Sunset Boulevard | |
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Original West End Logo | |
Music | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
Lyrics | Don Black Christopher Hampton |
Book | Don Black Christopher Hampton |
Basis | Sunset Boulevard by Charles Brackett Billy Wilder D. M. Marshman Jr. |
Premiere | 12 July 1993: Adelphi Theatre, London |
Productions | 1991 Sydmonton Festival 1993 West End 1994 Broadway 1996 1st US tour 1998 2nd US tour 2001 1st UK tour 2008 1st West End revival 2016 London revival 2017 1st Broadway revival 2017 2nd UK Tour 2023 3rd West End revival 2024 2nd Broadway revival |
Awards | 1995 Tony Award for Best Musical 1995 Tony Award for Best Original Score 1995 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival |
Sunset Boulevard is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and lyrics and libretto by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. It is based on the 1950 film of the same title.
The plot revolves around Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent screen era, living in the past in her decaying mansion on the fabled Los Angeles street. When young screenwriter Joe Gillis accidentally crosses her path, she sees in him an opportunity to make her return to the big screen, with romance and tragedy to follow.
Opening first in London in 1993, the musical has had several long runs internationally and enjoyed extensive tours. However, it has been the subject of several legal battles and ultimately lost money due to its extraordinary running costs.