Gypsy last night

I was offered a ticket to the show last night for my 3rd time. I am sad to report that they closed the entire balcony and 25 people were in the mezz. The orchestra wasn't filled too well either. Everyone was in but Tulsa and Agnes. I really liked Alicia Sable as Agnes. I felt she was much more suited for the part because she was young and naive. The strippers were in top form as always. Just hilarious. I thought the Tulsa u/s was okay. He did his job for me! Patti and Boyd were always brilliant and I really don't know how she does it every single night. Laura was great but at times she seemed a little bored as did LeAnne. I really don't care for LeAnne's Dainty June still. I just think she plays the role like a 50 year old women would play June if she were doing it in Forbidden Broadway. There were times in the evening where I thought a lot of the cast really just wanted to go home but mainly, I was thrilled to be in attendance. The Overture still gets me everytime :) that is my 2 cents. Thanks!

Updated On: 11/21/08 at 09:50 AM

The women sitting next to me at Billy Elliot last night told me that they closed off the balcony a few nights ago too. :-/

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Oh, I just wanted to add that Laura's Louise I think, is supposed to kind of look bored. I think the charater is supposed to be portrayed as one that just "goes with the flow" and lacks ambition.

I didn't care too much about this June either...she just comes off as too snobbish and conceited, but then again that's what the charater calls for - but I sympathized more with 2003's broadway Gypsy's June - forgot the actress' name...

Well they let us move down. I was supposed to have a bad seat in the mezz hahah and they moved all of us to the first and 2nd row of the mezz which was amazing and so KIND of them. I am not sure the fellas name who played Tulsa as I lost my slip on the floor of the theatre. He was pretty pretty good for a cover. It's just that I remember Laura being more into it early on in the run.

Tony is doing On the Town at Encores this week.

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How has the stage door been? Does anyone come out since the weather has been freezing?

I caught the show last week and had very mixed feelings. Way too many people had way too sloppy diction: I simply could not understand a word of the conversation between Tessie Tura and that burlesque comic. Likewise the drunken Electra, terribly sloppy.

As for Ms. Lupone, well what can I say. When she remembered that the noises she was making were supposed to be WORDS and that those WORDS were supposed to actually mean something, she was terrific. Way too many lines were just kind of tossed off and slurred together. She managed to rise to the occasion for Rose's Turn and Some People, and she started Everything's Coming Up Roses very well but soon slid into slurry incomprehensibility. She seems kind of bored, there were some moments where she seems to be doing strange unexpected things just to vary the monotony.

I thought Laura Benanti was terrific, as was Boyd Gaines. I wasn't crazy about the production at all. That stupid stunt with the Taymoresque lamb, I mean really. I thought the production itself looked downright bargain basement, and wasn't impressed with the darker than usual vibe of the show. Grimmer isn't necessarily better.

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Updated On: 11/21/08 at 01:51 PM

"but I sympathized more with 2003's broadway Gypsy's June - forgot the actress' name..."

You are thinking of Kate Reinders.

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"well wasn't it true that during the Bernadette revival she took a huge pay cut to keep the show running ? "

Towards the end of the run? Really, hmm...I think that does sound familiar. I think that might have read that too, you might be right. But, still, if it was getting bad reviews (supposedly, I guess), people still went to the show and it did last a year....But, is the the norm for the principles to do that, take pay cuts? I mean, wouldn't it be wiser to just move on to a next project? But, if you're like me & love the principle actor(ress) in any show, I'd much prefer as long of a run as possible...

The show hasn't been doing very good business very often in its run. The balcony is closed off frequently and the mezz is a hit or miss as far as attendance goes.

As for closing the show before March 1, I really don't see that happening.

Yes, Bernadette did take a paycut during Gypsy from what I remember.

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See, but I purposely bought a ticket in the first row of the balcony because I did not want to sit behind people. I will actually be annoyed if they don't allow me to sit in the seat I purchased.

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No clue at all who the Tulsa understudy was last night? I know one of the guys who covers that track and I'm wondering if he went on. His name is Pearce Wegener, if that rings a bell. You can't remember at all?