Ideally, when a play's scary, it's for the audience and on purpose. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical version of Sunset Boulevard is scary for producers. Apparently, it's not enough that the design concept was prohibitively complex and costly for even the original West End, L.A., and New York productions; there's also the chance that Patti Lu Pone or Faye Dunaway will sue your ass for millions.
Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre is up to the challenge, though. With faith in the integrity of the script (which hews closely to the amazeballs 1950 Billy Wilder film) and the relationship between performers and audience, the troupe's presenting the mega-spectacular in a scaled-down, intimate production starring local diva Alaina Beauloye, through Saturday, February 9.
Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: Jan. 11. Continues through Feb. 10, 2013