Sunset Boulevard Revival Broadway Thread — Page 44

So a new wrinkle to add to the "Why didn't Sunset get any nominations for Tony's this year?"

I happened to just see on another thread that one of the new nominators is Edgar Dobie. Talk about random factoids - trivia/memory... He was front and center involved when, during Sunset's first run on Broadway and Glenn Close was out for 2 week vacation and they inflated the Box office grosses to look like it had no effect that she was out.

When Michael Riedel does a follow up on Tony's/Sunset - remember you read it here first. Here's the story about the incident back in 1995 http://variety.com/1995/legit/news/sunset-b-o-not-even-close-99127933/

Bettyboy72 said: "Was Glenn out last night or tonight? I friend told me she was sick?



"

Sounds like fake news... I think there would've been an announcement from the shows twitter or elsewhere had that been the case

Bettyboy72 said: "Was Glenn out last night or tonight? I friend told me she was sick? "

I saw the show tonight and she was there and well!

A Director said: "cherjam - Give it a rest! Follow this link to the Tony Awards.

http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/about/admin_comm.html You will find a list of the Management Committee, the Administration Committee, the Alternatives for the committee, and the 2016-2017 Nominating Committee. EDGAR DOBIE'S NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON ANY OF THEM! Sunset Boulevard did not receive enough votes in any category. Understand?

On the other hand, do you think the Russians hacked the Tony Awards?

"



The 2016-17 Nominating Committee includes:

• Adrian Bailey – Actor
• Victoria Bailey – Executive Director, Theatre Development Fund
• Luis Castro – Media and Entertainment Executive/Producer*
• Hope Clarke – Choreographer
• Paul Cremo – Dramaturg/Director of Opera Commissioning Program, The Metropolitan Opera
• Patricia Cruz – Executive Director, Harlem Stage/Aaron Davis Hall, Inc.*
• Trip Cullman – Director
• Edgar Dobie – Executive Producer, Arena Stage – Washington, DC*
• Scott Elliott – Director/Artistic Director, The New Group**
• Harvey Evans – Actor
• Sean Patrick Flahaven – Writer/ Composer/Orchestrator/ Conductor/Producer
• Paul Gallo – Lighting Designer
• Jenny Gersten – Former Executive Director, Friends of the High Line
• Daniel Goldfarb – Playwright, Bookwriter
• Sam Gonzalez – Dir. of Operations, Pfizer Medical/Board of Trustees, Playwrights Horizons
• Adam Gwon – Composer/Lyricist
• Roy Harris – Production Stage Manager
• Peter Hedges – Writer*
• Jack Hofsiss – Theatre, Film, Television Director
• Mara Isaacs – Founder and Director, Octopus Theatricals, LLC*
• Lou Jacob – Director at the New School for Drama
• Anne Keefe – Associate Artist, Westport Country Playhouse*
• Tom Kitt – Composer, Lyricist, Bookwriter
• Fran Kumin – Consultant, Perf. Arts Organizations/Foundations/University Theatre Programs
• Michael John LaChiusa – Composer, Lyricist, Librettist*
• Kate Levin – Cultural Assets Management Principal, Bloomberg Associates
• Reynold Levy – Former President of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
• Patricia Marx – American Humorist and Writer, Former Television Writer
• Jim McLaughlin – Former Producer, CBS News/TV Feature and Documentary Producer
• Tony Meola – Sound Designer*
• Jessica Molaskey - Actor*
• Debra Monk - Actor
• Roger Morgan – Lighting Designer, Theatre Designer
• Laurence O’Keefe – Composer
• Katherine Oliver – Media and Technology Principal, Bloomberg Associates
• Christian Parker – Chair, Graduate Theatre Program, Columbia University
• Paige Price – Actor/1st Vice President of AEA/Executive Artistic Director, Theatre Aspen
• Ravi S. Rajan – Dean, School of the Arts – SUNY Purchase
• Paul Rudnick – Playwright, Novelist, Screenwriter, Essayist*
• Susan H. Schulman – Director/President, Stage Directors and Choreographers
• Mikki Shepard – Executive Producer, The Apollo Theatre*
• Warner Shook – Director
• Ellen Sorrin – Director, The George Balanchine Trust*
• Jessica Stone – Actor/ Director*
• Edward Strong – Producer
• Wynn Thomas – Production Designer
• Jose Antonio Vargas – Journalist/Filmmaker/Founder of Define American *
• Jennifer von Mayrhauser – Costume Designer
• Tom Watson – Retired Executive, Television Advertising
• Preston Whiteway – Executive Director, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center
• Evan Yionoulis - Director*

*Denotes new Nominating Committee member



I accept your apology

Oh Snap! Lol! This is was totally awesome to wake up to.

Okay so I saw the show tonight after months of reading reviews ranging from raves to negative ones. Honestly, I didn't care for it. The show is very poorly constructed to begin with, and the production and staging is not doing it any favors either.

Only Norma and Max's characters have been given any real depth. Glenn and Fred take what's been given to them, and elevate the heck out of it. Max's Joe clearly has great material handed to him on a plate, but it looks like he doesn't care to do the part the justice it deserves in his vain attempt of making the role his own. Sunset Boulevard title song is possibly the best song in the score, but it has been directed in a comical way which is just stupid. That is one scene which gives Joe's character a fool proof chance to show complexity and sophistication, but they use cheap tactics (Joe taking his underwear off, teasing his ass, Max taking the underwear away in a funny way) to make the scene light hearted. WHY? Betty Schafer is the lamest excuse for a love song. And what a bizarre staging for a "love song", it's the most asexual thing on Broadway. Two people standing 10 ft away from each other, singing lines like "I can't control all the things I am feeling", with no visible desire of even wanting to touch each other. Super believable *rolls eyes*.

What was the point of Joe's affair with Betty, or for Betty's engagement with...whats-his-name. Those scenes simply stopped the action, I personally couldn't wait for Norma to come back. For a show based around a single character, any scene which doesn't have her or is not about her is not worth keeping. Rest of the ensemble were most useful when they were clapping for Norma's "As If We Never Said Goodbye" (which got a standing ovation from a lot of people tonight, including yours truly).

Also, for everyone who says this is ALW's best score... well, this is definitely the score with his most beautiful melodies, but there's like a total of 5 melodies repeated a hundred times over. The orchestra was impressive, but I was missing the haunting tones of the cast album. But it's possible that sound design in the theater ruined the score for me tonight. I was sitting Front Mezz center, but had to strain to listen to so much of that show.

The best parts of the show were really Glenn, Fred, and the beautiful lighting design (the car chase was thrilling). I actually even quite liked the set, however stripped down. It was quite effective.

I know I'd have spent rest of my life wishing I had seen Glenn Close in the part if I hadn't seen it, but good god it was a waste of an evening.

Updated On: 5/6/17 at 12:16 AM

Valentina3 said: "Max's(sic) Joe clearly has great material handed to him on a plate, but it looks like he doesn't care to do the part the justice it deserves in his vain attempt of making the role his own. Sunset Boulevard title song is possibly the best song in the score, but it has been directed in a comical way which is just stupid. That is one scene which gives Joe's character a fool proof chance to show complexity and sophistication, but they use cheap tactics (Joe taking his underwear off, teasing his ass, Max taking the underwear away in a funny way) to make the scene light hearted."

While I disagree with your overall opinion of the show, I agree with this. Some of the direction is just ridiculous. As noted above in "Sunset Boulevard," but also in "The Ladies Paying" they go for the lowbrow humor with crotch grabbing etc. I know some of that is written in, but they took it too far.

I think that's part of why so many people didn't like Michael's take on Joe. Whether it was his choice or he was directed this way, some of the juvenile choices detract from the show. His voice is also rather thin and his pronunciation of "boulevard" irked me. I will say that his performance in the final scenes was great and I wish he'd been allowed to tap into that more during the rest of the show. His Joe was a little too happy-go-lucky at times.

Needless to say, I've seen it several times and it's still one of my favorite shows/scores and ALW's best, in my opinion.

Updated On: 5/7/17 at 01:04 AM

BroadwayLuv2 said: "Any hope this is going to be extended with someone replacing Glen? Or would they have already announced it?

Seen it twice with Glen and would love to revisit with a New Norma this summer. Fingers Crossed.

"

I think hope for it extending is fading quickly. It was always a bit of a long shot that they would extend again past June 25th (who could they get to play Norma for an even more limited run than Close? is it worth the expense of rehersals/advertisements/etc) And now that they're running "Only 8 weeks left" it doesn't seem likely.

But - rumors of this production ending up either in LA or somewhere else still are floating around (Australia?) The only reason those seem possible to me is that Glenn has said repeatedly her desire to film Sunset. Bringing it back to LA in Paramounts back yard would be one way. Australia seems another way (following the path of Love Never Dies of filming a stage production? Perhaps the contracts/negotiations/etc are easier there to get this done than doing it here in the US?)

Today's the day!

I think the role of Betty is essential for the story to develop. Unfortunately it is very hard to find a good Betty Schaeffer. No one will top Judy Kuhn it seems.

Castlestreet - so happy you finally got to see it! And loved reading your review. Particularly about the magic of theatre... As one who is not involved in theatre outside occasionally going to see a show (or in the case of Sunset, see it many many times) it really is a beautiful experience to hear that orchestra begin and feel like you've stepped on a roller coaster that will go for a few hours.

For me, the ghost Norma was most effective during "The Greatest Star of All" and "The Perfect Year". In the former, it made the scene so much more dramatic and interesting rather than Max simply giving a speech... It helped build the narrative that they are all buying into the fantasy. In The Perfect Year, I just found it heartbreaking watching Norma almost recognizing how disconnected she is from reality as she watches her younger self in love in present day with Joe.

Anyway - like I said - enjoyed reading your review, especially knowing how long you've waited to see Close in this.

Lot666 said: "I've seen this production three times now and will likely go back once more before it closes. Before seeing it for the first time, I posted to here my concerns about Michael Xavier as Joe. They had just released a brief promotional clip online, which included an excerpt of him singing the title song, and I did not care for the way he delivered the words "Sunset Boulevard". I still prefer Alan Campbell's delivery and I also feel that Mr. Xavier plays too much of the role for laughs. Last Saturday evening he (literally) giggled throughout almost the entire show.

On a different note, I am always surprised when people say that this is not one of ALW's better scores. I think it perfectly conveys the brooding, forlorn, and sometimes even sinister atmosphere in the Norma scenes and then shifts perfectly to contrast with the youthful hopefulness of the young Hollywood crew and their various aspirations. I also don't understand the complaints about the book, as the show adheres closely to the original film and I see no problems with the story. I will concede the occasional clunker in the lyrics, but those instances aren't enough to impede my enjoyment of this show.



I'm sorry to hear about Xavier giggling, that sounds so unprofessional. I'm sure Glenn wasn't pleased.

I do think ALW did a great job evoking the brooding Old Hollywood tone. I just think he is better at writing for larger than life characters, such as Jesus, Evita, Grizzabella , Phantom, and Norma. I wish the scenes with the "ordinary " characters like Betty and Joe had been mostly dialogue, because he wasn't as inspired by them.

carnzee said: "
I'm sorry to hear about Xavier giggling, that sounds so unprofessional. I'm sure Glenn wasn't pleased.

I do think ALW did a great job evoking the brooding Old Hollywood tone. I just think he is better at writing for larger than life characters, such as Jesus, Evita, Grizzabella , Phantom, and Norma. I wish the scenes with the "ordinary " characters like Betty and Joe had been mostly dialogue, because he wasn't as inspired by them.

"

It's nice to find points where fans can disagree... like this one... I really think this is one of ALW's finest scores - including the non-Norma scenes. "Girl Meets Boy" is one of my favorite scenes. "This time next year" isn't my favorite, but it does the job and doesn't slow the action down for me. The only song that I never really cared for was "Too Much in Love to Care" - just seems a bit out of place, which I'm not sure why - if the lyrics are too clunky or melody if it's too cheery... Kind of needed something like 'I'm hopeless when it comes to you' from stephen ward there (revelatory/romantic/know it's wrong) - but that's probably my only quibble with the score - and one that doesn't bother me too much as by then, the roller coaster or emotions is at full speed as Norma loses her S#!+