Nicole Scherzinger Signs Autographs at “Sunset Blvd ”Stage Door Drenched in Blood as Broadway Performances Begin

The move came after the first performance of 'Sunset Boulevard,' which marked Scherzinger's Broadway debut

With one look, Nicole Scherzinger had fans waiting at the Sunset Boulevard stage door in a frenzy on Saturday, Sept. 28.

The Grammy nominated singer stepped out of the St. James Theatre in New York City dressed in her final look from director Jamie Lloyd's acclaimed revival of the beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which features her barefoot and drenched in fake blood.

It's an ensemble that made headlines when Scherzinger began performances in Sunset Boulevard during its run in London's West End last year, but Saturday was the first time the actress greeted fans at the stage door like that.

Perhaps that's because Saturday was a special night. The evening marked the first performance of Sunset Boulevard's U.S. run, and Scherzinger's Broadway debut.

The musical is currently in previews. It officially opens on Oct. 20.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Scherzinger plays faded silent movie star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. The show, adapted for the stage by book writers and lyricists Don Black and Christopher Hampton, follows Desmond as she hires young screenwriter Joe Gillis (actor Tom Francis) to help her stage a comeback to the silver screen after Hollywood deems her too old for the industry.

Audiences first met the character in Billy Wilder’s Oscar-winning 1950 film, where she was played by Gloria Swanson. Over the years, stars like Patti LuPone, Glenn Close, Diahann Carroll, Betty Buckley, Elaine Paige, Petula Clark and Rita Moreno have brought Desmond to life onstage.

But for Scherzinger, Desmond's story is personal.

The former Eden's Crush member and Pussycat Dolls frontwoman has fought to find her footing as a solo artist domestically. Despite success as a judge on shows like The X Factor, America’s Got Talent and The Masked Singer — as well as on-screen roles in Cats and Annie Live! — there's long been a feeling that her powerhouse vocal talent has gone unappreciated by the industry.

"I'm [46] years old," she told Lloyd in a video series produced by the show that PEOPLE debuted last month. "I’ve never been more strong — physically, mentally, emotionally. I’m in my prime. There is no better time for me to create work that is meaningful in this world."

"That’s the tragedy: is that you’re in the best place in your life. You’re so fully, have so much to give, and people have discarded you, and dismissed you and said ‘Your time’s up,' " she said.

Related: Nicole Scherzinger Is Ready for Her Close Up as Cast of Sunset Boulevard Rehearses for Broadway (Exclusive)

Related: Nicole Scherzinger Opens Up About the 'Tragedy' of Being 'Discarded' by Her Industry: 'I'm in My Prime' (Exclusive)

Last September, Scherzinger told PEOPLE that she didn't dream of playing Desmond before speaking with Lloyd about the role.

"I was like, 'Are you crazy? Are you mad?' I didn’t get it, because I only ever had Glenn Close in my mind — and Gloria Swanson in the old film," she explained. "He was like, 'Don’t watch the movie, don’t listen to anybody else, just read the lines and listen to the music.' And when I did, I just fell in love with Norma. I didn’t realize that this is the role that I’ve been waiting to play all my life. We’re doing a completely different, new interpretation."

"There are so many parallels between Sunset Boulevard and what you have to do to make it in Hollywood," added Scherzinger. "Even when you’re fully loaded with so much talent, you could still be overlooked because of stereotypes and ageism. It is a tragedy. " have so much ammunition for this — so much fuel."

Tickets for Sunset Boulevard are now on sale.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.