Nicole Scherzinger Prepares for Her Close-Up as the Cast of Sunset Boulevard Rehearses for Broadway.Linh

The dramatic journey of Desmond’s tale can be seen during a few moments photographed by Henderson during the rehearsal process, including one scene in which the company stands in a line and screams towards the audience.

Another dynamic shot was taken as the ensemble surrounded Francis, who sat while holding a handheld camera.

Live video plays a prominent role in Lloyd’s vision, with devices like this used to show unique angles of action that are then projected on stage screens for the house to see. It’s one of the many elements of the minimalist production that earned it so much praise overseas.

Lloyd — a two-time Tony nominee for directing the Broadway revivals of Betrayal (with Tom Hiddleston in 2019) and A Doll’s House (with Jessica Chastain in 2023) — called on Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom for the video design and cinematography. Other members of the creative team include choreographer Fabian Aloise, who was seen in rehearsals deep in conversation with Francis, Hannah Yun Chamberlain (who plays Young Norma) and David Thaxton (who plays Max von Mayerling).

Actress Grace Hodgett-Young (who plays Betty Schaefer) was also snapped by Henderon, in a reflective moment through a dressing room mirror.

Scherzinger, Francis, Thaxton and Hodgett-Young all played those roles in London, too. Scherzinger won the Olivier Award, England’s equivalent to the Tony, while Hodgett-Young and Thaxon (a previous Oivier winner) were nominated.

The full Sunset Boulevard cast will also include Olivia Lacie Andrews (as Nancy), Brandon Mel Borkowsky (as John), Shavey Brown (as Finance Man/Stan/DeMill)e, Cydney Clark (as Joanna/Guard), Raúl Contreras (as Finance Man/Frank), Tyler Davis (as Sheldrake), E.J. Hamilton (as Lisa), Sydney Jones (as Dorothy), Emma Lloyd (as Mary/Heather), Pierre Marais (as Sammy), Shayna McPherson (as Camera Operator/Katherine), Jimin Moon (as Morino/Hog Eye), Justice Moore (as Jean), Drew Redington (as Myron/Jones/Camera Operator) and Diego Andres Rodriguez (as Artie).

Swings for the production will be Giuseppe Bausilio (dance captain), Kristina Garvida Doucette (assistant dance captain), Brandon LaVar, Maggie Likcani, Abby Matsusaka and Rixey Terry.

Many of those stars — including Scherzinger, Francis, Thaxton, Hodgett-Young and Yun Chamberlain — will be making their Broadway debuts with the show.

Broadway veteran Mandy Gonzalez (In the Heights, Hamilton) will guest star as Desmond in select performances beginning Oct. 22. Caroline Bowman will be Scherzinger’s standby for Desmond.

Sunset Boulevard originally premiered in London in 1993 with LuPone as Desmond before transferring to Broadway the following year, this time starring Close. It ran at there fore three more years before closing in 1997.

Close reprised the role as Desmond in a limited run 2017 revival.

The musical, with a score by Lloyd Webber and a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, features some of the most treasured songs in the musical theater cannon including “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” “With One Look,” “New Ways to Dream” and the title song.

In photos from the sitzprobe, Lloyd Webber, 76, appeared happy to hear the score again, standing and applauding in what will likely be the first of many standing ovations the cast will receive stateside.

Last September, Scherzinger told PEOPLE that she did not necessarily dream of playing Desmond before speaking with director Lloyd about the role.

“I was like, ‘Are you crazy? Are you mad?’ I didn’t get it, because I only ever had Glenn Close in my mind — and Gloria Swanson in the old film,” she said at the time. “He was like, ‘Don’t watch the movie, don’t listen to anybody else, just read the lines and listen to the music.’ And when I did, I just fell in love with Norma. I didn’t realize that this is the role that I’ve been waiting to play all my life. We’re doing a completely different, new interpretation.”

“There are so many parallels between Sunset Boulevard and what you have to do to make it in Hollywood,” she added at the time. “Even when you’re fully loaded with so much talent, you could still be overlooked because of stereotypes and ageism. It is a tragedy. ” have so much ammunition for this — so much fuel.”

As for Lloyd, Scherzinger was his top choice and the perfect person to help him tell Desmond’s story, which his production interprets through the eyes of a modern lens.

“I felt it had to be you,” he told Scherzinger in the behind-the-scenes video shot earlier this year during the final weeks of her West End run. “I didn’t even consider anybody else for this role. … and you defied all expectations.”

“I just had this real strong instinct that you’d have this connection to this material; that you’d know what it’s like, that you’d have this real deep connection to being incredibly famous and then really not being given the opportunity to fully live to your full potential,” he continued. “And that’s the whole reason the production is the way it is. Where does Nicole Scherzinger end and where does Norma Desmond begin?”