How Working With Stephen Sondheim Changed Sunset Blvd.'s David Thaxton

It's been a high-profile few years for Olivier winner David Thaxton, who is currently making his Broadway debut in Jamie Lloyd's stripped-down production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Blvd. at the St. James Theatre.

Thaxton originated the role of put-upon butler (and former silent-film director) Max Von Mayerling opposite Olivier winner Nicole Scherzinger's Norma Desmond when the hit revival opened in London in 2022. His rich, powerful baritone and intensely focused performance have since won acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, including an Olivier nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

The co-founder and co-writer of the band Divisions won his Olivier for his performance as Giorgio in the Donmar Warehouse production of Stephen Sondheim's Passion. Thaxton's numerous other theatrical credits include Les Misérables at both the Sondheim and the Queen’s, Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air, Come From Away at the Phoenix, The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s, Camelot at the London Palladium, Love Never Dies at the Adelphi, West End Men at the Vaudeville, She Loves Me at the Sheffield Crucible, Candide at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Jesus Christ Superstar—The Concert at Regent's Park, Roller Diner at the Soho, Only the Brave at the Wales Millennium Centre, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice at the Southwark Playhouse.

In the interview below for the �뵺�� series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Thaxton shares the impact of working with Stephen Sondheim, the Sondheim role he hopes to tackle, and why it's relatively easy to leave the intensity of Sunset behind after the curtain comes down.

David Thaxton and Tom Francis in *Sunset* Marc Brenner

Where did you train/study?
David Thaxton: The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
Tim Rhys-Evans. He was a real mentor. Founder of the choir Only Men Aloud!, he was a massive influence on me in those years. He came to New York a few weeks back and saw the show twice—it was amazing to reconnect with an old friend and inspiration.

What was your reaction when you learned that you would be transferring to Broadway with Sunset? Had Broadway always been a goal?
Broadway had always been a massive dream. I always thought I might have a route in doing Les Miz, Phantom, or Come From Away. But then they all closed�� What has happened with Sunset Blvd. is more than I could have imagined. I thought the show would transfer for sure, but I just assumed it would be Nicole and lots of other Americans. Jamie’s loyalty and commitment to the vision is amazing.

Do you have a favorite moment in the show for Max? What makes that part so special?
Max is a very interesting person. He makes some really wild life choices! But I really feel for him. Breaking down at the end is always rewarding, especially given the nature of the show and the constraints put upon him, both in terms of his own world and the theatrical construct of what we do.

It's such an intense production, and the company stays in character for the curtain call. How do you unwind/let go of the character after a performance?
It’s a very intense production, for sure. But the nature of what we do and how it’s done means you’re able to leave it at work thankfully. The show is directed around and on "The Grid," which means you can leave it there at the end of the night and drop back in the next day.

Elena Roger and David Thaxton in *Passion*

You won an Olivier in 2011 for playing Giorgio in Passion. Can you share a favorite memory from that production—did you get the chance to work with Stephen Sondheim?
That production was just colossal for me, in so many ways. Not all of them good, but it absolutely made me. I’d never done anything so massive in terms of a role before; it was a lot to deal with at a young age, both the size of the role and the intensity of what happened. Giorgio goes from being in bed with his girlfriend at the start of the show to ending up in a mental asylum at the end, and I didn’t leave the stage. It really was something else.

Steve was there the whole time, from day one of rehearsals. It was the absolute honor and privilege of my career to work with him and get to know him. He was the most openly emotional person I’ve ever met. I loved every second of the time I spent with him, it was amazing. And I wrote to him not long before he died. I don’t know what made me do it, but something just forced me to, and told him all the things I wanted to say then but couldn’t. And he wrote me back. That letter is on my dressing room mirror right now.

Do you have a dream stage role and/or actor you would like to work with?
If I don’t play Sweeney Todd before I die, I’ll be livid! That video of Angela Lansbury and George Hearn is still one of my favorite things in the world. I saw George Hearn play Max in New York in 1996, amazing. I still have the huge score, with the original artwork on it, all that amazing black and white and red. The last time Steve saw Passion in London, I got him to sign it. It’s my most treasured possession.

What do you consider your big break?
Playing Giorgio in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse. I’m not saying I made the most of that break, I definitely didn’t, but it made me in so many ways.

David Thaxton and Declan Bennett in *Jesus Christ Superstar*

What is the most memorable day job you ever had?
Working in a frozen vegetable factory. Receiving tonnes [metric tons] of peas into a massive hopper every 15 minutes. It was bonkers, but fun in that way where you can handle anything in your youth. We used to climb on the roof and watch the sun come up.

Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
My wife, Nancy Sullivan. Not only is she one of the greatest actors I know (and I’m putting all bias aside, she just is), seeing how she has navigated motherhood after our little boy Calon was born and how it’s made her creative fire burn even brighter is totally amazing. It’s shown me that things that I previously thought an impediment to artistic endeavors can, in fact, be a massive aid to them. She’s about to film the next two seasons of her TV show, Changing Ends, and I couldn’t be more in awe of her.

In such difficult times around the world, how do you think theatre can play a positive role, either for yourself and/or the community at large?
Theatre has never been more important. I had the great fortune to make all of Sunset Blvd.’s Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS speeches—it was amazing. The one after the U.S. election is something I’ll never forget. A friend back home pointed me to a Leonard Bernstein quote where he talked about how art can change the course of world events because it can change people. It can change how people think, act, and vote. It has never been so important.

What is your proudest achievement as an actor?
Working with and getting to know Steve Sondheim. A genius, obviously, but the loveliest person with it. The warmth of feeling I get when I think about that will stay with me forever.