GYPSY Previews- Page 25

[joevitus]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 11:51pm

mlledir said: "Saw her in Carousel ( back when she was Audra Ann McDonald) as well as in Ragtime, and she was absolutely as wonderful in person. I, for one, have no idea what your friend meant."

It wasn't about wonderful or not wonderful. It was just that she didn't sound the same.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 11:51pm

ManOfLaMuncha said: "I was just on youtube and this new Rita Moreno Googie Gomez came up out of nowhere lol ....hilarious. It is from a fundraiser or something in L.A. hehe~~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C6H2iufYrw

It’s not new, this is from 2011.  

 

[ManOfLaMuncha]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 12:17am

It's much newer than the first one from the time of "The Ritz", and it's new to ME :)

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 12:56am

theblackumbrella said: "Leslie Uggams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jenifer Lewis as Madame Armfeldt?"

Phylicia Rashad seems like an obvious choice as well.

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 8:19am

NOWaWarning said: "theblackumbrella said: "Leslie Uggams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jenifer Lewis as Madame Armfeldt?"

Phylicia Rashad seems like an obvious choice as well."

Rashad has that 'hauteur' and elegance for the part. I'd love to see Adjoa Andoh play her but she's only seven years older than Audra. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 9:09am

Rashad would be well into her 80's the next time this show is revived, for everyone who complains Rose is always played by someone too old for the role. My dream ever since hearing this is for Olivia Coleman to play Rose. Obviously, this sample of her singing isn't a perfect fit for the character buy she DOES sing and I wonder if she could pull it off. She'd be a incredible. 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 9:37am

They were suggesting Rashad for Madame Armfeldt, not Rose. Audra said she spoke with Sondheim about doing Gypsy and A Little Night Music; the posters were suggesting possible Armfeldts for the potential Night Music. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 9:41am

Oh. Well that's different lol. And would be great. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 12:23pm

I’m still bummed the planned revival of ‘NIGHT, MOTHER with her and Oprah never panned out.

[binau]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 1:42pm

Out of obligation I also have to throw Bernadette's name into the ring for Madame Armfeldt. 

[OhHiii]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 1:51pm

binau said: "Out of obligation I also have to throw Bernadette's name into the ring for Madame Armfeldt."

I think we can absolve you of this obligation moving forward...

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 5:21pm

Okay, I didn't write a review after I saw the show a few weeks ago, both because most of my thoughts had been covered by others and I was hoping they would make changes. But since it sounds like they haven't made changes, and there's one aspect that hasn't been mentioned enough...:

I'd never seen a fully staged production of Gypsy, though I'm familiar with the material. I thought it was...fine. It was competent. It was also lifeless. It played like a museum piece, an adequate presentation that gives a respectable idea of the show without justifying its existence or demonstrating why this is supposed to be the greatest musical. There was a moment during "Everything's Coming Up..." when Audra was working furiously, and I was kind of getting into it just watching her, but then I glanced over at Burstein standing in place with no discernible expression, and Woods standing there with her shoulders slumped and curved inward, a blank, glazed look on her face like she'd gone numb, neither of them really reacting to what Audra was doing, and I thought that was the production in a nutshell. Nothing was connecting, even among the performers onstage. The fact that that huge stage was so sparsely decorated, forcing Audra to work harder to generate energy on that big empty stage, didn't help. But then the sets often felt too small for the stage. (The "Rose" sign in "Rose's Turn" was pathetically small and one of the saddest things I've ever seen. I'm sure some will argue there was a point to it, like a Black woman in this time period would know that there's a limit to her dreams so she can't imagine anything larger than that even in a fantasy, but it just seemed part of how small everything felt.)

The only signs of life in the show, IMO, came from Brittney Johnson in the very minor role of Agnes/Amanda. When she came onstage, I was immediately like, "Oh. Who's that?" I learned afterward she was Glinda in Wicked a few years back, and I wish I had seen her now. It's such a small part, but I hope she gets some notices in the reviews. Every time she was onstage it seemed like she was making the most of the least, and while everyone else was dutifully going through the paces, she actually seemed like a living, breathing person, with joy and energy and life. I wanted more of her and hope to see her in a better production of something in the future. 

Updated On: 12/16/24 at 05:21 PM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 5:34pm

It did often feel like the actors just stood there a lot in this revival. At times it felt like they were directed to just be still and stand there but it came off that they were lost at sea.

[binau]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 5:44pm

The current rating on show score has this below back to the future. eek. I am so curious how long the grosses will remain high for. 

Also, I noticed Cole Escola at one of the early previews (the Monday night). Several audience members approached them to compliment ‘oh, Mary!

I guess regardless of reviews Gypsy is a bit like gay mecca!!! 

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 6:32pm

MemorableUserName said: "The fact that that huge stage was so sparsely decorated, forcing Audra to work harder to generate energy on that big empty stage, didn't help. But then the sets often felt too small for the stage."

I had the same reaction to the sets at first, but I also think they were intentionally small (not just a case of them not wanting to spend money on them) to try to really drive home the point of how Rose and family had to scrape by and make miracles out of nothing to make it? Not that there isn't very valid criticism of this choice (although I actually sort of liked it ultimately....) but I do get the sense that it was a deliberate choice to have it look that small and ragged. (Especially given this is Santo Loquasto, who has never shied away from having big, lavish designs).

I do completely agree about the Rose sign. That moment needs to be her big, brash, fancy fantasy and that sign was certainly not it......

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 6:37pm

I also thought it was a specific choice to make the set look small, and it sort of harkened back to the "flatness" of the sets that might've been used in that era (though I don't know if it's actually historically accurate).  There are some scenes like Grantziger's office and the Garden of Eden sets that do actually fill the stage, which makes sense because those are more lavish settings.  I thought the dressing room could've been larger though (they seemed a little cramped there) and it drove me a little crazy they made some entrances/exits off the "fourth wall" of the dressing room.  But I suppose it has to be able to disappear fairly quickly so Rose's Turn can happen.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 6:43pm

Musicaldudepeter said: "Audra Interview

Audra appears in an interview for The New Yorker, and she says how basically she spoke with Sondheim about doing both Gypsy and A Little Night Music, and they decided she'd do Gypsy first, so I guess we can pretty much expect an Audra Desirée in the next five years."

Immediately salivating at the thought.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 10:05pm

Am I the only one who liked the set? This musical is constantly moving cities and spaces, more than a suggestion of the locations is an unreasonable expectation. They were a little too squeaky clean for my liking and the stage did look enormous but I didn’t think they looked cheap or bad.

Updated On: 12/16/24 at 10:05 PM

[Penna2]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 11:33pm

Interesting review I discovered on YouTube. He makes some points about the choreography, the sets, Louise's striptease and Audra's singing. Worth the watch.

Bored and Confused Review of Gypsy

Updated On: 12/16/24 at 11:33 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 12/17/24 at 8:56pm

Helping “Gypsy” ’s Strippers Take It All Off Anew

George C. Wolfe finds inspiration for his production—starring Audra McDonald as Broadway’s first Black Mama Rose—watching the pasties twirl at a burlesque show.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/11/25/helping-gypsys-strippers-take-it-all-off-anew

 

[IronMan]

Posted: 12/17/24 at 11:24pm

I saw it in an early preview, and knowing that Wolfe often comes up with his best ideas at the last minute, I was hoping that he'd pull this off.

But from the comments here, nope.  My problem with this production is that for the most part, there IS NO COMEDY in this musical comedy.  For example, in the Chinese restaurant scene, after Rose steals nearly everything off the tables, she asks a waitress who has entered to bus the tables for a spoon to stir her tea (small laugh).

And the waitress exits, comes back, gives her a spoon and leaves.

No jokes, no bits, no... anything. There are a dozen jokes that could go here, from being confused to why the table is empty to being wary of giving her another spoon, but... he chose to do nothing. Why is a waitress written into the script unless there was a reason for her to be there?  And that happens throughout the show. 

I felt the same way after seeing his "On The Town"- that he just doesn't have the technical knowledge of how old-school classic comedy schtick works. The only people who come off well (like Leslie as Tessie) seem to have brought their own experience and so they get their laughs.  I was also seriously afraid that he would have one of the strippers pull their top off and shake their t*ts, like he made Toni Collette do in "The Wild Party" (which would NEVER have happened in NYC Vaudeville).  And it DOES happen here in silhouette, but I'm going to imagine that they had at least pasties on. 

On the plus side, Andy Einhorn's musical direction is fantastic.  

EDIT TO ADD: I'm not saying there are no laughs, just that nearly all of them are from the script and not from the staging or direction, which I found sloppy.  Comedy of this type needs to be clean and focused (See: "Oh, Mary" ).   Audra is luminous and deserves all the accolades.  

Updated On: 12/18/24 at 11:24 PM

[OharaFosseWolfe888]

Posted: 12/18/24 at 12:15am

Just got in from 2nd to last preview. Wanted to see the changes before opening this week. A few thoughts, overall the show has been cleaned up nicely and for me is firing on all cylinders now. The clarity the creative team worked through is just fantastic. I disagree with the previous post above there were and are tons of laughs that are mined the restaurant scene was a riot while she was stealing the silverware. 

House lights dim at the top of the overture, people definitely still talked and are seated. I don't understand why folx on this board want a silent theatre, that ain't gonna happen and I don't think it's necessary, it got rousing applause as the orchestra finished before the curtain rose. Overall the show is clean and tight. 

Some changes I noticed: The choreography has been fleshed out in more than a few moments but it is always done towards an eye for the storytelling and not just for dance or choreography sake. The change over from baby to dainty June and the farmboys is a little more fleshed out now. The costumes (the overalls in particular) have been distressed as I knew they would be. Rose now removes Louise from the line intentionally, taking the Abe Lincoln hat and gives it to one of the white boy dancers. She puts Louise in the back, then comes back with a American flag, puts her off to the side SR. When she returns to the other side of the stage, she made Louise pull the flag down to cover her face, and Gahdayumm it was it heartbreaking looking at Joy's face. That bit of story telling alone was so clear and the choreography worked great. 

Everyone's acting has taken leaps forward from already well on their way performances. The transition into If mama was married was beautiful and Jordyn was on fire pretty much seething before they went into the song. Joy and Jordyn have found a lovely bond and I felt for them so much. I thought Kevin was much better tonight. His All I Need Is The Girl dance solo was fantastic and I still wish it got applause at the end (but I have a theory about that, will share later, gonna piss some folx off I'm sure but it's just a theory.) Then way Joy is choreographed now to find her way into joining him has also been redone and has grown and feels more natural and lovely to watch them. I thought Joy's acting in Everything Coming Up Roses was especially interesting in ways, I had not seen before. Audra is practically squeezing the life outta her at one point, and the fear in her eyes and desperation in Audra's was a gut-wrenching end to Act 1!

Act 2 - The Toreable's number has been cleaned up quite a bit and now feels like its clean for the show, but a very bad act for the troupe. It's just clearer. You Gotta Have a Gimmick was great. The ladies are showstoppers. The strip worked so much better for me tonight, the transformation starting when she takes off the 2nd glove and drops the shoulder strap. Joy has done some WORK and I am very proud of her and the team for the growth over this month. The Garden of Eden still looks great and again I wish the choreography got applause at the end of the dance break.(same theory). The transformation into Gypsy Rose Lee worked for me this time. The dressing room scene works great, Joy is digging and I thought she had many lovely new discoveries and it is a deeper richer performance than I saw at 6th preview. I personally wish she had stronger acting chops, but it works. It's not the most intense Gypsy Rose Lee we have seen in that scene however it is more than enough of a foil to launch Rose into her turn. 

Okay my theory as a trained dancer since childhood....

I think although not all culturally specific the choreography looks different on white bodies than it does on Black bodies. I think this is a Camille thing (problem?) tbh, everyone has commented about how the numbers aren't better than the original and they don't feel something with them. I honestly think it's because except for Garden of Eden and even then it is mostly white men doing a lot of the choreography and it just looks different on their bodies. Not to say it is all choreographed in some specific Black style and the dancers are doing a phenomenal job, but the soul of the moves don't always translate as performed. I just feel that if it were mostly dancers of color the audience response and the kinesthetic response from the numbers would be different. Also they don't have ending buttons (Tulsa's solo and GOE particularly) and that drives me insane as a director and choreographer. I don't have a solution or a fix for it, but after seeing it twice this is my observation and theory. I don't think the choreography is bad though, I will say that. If anything is is uniquely period choreography and that might be part of it's constraints overall in audience reception. I was reminded of when I see white dancers in the Alvin Ailey company, obviously that company is mostly Black and Brown people with the occasional white dancer but because Revelations is so culturally specific when you see white dancers do it, it feels like it ain't got all the sauce on it even if they are killing it and they ALWAYS kill it cause AILEY!  

Audra has deepend every moment, it's thrilling and heartbreaking to watch. She sounds simply amazing, and the higher register was as strong as ever and was her belt. What a powerhouse titan performance. It is the most human and thoroughly lived in Rose I have ever seen. She has excavated something in this character audiences have never seen before and that is truly exciting.

Looking forward to what the critics say on Thursday. What time is the press embargo lifted, does anyone know?

Updated On: 12/18/24 at 12:15 AM

[dan94]

Posted: 12/18/24 at 12:17am

I saw a preview this weekend and really loved it. I found it was often uninterested in what other productions of Gypsy have done, but it managed to carve its own way. I found it absolutely alive in a way not many recent shows I've seen have been.

I have to disagree there was no comedy. Audra landed every laugh I've seen any other Rose land. 

 

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She even takes the tea pot to button the scene which I haven't seen anyone else do and got a huge laugh.

The Strip admittedly does not work. I found the sets fine, the scale was off. No one would have noticed if they found a better way to cordon off the blank spaces.

Audra and Burstein had a fascinating power dynamic. Based on comments from early in the run, I imagine he has grown a lot. And Audra was just thrilling. 

Gypsy is one of my favorite musicals and I found very little to dislike here. Also found it interesting it seemed based on reaction an overwhelming majority of the audience had never seen Gypsy before. Hearing them react to the show and be shocked by it was lovely to hear.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 12/18/24 at 12:28am

Thanks for the in-depth thoughts, Ohara!  I could've sworn on Friday she didn't drop a shoulder strap but glad to hear that's fixed, though I did notice the lack of button on All I Need is the Girl which also seemed strange to me.

I heard that the embargo is midnight so we might be waiting around for a bit before reviews come out.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/18/24 at 7:10am

I thought Kevin was much better tonight. His All I Need Is The Girl dance solo was fantastic and I still wish it got applause at the end

The audience did applaud when I saw it (and did/started to at one point mid-number as well).