What Happened to the Original Broadway Sets (Sunset Blvd)

Just curious. I just hate to think of sets in a landfill. Â

Updated On: 2/9/19 at 08:55 PM

I have one of the Norma portraits from Glenn's run! It's one of my most prized possessions and I bought it from a nice seller on here. Love saying goodbye to her every morning on my way to work!

With all due respect, don't know where this misinformation started but Glenn wore new costume designs by Tracy Christensen for the 2017 revival (check your Playbills, folks!). Less than a handful were Anthony Powell's original 1994 costume design. Glenn did provide accessories from her personal collection she's kept from 1994. One major omission in the 2017 revival were the turbans.

1994



2017



This gorgeous leopard print gown was never seen in the 2017 revival:

BrodyFosse, I was going by Anthony Powell's title-page credit "GLENN CLOSE COSTUME DESIGNS" (5th name on the first designer line), and he also has a bio. How's that for checkin' my playbill? :)

Updated On: 2/10/19 at 11:28 AM

Speaking of sets, if I'm not mistaken - wasn't the original Los Angeles set used in the Toronto production? I recall reading that years ago (I think it was an article about Faye Dunaway being fired, and LA closing down) and often wondered why they didn't send it to Broadway, instead ?

SomethingPeculiar said: "God, that set was gorgeous.

We wouldneverget a design like that today."

Not lavish on a Sunset Boulevard scale perhaps, but wait until you get a gander at Moulin Rouge. Should look even better in NYC because the Colonial in Boston is a large house.

David10086 said: "Speaking of sets, if I'm not mistaken - wasn't the original Los Angeles set used in the Toronto production? I recall reading that years ago (I think it was an article about Faye Dunaway being fired, and LA closing down) and often wondered why they didn't send it to Broadway, instead ?"

You are correct. Quote from this article in the Times:

“Lord Lloyd Webber, after buying out Ms. LuPone's Broadway contract for a reported $1 million, hired Faye Dunaway to replace Ms. Close in Los Angeles, then abruptly dismissed her, saying her voice was not up to the role. He closed down the Los Angeles show, sold the scenery to the Toronto production and moved many in the cast to the New York production.”

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "Not lavish on a Sunset Boulevard scale perhaps, but wait until you get a gander at Moulin Rouge. Should look even better in NYC because the Colonial in Boston is a large house."

Good point! I think the most appealing thing (to me) about Moulin is that it looks totally different than any other modern show. It's a throwback to more lavish times, in a way.

I'll look through my box of news clippings (seriously, a copy-paper-size box of clippings and articles) but I thought I remembered reading that when NY closed (and it was announced the US Tour and London would as well) in the NY Times that one of the sets was going into storage. But it would seem bizarre all these years later that it hadn't resurfaced or even been mentioned in light of the London and Bway revivals. My guess would be that if they kept them, they trashed them somewhere along the way over the last 25 years.

A real shame though... As much as I love the score and was blown away by the revival - those sets were amazing. Absolutely stunning. Hearing the orchestra swell as the set floated onto stage was magical.