Ginger Newman Stars in SUNSET BOULEVARD, Opening Tonight at The Larry Keeton Theatre

2014 First Night Honoree - and one of Nashville's most acclaimed actresses, cabaret artists and music directors - Ginger Newman is "ready for [her] close-up," as Norma Desmond in The Larry Keeton Theatre puts the finishing touches on their upcoming production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Sunset Boulevard.

Sunset Boulevard, directed by 2015 BroadwayWorld Nashville best director of a play Clay Hillwig, opens tonight, February 18, running through March 5 at the theater, located at 108 Donelson Pike.

Joining Newman in the Nashville premiere of Sunset Boulevard are Justin Boyd (four-time BroadwayWorld Nashville award winner) as Joe Gillis, Tonya Pewitt (2016 First Night Award winner for outstanding lead actress in a musical for her performance as Marian Paroo in The Keeton's The Music Man) as Betty Schaefer, and Randal Cooper as Max Von Mayerling.

Sunset Boulevard is produced by Jamie London and 2015 First Night Honoree Larry Keeton, with Newman pulling double-duty as Desmond and as musical director for the show.

Webber's musical is based upon the 1950 Billy Wilder movie of the same name that starred Gloria Swanson and William Holden. Sunset Boulevard - the musical - opened on Broadway on November 17, 1994, starring Glenn Close as the mesmerizing Norma Desmond, introducing such songs as "With One Look," and "As If We Never Goodbye."

The story is set in Hollywood 1949. Faded star of the silent screen, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world of the past in her decaying mansion on Sunset Boulevard. Down-on-his-luck screenwriter Joe Gillis has a chance encounter with Norma during which she tells him of her next big comeback project. Broke and desperate for any opportunity, he accepts an off to edit her "masterpiece" in exchange for room and board. Joe soon finds himself living a luxurious life-style lavished with expensive gifts from Norma. Aging Norma falls in love with young Joe, and he soon discovers himself caught between her claustrophobic and reclusive fantasy world and the outside world with his love, beautiful Betty Schaefer.

One fateful night Joe attempts to break free of the dangerous situation with Norma to be with Betty. Devastated and in a fit of shock, Norma's rage escalates into psychotic and irreversible consequences ensue. Descending into madness Norma, the once Goddess of the Silent Films, is led away by authorities from her home on Sunset Boulevard.

Dinner seating for the show begins at 5:45 p.m. with a curtain at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturdays, and seating at 12:45 for luncheon with a curtain at 2 p.m. for Sunday matinees. Dinner/show tickets are $19 for children 12 and under, $28 for ages 13 and above. Show-only and group tickets are also available.

For reservations and further details, call (615) 883-8375, or go to www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org.

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