Hitting or missing key components of a complex character is the difference between a winning performance and a failure. If the Spider Woman in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" is repellant rather than fatally alluring, a key premise of the show is ruined. If Florence Foster Jenkins doesn’t win our sympathy in one key scene, the emotional arc of "Souvenir" is stillborn.

Fictional film star Norma Desmond must morph convincingly from vulnerable to toxic in "Sunset Boulevard" for that show to achieve critical mass, and Mary Gutzi nails each key moment in the journey with her performance as the star of Diamond Head Theatre’s Hawaii-premiere production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster.

Gutzi delivers a chilling portrayal of a woman who is fragile but dangerous. She also does a beautiful job vocally with the demanding, emotionally intense score.

Director/choreographer John Rampage supports Gutzi with a talented cast, excellent teamwork by Phil Hidalgo (musical director) and Mikel J. Humerickhouse (sound design), and solid work by the technical crew. The imaginative creations of Amy Schrag (costume design) mark Norma as an eccentric the moment we see her. Jess Aki (makeup and hair design) adds at least a decade to Gutzi’s chronological age.

The year is 1950. Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent film era, is living in seclusion in a crumbling mansion. Joe Gillis, a young, unemployed screenwriter, is dodging a pair of repo men when he arrives on her doorstep. She assumes he’s a mortician there to bury her beloved chimpanzee. Joe explains that he’s a screenwriter. She asks him to edit the script she’s written for the film that will put her back on top of the film industry. He sees that the project is guaranteed to fail and quotes a ridiculous fee. She assures him that money won’t be a problem — and it isn’t.

At first Norma seems a tragic and possibly pathetic person, but it is soon evident Joe has entered a spider’s parlor.

Matthew Pennaz (Joe Gillis) does an outstanding job playing a guy who has been hustling in Hollywood so long that he is almost oblivious to the real deal when it comes along. Pennaz’s singing is as strong as his characterization. He brings elements of compassion to "The Perfect Year" and fuels "Sunset Boulevard," his first vocal number in Act 2, with cynicism and self-loathing. However, Pennaz also rings true as a man in love opposite Jody Bill (Betty Schaefer) in their final duet.

Olivier Jodloman (Max) makes a welcome return to the local stage in the key role of Norma’s loyal butler/chauffeur. Jodloman’s first vocal number, "The Greatest Star of All," is one of the emotional highlights of the show. His other big vocal spot, "New Ways to Dream (reprise)" is nicely done in its own right, over and above being the bookend to Gutzi’s "New Ways to Dream" in Act 1.

A dark and timeless story, resourcefully downsized for the space available and built around three remarkably talented leads, DHT’s "Sunset Boulevard" is thought-provoking adult-oriented entertainment.