Sunset Boulevard musical to take Taipei fans to the golden age of Hollywood

Sunset Boulevard musical to take Taipei fans to the golden age of Hollywood

2025-08-01

And if you’re a fan of musicals this one is for you. The popular Broadway musical production Sunset Boulevard is coming to Taipei, with a star-studded cast. Among them is best-selling soprano Sarah Brightman, who is returning to musical theater for the first time in 30 years. FTV reporter Stephany Yang spoke to the cast of Sunset Boulevard to find out more.

After a three-decade hiatus from musical theater, Sarah Brightman returned to the stage as the lead role of Sunset Boulevard on Broadway. Brightman plays Norma Desmond, a film icon from 1949 Hollywood, longing for a return to the limelight. The production centers around her relationship with a young screenwriter, played by Australian actor Tim Draxl.

Tim Draxl
Actor
Sarah Brightman is iconic. I have known Sarah Brightman ever since I was a little boy when she was playing Christine in the Phantom of the Opera. I used to listen to her. I used to sing along to her so getting to work with Sarah is a dream come true. It has been an absolute joy working with her and kind of being able to play with these characters and they are such beautifully complex and rich characters.

Other cast members include Michael Cormick as Max Von Mayerling, the butler to Norma Desmond. Interestingly, Cormick portrayed Joe Gillis—Tim Draxl’s current role—three decades ago. Ashleigh Rubenach takes on the role of Betty Schaefer, an ambitious script reader, while Nigel Huckle plays Artie Green, a fellow writer and friend to Joe. The production explores themes of fame, loss, and love.

Michael Cormick
Actor
I did the show 30 years ago, and the sets were just as lavish and the score is exactly the same and beautiful but the major difference is the actors, the players and how they tell the stories. I think this is the best version of course that I have ever seen. I joined the cast later on, so I had the opportunity of seeing it three times before I came into the show. Honestly, the quality of this cast is really phenomenal.

Ashleigh Rubenach
Actress
How did I get into character in the 1950s? Well, I actually grew up watching a lot of these old films set in the studio backlot, these golden age era films like Singing in the Rain. I was really inspired by a lot of women like Debbie Reynolds and Grace Kelly. I watched them with my grandmother so they are very sentimental for me so I really feel like I had a sense of who the kind of strong, determined, optimistic women of that era were. And then, it has been very exciting to put my spin on it and to find a way for Betty to have a real voice in amongst a system and a time where women don’t traditionally.

Nigel Huckle
Actor
I stuffed myself with pork buns at the night markets already and just good beef noodle soup I am excited to get back into. The night markets are where we already spent two nights since we got here. My Miss Saigon cast mates are very jealous that I am here at the moment. One of them actually asked me to record the jingle that comes on when you walk into Family Mart. They are just so missing being here in Taiwan. The Taiwanese audiences are so special and I am really excited for the rest of the cast to get the experience for meeting Taiwanese audiences.

The musical, which is composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, will run from Aug. 2 to Aug. 10 at the National Theater in Taipei.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#musical #sunsetboulevard #theater #sarahbrightman #production #taipei

百老匯音樂劇《日落大道》台北國家劇院上演

2025-08-01

如果你是音樂劇迷，那你一定不能錯過! 廣受歡迎的百老匯音樂劇《日落大道》即將登上台北舞台，卡司陣容包括暢銷女高音莎拉布萊曼，她睽違30年再度回歸音樂劇舞台。

睽違30年，莎拉布萊曼重返百老匯舞台，擔任《日落大道》的女主角。布萊曼飾演諾瑪德斯蒙德，一位1949年活躍於好萊塢的電影明星，渴望重返鎂光燈。該劇圍繞著她與一位年輕編劇的故事，由澳洲演員提姆德瑞瑟飾演。

[[演員提姆德瑞瑟]]
"莎拉布萊曼是傳奇人物。我很小就知道她，那時她在《歌劇魅影》中飾演克莉絲汀。我以前常聽她的歌，還會跟著唱。能夠和莎拉合作，真的是夢想成真。與她共事是一種純粹的喜悅，也讓我有機會與別的演員演出，他們的角色都非常美麗、複雜且充滿層次"

演員麥可考密克飾演麥克斯馮邁耶林，諾瑪德斯蒙德的管家。有趣的是，麥可考密克三十年前曾飾演喬吉利斯，正是堤姆德拉克斯現在的角色。艾希蕾魯本納赫飾演貝蒂謝弗 Betty Schaefer，一位劇本審閱者，奈吉爾哈克則飾演喬吉利斯的好友Artie Green。該劇探討了名譽、失去和愛情等主題。

[[演員邁克爾科米克]]
"我在三十年前演出過這部作品，當時的舞台布景就已經非常華麗，音樂也一樣動人美麗。最大的不同在於演員們如何詮釋角色、講述故事。我認為這是我看過最棒的版本。我是後來才加入劇組的，所以在正式演出前有機會看了三次。老實說，這一批演員的表現真的非常出色，令人驚艷"

[[演員 Ashleigh Rubenach ]]
"我是怎麼進入1950年代的角色？其實我從小就常看那些在攝影棚後場拍攝的老電影，那些黃金年代的作品，比如《萬花嬉春》。我深受許多女性的啟發，像是黛比雷諾和葛麗絲凱莉。我是和祖母一起看的，所以對我來說非常有感情，也讓我覺得我很了解那個年代堅強、果斷、充滿希望的女性形象。能夠加入自己的詮釋，讓貝蒂在一個傳統上，女性沒有太多發聲空間的體制與時代中，擁有真正的聲音，這真的讓我非常興奮"

[[演員奈吉爾.哈克]]
"我已經在夜市大吃特吃了肉包，還有美味的牛肉麵，真的很期待再吃一次。我們到台灣後，已經有兩個晚上都在夜市覓食了。我《西貢小姐》的劇組夥伴們，現在都非常羨慕我在這裡，其中一位甚至拜託我錄下走進全家便利商店時播放的那段音樂。他們真的非常想念台灣，台灣的觀眾非常特別，我也非常期待其他劇組成員，能夠親身感受到與台灣觀眾見面的那種美好經驗"

韋伯音樂劇《日落大道》將於8月2日至8月10日在台北國家劇院上演。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Car with family of five plunges into ravine after road collapses

And the heavy downpours have caused a tragic loss for a family in Kaohsiung. A car carrying a couple and three of their four children was caught in a road collapse that ended with all five car occupants plunging down a steep slope. The family had been driving along a mountain road in Taoyuan District when the car got stuck as the road gradually caved in. The father was initially able to get out of the car and tried to get the help of other motorists. But ultimately, the road gave in fully while he was trying to pull his family out of the car, resulting in tragedy.

A man runs toward the car, splashing water with every step. That’s Mr. Lee, whose car is stuck on the collapsing road with his wife and three children inside.

Mr. Tsai
Eyewitness
The road caved in at the middle, I saw the car come crashing down. He first came to me asking for help, asking me to shine a light where the road was starting to cave in. His car was stuck in the pit.

Mr. Tsai recounts how Mr. Lee urged him to light up the area and to report the incident. After asking for help, Mr. Lee returned to his car. Not long after, he came back.

Mr. Tsai
Eyewitness
He said his kids were still inside. I told him try to pull them out any way he could. He tried to get them out and then he came back to me a third time. He then went back to the car. I saw how the slope eventually crumbled and the car plunged down the slope, along with him.

Mr. Lee tried to get help from Mr. Tsai three times as the road gradually caved in due to the heavy rains. As Mr. Lee returned to his stuck car for a third time, Mr. Tsai noticed the road and car were beginning to sink. Mr. Lee crouched at the side of the road to try and rescue his wife and kids, but it seems he lost his footing and plunged into the void along with the car. Relatives of the family are devastated.

Mr. Lee’s mother
The kids all go to school here. They’ve lived here a long time. I’m in Hualien, but it’s kind of far, so we didn’t have a lot of time to see each other.

Mr. Lee’s mother grieves her sudden loss. The only survivor in the family is one of the sons, a 14 year old who had stayed at home and was not in the car. He is in profound shock.

Chen Chi-mai
Kaohsiung mayor
If you need anything, please let us know.

Mr. Lee’s surviving son is currently in the care of relatives. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai has visited the family, and the city’s Education Bureau has contacted the kid’s school and other agencies to offer support to the child.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#tragedy #car #rain #naturaldisaster #family #roadcollapse

2025-08-01

Pingtung’s Wannian River revitalized through 20 years of hard work

Pingtung’s Wannian River has been successfully revitalized after two decades of work spanning four county commissioners. Livestock and industrial wastewater used to be dumped into the river, killing fish and giving the river an infamous stench. Now that it has been revitalized, it’s lush with greenery, teaming with birds and fish, and a popular spot for riverside strolls.

A mother moorhen forages on the riverbank, her chicks waiting not-so-patiently to be fed. Another bird finds a meal upstream, taking advantage of the river’s rich resources. This is Pingtung’s Wannian River, which supports a diverse ecosystem of birds and other wildlife.

Huang Shu-ting
Bird photographer
It seems that the river has been successfully revitalized now, because we can observe some of Taiwan’s resident birds here, such as the black-crowned night heron and common moorhen.

Wannian River, a tributary of the Gaoping River, flows through central Pingtung City. Local residents once rowed boats, washed clothes, and played in its waters, until the river was heavily polluted by industrial and agricultural wastewater. Many fish died as the water quality deteriorated, and the river began to stink, earning the nickname “eternal stench,” as its name, Wannian, means eternity. Thirty years ago, then-Pingtung County commissioner Wu Tse-yuan decided to build a cover over the river, but residents formed the Pingtung Citizen Association to oppose the project. When Su Jia-chyuan later took office, he overturned Wu’s project, removed the concrete pillars, and launched a restoration plan that would span the next 20 years.

Huang Ting-lun
Pingtung Citizen Association chair
I returned to my hometown as a young adult and became aware of this issue. Many of us involved grew up along the banks of the river, so a lot of our childhood memories are here. So we thought that this river should continue existing.

When former county commissioners Tsao Chi-hung and Pan Men-an later took office, they both continued restoring the river. By guiding clean water from upstream wetlands into the river and preventing wastewater from entering it, the water quality gradually improved. Now bustling with life and greenery, the riverside has become a popular place for residents to stroll and relax.

Member of public
It’s pretty and really not bad. It wasn’t this clean before.

Member of public
It’s much more beautiful and there are even some paths so that nearby residents can exercise.

Through the combined forces of grassroots organizing and government support, the Wannian River has been given a new life. Now it can live up to its name, flowing eternally through the city and maintaining its place as an integral part of local life.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#river #restoration #conservation #wildlife #Pingtung #birds #WannianRiver

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Dessert shop in Hsinchu earns reputation for healthy treats

People who work at the Hsinchu Science Park have found a new spot for afternoon tea: a dessert shop that uses only the best ingredients. The shop’s owners, a couple, both used to work at the science park. Following the rise of the wellness trend, they learned how to cook barley and make matcha, developing desserts that are both delicious and nutritious.

There are many layers to this delicious dessert. First, lotus seeds and matcha jelly are put in the base of the cup, then adzuki beans are added on top. Next a soup made from adlay millet fills it up. But there’s one more special ingredient.

The chef mixes matcha powder with hot water and pours it over the millet soup, adding the final touch to this refreshing and nutritious dessert.

Customer
I think it’s pretty good. There are lots of ingredients and it’s not too sweet. The sweetness is just right.

Customer
The adzuki beans are sweet enough and there’s lots of millet. It has a natural sweetness.

Huang Yu-hsiang
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If you don’t prepare adlay millet properly, it will have a certain taste. The process of simmering it for six to eight hours brings out the true, original taste of the millet.

This dessert shop in Hsinchu uses all natural ingredients freshly prepared daily by the couple who own it. By carefully selecting the ingredients like adzuki beans, millet, and matcha from local sources and taking the time to prepare them the right way, the owners have made this shop famous among people who work at the Hsinchu Science Park.

Huang Yu-hsiang
Dessert shop owner
We met an expert and learned from him. We learned the Japanese technique and Taiwanese way of simmering to bring out the strength and flavor of the millet.

The owners both used to work at the science park, but decided to follow their dream and open a dessert shop. They studied with an expert to learn how to best prepare the proper ingredients.

Huang Yu-hsiang
Dessert shop owner
We noticed the market shift as people gradually began paying attention to nutrition, so we decided to try using millet. Since it’s healthy for everyone, it’s worth it to use all-natural healthy ingredients.

Integrating Japanese and Taiwanese techniques to create unique flavors, these chefs created a brand known for being delicious and nutritious. It’s their mission to offer customers healthy, tasty desserts.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#dessert #dessertshop #redbean #matcha #health #healthy #allnatural #Hsinchu #HsinchuSciencePark #millet #nutrition

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House left without front yard, chief goes on solo trek for medicines

Central and Southern Taiwan can’t seem to catch a break from heavy downpours. Over in Changhua, the downpours caused a road to collapse completely, leaving a sheer cliff in the space that once used to be the front yard of a house. In Pingtung, access to the village of Labuwa has been cut off once again by surging rivers. With medicine stocks running low, the head of Wutai Township embarked on a solo trek up the mountain wading rivers and braving the elements to bring medication to those who need it.

Water rushes down the hillside, but this man seems unfazed. Wearing a helmet and a yellow raincoat, he wades across the river.

Heavy downpours have caused rockfalls and landslides, once again isolating the village of Labuwa. Worried that the local residents with chronic diseases would run out of medicines before repairs are made, the head of Wutai Township decided to go on a trek up the mountain all by himself to bring them supplies.

Voice of Dralrawusu Pacekele
Wutai Township Chief
The director of the clinic spoke with the patients remotely. Some of the people still in the village have chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. They haven’t been able to come down to get their medication, so I decided to bring them the medicines myself.

The pouring rain and raging creek are not an obstacle for the man, who is determined to deliver the medicines. His bravery has warmed the hearts of many, but videos of his trek have got many views anxious about his safety, saying it’s too dangerous.

Voice of Dralrawusu Pacekele
Wutai Township Chief
They think it’s dangerous? I do this all the time! I often go to Feilong Waterfall. You just have to be careful. Be careful, and it’s alright.

Central and southern Taiwan are getting battered by heavy rains. With disasters cropping up all over the place, local officials are as busy as can be.

Over in Changhua, the head of Tong’an Village received a report at 6 in the morning that a street was in danger of collapsing. Just as he was approaching the area, the road gave in right in front of his eyes.

Lin Tzu-lung
Tong’an Village Chief
This road was passable before I got here, and as I was approaching, the whole thing collapsed. If I had been a bit further along, I might have gone down too.

The village chief was shaken. Had he been a few steps further forward, he would’ve fallen into what is now a sheer cliff. The mountainside crumbled, taking with it the front yard of a house. Fortunately, the elderly woman living inside had been evacuated the night before by her granddaughter. She returned to her home in the early morning to check out the state of the house.

- It’s all collapsed. Are you still going to live here?
- Yes
- Yes? You’re not afraid it will collapse?
- No. I’m old, so it’s alright.

Though the building itself does not seem to be at risk for the moment, and the resident says she’s not afraid, authorities have relocated her to a safe place for now.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#wow #spectacular #collapse #brave #heartwarming #rains #storm #goodnews

2025-08-01