Discount Broadway Tickets

10 Broadway Divas We’d Love to See As Norma Desmond After Glenn Close

Last updated February 15th, 2017 by Josh Ferri
10 Broadway Divas We’d Love to See As Norma Desmond After G…

Tony winner Glenn Close just extended her tour-de-force performance as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard

through June 25. Close first played the silent movie star in the musical’s Broadway premiere in 1994 and was subsequently replaced by Tony winner Betty Buckley and Olivier winner Elaine Paige.
Norma Desmond- Broadway

Now since the Palace Theatre has no tenant announced after June, it could be feasible for the revival to continue (maybe it’s flying high after awards season momentum) with a new headliner much like the original had. Here are our 10 dream Broadway leading ladies* we’d like to see sing “With One Look” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye”. (Also keep in mind Glenn and Patti LuPone were both in their mid-40s when they first played Norma.)

1. Bernadette Peters

Bernadette Peters- Sunset- ALW
Photo by Emilio Madrid-Kuser for Broadway.com

Bernadette won her first Tony Award for ALW’s Song and Dance and having her play Norma would be a nice tip of the hat to that. Also, it’s Bernadette as Norma Desmond. That would be a bank holiday for Broadway.

2. Alice Ripley


From Betty Schaefer to Norma Desmond, the Sunday New York Times profile practically writes itself. Also, if you’ve heard Alice sing “As If We Never Said Goodbye” you already want to see what she could do with a full production. Imagine her paired with a young Joe Gillis like Jeremy Jordan or Aaron Tveit.

3. Jan Maxwell

Jan Maxwell- Sunset Boulevard

Just imagine the acting of Jan Maxwell as Norma Desmond. It would be one of the great Broadway replacements of the year. I would pay serious money to see what she would do with those songs.

4. Heather Headley


Speaking of, Heather Headley as Shug in The Color Purple was the replacement performance of 2016. Just imagine her at the Palace making her big, expressive Heather Headley faces and singing the entire house down.

5. Ellen Greene

Ellen Greene GIF- Audrey GIF

When Ellen returned to NYC a few years ago to reprise her Audrey, the community came alive with rave reviews and wild ovations. I’d love to see what this larger than life personality did with a character like Norma.

6. Marin Mazzie

Marin Mazzie Gof- Smile GIF- sigh GIF

Marin has never done ALW on Broadway so it would be an event—that soaring voice on one of his most lush scores.

7. Tonya Pinkins

Tonya Pinkins- Norma Desmond- Sunset Boulevard

Tonya Pinkins knows how to act the hell out of a well-written role. No doubt about that. Also I imagine she’d infuse her Norma with pain and grit, and that would be something to see.

8. Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph GIF- Show People

I live for Ms. Ralph and I would totally believe she was a silent movie star with her killer facial expressions. She breathed new life into Wicked and I think this original Dreamgirl would slay as Norma.

9. Sherie Rene Scott

Sherie Rene Scott GIF- Silent Screen Star GIF

Frantic and feral, Sherie Rene Scott would be a magnetic, young Norma Desmond. It would be some homecoming to musical theatre.

10. Betty Buckley


She replaced Close once, she’s hot off the film success of Split, and we all know she can still sing the hell out of it. Her “As If We Never Said Goodbye” might be the best version out there. #BringBackBetty

*Donna Murphy, Patti LuPone, & Christine Ebersole are all busy leading musicals this spring.

BroadwayBox