The psychotic silent screen star Norma Desmond is the kind of role every actress craves. Theatrical headliner Florence Lacey, who played the title role in “Evita” on Broadway and throughout the world for 12 years, deftly conveys Desmond’s erratic emotions in Signature Theatre’s distinctive new production of Tony Award-winning “Sunset Boulevard.” Add the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber to Eric Schaeffer’s artistic direction and imaginative staging and the result is guaranteed to captivate Washington. “Every aspect of the mansion seeps into the set,” Lacey said. “Signature has taken a huge musical to a small space without losing anything from the original. Eric’s concept of the set is astounding. When you enter the theater, the lighting is very dark, and you are looking at Stage 18 of Paramount Studio as it is transformed before your eyes into the eerie mansion.

“True to the story, he has incorporated Norma’s limousine on stage and infused the original film at the beginning with the clip of Joe’s body floating in the pool. The most challenging scenes for me are Norma’s mental breakdown and her leaps from euphoria to despair. The music is thrilling with big ranges that utilize every one of my low and high notes. My favorite number is ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ when Norma is walking into the studio believing that her dream is coming true.”