Joanna Ampil to Star as Norma Desmond in ‘Sunset Boulevard’ Manila in 2027

October 16, 2026

Joanna Ampil will play Norma Desmond in the Philippine production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, set for a limited engagement in August and September 2027 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.

Presented by CueCraft Entertainment, by arrangement with LW Entertainment Ltd., the production will be directed by Nelsito Gomez. It will bring together Filipino and international cast members and creatives, with an original staging created especially for Philippine audiences.

Ampil takes on one of musical theater’s most demanding roles following a career spanning the West End, international tours, and Philippine productions. Her stage credits include Kim in Miss Saigon, Fantine and Éponine in Les Misérables, Grizabella in Cats, and Jenna in the international premiere of Waitress in Manila.

She also portrayed the Engineer in Sheffield’s reimagined Miss Saigon and won Best Actress honors at the Metro Manila Film Festival and Gawad Urian for her performance as Candida in the film musical Ang Larawan.

Based on Billy Wilder’s film, Sunset Boulevard unfolds in 1940s Hollywood, where struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis crosses paths with Norma Desmond, a former silent-film star who remains convinced that her return to the screen is only a matter of time.

Norma sees Joe as someone who can help restore her stardom. Their encounter draws him into her secluded world, where faded glamour, ambition, and obsession lead to devastating consequences.

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

Sunset Boulevard will run in August and September 2027 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. Tickets are available through TicketWorld.