CONFIRMED: Audra McDonald-led GYPSY to begin previews Nov 2024 — Page 22

Robbie2 said: "Did I hear Shuffle Along? Loved it and Audra was simply sublime and damn that choreography was fire.

Back down memory lane - Here:

Act 1 Finale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ziv9a8ylKYA

Show clips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtMKquSqBko"

Thank you for this!! Someone above said the show was like a dream, or the memory of the show is like a dream. That's how I feel. I saw it once and loved it, but the memory is so oddly ephemeral now....

Describing Shuffle Along as dreamlike is definitely correct. I remember feeling like I had seen something monumental as I walked out - I was at that first performance after their working hiatus, where every ticket in the house was $40- and then, a few months later, it was gone, as if it never happened at all.

I really hope it gets its due someday, free from all the noise that season that drowned it out and free from the pressure of opening cold and having to develop itself publicly.

I largely stopped keeping Playbills years ago, but I did save this one, along with the handsome recreation of the program for the original 1920s production of Shuffle Along that came with it.

Updated On: 6/2/24 at 10:16 AM

BroadwayNYC2 said: "“When Pearl Bailey was cast inthe role of Dolly Levi, rather than address any racial/social issues,producer David Merrick simply turnedHello, Dolly!into an All Black extravaganza. Pearl Bailey won a special Tony Award. The year was 1967.”

the fact you think this is GOTCHA"

If that's your reaction to a nearly sixty year old theater fact, that's on you.

DramaTeach said: "Adrienne Warren sang “If Momma Was Married” with Ben Platt as his concert. Foreshadowing? She’s already worked with Audra and the directoron Shuffle Along."

I’m assuming coincidental. Platt and his guests and their songs were probably selected well before the Gypsy announcement.

TaffyDavenport said: "

"

Penna2 said: "TaffyDavenport said: "

It's safe to assume that how she does the song in a concert is not exactly representative of how she will do it in a production.

Updated On: 6/3/24 at 12:44 PM

She hasn't been directed in that video! It doesn't thrill me either, but she's going to have 7 weeks of rehearsal, plus 4 weeks of previews. It's not representative of what her performance on stage will be like.

It's like when people judged Patti's acting choices in GYPSY at Ravinia, which had a few days of rehearsal and was directed by Lonny Price.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Andy Einhorn is confirmed to be the Music Supervisor/Director, per the casting notice.

For all those throwing out names like Joy Woods or Izzy McCalla or others who are currently employed on Broadway: remember that these casting decisions have to be made this summer, their shows are selling fine and are unlikely to post closing notices in the next few months, and they're currently on one-year contracts. The NOTEBOOK and WATER producers are not going to let their lead actors out of their contracts for a different Broadway show. GYPSY's first rehearsal is September 30, and in an ideal world the principal actors will be fully contracted about 2 months prior to that.

(A two-week vacation/leave of absence to do a show at Encores, for example, is a totally different situation)."

And for these roles, and this specific show, I'd love to see some new faces

The description of Louise made me think of Lorna Courtney but I don't know how likely it is

Nicole Scherzinger's alternate starts October 29, which was made known when tickets went on sale.

Dylan Smith4 said: "I’m now curious about who could be Audra’s alternate IF she plans to take Sundays or Tuesdays off. Just a thought cause Nicole Scherzinger is likely gonna have an alternate when Sunset opens."

Where are you getting the notion that Audra might not be doing Sundays and/or Tuesdays?

8 performances a week are on sale and there is nothing noting that the above-the-title performer will be out, so we should assume that she will be doing all 8.

If she has to eventually reduce to 7 (as she did with PORGY), that would be a different matter and at that point they'd probably just throw the standby/understudy on.

Updated On: 6/3/24 at 06:38 PM

Lunalaaaaaaaa said: "What about Brian Stokes Mitchell? A girl can dream right?"

Read the casting notice. The directorial vision is that Herbie is white in this revival.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Lunalaaaaaaaa said: "What about Brian Stokes Mitchell? A girl can dream right?"

Read the casting notice. The directorial vision is that Herbie is white in this revival."

I feel Brian Stokes Mitchell can pass as white or black in terms of just looking by the eye. I recall when I saw him in Kiss Me Kate back in 2000 and Man of La Mancha 2002, I thought he was white (forgive my ignorance.)