Bronywn Sullivan is ready for her close-up.
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The veteran singer and actress, who’s been performing in Canberra since 1978, was announced on Monday as playing the lead role of Norma Desmond in Queanbeyan City Council’s 2014 production of Sunset Boulevard.
This will be the Canberra area premiere of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the 1950 Billy Wilder movie. Norma, a reclusive silent-movie star dreaming of a return to the silver screen, takes in down-on-his-luck screenwriter Joe Gillis to help her in her quest and falls in love with him.
Among the songs in the show are With One Look and As If We Never Said Goodbye.
‘‘Norma is fragile, dramatic, resourceful, manipulative and she does live in a fantasy world,’’ Sullivan said.
‘‘I’m so excited – it’s 12 months away but it’s going to be a lot of work.’’
Sullivan was particularly thrilled to be asked because there aren’t a lot of major musical theatre roles for more mature women.
She’s starred in shows such as 42nd Street, Hello, Dolly! and Jekyll & Hyde and was recently seen as the ballet mistress in Free-Rain’s production of another Lloyd Webber musical, The Phantom of the Opera.
Stephen Pike, who will direct the production, said Sunset Boulevard had originally been in the Q’s 2013 schedule but they decided not to go up against Phantom, and were able to extend the rights.
He said, ‘‘It was really important for us to know we had a Norma Desmond as we felt it would be the hardest role to cast.’’
Sullivan auditioned and was chosen so they decided to announce the role had been filled to ensure people knew this when they auditioned.
But all the other roles have yet to be cast. Auditions will be held on October 12 and 13 and further details will be published in The Canberra Times.
Pike will be working with musical director Sharon Tree and choreographer Annette Sharpe to bring Sunset Boulevard to life.
Sunset Boulevard will be on at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre in October 2014.