Photo Flash: Music Theatre Wichita's SUNSET BOULEVARD

Music Theatre of Wichita will celebrate its Fabulous Fortieth Season with Sunset Boulevard, July 6 - 10. Sunset Boulevard is the haunting musical drama that Andrew Lloyd Webber created out of the 1950 film noir classic. Silent film star Norma Desmond reclusively lives forgotten in her opulent Hollywood mansion, until struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis stumbles into her web. "You're Norma Desmond," he realizes. "You used to be big!" ... prompting her famous response, "I AM big. It's the pictures that got small!" Two of Norma's ballads, "With One Look" and "As If We Never Said Goodbye," became popular hits, but the whole score is terrific. Mark Madama is directing this one, too, with spectacular new sets by J Branson.

Director - Mark Madama
Musical Director - Thomas W. Douglas
Sets - J Branson
Costume Designers - George Mitchell and Deborah Roberts

Bob Curtright of the Wichita Eagle writes: "Broadway veteran Ann Morrison is simply brilliant as Norma Desmond, the silent film legend who couldn't make the transition to talkies and retreated behind the walls of her Sunset Boulevard mansion to perpetually watch her old movies and relive her past glories." 

MTWichita's summer company includes Adrian Baidoo, Jordan Barrow, Jacob Chancellor, Emily Christ, Max Clayton, Erin Clemons, Hayden Clifton, Kaleigh Cronin, Cody Davis, Matthew Elliott, Injoy Fountain, Jacob Gutierrez, Daniel Horn, Shannon Hucker, Jacob January, John Keckeisen, Hannah Meredith Killebrew, Ben Lanham, Elliott Mattox, Ross McCorkell, Emily Mechler, Sophie Menas, Maggie Mial, Nick Palmquist, Michael Joseph Parker, Sarah Quinn, Lyonel Reneau, Molly Rushing, Natasha Scearse, Sarah Shelton, Arri Simon, Ethan Spell and Zachary James Wilhelm.

Only single tickets, which went on sale May 23, may be purchased online. Season tickets may be purchased by mail, in person or by calling the box office at 316 265-3107. Season tickets range from $240-$95 for evenings (Wednesday through Sunday) and $190-$90 for matinees (Saturday and Sunday). Single tickets range from $57-$22 for evenings and $49-$22 for matinees. Music Theatre of Wichita is located at 225 West Douglas Avenue, Suite 202. Visit www.mtwichita.org for more information.

Photo Credit: Jerry Fritchman