Andrew Lloyd Webber makes history with the revival of his Broadway show, "Sunset Boulevard"

Record ID: 165827

  • Title: Andrew Lloyd Webber makes history with the revival of his Broadway show, "Sunset Boulevard"
  • Date: 25th January 2017
  • Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CLOSE SPEAKING TO REPORTER WITH HER DOG PIT IN HER LAP (SOUNDBITE) (English) GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS, SAYING: "Yes, it's a daunting role, it takes a lot of technical singing and knowledge and takes a lot of just muscle to get through it." MORE OF CLOSE POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS, SAYING: "Yeah, I mean I'm sure I don't even know, because it's been 22 now going on 23 years since I did it last. And you know, you get tempered by life and we get tempered by our craft and hopefully as an actress you should just - that all goes into whatever you're creating at the moment. And I definitely think, well I know that my Norma today is very different from my Norma I did all those years ago." CLOSE POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS, SAYING: "A lot of steps, a lot of steps. I make my entrance on that top level and go all the way down to the stage. And to get to the top level, because there is not as much room on the stage as we had in London, there is a little elevator in the back. And of course then you get very nervous about - you don't want it to not work." CLOSE AND WEBBER POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, COMPOSER, SAYING: "The thing about 'Sunset Boulevard' and my score for it is that there are some musicals that, you know, if there are a chamber work or whatever, they need much more orchestra or, I mean like the 'School of Rock' it's a seven piece rock band. But here, what I'm writing about, which is something in a way about an old Hollywood. And of course big orchestras and film music of that time, they would have employed a much bigger orchestra than 40 pieces. And so, to be able to have an orchestra like that to be able to really try and convey hopefully some of the spirit of what that Hollywood was in those great, great film scores of the time."
  • Embargoed: 8th February 2017 20:37
  • Keywords: Andrew Lloyd Webber Glenn Close Broadway Sunset Boulevard musical theater revival
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Theatre
  • Reuters ID: LVA00460KXK5P
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: From rock to opera Andrew Lloyd Webber has Broadway covered with "School of Rock - The Musical," "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera." Now with the return of "Sunset Boulevard" to Broadway, the composer will tie the record for most musicals running simultaneously with Rodgers and Hammerstein.
    "This is a little bit of an accident, I must admit. This time last year I never would have thought there would be four. And it's the English National Opera (ENO) production originally in London that was done as a concert, really, a highly staged concert. But as a concert for a month last year and it was a big success in London and there were a lot of people who wanted to bring it here. I have delightfully nothing to do with it other than the composer and being able to work with a 40 piece orchestra. So it was not something that was on the radar," explained Webber.
    Webber and actress Glenn Close have reunited for the revival of the musical which won seven Tony Awards in 1995, including a best actress trophy for Close. The veteran stage and screen star also won an Evening Standard Award in 2016 for her performance in the West End Production in England.
    For Close, revising the role wasn't an easy decision.
    "It's a daunting role, it takes a lot of technical singing and knowledge and takes a lot of just muscle to get through it," said Close, a three-time Tony winner.
    The veteran stage and screen actress plays washed up silent-screen star Norma Desmond, who hopes to revive her career with a new film.
    After nearly 23 years Close said her life experiences have caused her to approach the role differently this time.
    "You get tempered by life and we get tempered by our craft and hopefully as an actress you should just - that all goes into whatever you're creating at the moment. And I definitely think, well I know that my Norma today is very different from my Norma I did all those years ago."
    The musical will feature the popular songs "With One Look," "As If We Never Said Goodbye" and "Perfect Year."
    The ENO production is a scaled down version of the original, without huge scenery which Webber hopes will give audiences a better appreciation for his score.
    "Here, what I'm writing about, which is something in a way about an old Hollywood. And of course big orchestras and film music of that time, they would have employed a much bigger orchestra than 40 pieces," said Webber.
    "To be able to have an orchestra like that to be able to really try and convey hopefully some of the spirit of what that Hollywood was in those great, great film scores of the time," he added.
    The show will run for 16-weeks, officially opening on February 9.
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