Faye Dunaway Blasts ‘Capricious’ Lloyd Webber : Theater: Would-be ‘Sunset Boulevard’ star questions her firing and the decision by the producer-composer to close musical Sunday.

Calling Andrew Lloyd Webber’s decision to close “Sunset Boulevard” Sunday “yet another capricious act by a capricious man,” actress Faye Dunaway spoke publicly Friday morning for the first time since learning that she would not take over the role of Norma Desmond in the Shubert Theatre production.

Lloyd Webber officials fired her on Tuesday and announced the closing of the Los Angeles production Thursday, saying her singing was not up to the demands of the musical’s lead role.

Lloyd Webber “has been peripatetic throughout the entire process, changing his mind from day to day,” Dunaway said Friday.

She added that she is “very saddened” by the producer-composer’s decision. Asked if it would affect her career, she replied, “If I had left the charges unanswered, the damages would have been severe.”

Lloyd Webber could not be reached for comment.

Dunaway, who was scheduled to begin preview performances July 5, coolly told a crowd of reporters gathered at a Sherman Oaks home near the location where she is currently shooting “Don Juan de Marco and the Centerfold” that she has contacted a lawyer about her departure from “Sunset” and intends to take legal action. She wouldn’t answer further questions about details of that action, but said she expects to be paid for her full six-month contract.

Dunaway said she learned of her dismissal late Tuesday from her manager, and complained that Lloyd Webber himself has yet to call her. Patti LuPone, who premiered the role in London and was initially cast to take it to Broadway, also has expressed anger that the producer-composer never called her personally to tell her he was replacing her with Glenn Close for the New York show.

One point of contention between Dunaway and Lloyd Webber was her vocal range. “When I auditioned for Mr. Lloyd Webber (last month), I sang in my range. He cast me in that range, only later deciding to push me into a higher one, which I worked to accommodate.”

She said she believed that director Trevor Nunn was defending her use of her own range to Lloyd Webber. On Monday, Dunaway sang again for Lloyd Webber and, she said, he was “anything but reticent in his praise.”

“There was no doubt I could have opened on July 5 with a vocal performance that would more than achieve the requirements of the role of Norma Desmond. On Monday night Mr. Lloyd Webber agreed. Sometime on Tuesday, he apparently changed his mind.”

The vocal coach who trained Dunaway for “Sunset” for nearly two months, Bob Corff, said in a separate interview Friday that “no one has ever worked harder” and “that effort won’t be wasted.” He predicted other singing opportunities will come her way.

“She was getting stronger all along,” Corff said, but “I don’t know what happened after she went into rehearsals.” He said he hasn’t seen her in three weeks.

Times staff writer Don Shirley contributed to this report.

SWERVING ON ‘SUNSET’

Just why did producers shut down the whole show? F15