Drury Lane Theatre Presents SUNSET BOULEVARD, Beginning 1/24

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents Andrew Lloyd Webber's triumphant Broadway musical SUNSET BOULEVARD, previewing January 24, opening Friday, February 1 at 8:30 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); 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 group tickets start as low as $20 and Senior Citizens start at $30 for matinees and $44.75 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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