Nicole Scherzinger is the toast of Broadway! Her star turn as Norma Desmond in this latest production of Sunset Boulevard is nothing short of brilliant, astounding, gorgeous. With her amazing talent and beauty, it's astonishing that more people don't know her name.
The roles she's had up to now reflect the long and winding road that even the most gifted performers must take to reach the top.
I recognized her as the winner of "Dancing With The Stars", Season 10. Others know her from stints on "The Masked Singer" and "Annie Live." Her voice is loved as Sina, the mother of filmdom’s Moana. Scherzinger is proud of her Asian heritage as a Filipina, and strongly identifies with her Hawaiian upbringing. She’s former leader of "The Pussycat Dolls," and it's a joy to see her recognized as the exquisite performer she is. If she doesn't receive the Tony this year, in the spirit of our Beloved Leader Donald Trump, the fix is in.
This is a difficult - not to mention long - show, and praise must be given to all those working with Scherzinger, first and foremost, Tom Francis, as Joe Gillis, the BoyToy. He manages to be desperate, scheming, and mean-spirited, all the while retaining his boyish charm. He's a snake who, a long time ago, learned how to work the system.
David Thaxton brings a strong feeling of devotion, and true caring to Max: "I was the first husband." He would kill or die for Norma and sends her fan mail that he, himself, wrote. He reminds me of Patrick Stewart, and that ain't a bad thing.
Not everything works, though. The song, and romance, between Joe and Betty Schaefer (Grace Hodgett Young), falls completely flat. There's just no chemistry there, especially after the steaming Joe/Norma dynamic. Nevertheless, this is a definite "don't miss it" event. Nobody will ever outclass Nicole Scherzinger as the broken, desperate, totally irresistible Norma Desmond. She's right here, where she belongs.
