Photo Flash: First Look at Reston Community Players' SUNSET BOULEVARD

Norma Desmond makes her close-up in Reston Community Players' sumptuous rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, running now through March 21, 2015. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Inspired by Billy Wilder's iconic 1950 film, Webber's musical version, featuring book and lyrics by Don Black andChristopher Hampton, focuses on the fading career of legendary silent film star Norma Desmond, portrayed by critically acclaimed Washington actress Katie McManus, recently seen in Ford's Theatre's Violet, NextStop's Into the Woods, and Creative Cauldron's Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Helen Hayes nominated for best ensemble). McManus has been honored with numerous WATCH best actress nominations for such productions as A New Brain, 110 in the Shade (winner, 2009), Curtains (winner, 2010), and Side Show as well as a Helen Hayes award for best ensemble (Rent, 2010).

With a career threatened by the advent of the "talkies" and a desperate fear of being discarded by Tinsel Town, Norma is convinced she can make a big Hollywood comeback. With the help of struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis (RCP president and popular local actor and WATCH nominated director Joshua Redford, recently seen in I Love You Because, Curtains, and Forbidden Broadway), Norma starts on a quest to remind Hollywood and the world that she is still big - "it's the pictures that got small." Winner of seven Tony Awards, Sunset Boulevard features such poignant, bittersweet romantic songs as "With One Look" and "As If We Never Said Goodbye".

Mark Hidalgo, most recently seen in McLean Community Players' La Cage aux Folles, RCP's Legally Blonde, and Arlington Players' 9 to 5, directs and choreographs. Elisa Rosman, who recently music directed NextStop's critically acclaimed Into the Woods, is musical director for Sunset Boulevard. Jennifer Lambert is the producer.

The RCP Sunset Boulevard cast features Katie McManus (Norma Desmond); Joshua Redford (Joe Gillis); Paul Tonden (Max); Katie Depp (Betty); Richard Farella (Artie); Mike Bagwell (Cecil B. DeMille); and Quentin Sagers (Manfred). The Sunset Boulevard ensemble includes Dwayne (DJ) Harney, Danny McKay, Kieth Flores, Sean Cator, Anthony Khong, Jasmine Jones, Cara Giambrone, Blake Green, Sally Kiernan, Grace McCarthy, and Karen Kelleher.

Tickets can be purchased through www.restonplayers.org or by calling the CenterStage box office at 703-476-4500 x 3. All Reston Players mainstage productions are performed at CenterStage at the Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, Va. CenterStage is handicap accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired.

Photo Credit: Traci J. Brooks Studios

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