GYPSY To Close August 17, 2025- Page 2

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 9:22pm

This revival lasted just about as long as the recent COMPANY did (265 reg. perfs). 8-9 months is about fairly standard for these “prestige” productions nowadays — they start slipping at the box office after 10-12 solid weeks, give or take. 

It should be interesting to see what takes the Majestic (the second-largest Shubert house by seating capacity) next…seems cavernous for plays. 

Updated On: 7/16/25 at 09:22 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 9:39pm

I suspect that week without Audra really was the nail in the coffin. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 9:44pm

I’m glad I saw it but it didn’t really seem like it needed to exist outside of Audra. Didn’t suit her voice or her personality but she was fantastic.

Now can we have another director? He’s such a snooze. 

[bear88]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 9:51pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "This revival lasted just about as long as the recent COMPANY did (265 reg. perfs). 8-9 months is about fairly standard for these “prestige” productions nowadays — they start slipping at the box officeafter10-12 solid weeks, give or take.”

That sounds about right. Without a movie or music star in a leading role, these sorts of commercial revivals of classic musicals have a logical endpoint. They do fine with Broadway stars for a while and then run out of gas. That’s certainly been the case for Gypsy since the Tyne Daly revival in 1989 (and she was a TV star). 

The only exceptions in recent years have been Sweeney Todd, which had Josh Groban for most of its run and directorial choices by Thomas Kail that were aimed at attracting a large audience; Merrily We Roll Along, which had Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff; The Music Man because of Hugh Jackman; and maybe Sunset Blvd. (If it can recoup) due to Nicole Scherzinger.

Am I forgetting anything, post-COVID?

 

[bear88]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 9:55pm

Kad said: "I suspect that week without Audra really was the nail in the coffin."

It also meant the revival was going to lose money every week because she was going to miss every Sunday and the producers could see what that would mean. There’s a downside to promoting the show as AUDRA GYPSY, but she was the only compelling reason to see it.

[David10086]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 10:03pm

WldKingdomHM said: "David10086 said: "Patti Lupone was just told the news by her husband. She stared at him for 15 seconds. Then she looked toward the window and said, 'Isn't this a beautiful day ?'"

Revenge is a best dish served cold"

Patti's husband said it was frigid in the room where Patti was sitting. He thought it was the AC, but he realized Patti actually had the fireplace going - and it was still frigid. 

[abcd12]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 10:24pm

Discount code has been pulled for the final week. The final performance prices are now insultingly high. $420+ for the front mezzanine? Girl, bye. 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 10:30pm

I wish I could say I was sad to see the show go, but aside from Audra, it was mostly a misfire for me. Despite a lot of good ingredients, the results ended up being much and yet not enough. 

(And sorry, I found the cast recording just insufferable. It took four sessions to get through it and that includes skipping 3/4 through any given song.)

[tacotheatrelover]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 10:46pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "This revival lasted just about as long as the recent COMPANY did (265 reg. perfs). 8-9 months is about fairly standard for these “prestige” productions nowadays — they start slipping at the box officeafter10-12 solid weeks, give or take.

It should be interesting to see what takes the Majestic (the second-largest Shubert house by seating capacity) next…seems cavernous for plays."

Looking at this economy and this broadway season, it'll probably be a 13 week limited run of the shucked tour

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 10:53pm

Watch Dolly take it.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 10:56pm

AKarp2013 said: "Watch Dolly take it."

DOLLY is produced by ATG. So I think there's an almost-100% chance that it plays an ATG/Jujamcyn house.

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 10:58pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "AKarp2013 said: "WatchDollytake it."

DOLLY is produced by ATG. So I think there's an almost-100% chance that it plays an ATG/Jujamcyn house."

Ahhh I did not know that. Thanks!!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 11:00pm

I hope Audra doesn't wait another 8 years to return to musicals. And I hope it's a great soprano role that plays to her strengths (and if we're REALLY lucky, a new musical).

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 11:01pm

I really liked Audra in this but didn't love the whole show. Not surprising though with how grosses have been, even when Audra is not on vacation.

As mentioned in another thread, this is the third straight Gypsy revival that hasn't recouped (or won the Best Revival Tony). And yet, we'll probably see a Sutton Gypsy in 15-20 years.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 11:11pm

Manifesting a Lady Gaga Gypsy. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 11:16pm

This production's large scale was always surprising to me. From the start I was skeptical of Audra's ability to singlehandedly sell the tickets needed to break even. And then there was hope early in the run that it could sustain, but that only lasted a few months. Makes me sad because when a show like this flops, it reinforces the need for movie stars/pop stars and more modestly-sized orchestras, casts, and production values. But that's the nature of the biz.

While on paper it was exciting that they went with a 26-piece orchestra, the sound design was terrible and muffled (by a designer who's usually the best in his class), the new arrangements were inferior to the originals, and SUNSET across the street showed everyone that 19 players with really skillful synth programming & sound design could sound MUCH richer than GYPSY's 26.

And after so much hooplah over Wolfe's racial specifics, it felt mildly subtextual at best and barely made an impact on the show onstage. Meanwhile, it presented costly challenges related to understudying and ensemble doubling.

Updated On: 7/16/25 at 11:16 PM

[TellZ]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 11:28pm

Mr. Wormwood said: "And yet, we'll probably see a Sutton Gypsy in 15-20 years."

A terrifying thought.

I had doubts about Audra going in, but found her performance to be deep, terrifying, and profound. The image of her tear-stained face singing "someone tell me when it is my turn!" is seared in my brain. There's just no one like her.

But if Gypsy must be done again anytime soon, I'd fly anywhere to see Heather Headley or Hannah Waddingham tackle it.

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 11:35pm

bear88 said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "This revival lasted just about as long as the recent COMPANY did (265 reg. perfs). 8-9 months is about fairly standard for these “prestige” productions nowadays — they start slipping at the box officeafter10-12 solid weeks, give or take.”

That sounds about right. Without a movie or music star in a leading role, these sorts of commercial revivals of classic musicals have a logical endpoint. They do fine with Broadway stars for a while and then run out of gas. That’s certainly been the case forGypsysince the Tyne Daly revival in 1989 (and she was a TV star).

The only exceptions in recent years have beenSweeney Todd, which had Josh Groban for most of its run and directorial choices by Thomas Kail that were aimed at attracting a large audience; Merrily We Roll Along, which had Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff;The Music Manbecause of Hugh Jackman; and maybeSunset Blvd.(If it can recoup) due to Nicole Scherzinger.

Am I forgetting anything, post-COVID?

"

FUNNY GIRL. Textbook case of how a well-known actress like Lea Michele can get an audience to pay enough full price tickets to recoup the production.

[bear88]

Posted: 7/16/25 at 11:48pm

Thanks for reminding me of the obvious one I missed, Wick3. Funny Girl is yet another example of hiring a TV star who happened to be closely associated with the role because of Glee. 

[AlmostFamous3]

Posted: 7/17/25 at 12:26am

The sound design of this production is truly its biggest crime. How a 26-piece orchestra ended up sounding like an off-Broadway production of Gypsy—that I’ll never understand. What went wrong?

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/17/25 at 12:37am

Yup I don’t understand the sound design either but I recall Phantom had a similar size orchestra and the sound was great. 

[Blow Gabriel]

Posted: 7/17/25 at 12:38am

George c Wolfe screwed the pooch.  Even though the show wasn’t technically set in Louisiana, he kinda directed it like it was Caroline or Change.  That being said, Audra is extraordinary in it and deserved the Tony, which had it not been for Jasmine Amy Rogers taking votes away from her, she would have. And this production would have run a lot longer.  They need to move to a rank choice voting system so we don’t end up with winners and their stupid pluralities. Dreadful Nicole and her $hit performance. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 7/17/25 at 12:41am

Blow Gabriel said: "George c Wolfe screwed the pooch. Even though the show wasn’t technically set in Louisiana, he kinda directed it like it was Caroline or Change. That being said, Audra is extraordinary in it and deservedthe Tony, which had it not been for Jasmine Amy Rogers taking votes away from her, she would have. And this production would have run a lot longer. They need to move to a rank choice voting system so we don’t end up with winners and their stupid pluralities. Dreadful Nicole and her $hit performance."

I don't much care for Nicole either, but the idea that Audra was robbed of her 7th Tony and that Jasmine stole her votes is insane. Tony Awards would not have made this run longer. Stop with the delusions. 

Updated On: 7/17/25 at 12:41 AM

[spicemonkey]

Posted: 7/17/25 at 12:44am

Blow Gabriel said: "George c Wolfe screwed the pooch. Even though the show wasn’t technically set in Louisiana, he kinda directed it like it was Caroline or Change. That being said, Audra is extraordinary in it and deservedthe Tony, which had it not been for Jasmine Amy Rogers taking votes away from her, she would have. And this production would have run a lot longer. They need to move to a rank choice voting system so we don’t end up with winners and their stupid pluralities. Dreadful Nicole and her $hit performance."

Joined: 7/17/25
Get a human life 

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 7/17/25 at 1:29am

I loved this show and am glad it made it this far. GYPSY always struggles, the climate is significantly more difficult than when the last revival began, and judging by the many houses I saw, it reached a significant new audience for this musical. I loved what George C. Wolfe and his team did, and I thought Audra grew into one of the most magnificent, tragic, terrifying, and nuanced performances I have ever seen in the musical theater. The production had some technical shortcomings. I hate to agree that the 26-piece orchestra sounded terribly muffled, and then in later performances the sound was just blared to compensate, the sound design just did not ever work. The show sometimes seemed to be swimming on that massive stage. But in all I thought it was thrilling.

I think in a few decades to come, a lot of people who seemed to be rooting for failure are going to wish for revivals of Golden Age musicals produced at this level. It's rare enough now. The past few years made me savor it. We joke about how frequent GYPSY revivals are, and this won't be the last, but things are changing. 

And in years to come, many future theater professionals are going to treasure their memory of Audra in this show like I treasure seeing Patti when I was a teenager. Beyond the seismic effect that I know this had on many young performers of color. 

I'm so grateful it happened. Thank you to the producers for giving this classic back to us in a truly exciting and meaningful way. 

Updated On: 7/17/25 at 01:29 AM