Sunset Boulevard (musical)

Sunset Boulevard
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 US tour 1998 US tour 2001 UK tour 2008 West End revival 2017 Broadway revival 2017 UK Tour 2023 West End revival 2024 Broadway revival
Awards	1995 Tony Awards for: Best Musical Best Score Best Book 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival

Sunset Boulevard is a sung-through 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.