Sunset Boulevard promotional poster (Image via Sunset Blvd. Broadway)

Why Nicole Scherzinger's Sunset Boulevard revival is already a Broadway great

Modified Oct 21, 2024 16:09 GMT

Jamie Lloyd's Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard, featuring Nicole Scherzinger in the lead role, has finally made its long-awaited debut. This bold revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway musical has left the audience both shocked and thrilled, particularly due to Scherzinger's chilling, career-defining performance.

Commanding, seductive, and absolutely magnificent as Norma Desmond, the Grammy nominee received multiple mid-show standing ovations, including one that lasted six minutes on Sunday, October 20, 2024, when the show officially opened at the St. James Theatre in New York City.

What makes Nicole Scherzinger's Sunset Boulevard revival such a big hit?

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After years of dedicating her life to music and the industry but failing to connect as a solo artist, Nicole Scherzinger is finally getting the attention and acclaim she deserves with her Broadway debut in Sunset Boulevard.

Following her Olivier Award win during the musical's run in London's West End, the X-Factor and Masked Singer judge may now be headed for a Tony Award as many are considering her to be a frontrunner for the competition.

Nicole Scherzinger has truly proven herself in the role of Norma Desmond, and it is incredible that the former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman is getting the long-overdue credit. Her powerful voice and thrilling range have added new layers to the character, showing aspects audiences have never witnessed before.

Scherzinger's Desmond is charismatic, funny, sensual, intelligent, dramatic, conniving, and monstrous all at once, a unique blend of characteristics that she brings to life through her voice and acting. She wins over every member of the audience, leaving them rooting for Norma even as her behavior grows distasteful and ugly.

Under the direction of Jamie Lloyd, Nicole Scherzinger has reached new heights. She is bold and unabashed, seizing the stage and capturing her audience as a fallen idol desperate to reclaim her fame and place in the entertainment industry.

Jamie Lloyd's Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard is a breath of fresh air

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Sunset Boulevard is adapted from Billy Wilder’s Oscar-winning 1950 film for the stage by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. It follows the story of Norma Desmond as she hires a young screenwriter, Joe Gillis, to help her make a comeback to the silver screen after Hollywood deems her too old.

However, Desmond begins to feel threatened when she discovers Gillis' relationship with young writer Betty Schaefer, and in her desperation, she does something unthinkable.

Although the plot is set in 1940s Holywood, Lloyd's bold vision adds a fresh twist to the story. The production is set on a minimalist stage designed by Soutra Gilmour, and surrounded by rows of lights, everything is completely black and white.

To add a different perspective to the whole performance, a tilted black screen is put up on the center back wall, broadcasting live footage captured by Steadicams on stage. This setup offers audiences new angles of each performance.

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Alongside Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard stars Olivia Lacie Andrews as Nancy, Brandon Mel Borkowsky as John, Shavey Brown as DeMille/Stan/Finance Man, Cydney Clark as Joanna/Guard, Raúl Contreras as Finance Man/Frank, Tyler Davis as Sheldrake, E.J. Hamilton as Lisa, Sydney Jones as Dorothy, Emma Lloyd as Mary/Heather, Pierre Marais as Sammy, Justice Moore as Jean, and Diego Andres Rodriguez as Artie, among others.

Catch Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard now.