Mandy Gonzalez in ‘Sunset Boulevard.’ Photo Credit: Andy Henderson.
Actress and singer Mandy Gonzalez chatted about starring in “Sunset Boulevard” on Broadway, where she performs as Norma once a week (and she is Nicole Scherzinger’s alternate in the role).
American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” This quote applies to multifaceted entertainer Mandy Gonzalez.
The musical is being performed at the St. James Theatre in Manhattan. It is based on the music of veteran composer Andrew Llyod Webber, the lyrics and book of Christopher Hampton and Don Black.
The show is based on the music of veteran composer Andrew Llyod Webber, the lyrics and book of Christopher Hampton and Don Black. It was directed by Jamie Lloyd and choreographed by Fabian Aloise.
Synopsis of the show
The synopsis is: Haunted by her memories and dreams, movie star Norma Desmond yearns to return to the big screen. A struggling screenwriter who can’t sell his scripts to the Hollywood studios may be her only hope, until their dangerous and captivating relationship leads to disaster.
Drenched in champagne and cynicism, “Sunset Boulevard” focuses the lens on the ambitions and frustrations of its characters and puts their intoxicating need for fame and adoration in stark close-up.
‘Sunset Boulevard’ on Broadway
On being a part of this “Sunset Boulevard” production, Gonzalez said, “It has been a dream come true. This is a full-circle moment because when I was younger and in middle school, I saw the production of ‘Sunset Boulevard’ with Glenn Close and Judy Kuhn and it really felt like a full-circle moment.”
“That was when I fell in love with the show and with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music, and I dreamed that I would be able to someday sing that, professionally, so it was definitely a bucket list for me,” she elaborated.
“It has been such a rewarding experience as an actress to play this role and to be able to go to different places and let people see a different side of me,” she noted.
“For me, to be able to see a different side of myself, and to really just escape into this character (when I get to go on) has been really wonderful,” she acknowledged.
Working with Fabian Aloise as the choreographer
On working with Fabian Aloise as the choreographer, she exclaimed, “I love him. I didn’t know what to expect because I hadn’t seen the show in London with Nicole Scherzinger, so I didn’t know what choreography I would be doing. I remember going in for my audition with Fabian, and he asked me to dance before I sing.”
“So, I danced with Ashley Andrews, his associate, and both are fantastic. I was doing the tango, and I was sweating so much,” she said with a sweet laugh.
“As a result, Norma is a dancer… Norma dances, and I was really excited about it because I’m definitely a singer who moves well. I also have my club days where I can bring those moves out, and for me, Norma, just goes for it. Norma is not afraid, and she feels and she thinks that she is the best. That is an incredible way to think,” she explained.
“Fabian was so wonderful to work with, and he allowed me to bring myself into the role. A lot of my moves become very funny,” she jokingly laughed.
Working with Tom Francis as her leading man
On working with Tom Francis as her leading man, Gonzalez remarked, “When I started with the show, I was able to rehearse with Tom Francis for four weeks with the entire company because Nicole wasn’t at that part of rehearsal so we really got to figure out what our show was going to be, and how we were going to work together.”
“I felt so lucky to be able to have that time with him. Tom is a star. Usually, that doesn’t happen, so this was an absolute dream for me,” she added.
Gonzalez on Caroline Bowman
Gonzalez praised Caroline Bowman, who was the Norma standby. “Caroline and I would be in the same rehearsal room together throughout those four weeks, and we got to be wonderful friends during my first run-through on stage,” she said.
“Caroline watched, and I could trust her and her thoughts. We had been in this process together and we would go out and we talked about it. I am just so thrilled for her. I get to see her in ‘Smash’ soon. Caroline is wonderful, and such a star,” Gonzalez elaborated.
“I am so happy for Caroline that she had that opportunity to play Norma… she really gave it her all. She deserved it and she worked hard. I am so glad that she had her moment,” Gonzalez added.
Gonzalez on her Carnegie Hall performance this fall
On November 21st, Gonzalez will be performing her “Everything I Know: Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda” show at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium. “I am so excited,” she exclaimed. “This is something that I have been thinking about for a very long time.”
Gonzalez continued, “I approached Lin-Manuel with this idea and he said ‘yes,’ and I approached Dick Scanlan to help me with the writing and to direct it, and Dan Lipton to do all the arrangements.”
“It was my total dream team coming together,” she admitted. “We have been working on it since last year putting things together, and now the songs are fully orchestrated, and it’s a total dream.”
“I get to sing these songs that I absolutely love and that the audiences love, and I hope this is the beginning of a long journey with this show of Lin-Manuel’s music, so people can love all of it like I do,” she added.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Gonzalez revealed, “Fearless.” “It’s about feeling fear and doing it anyway,” she said. “Having things that excite you but also terrify you, and knowing that sometimes those things are the things you should be doing.”
Superpower of choice
Her superpower of choice would be “flying” because it scares her but if she had it as a superpower, it would allow her to “have some control over it.”
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, Gonzalez said, “Doing what I love, and continuing to love it. Making sure that my family and my friends are healthy, safe, and taken care of. That is a successful life, to me. When you see the ones you love, thrive!”
Closing thoughts on ‘Sunset Boulevard’
For fans and viewers, she remarked about “Sunset Boulevard, “I want people to see what is possible in the theater. This production by Jamie Lloyd takes you within the theater, and then it takes you outside, and backstage.”
“Jamie Lloyd takes you to a place in your imagination that is just yours. I want everybody to see a little of themselves in this story, and figure out where they belong in the story, and how it moves you, and how it might possibly change you,” Gonzalez concluded.
To learn more about actress and singer Mandy Gonzalez, follow her on Instagram.
Read More: “Sunset Boulevard” review.
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