Sunset Boulevard in New York has made a last-minute casting change.

The producers of Jamie Lloyd’s award-winning production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard have announced that Olivier Award winner David Thaxton, who plays Max von Mayerling, will leave the show on 8 June 2025. Thaxton has been with the musical since rehearsals started in August 2023.

During the show’s final five weeks, Thaxton will be replaced by Jordan Donica as Max, from 10 June 2025.

It is unclear why David Thaxton is leaving the show early, and there has been no further statement about his future projects.

Donica is returning to Broadway after his Tony-nominated performance in Camelot. His other stage credits include My Fair Lady, The Phantom of the Opera, and regional and touring productions of Hamilton, Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar. Donica also features in the upcoming third series of HBO’s The Gilded Age.

Sunset Boulevard continues with Tony Award nominees and Olivier Award winners Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond and Tom Francis as Joe Gillis, with Olivier Award nominee Grace Hodgett Young as Betty Schaefer.

The show finishes up at the St. James Theatre on 13 July 2025.

Will Sunset Blvd. be filmed?

There is also much speculation in New York and London that a pro-shot live recording of Sunset Boulevard may take place soon, for cinema and TV distribution after the show has completed its run in New York. Both Andrew Lloyd Webber and Nicole Scherzinger have hinted in past interviews that a filmed version of Jamie Lloyd’s hit musical may be on the cards.

Some theatre fans have speculated that the show may return to London for a short time to be filmed. Hadestown producers recently flew over the original cast of the show from America for a short run at the Lyric Theatre in London, to allow the show to be filmed live for future release.

Jamie Lloyd’s reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, which is based on the classic Paramount Pictures film directed by Billy Wilder, also features a creative team of Soutra Gilmour (set and costume design), Fabian Aloise (choreography), Alan Williams (music supervisor and music director), 2025 Tony Award nominee Jack Knowles (lighting design), 2025 Tony Award nominee Adam Fisher (sound design), Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom (video design and cinematography), Cheryl Thomas (hair and makeup design), Ann James (intimacy coordinator), Jim Carnahan CSA and Jason Thinger CSA (U.S. casting director), and Stuart Burt CDG (U.K. casting director).

Sunset Boulevard is produced by The Jamie Lloyd Company, ATG Productions, Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, and Gavin Kalin Productions by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd.

Jamie Lloyd is currently in rehearsals in London for another Andrew Lloyd Webber reimagining: Evita will open at the London Palladium next month, starring Rachel Zegler.

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Main photo: Sunset Boulevard - David Thaxton (Photo via agent) & Jordan Donica (Photo Cory Vanderploeg)

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