Gypsy — Page 3

That scene cracked me up in (my bootleg of) the ravinia production. I can't believe they cut it!

Odd.

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Updated On: 7/9/07 at 11:48 PM

Omg! He cut the SMALL WORLD reprise too?

Wow.

Considering he wrote it, he must have had very good reason.

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The hottest day of the year so far got a bit hotter when Patti hit the City Center Stage as Mama Rose tonight.
She seemed to have a point to prove and for the most part.
She Did.
This is not the full produced production as promised but as a three week run. it fullfills that expectation.
James Youman's sets are sparse but provide the atmosphere they depict.
Martin Pakledinez's costumes are more clever than glitz but certainly work.
Howell Brinkley's lighting and projections are wonderful.
The orchestra sounded terrific but I missed the sound of them coming from the pit especially during that amazing overture.
Boyd Gaines is the best Herbie I ever saw. He got every laugh and created chemistry and one upmanship with Patti which ain't easy to do. He is such a Broadway Talent that we should all applaud.
Tony Yazbeck makes a touching Tulsa, he dances the Robbins choreography to perfection and sings that great song so well.
The younger June, Sami Gayle is a bit less obnoxious than most Baby June's but she does the toe tapping quite well.
The three strippers, Tessie. Allison Fraser ( brilliant line readings) Nancy Opel, Mezzepa (dour and deBomb) and Marilyn Casky, Electra (drop Dead hysterical) stopped the show cold with "Gimmick"
The show is so well written and compossed that you have to stop and say, how does it work?
No real chorus and a story of such Show Biz brittleness, why do we care?
We care because the book is masterfull and the score is beyond belief,
I mean TOGETHER is such a tunefull yet fun way of storytelling, that it's simpleness is mind boggelling.
And then there is Patti.
Yes she was born to play this role, yes she brought new vocal shadings to the score and yes at times she was drop dead devastating.
It was not a complete performance and some lines and staging were dropped but when she cooked, she SIZZLED.
Her SOME PEOPLE was interesting and I think she took some different notes on "But not Rose" but it was just a start.
She charmed her way thru FUNNY and MR. GOLDSTONE but her EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES was the real deal and left the audience, and me Screaming.
When she finally got to ROSE'S TURN the roof was blown and she got the Standing O She deserved.
If she had a full production, she would blow NYC away but in this venue she showed hints of what her Full Blown Mama Rose would or could be.
As a destractor of Laura B.'s Broadway career, let me say this.
I think she is a beauty and when cast well she is wonderful, as in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, INTO THE WOODS and NINE.
But Louise is not her part.
I think she may grow into it but her singing voice is wasted here and granted this is a difficult role she is a real let down.
She overacts the younger Louise, and lacks the sexiness for the adult striper she becomes (she is way too skinny and un endowed to make the transistion).
She yells in the big dramatic scene and I just didn't buy it.
Bring the first preview. I will say she can improve and hope she works out the kinks in the strip sequences.
GYPSY is still a brilliant work and worth seeing and if you want to see Patti just work, just Go.
There were plenty of seats tonight and I got Orchestra at TKTS, so go GO.

Updated On: 7/10/07 at 12:15 AM

At the end of the article about Boyd Gaines, it mentions this:

That may certainly be true, but it’s also probable that Boyd Gaines will be contributing yet another sterling performance to his already impressive roster.

Could it mean there'll be another Tony Award in his future?


Perhaps (hopefully) this means that the talent involved will be eligible for Tony's!

*edited after SLEEP!

I'm not good with the extensive reviews, but just briefly:

OH MY GOD. Patti was absolutely FABULOUS - perfectly cast. She's just unbelievable. It's one of those performances you just have to see for yourself.

The entire rest of the cast was wonderful as well - Boyd Gaines also feels perfectly cast as Herbie. And, as someone who has never been a Benanti fan, I was very impressed with her as well!

I MUST get a chance to see it again before the month is over.

Updated On: 7/10/07 at 12:37 AM

I was also there tonight.

You know, I had REALLY ridiculously high expectations for Patti Lupone. I mean, how does one live up to so much hype?

And I realize I'm now contributing so said hype, but Ms Lupone not only met, but surpassed the expectations I had. This may be called one of the finest performances in musical theater history, and it wouldn't be an overstatement.

She's fierce. She's sexy. Strong. Powerful, and ultimately incredibly vulnerable. She commands the stage with so much presence, so much electricity... I can't POSSIBLY imagine a better or more powerful performance of such an iconic character. She's THE perfect Mamma Rose.

And for those who saw her in Ravinia, in my personal opinion, she is MUCH MUCH MUCH more polished, and obviously better directed this time around. She was fantastic in Ravinia. Judging from just this first preview, this time around she's legendary.

The orchestra onstage is a WONDERFUL and extremely effective device (as someone else noted, it's intermittedly visible, or hidden). The show is beautifully directed. The scenery's effective, the lighting, the costume (Patti Lupone is less dowdy in this production than she was in Ravinia. She looks stunningly gorgeous)

Boyd Gaines is perfection, and I was VERY VERY pleasantly surprised by Laura Benati. She seamlessly pulled off her character's transformation, and I thought she was absolutely wonderful.

And the 3 strippers practically stole the show. Especially the redhead. Laugh out loud hilarious.

But, really, this production's all about Patti Lupone. And her Rose's Turn is well... chilling beyond words. That she STILL has such a commanding, powerful, strong and gorgeoys voice is a marvel. And she's so adept at finding her characers' inner strenght. Anyone who has the means to see this should, because this performance is one for the ages. I rarely say this, but I felt priviliged to have witnessed her onstage.

Someone get this woman an honorary Tony, please.

Also cut is Mama Rose doing the "Dainty June" off stage "Tinsle and Galmour" speech, which I missed.

all i have to say is.

OH MY GOD.

How was Laurents at the stage door?

I am PRAYING Sondheim will be at the press night July 14th. And will stage door. It's my dream to meet him.

Haha...Patti delivers a revolutionary performance, flubs her lines, and ALL IS LOST!

I didn't mean that, but out of anyone I would have expected absolute perfection from her. She was absolutely amazing.

How was Laurents at the stage door?

Laurent was very kind, he first walked through the crowd with little interest, but he then stopped and signed quite a number of autographs.

I am PRAYING Sondheim will be at the press night July 14th. And will stage door. It's my dream to meet him.

I didn't see him, but Sondheim was apparently in the back of the orchestra section.

Eileen

The main difference between last summer and this one?

Two words: Arthur Laurents. This man knows how to direct his Roses.