Change has not come easily for silent film star Norma Desmond. In a mesmerizing homage to early Hollywood and the era of silent films, Playful Theatre Productions presents the Tony Award-winning “Sunset Boulevard” at Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre.
The musical will be performed April 5 and April 12 at 8 p.m.; April 6 and April 13 at 8 p.m.; and April 7 and April 14 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is on the Mercer County Community College campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.
The community is invited to an opening night reception with the cast and crew on April
5.
Surrounded by the trappings of stardom long since faded, Desmond is still hoping to
make her “return” to the big screen. In fact, she has written a painfully long screenplay
in a desperate attempt to revive her career, according to a press release.
Enter struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis, who accidentally stumbles onto Norma’s property, and she quickly sees an opportunity. The drama gradually gets darker as Gillis discovers this wounded star is one whom you won’t walk away from unscathed.
With book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, and music by Andrew
Lloyd Webber, the show is based on Billy Wilder’s Academy Award-winning 1950 film. “Sunset Boulevard” has enjoyed two successful Broadway runs, both starring Glenn Close in the lead role, according to the press release.
The winner of eight Tony Awards in 1995, including Best Musical and Best Original
Score, “Sunset Boulevard” features memorable musical numbers, including the
title song, as well as “Surrender,” “With One Look,” “New Ways to Dream” and “As If
We Never Said Goodbye.”
“Sunset Boulevard” stars Holly Gash of Yardley, Pa., as Norma Desmond; William
Kamps of Burlington as Joe Gillis; Evan Bilinski of Franklin Park as Max von Meyerling;
Cat Tierney of Princeton as Betty Schaefer; Matthew Robertson of Yardley, Pa., as Artie
Green; Peter Sauer of Yardley, Pa., as Cecil B. DeMille; Jim Morris of Plainsboro as
Sheldrake; Nicholas Pecht of Hamilton as Manfred; and Mike Wermer of Mount Holly as
Sammy.
Tickets for “Sunset Boulevard” are $20 and may be purchased at www.KelseyTheatre.net or by calling 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking next to the theater.
