'Sunset Boulevard' to hold a PH run, Joanna Ampil to star as Norma Desmond

Don't look now but the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Sunset Boulevard” is coming to the Philippines for a limited run beginning in August 2027, and none other than the internationally acclaimed Filipina theatre star Joanna Ampil will portray legendary silent-film actress Norma Desmond!

Based on Billy Wilder’s celebrated 1950 film of the same name, “Sunset Boulevard” follows struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis, whose encounter with Norma Desmond draws him into the world of a once-famous silent-film star desperate to reclaim her lost Hollywood stardom.

Norma sees Joe as the person who can help her make her comeback but their relationship gradually unfolds into a dark tale of obsession, ambition, and delusion.

Produced by CueCraft Entertainment, "Sunset Boulevard" will be directed by Nelsito Gomez and will feature an all-star Filipino and international cast and creative team. It will have with an original staging created specifically for Philippine audiences.

The musical features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. Its score includes the songs “With One Look,” “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” “The Perfect Year,” and “Sunset Boulevard.”

The musical has earned acclaim since its stage premiere, receiving multiple Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards.

Previously, Filipino-American singer and actress Nicole Scherzinger portrayed Norma Desmond in the 2023–2024 London revival of “Sunset Boulevard.”

She later reprised the role on Broadway, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2025.

“Sunset Boulevard” will run for a limited engagement in August and September 2027 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. Tickets are available through TicketWorld.com.ph.

Meanwhile, Ampil has been known for her theatrical performances, including Carlotta Giudicelli in the “Phantom of Opera,” Grizabella in “Cats,” and Maria in “Sound of Music.”

Aside from theatre, Ampil is also a movie actress who was notable for her role in the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) “Ang Larawan” where she took home several acting awards, including Best Actress. — Jade Veronique Yap/LA, GMA News