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Drury Lane Oakbrook
Now Showing

review by Ed Vincent
to be reviewed
Kyle DeSantis, Executive Producer;
Drew DeSantis, Producer; Jason Van Lente, Producer;
Abbie DeSantis, Producer
& William Osetek, Artistic Director
PRESENTS THE SEVEN TIME
TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL TOUR DE FORCE
SUNSET BLVD.
January 24 through March 24, 2013
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. - Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s triumphant Broadway musical SUNSET BOULEVARD,
previewing January 24, opening Thursday, January 31 at 8 p.m., and
running through March 24. The all-star cast is led by Christine
Sherrill as “Norma Desmond” (National Tour of Mamma Mia!, Legally
Blonde at Marriott Theatre and Xanadu and Curtains at Drury Lane
Theatre) and Will Ray as “Joe Gillis” (National Tour of Little House on
the Prairie, the new musical Allegiance at the Old Globe Theater, and
Irish Repertory’s Meet Me In St. Louis). SUNSET BOULEVARD is directed
by William Osetek (Drury Lane Theatre’s smash hit production of
Spamalot and Jeff Award nominee for Best Director and Best Production
for Thoroughly Modern Millie.)
SUNSET BOULEVARD, based on Billy Wilder’s 1950 film, weaves a
magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition. Silent movie
star Norma Desmond longs for a return to her glamorous heyday on the
big screen, having been discarded by Tinseltown with the advent of
"talkies." When Norma meets struggling Hollywood screen-writer Joe
Gillis, their subsequent passionate and volatile relationship leads to
an unforeseen and tragic conclusion.
SUNSET BOULEVARD is “Scored with some of Lloyd Webber’s loveliest
melodies and designed with an extravagance of mind!” (The New York
Times). The musical has been hailed as “Magnificent!” (Variety) and
“Exhilarating!” (The Washington Post). SUNSET BOULEVARD was the winner
of seven Tony Awards in 1995 and features a breathtaking score by the
legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita, The Phantom of the
Opera, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) and a book and
lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The original film version
starred Hollywood legend Gloria Swanson, who was nominated for an
Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for the role.
SUNSET BOULEVARD also features Don Richard as “Max” (the National Tours
of Sunset Boulevard and Wicked); Jonathan Weir as “Demille” (Candide
and A Christmas Carol at The Goodman Theatre); Dara Cameron as “Betty
Schaeffer” (Hero at Marriott Theatre); Robert Hunt as “Sheldrake” (the
Broadway revival of Les Miserables); Adrian Aguilar as “Artie” (Follies
at Chicago Shakespeare); and David Kortemeier as “Hog Eye” (Gypsy and
Spamalot at Drury Lane Theatre). The ensemble includes Larry Adams,
William Carlos Angulo, Amy Brophy, Gary Carlson, Devin DeSantis, Ariane
Dolan, Cory Goodrich, Rachel Klippel, Andrew Lupp, Alex McCrary, Alex
Newkirk, Amy Orman, Sarah Page, Paula Scrofano, Jill Sesso, and Will
Skrip.
Jeff Award winner Roberta Duchak (Xanadu, The Sound of Music, Sweeney
Todd, Ragtime, and Spamalot at Drury Lane Theatre) serves as Musical
Director of SUNSET BOULEVARD, and choreography is by Jeff Award winner
Tammy Mader (Hairspray at Drury Lane Theatre). The set design by Scott
Davis (Beauty and the Beast at Chicago Shakespeare Theater) transports
audiences to 1940s Hollywood. Lighting design is by Rita Pietraszek
(The 39 Steps at Drury Lane Theatre). Sound Design is by Jeff Award
winner Ray Nardelli (Follies at Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Costume
design is by Theresa Hamm (Drury Lane Theatre’s Sweeney Todd and The
Sound of Music).
The performance schedule for SUNSET BOULEVARD is as follows: Wednesdays
at 1:30 p.m. ($35), Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. ($35) and 8 p.m. ($40),
Fridays at 8:30 p.m. ($45), Saturdays at 5 p.m. ($45) and 8:30 p.m.
($46), and Sundays at 2 p.m. ($45) and 6 p.m. ($40). Lunch and dinner
theatre packages range from $49.75 to $68 depending on the day of the
week. Student tickets start as low as $20 and Senior Citizens start as
$29 for matinees and $43.75 for a matinee luncheon package. For
reservations call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111,
call TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or visit www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.
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