinema, at least).

Had SUNSET been downtown like Phantom, Joseph, etc.... probably would have been another story.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 10/6/19 at 10:55am

Given her passing I’m really wanting to watch this special again - has anyone been able to track down a copy of it?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/6/19 at 12:24pm

I have the Toronto Sunset Special on VHS. I recorded it off TV.It was hosted by Kate Neilligan. I also have Diahann Carroll’s appearance on AM Buffalo promoting the production. I’m trying to get them transferred to DVD and flash drive.

Toronto was marvelous in the 90s. So much theatre much of it pre-Broadway. They also had a cool theatre store.

I’m looking for the Grey Gardens From East Hampton To Broadway DVD. I’ve scoured the earth for one.

[AADA81]

Posted: 10/6/19 at 7:22pm

GavestonPS said: "My memory of the stage musical--which I saw twice with Glenn Close in LA--is that it felt like the creators had taken the screenplay and simply produced it page by page, reducing the screen dialogue to make room for songs that (dramatically) might well have remained dialogue. By the time they literally showed the chase scene from the movie, I knew this was to be a "Why?" musical.

But the score is perhaps ALW's best; to say so, of course, is to damn with faint praise."

I agree with you about the score.  I'm no ALW fan, by any means, but that one mostly works for me, as does JCS.  As for the rest.... zzzzzzzz.