AUDRA GYPSY Reviews- Page 31

[MezzA101]

Posted: 4/29/25 at 1:19pm

A new block of tickets has been released for the critically acclaimed new Broadway production of GYPSY, starring six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, with performances now extended through Sunday, October 5, 2025.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/29/25 at 1:39pm

Has anyone rushed lately? I've been thinking of rushing on May 23 (friday) and as Majestic is very big, would like to know where the seats likely are.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 4/29/25 at 2:05pm

MadsonMelo said: "Has anyone rushed lately? I've been thinking of rushing on May 23 (friday) and as Majestic is very big, would like to know where the seats likely are."

I think digital rush (after 11am) is pretty easy to get and it'll tell you a general location for where the seats are (I've had friends get front row before from there, as well as front mezz)

[DAME]

Posted: 4/29/25 at 2:40pm

Do digital rush through Telecharge .  Lots of people have gotten front row. A cool experience.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/29/25 at 2:50pm

DAME said: "Do digital rush through Telecharge . Lots of people have gotten front row. A cool experience."

Thanks, I'll download the app!

Very excited to see Audra, last time I was in NY almost saw her doing the play but decided wanted to see her first in a musical, and this one seems perfect.

[DAME]

Posted: 4/29/25 at 5:44pm

Pardon me,  I meant digital lottery.  

[getatme]

Posted: 4/29/25 at 6:46pm

binau said: "HOWEVER, when Audra sings "WELLLLL SOMEONE TELL ME WHEN IS IT MY TURN" it doesn't really have the same effect as Patti's. In a strange way, if would take losing the Tony for Audra's Rose to have this kind of subtext."

This was a very interesting and thoughtful post, but this stuck out to me as rather untrue. Yes, you can argue that Audra is one of the most respected stage actors of her, or any, generation, and that she may have her pick of star vehicles. But to ignore that Audra is a Black performer in this context does the rest of the argument a disservice. Before she was given the idea by Gavin, even she didn't think Rose was a role she would ever get the chance to play because Rose Hovick was a white woman and everyone else who has played Rose on Broadway has been a white woman. I think it's fair to assume that Audra has missed out on a lot of opportunities because she is a Black woman and that is something she brings into every single role she plays and some productions don't want to touch on race if they can avoid it.

Her "when is it my turn," beyond having the actual subtext for the role, I think can have the subtext speaking for all Black performers who have missed out on opportunities, especially in the classic shows where race isn't an issue but casting a BIPOC performer would bring it to the forefront. It's a statement for the Lillias Whites, the Stephanies Millses, the Heather Headleys, the LaChanzes.

You said it yourself that she was able to put this production together. She was able to. This isn't like Bernadette having it "handed" to her. Audra was given the idea by a friend and then she had to get the ball rolling. An actor had to go to producers, directors, etc. and say, "I can do this."

[binau]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 2:46am

Those are all fair points I think you're right and you're right that Bernadette was seemingly literally handed a production of Gypsy when Arthur Laurents recommended her to Sam Mendes whereas Audra did seem to have to build it for herself so it isn't the same. 

Btw, I am surprised that Gypsy just extended the booking period again. From what I can see though, the main challenge right now is filling the cheap balcony seats in this barn whereas the demand for prime orchestra seats and mezzo is just fine. 

Updated On: 4/30/25 at 02:46 AM

[ColdClimateDude]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 12:58pm

Add me to the list of people who were initially skeptical of Audra taking on this role. I couldn't see that gorgeous voice really attacking that score, and the rest of the casting didn't excite me much. However, when I was in NYC recently, I couldn't pass up the chance to see one of Broadway's best stars in one of the best musicals ever at the beautiful Majestic Theater. I went in a doubter and left a firm believer that Audra could play Don Quixote if she wanted.

There's just something about the way she played Rose and the subtext she found in her race, status, and motivation that made it one of the most intriguing portrayals I've ever seen. The determination felt like it was coming from a different place than Patti or Bernadette, the drive pitched more desperately than we've seen before. Choices were made in delivery that I hadn't thought about before, and though I was sitting in the front row of the balcony, I felt that wave of pain she pushes down at the end of Act 1 and again when it was unleashed in "Rose's Turn." Sure, the voice wasn't the brassy belt we've grown accustomed to for the role, but there was a regal sophistication to it that I felt matched well with her interpretation of this woman. I found it a riveting performance and can't imagine how she has the energy to go through it twice a day.

I was less impressed with the rest of the cast, though Burstein was sweet and the strippers were stellar. Woods was decent, but I am unsure what everyone sees in Tyson's manic performance. It's like a bad SNL "Toddlers and Tiaras" sketch.

Nicole was out of Sunset Blvd. when I was in town, so I can't fully compare the two and say for certain that Audra 'deserves' the award... but the chills I got during some of her line readings were enough to melt my heart that was initially cold toward this production.

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 5:00pm

getatme said: "binau said: "HOWEVER, when Audra sings "WELLLLL SOMEONE TELL ME WHEN IS IT MY TURN" it doesn't really have the same effect as Patti's. In a strange way, if would take losing the Tony for Audra's Rose to have this kind of subtext."

This was a very interesting and thoughtful post, but this stuck out to me as rather untrue. Yes, you can argue that Audra is one of the most respected stage actors of her, or any, generation, and that she may have her pick of star vehicles. But to ignore that Audra is a Black performer in this context does the rest of the argument a disservice. Before she was given the idea by Gavin, evenshedidn't think Rose was a role she would ever get the chance to play because Rose Hovick was a white woman and everyone else who has played Rose on Broadway has been a white woman. I think it's fair to assume that Audrahasmissed out on a lot of opportunities because she is a Black woman and that is something she brings into every single role she plays and some productions don't want to touch on race if they can avoid it.

Her "when is it my turn," beyond having the actual subtext for the role, I think can have the subtext speaking for all Black performers who have missed out on opportunities, especially in the classic shows where race isn't an issue but casting a BIPOC performer would bring it to the forefront. It's a statement for the Lillias Whites, the Stephanies Millses, the Heather Headleys, the LaChanzes.

You said it yourself that she was able to put this production together.Shewas able to. This isn't like Bernadette having it "handed" to her. Audra was given the idea by a friend and thenshehad to get the ball rolling. An actor had to go to producers, directors, etc. and say, "I can do this.""

Not to mention that, when did Ethel Merman ever have a real life "When is it my turn?" moment? Well, I guess maybe Hollywood. But Audra no more needs to suffer a loss to play that line well than she needs to serve up human flesh to make an effective Mrs. Lovett. Acting is acting, not being oneself onstage. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/2/25 at 8:08am

Audra McDonald on Her Historic 11th Tony Nomination for 'Gypsy'

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/audra-mcdonald-tony-nomination-gypsy-1236205172/

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 2:31pm

binau said: "Something I've been thinking of: One of the very different things about the Audra revival and Patti revival in my opinion is the stature of each of the stars at the time was/is very different, which gave each production a completely different subtext.

People may not remember this but it didn't used to be as 'cool' to like Patti AT ALL - and there was much more rivarly in the Bernadette vs Patti debates.Patti was kind of seen by some of her detractorsat the time as this distasteful belter who couldn't articulate her lyrics properly and didn't really have subtly in her acting. Bernadette was a darling of theatre lovers, her Gypsy practically bestowed upon her with the prestigious privilege of having Sam Mendes direct her fresh of 'Cabaret' and 'American Beauty' (who originally chose Patti actually but Arthur Laurents blocked thisin his bitter feud with Patti who wouldn't do his play because she found the pay offer 'insulting'....and recommended Bernadette to Sam Mendes instead). This would be yet another role that Bernadette 'stole' from Patti - Patti having unsuccessfully tried to replace Bernadette in Sunday (Sondheim famously complaining that Patti was belting in her audition), was up for the Witch in Into the Woods ("negotiations broke down - and then Bernadette got everything I asked for" - according to Patti's book). Allegedly complained in personal circles (according to that New York gossip forum I forget the name) that Bernadette was doing "Annie Get Your Gun" and called Trevor Nunn about starring in "A Little Night Music", who 'never called her back' (Bernadette of course replacing CZJ in the revival). I've since tried to get the gossip from some people who have worked with Patti, and someone dished that Patti has always been jealous of Bernadette's beauty and success - allegedly at one of her concerts backstage mocking Bernadette's voice when she told Patti she couldn't wait to see Patti in her show. Patti also had her embarrassing failure of being fired by ALW in "Sunset".

While Bernadette had Gypsy practically handed to her - she had to fight against type and ultimately couldn't win everyone over. The NYTimes raved but had some mixed reviews and a mixed audience reaction (although Bernadette's Gypsy will likely run longer than Audra's and Patti's). Hilariously, Arthur Laurents himself ended up being very difficult complaining about Sam Mendes' direction during previews, reporting on having screaming matchesand steering a show in a way behind the scenes that apparently was very difficult for Sam Mendes. In an interview, Bernadette's Tulsa said that Sam Mendes was annoyed that Arthur Laurents was blocking his choices - for example Sam Mendes wanted to have Bernadette's face dripping with make up and being completely ruined after "Rose's Turn" but Arthur Laurents wouldn't have it. Ultimately, the revival was met with a chilly reception for the production and the NyTimes even describes it as surprisingly pedestrian after Cabaret - but Arthur Laurents might have held it back.

This mixed reception left a gap for Patti to potentially have reason to do the role - Arthur Laurents' Patti 'ban' apparently didn't matter outside of New York and Lonny Price directed Patti in a concert version of Gypsy 'out of town'. At this stage Broadway was certainly not the expected end destination after the Bernadette revival closed something like 2-3 years earlier. Someone sent Arthur Laurents a bootleg of the three big songs "Some People", "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "Rose's Turn" and he was impressed.Eventually he changed his mind and took it upon himself as a retirement project to 'right the wrongs' of the Sam Mendes production and offer to direct Patti herself in a concert version of Gypsy off-broadway at City Center. I understand Lonny Price was disappointed but accepted the fate that no one can get in the way of Arthur Laurents and Gypsy.

You can see that unlike Bernadette, Patti was not 'handed' Gypsy she was practically fighting for it. The NyTimes gave a mixed review to Patti in her off-broadway debut, so at this point it was very unclear if a Broadway transfer would even happen - NYTimes"gave a diffuse, narcissistic performance that seemed to be watching itself in a mirror."She was undeniably Patti with an exclamation point".However, the audience reaction was generally positive. People seemed to recognise that the role fit Patti like a glove and almost no one was complaining about her vocals. Plus, the wider cast seemed to be capturing 'lightning in a bottle' in a way that was not quite there in the Mendes revival. People didn't seem to mind that the Patti production was very, very cheaply mounted - in fact it allowed people apparently to 'focus on the performances'. Arthur Laurents found extreme ways to cut costs, such as getting rid of any literal lambs and replacing them with stuffed animals. And having extremely minimal and cheap sets.

Eventually, I believe Scott Rudin (of course) who was Arthur Laurents' 'best friend' (why is it not surprising that nasty people get along?) made the transfer to Broadway happen. Patti was very insecure about the NyTimes review - I understand at one point she didn't even want to have an opening night. In a shocking turn of events, the NYTimes gave a rave to Patti and said they'd 'eat their hat' (which I think Patti's husband if I recall told her backstage to great relief). Now, after all this Bernadette rivarly and losing out to the Sam Mendes Gypsy, after being fired from Sunset, after overcoming a previously mixed NYTimes review, Patti finally had overcome all obstacles and was in a production of 'Gypsy' that had the same kind of perfect casting you might have felt with Alice Ripley in next to normal or Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens.

To have Patti sing "Rose's Turn" had the same kind of subtle mirroring effect of reflecting her own personal career struggles the way that Nicole Scherzinger's performance in "Sunset Boulevard" does. WELLLL, SOMEONE TELL ME WHEN IS IT MY TURN? DON'T I GET A DREAM FOR MYSELF. And it felt like a stunning achievement for Patti to defy all odds to star in this production so soon after the last revival, win a 2nd Tony award at least - IT'S BEEN 29 YEARS she screamed as the Tony band tried to play her out(Patti says publicly she believed she deserved to win for Sweeney and Anything Goes).

Audra's Gypsy is much more like Bernadette's Gypsy than Patti's Gypsy. She wants to do the role after Gavin Creel suggested she do it at a social occasion - and apparently can find the best in the business to mount a lavish revival straight on Broadway to great expense around her. She is at the peak of career respect and achievement. However, she DOES have to fight against vocal type which she knows and acknowledges is a stress (in the recent George Clooney interview).

HOWEVER, when Audra sings "WELLLLL SOMEONE TELL ME WHEN IS IT MY TURN" it doesn't really have the same effect as Patti's. In a strange way, if would take losing the Tony for Audra's Rose to have this kind of subtext.

The last thing I'll say is that the public stories for how each actress became interested to do the role is completely different. Bernadette has always known she wanted to play the role and wanted to make it happen. She was in the national tour of Gypsy and described hearing the Rose sing "Some People" as a child and wanted to do it. She gave an 'audition' of Some People at Carnegie Hall (with much greater vocal power than what she could eventually achieve in the show because her voice was peaking around 199 but according to the concert Director Richard J Alexander's podcast Bernadette is a 'complex' person and was very anxious backstage because she said she wanted to play the role and was afraid if she messed up the performance it would stop her doing the role. Bernadette also described the role as like going through therapy and found the experience very important for her.

Both Patti and Audra insist that the only reason they are doing the role is because others suggested they would be good for it. You can tell by her reaction that Patti loves challenging the perception that she was desperate for the role and her ego much prefers the narrative(which I'm sure is likely the reality but still) that she only did the role because others could see her immense talent meant she HAD to do the role and that it was practically forced upon her because the world just had to see it!111.

The backstage stories behind 'Gypsy' are part of the amazing saga and legacy of this show!"

 

for those of you obsessed with actors missing shows - joy is out of the matinee today!

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 7:11am

Audra McDonald Caps a History-Making Week With a Gasp-Inducing Gown

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/style/audra-mcdonald-met-gala-look-daughters-of-the-dust.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FE8.NqeX.YKnT8h9Am5kH&smid=nytcore-android-share

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/7/25 at 5:12pm

See Audra McDonald Sing 'Some People' in Broadway’s 'Gypsy' (Exclusive)

https://people.com/audra-mcdonald-some-people-in-broadway-gypsy-revival-watch-exclusive-11728918

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 5/7/25 at 11:04pm

There's a sale happening for the next 48 hours with real good tickets.

I saw a V5 seat on the orchestra for $79 and I think it would be more worthy than try a gamble at rush lol

Also, rear mezz for $49

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 5/8/25 at 10:33pm

Wow, this really did nothing for me. All of it - Audra, Danny, the girls, the strippers - all of it. The only thing I liked was the choreography, which makes sense because I’ve really enjoyed her choreography in other shows. On paper, maybe this sounded good, but on stage, I thought the sound was terrible - some weak voices, some voices that were grating, and the volume in that theater that was just insane. If I had a remote control for the volume, I would’ve turned it down to half of what it was. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/8/25 at 10:38pm

I saw it Wednesday and the mics (especially Audra’s) were turned up incredibly high. It wasn’t like that when I saw it in December.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/8/25 at 10:40pm

MadsonMelo said: "There's a sale happening for the next 48 hours with real good tickets.
I saw a V5 seat on the orchestra for $79 and I think it would be more worthy than try a gamble at rush lol
Also, rear mezz for $49"

Shubert has a digital lottery and any time I've checked it in the past two months, there have been tickets available. $55, I think. My TDF seats were also way better than V5 and about $16 cheaper.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 5/10/25 at 6:47pm

Audra was out last night. I wonder what it says, if anything, that it wasn't noticed and/or remarked upon.

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 5/10/25 at 7:57pm

There is a pretty volatile convo about it going on the other board right now.

[Penna2]

Posted: 5/10/25 at 11:18pm

Delete

Updated On: 5/10/25 at 11:18 PM

[binau]

Posted: 5/11/25 at 3:49am

To me Audra’s attendance still feels pretty good (although a poster on ATC seems to disagree) - you can usually count her to be there and it doesn't look like she is consistently missing performances every week at all which is not true over at Death Becomes Her - BUT if attendance means anything for a Tony win as so often claimed I do wonder if it could only take another absence or two in this critical period right now to start getting to the threshold where it becomes part of the conversation if it hasn’t already. 

Updated On: 5/11/25 at 03:49 AM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 5/11/25 at 8:05am

I think it’s very possible that this production makes it as long as the 2003 revival (a year and a month). If the grosses stay steady this summer, they’ll probably extend the booking window from October into January, with a closing announcement. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/11/25 at 8:02pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "I think it’s very possiblethat this production makes it as long as the 2003 revival (a year and a month). If the grosses stay steady thissummer, they’ll probably extend the booking window from October into January, with a closing announcement."

 

I just don't think that will happen and believe it will be shut out from TONYS and close some point this summer as the show's capacity has averaged 74% capacity since March.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/11/25 at 8:05pm

This will be gone by the end the of summer.