Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Sunset Boulevard by Christopher Hampton Sunset Boulevard by Christopher Hampton. Sunset Boulevard weaves a magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition. Silent movie star Norma Desmond longs for a return to the big screen, having been discarded by tinsel town with the advent of “talkies.” Her glamour has faded in all but her mind. When she meets struggling Hollywood screenwriter Joe Gillis in dramatic circumstances, their subsequent passionate and volatile relationship leads to an unforeseen and tragic conclusion. Videos. Based on the Billy Wilder film, the musical version of Sunset Boulevard, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Christopher Hampton and Don Black, had its world premiere at London’s Adelphi Theatre on July 12th, 1993. The show received its American premiere in December 1993 at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles starring Glenn Close as Norma Desmond. The show opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre in November 1994 with the highest advance in Broadway history at the time ($37.5 million in ticket sales). The show has been staged across the world with productions in Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and tours in the US and UK. Sunset Boulevard returned to Broadway in 2017 at the Palace Theatre with Glenn Close reprising her role as Norma Desmond, following a sold out run in the West End at the London Coliseum. Gallery. I first saw Sunset Boulevard sometime in the early 70s. It inspired a tune. This tune was supposed to be the title song. However, I neither had the rights to the film, nor at that time was likely to be able to obtain them. Eventually I used a couple of fragments of that tune in Stephen Frears’ affectionate Bogart spoof, Gumshoe. Hal Prince began working with me on the musical Evita. We discussed Sunset Boulevard and I saw the movie again since Hal Prince had obtained the rights. It all came to nothing but I wrote an idea for the moment when Norma Desmond returns to Paramount Studios. At around the same time I met with Christopher Hampton whom I had known for some years as he was at school with Tim Rice. He had already declared an interest in writing the libretto for the English National Opera of Sunset Boulevard, but this too had come to nothing. We thought it was a wonderful idea but came to the conclusion that in both our cases other projects made Sunset impossible and there was yet again the question of whether we would get the rights. I thought of Sunset on and off over the next 12 years, but it was only after Aspects of Love that I felt it was the subject I had to compose next. I contacted Paramount and, this time, the rights were available. So I took an option and started work. As ever, several early jottings were discarded. Then I had the idea of working with Chris Hampton once more. Chris was intrigued but felt that he would be happy working with somebody who had experience of lyrics before. I introduced him to my old friend and collaborator, Don Black, and what I hoped most would happen appears to have done so. They collaborated on both the book and lyrics together. I began composing the score shortly after the opening of Aspects of Love in London in 1989. I tried various versions of the title song, but came back to the original idea I had in the early 70s, albeit in a very different style and form. I stayed with my late 70s draft of the moment where Norma returns to Paramount, “As If We Never Said Goodbye”. Otherwise mostly everything has been written since 1989. Andrew Lloyd Webber. Glenn Close Offers an Update on the Upcoming Sunset Boulevard Movie Musical. Three-time Tony winner and seven-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close has revealed an update regarding the previously announced Sunset Boulevard film. Close, who garnered her third Tony Award for her portrayal of Norma Desmond in the stage show, is producing and starring in the movie musical, which was in preproduction prior to the COVID-19 crisis. "We’re just waiting for an absolute green light, and I hope it’ll happen in the new year because we’re ready," she told Vogue . As previously reported, Tony winner Rob Ashford has signed on to direct, with a screenplay adaptation by Tom MacRae. "We have a fantastic script," Close said. "I used to think I needed to play Albert Nobbs before I died, but now I think I need to do this. I can’t really put Norma to rest until I’ve explored her on film, so I hope that that happens." Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard (Photo by Richard Hubert Smith) Featuring a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a book and lyrics by Christopher Hampton and Don Black, Sunset Boulevard tells the story of Norma Desmond, an aging silent film star who recruits young writer Joe Gillis to help relaunch her career in the world of talking films. A reclusive shut-in, Desmond forms an unhealthy obsession with Gillis and soon demands he move into her lavish Hollywood mansion. In addition to her acclaimed turn in the original 1994 Broadway production, Close reprised her performance as Norma Desmond in a 2017 Broadway revival. "I personally think it’s Andrew’s most beautiful score," Close said. "To bring the emotionality of the music with that iconic story to the screen would be simply hair-raising. That’s something I’m looking forward to." Watch Close's performance of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" at Lloyd Webber's Royal Albert Hall celebration below! Ramin Karimloo Joins London's Sunset Boulevard Concert. Ramin Karimloo has joined the cast of the upcoming London concert production of Sunset Boulevard as Joe Gillis. He replaces the previously announced Kayi Ushe, who exited the event to star in the West End's The Lion King . Karimloo will appear alongside Mazz Murray as as Norma Desmond for the one-night only concert at the Alexandra Palace Theatre on June 13. Featuring a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a book and lyrics by Christopher Hampton and Don Black, Sunset Boulevard tells the story of Norma Desmond, an aging silent film star who recruits young writer Joe Gillis to help relaunch her career in the world of talking films. A reclusive shut-in, Desmond forms an unhealthy obsession with Gillis and soon demands he move into her lavish Hollywood mansion. Karimloo is a Tony nominee for his leading turn as Jean Valjean in the 2014 revival of Les Misérables . He also originated the role of Gleb in Broadway's Anastasia and the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies . He was recently announced to star in the upcoming movie musical Tomorrow Morning . Sunset Boulevard also features Zizi Strallen, Sharif Afifi, Christopher Howell and David Shawparker. The concert is directed by Jordan Murphy with choreography by Joanna Goodwin. A 28-piece socially distanced orchestra will play the iconic David Cullen and Lloyd Webber score. The concert will take place at 3PM and 7PM to a socially distanced audience of 300. Sunset Boulevard (2022) Will Glenn Close finally win an Oscar, for Sunset Boulevard , her next big screen role? The seven-time Oscar nominee and loser, will star in the production, reprising the role she played to great acclaim on Broadway twice before, winning the Tony award, her third, for her take on Norma Desmond in 1994. Close reprised the part to great acclaim in a 2016 revival that played both London and New York. The musical features a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The original production won seven Tonys in all, including best musical, book and original score. Tony-winning choreographer Rob Ashford is attached to direct Paramount’s big-screen take of Broadway’s musical adaptation of the screen classic Sunset Boulevard. Ironically, Sunset Boulevard is Close’s follow up to The Wife, which every pundit, including Tim Nasson at Wild About Movies, predicted she would win the Oscar for. How glorious it will be to see her walk up on the Oscar ceremony stage in 2021 to collect her long deserved Oscar – as of this year, she has been nominated 7 times and lost all seven times – for a role she has won the Tony for. The original Sunset Boulevard was released in theaters in 1950 and earned 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress (Gloria Swanson) and Best Actor (William Holden). It won only three Oscars, for screenplay, art direction and original score. There is reason to believe that Close will actually win the Oscar for this role. Actors who have gone on to reprise their Tony winning roles in films for which they are nominated for the Oscar for the same role, generally also win the Oscar. Here are the complete list of actors who have won both the Tony and Oscar for the same role: Jose Ferrer As Cyrano de Bergerac in “Cyrano de Bergerac” (real person – lived 1619-55) Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (1947) Oscar for Best Actor (1950) Shirley Booth As Lola Delaney in “Come Back, Little Sheba” (fictional character) Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (1950) Oscar for Best Actress (1952) Yul Brynner As King Mungkot of Siam in “The King and I” (real person – lived 1804-68) Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (1952) Oscar for Best Actor (1956) Anne Bancroft As Annie Sullivan in “The Miracle Worker” (real person – lived 1866-1936) Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (1960) Oscar for Best Actress (1962) Rex Harrison As Professor Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady” (fictional character) Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (1957) Oscar for Best Actor (1964) Paul Scofield As Thomas More in “A Man For All Seasons” (real person – lived 1478-1535) Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (1962) Oscar