As If We'd Ever Say Goodbye: Reflecting on the Video Design of SUNSET BLVD.
- Jeff Davis
- Jul 19
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 14
At around 10:35 pm on September 30th, 2024, I found myself leaping to my feet in the darkened St. James Theatre, joining 1,500 other enthralled audience members as we gave the brilliant company of Sunset Blvd. a fourth (yes, fourth!) and final standing ovation of the evening. As the lights came up for the curtain call, I turned to my husband and whispered in his ear, "We don't have tickets for anything this Saturday night." He gave me a knowing smile and whispered back, "We do now."
Returning to the show a week later wasn't a want. It was a need. As a longtime enthusiast of musical theatre, a passion ignited when my parents introduced me to The Phantom of the Opera at the age of five, I attribute much of my appreciation for the art form to the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber. While Phantom may have first captivated me with the grandeur of the modern Broadway musical, Sunset Boulevard quickly became my preferred Webber show after I experienced the Los Angeles production starring Glenn Close in 1993 (evidently, 9 year-old me already had a discerning taste for theatre). When news broke that the acclaimed Jamie Lloyd-directed West End revival of the now abbreviatedly spelled Sunset Blvd. would transfer to Broadway shortly after my fortieth birthday, my husband and I eagerly secured tickets for the second preview performance and planned a weeklong trip to New York around it.
While the production closes this weekend, I know I'll never forget it. For the last 10 months, I've touted this production as one of the most impactful and memorable shows I've seen in 40 years, and I imagine another 40 years of theatre-going won't knock it off that pedestal. I know I'm not alone in that sentiment as Sunset Blvd. was arguably the most talked about show of the 2024-2025 Broadway season. Much has been said about Nicole Scherzinger, her somewhat controversial Tony Award win over Audra McDonald (I adore Audra, but Nicole deserves her flowers and then some), leading man Tom Francis and his hilarious soda-sipping TikToks, and Jamie Lloyd's bold choice to strip down one of the most lavish and expensive musicals of the last 50 years to its most essential elements, but it's the production's use of live video that will be talked about for ages.
Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New
While previous productions of Sunset Boulevard used video and projections to explore the Golden Age of Hollywood depicted in the musical, here the video design became a character in itself. It infused a fresh, modern energy into a now thirty-year-old masterpiece. I've seen many professional productions of Sunset Boulevard over the years, but I personally haven't seen a single one that didn't incorporate video design at least sporadically throughout the show.
The original Sunset Boulevard of the 1990s used video design quite effectively, particularly in an inventively staged car chase sequence. But no matter how effective the video design was, it was never essential to any production. In fact, all of the prior productions of Sunset Boulevard I've seen could cut the projections entirely, and the piece wouldn't suffer. The design focus was never on the video design; it was always on the set.
The 1993 Los Angeles production of Sunset Boulevard had a massive coup de théâtre at the heart of its scenic design, something almost expected of any of the mega-musicals of the late 80s and early 90s. Phantom had the chandelier. Les Miserables had the barricade and the turntable. Miss Saigon had the helicopter. And Sunset Boulevard had the mansion, an enormous gilded cavern of doorways, arches, stairs, balconies, and bannisters raised on and off the stage deck by four hydraulic lifts hidden behind the structure. It was a breathtaking marvel of stage engineering that had never been attempted, and given the extraordinary costs to build and maintain it, such sets have rarely been seen again.
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It takes just a glance at any photos or videos of the Jaime Lloyd revival of Sunset Blvd. to realize the mansion is absent, as is practically everything else. Norma Desmond, a character synonymous with haute couture gowns and turbans, is clad in a simple black slip and no shoes. A few black folding chairs make up the only furniture on the stage. Aside from a pair of sunglasses, a couple of party hats, a handful of confetti, a body bag, and some stage blood, props are non-existent.
But while the artifice of the original production may be stripped away, the grandeur and spectacle remain in every scene. The production may be stark and streamlined, but the incredible and artfully executed video design is lively, dynamic, and breathtaking. The enormous 28-foot tall and 24-foot wide video screen easily overcomes any longing for the iconic mansion set.
The integration of video design in theatre is not a new concept, but its use in Sunset Blvd. is remarkable. With this revival, Jaime Lloyd and Video Designers & Cinematographers Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom incorporate video in a way that is essential and integral to the production. It consistently amplifies the story’s depth and highlights its themes.
While the directorial and design choices of this production create a very current, modern version of Sunset Blvd., the black-and-white video design harkens back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, particularly film noir. This genre is where the original Billy Wilder film, on which the show is based, is firmly planted. The production even features opening credits—overlayed on top of a car chase sequence—and end credits, further reminding us of the musical's Hollywood roots.
Twisting Boulevard, Jackpot Boulevard: That Iconic "Walk"
But it's the production's use of live capture that is truly remarkable. Throughout the show, we see performers move about the stage with handheld camera rigs, capturing close-ups of their castmates in real time. As an audience, we're given both a traditional live theatrical experience and a film. We're seeing a story about filmmaking as we're watching filmmaking itself.
While Sunset Blvd. is not the first Broadway show to use the technique, it certainly pushes the technique to new heights. I've seen the chandelier in Phantom and the helicopter in Miss Saigon get applause, but I've never seen an audience respond to them with an immediate standing ovation. That’s how audiences responded to what is affectionately referred to as "The Walk," which opens Act II of Sunset Blvd..
Throughout the Entr'acte and title song that opens Act II, the camera follows the actor portraying Joe Gillis (Tom Francis at the performances I attended) as he walks through the halls and dressing rooms backstage. He moves through the lobby, outside the St. James Theatre, across 44th Street, down Shubert Alley, and back through the aisle of the orchestra section and onto the stage of the St. James Theatre—all while singing the show's title song. All of this is done with perfect audio and video sync. It’s worth noting that sound designer Adam Fisher manages to balance the 40-piece orchestra and Mr. Francis's voice while not picking up the ambient noise from busy 44th Street.
Live video capture inside the theater is one thing, but live capture outside and around the block is quite another. It’s no wonder why this six-and-a-half-minute sequence is perhaps the most talked-about moment of the 2024-2025 Broadway season. It will be discussed by theater professionals for decades to come.
New Ways to Dream: The Impact on the Broadway Landscape
As Sunset Blvd. concludes its run, it’s essential to recognize how its innovative use of video design sets a new standard for future stage productions. Broadway has always celebrated bold ideas, and this show exemplifies how technology can integrate smoothly into storytelling without overshadowing the artistry of live performance. At every turn, the video design in Sunset Blvd. enhanced the performances and the storytelling rather than serving as a gimmicky distraction.
For emerging theatre creators, this revival highlights the power of technology to enhance rather than detract from storytelling. Sunset Blvd. demonstrates that audiences can engage with multi-dimensional narratives—inviting them to be part of an immersive experience that resonates deeply. This production proves that Broadway stages are eager for fresh innovations that engage the imagination.
The unique combination of video design and storytelling in Sunset Blvd. demonstrates the evolving nature of Broadway theatre. Looking towards the future, I anticipate how such innovations will continue to enhance the art of performance and invite audiences into extraordinary worlds, especially as the costs for such cutting-edge technology decline.
If you did not get the opportunity to witness this breathtaking revival, I highly encourage you to do two things. First, go down a YouTube and TikTok rabbit hole and view any clips you can find. After that, buy tickets to any live theater production, whether it be on Broadway, on tour, or at your local regional, community, or educational theater. While Sunset Blvd. had a robust budget and world-class talent on its production team, outstanding theater magic is still possible with much less.
Let's all continue to give the world new ways to dream.
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