Sunset Boulevard
Vintage Theatre: 4/29 – 5/29
L:R Drew Hirschboeck and Marcia Ragonetti (Photo credit DenverMind Media)
Co-directors
Craig A. Bond and Evgueni Mlodik have cast renowned mezzo-soprano Marcia
Ragonetti as Norma Desmond in their current production of “Sunset Boulevard.” Ragonetti is known to be one of the Rocky Mountain region’s premiere talents in the opera
world, and her performance in the title role is stunning.
But Bond and Mlodik did not stop there.
They have also cast dashing actor Drew Hirschboeck as Joe Gillis, Norma’s kept
man.
Based upon
the movie starring Gloria Swanson and William Holden, and directed by Billy
Wilder, “Sunset Boulevard” was nominated for 11 Oscars and got 3!
Lloyd
Webber’s musical received 12 Tony nominations and won 8, including Best Musical
and Best Actress.
The
show, named after the boulevard that runs through Beverly Hills and L. A. has a
film noir look with touches of Wilder’s penchant for black comedy.
The story
revolves around Norma Desmond, a film star of the silent era that couldn’t make
the transition to talkies. When we meet her she is a delusional and very lonely
woman dwarfed by her Beverly Hills mansion in much the same way Charles Foster Kane
was in the Xanadu of “Citizen Kane.”
When she
meets down on his luck screenwriter Joe Gillis, Norma sees the possibility of
his “doctoring” her script, “Salome,” which she hopes will assure her glorious
return to the silver screen.
The twisted
events in the evolving relationship between Joe and Norma reflect the seamy
side of Hollywood and gradually spiral out of control into tragedy.
Ms. Ragonetti’s singing of “With One
Look” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye” are solid gold show-stoppers. Her duet
with Mr. Hirschboeck, “The Perfect Year,” is ear-pleasing indeed.
Brooding and internalized, Wes Munsil portrays caretaker
Max Von Mayerling with a dark presence
and deep, resonant vocals. Miranda Byers is a sweet and genuine Betty Schaefer.
David Ballew provides comic relief as a flaming tailor in the scene in which
Norma has Joe dressed to kill.
Debbie Faber has created eye-popping gowns for Ms. Ragonetti.
Debbie Faber has created eye-popping gowns for Ms. Ragonetti.
Vintage
Theatre presents
"Sunset Boulevard"
April
29-May 29
When
a faded star from a bygone era, meets a struggling screenwriter she is sure a
return to the big screen will follow.
Fri/Sat
at 7:30 p.m.; Sun at 2:30 p.m.
$28
- $34
Vintage
Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora 80010
No comments:
Post a Comment