Video: SUNSET BLVD. Cast Takes Final 'Walk' at Closing Performance

When New Yorkers watched the footage of Tom Francis walking outside the Savoy Theater in the West End, many said, "That would never work here." But when Sunset Blvd. opened on Broadway, the walk was there, and soon became a tourist attraction all its own. So it is no surprise that people lined up to see the final walk on July 20.

Folks lined 44th Street and Shubert Alley starting at about 4pm, with the walk, led by Pierre Marais, expected around 4:40pm. The crowd was a mix of huge Sunset fans and tourists who had only recently seen the show. Standing close to the stage door was a 40-year-old who had seen the show 13 times, including Saturday night. She had watched the outside walk a handful of times, she said, but only with Francis. She had yet to check out his replacement, Pierre Marais, outside the theater; so this experience was new to her in that sense. A family in Shubert Alley was in town to celebrate the birthday of a (now) 15-year-old theater fan--they saw 6 shows in 5 days, including the Thursday night Sunset. They ran from the John Proctor is the Villain stage door to see this last walk. 

After security telling the gathered fans to keep the cheering to a minimum, a social media person came and asked everyone to cheer for an Iphone on a selfie stick. At about 4:53p, the ensemble members came out in advance of Marias, and a silver confetti cannon went off as they turned the corner of Shubert Alley. They encouraged shouting again, as a sound guy set up on 44th street shook his head. 

As Marias made his turn up Shubert Alley the crowd cheered a little, but mostly followed the original instruction. He then of course sang next to the Sunset poster, which could be gone as early as tomorrow, before taking to the center of Shubert Alley, standing still as he sang "Well, I'm a writer," and beginning the walk back to the theater for the final time. 

"That's it--that was the show," a security person exclaimed as Marias went back inside. And so the crowd dispersed. 

"That was amazing," one woman said as she walked away. "I got chills."

Check out fan-shot video footage below!