Sunset Boulevard Debuts at the New Century

Sunset Boulevard, Minneapolis Musical Theatre's (MMT) production of the Broadway hit based on the 1950 Oscar-winning movie about faded glory and unfulfilled ambition, debuts May 31-June 23, 2013 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's New Century Theatre (Street Level of City Center in downtown Minneapolis). Directed by Steven Meerdink, MMT's artistic director, this is the second production in the partnership between Hennepin Theatre Trust and Minneapolis Musical Theatre. The original Broadway musical, directed by Trevor Nunn with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, won seven 1995 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Sunset Boulevard opens with Norma Desmond, the fading silent movie star abandoned by the "talkies," who longs for a return to big screen glory. Enter struggling Hollywood screenwriter Joe Gillis, and their ensuing passionate and warped affair leads to a volatile conclusion. The 1950 film, directed by Billy Wilder and starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson, was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won three, including one for Best Music. In 1997, it ranked as #12 on the American Film Institute's Best American Films of the 20th Century. With this new production, MMT places the main focus on the spider web of relationships between the four main characters- Norma, Joe, Max Von Mayerling and Betty Schaefer. With projected images and video, they will use the film to enhance the telling of this unforgettable story.

This show will star local actress Sarah Gibson as Norma Desmond, known to Twin Cities audiences for her work in The Light in the Piazza at the Ordway and Johnny Baseball at Park Square Theatre. MMT veteran Tim Kuehl (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jerry Springer the Opera) stars as Joe Gillis, Christian Unser as Max Von Mayerling, Aly Westberg as Betty Schaefer, Marlin Rothe as Cecil B. DeMille, Evan Wilberg as Artie Green, Tony Sofie as Sheldrake and Ryan Halliday as Manfred. The ensemble includes Holly Brimhall, Reba Clamp, Rebecca Gebhart, Jennifer Inderlee, Philip Matthews, Adan Varela and Amanda Weis. Musical direction is by Lori Maxwell, scenic design by Darren Hensel, lighting design by Grant Merges and video/image design is by Christian Unser.

Single tickets are on sale now. For tickets or more information, visit www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

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