Joanna Ampil to lead Philippine premiere of Sunset Boulevard
The musical will run from August 18 to September 12, 2027 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in Makati, with Nelsito Gomez directing.
Filipina actress Joanna Ampil will portray Norma Desmond in the first Philippine staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Sunset Boulevard. CueCraft Entertainment will oversee the limited engagement in 2027 through an arrangement with LW Entertainment Ltd.
Nelsito Gomez will direct the production at RCBC Plaza's Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in Makati. Performances are scheduled from August 18 to September 12.
Adapted from Billy Wilder's 1950 film, the musical centres on a former silent-screen star who views her encounter with young screenwriter Joe Gillis as a chance to revive her career. Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton brought the story to the stage in 1993.
Ampil's international musical theatre credits include Miss Saigon, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. In 2023, she became the first woman to portray The Engineer in Miss Saigon.
The engagement will be her first stage musical in the Philippines since Cats in 2019. She also appeared at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' 54th Anniversary Gala.
