Opening Night at Gypsy!

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 10:39pm

Just got home. First of all, the important stuff - who was in the audience. Sondheim, Barbara Cook, Victor Garber, and Michael Cerveris.

I have to say that I came into this with high expectations, and they were exceeded. I'll get to Lupone later, but for me the revelations were the rest of the cast. I am not a huge fan of Laura Benanti, and I was a little disappointed when I heard she was cast as Louise. However, she was absolutely terrific. For me, Little Lamb went from being a throwaway song to a truly moving number. She more than held her own in the scenes, and got the biggest laugh of the night in the dressing room scene when Rose told her she had had ANOTHER dream.

Boyd Gaines was (by far) the best Herbie I've ever seen. His chemistry with Lupone was terrific, and he has impeccable timing.

Leigh Ann Larkin was interesting as Dainty June. I don't know if she was selected for this, or if she directed like this, or if it was my imagination, but I really saw her as Lupone's Rose's daughter. Don't know if that makes sense, but that's how it struck me.

Emma Rowley was amazing, making he pro debut as Baby June. She has an incredible future in front of her.

The strippers were just about perfect. particulary Alison Fraser's delivery of Tessie's lines. Marilyn Caskey got huge laughs as Electra.

Now, for the things I wasn't crazy about, which are few and probably nitpicky. I didn't like the staging for You'll Never Get Away From Me. I thought it was the weakest number in the show. Also, I thought the dialogue scene between June and Louise before If Mama Was Married was pretty weak.

Now, for Lupone. I must admit I am not as big a fan of hers as many other posters on this board. But, I was won over early and often. I could nitpick about some little things, but overall she was amazing, particularly in the big numbers.

Gypsy is one of my most favorite shows, and I was deeply disappointed in the recent revival with Peters. I'll try to avoid trying to 'rank' all the Roses I've had the pleasure of seeing, but Lupone's performance stands on its own and doesn't deserve to be compared to any before or after.

There's been much speculation as to the future of this production. I only hope it can be kept as intact as possible and can find a home in London or on Broadway so it can be seen by more people.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 10:43pm

Little Lamb was never a "throwaway number." It has a very specific purpose. Like every other line, movement, and lyric in that show, it's important and has meaning.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 10:47pm

Poor choice of words. Let me try to rephrase. Typically, Little Lamb isn't one of the songs I usually talk about when walking out of a production of Gypsy. Tonight, it was.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 10:48pm

Okay, that's more than fair.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 10:54pm

The audience reaction was the same on Monday night when Rose told Louise in the dressing room that she had another dream. Benanti was absolutely fantastic. This role gave her such opportunity to expand her acting chops, and Laurents made sure she followed through and surpassed everyone's pre-conceived notions of what/who Louise should be.

LuPone, Gaines, and Benanti all cut these roles out from their own slates and as a result created fresh representations of these human beings we thought we already knew from the inside out.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 10:55pm

Loved Benanti - she was SOOOOOO good !!!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 10:56pm

The only people who have ever truly known those roles inside out are those who have written, directed, choreographed, and played them as directed by Arthur Laurents.

[ben1986]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:10pm

That's great to here, though I thought opening night was on the 14th, that what it says on nytimes.com? I am wrong? Also was anything said at the curtain call?

[D2]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:25pm

I.LOVED.IT.

And while, for me, LuPone was terrific, that was expected. As was Boyd Gaines. The revelation for me tonight was Benanti. She was a surprisingly perfect choice for the part and she pulled it off, no pun intended, beautifully. And Leigh Ann Larkin's Dainty June had an interesting take - she is the first June I've ever seen who actually did look 19 and played it that way, and more so than any other performer in the role actually had June Havoc's deep voice and measured way of speaking down pat.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:29pm

"Also was anything said at the curtain call?"

Sondheim and Laurents came out at the curtain call, but no one spoke.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:38pm

Amazing night. I've never seen or heard GYPSY before (except for the obligatory "Everything's Coming Up Roses"), but I thought the story was fantastic and solid and I loved it. I felt the story definitely got better towards the end. I was so surprised with the acting chops of Laura Benanti.

I thought Patti was great in the role, but it really hit during "Rose's Turn". I remember being awed during it, and I definitely popped up to give her a standing O.

[logan0215]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:43pm

Nothing said, but the 3rd encore bow with LuPone became full cast as she called them out and briefly after Laurents and Sondheim appeared on stage.

Tonight was magical

I saw the show on Monday and each time had its strengths and the repeat viewing has helped me notice more and more (this being my first time seeing GYPSY).

The scene after Rose's Turn and the reconcilliation as Rose saunters off stage but then pauses briefly to look at the non-fully lit ROSE sign struck a particular chord with me tonight and made me misty!

I could write chapters about these 2 performances but here's the skinny:

As I've said in other threads, Patti O W N S!

Benanti surprised me, honestly. I was not a fan of her in TWS as I thought the show (and possibly she or her character) had no heart to it. Her acting was wonderful in this and she seems to have settled into the role even more since Monday (not playing Young Louise as overtly goofy, but actually being goofy). Its sad though because the "Let Me Entertain You" scenes stand out as a lull to me in both performances. She has mastered Young Louise and certainly holds her own in the magnificent fight leading up to "Rose's Turn" but fizzles in the strip scenes in my opinion...

Boyd's acting was superb and his smooth voice was actually surprising coming from someone I'd have pinned as having a different vocal quality. The moment where he leaves is amazing.

I loved Leigh Ann Larkin. Her voice is really shown off beautifully in "If Momma Was Married" and her and Benanti's harmonies were probably the most gorgeous I've heard of the combos (after amazon-ing them all today).

The young cast was fabulous, especially Baby June who (unfortunately from Rear Mezz. P you couldn't see) was so wonderful on her feet (and tippy toes!). She even seemed to change a bit since Monday wherein she seemed to be forcing the cute more (which is a good thing I believe, as she is being forced by her mother to be that way).

Tony is sex on a platter. Period.

Nancy Opel was great as Cratchet but should have not doubled with the stripper role as her interpretation was nothing to write home about.

Marilyn and Alison were wonderful, and after researching I was surprised to realize I had seen Marilyn in Phantom and that she'd interpreted this role in such a non-showy (vocal-wise) way. Alison would be an amazing "Kitty" replacement in Drowsy.

So many amazing moments in between tonight and Monday. I can't wait to go back the 24th (although I admit that I may splurge on $20 tickets again before then).

I do have to note that I was surprised about how rude the audience was in the Rear Mezz. People keep writing about how people don't know how to attend the theater like the old days, but it was in fact all the old folks who were terrible!

I was also not impressed with the staff @ CC as they were seating people who were clearly too old to walk far distances and actually hassling seated people to their proper seats mid-scene! All this while there was an entire empty section directly behind the late-comers designated seats they could have placed them in!

I really wish it were like Vegas where late-comers are at the discretion of the house staff, meaning that if the orchestra cues up and I take two empty front row seats, when the owners of those seats show up (late), they are placed wherever space is available.

Also, the seats are so heavily spring-loaded that each person standing up (and that was frequent with these old farts) sounded like Bombs on Nagasaki when reverberating off the Grand Tier above.

Great show, but I'd suggest keeping away from any seats that incorporate being under the overhang (that include Orchestra past L & Mezz past H I believe) Updated On: 7/13/07 at 11:43 PM

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:48pm

Quick question, how long does the show run?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:52pm

It was 2 hours and 50 minutes on Monday.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 7/12/07 at 11:57pm

I think it was the same today. The show started a bit late and ended about 9:25.

[logan0215]

Posted: 7/13/07 at 12:44am

In case anyone was wondering:

Patti's "Rose's Turn" (Thunderous) Ovation lasted exactly 1 full minute.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 7/13/07 at 11:47am

Seemed like it could have went on forever !!!

And deservedly so !!!! I havent stopped talking about Lupone yet this morning at work !! Simply incredible !!

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/13/07 at 11:49am

Just got my ticket for tomorrow night!! So psyched!!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 7/13/07 at 12:27pm

Jordan,

ENJOY !!!!! Best show I have seen this year !

Got another tic for 7/23 !!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 2:02am

The only people who have ever truly known those roles inside out are those who have written, directed, choreographed, and played them as directed by Arthur Laurents.

Now we know where Rath is. In HIDING after making what might be one of the most idiotic, nonsensical statements ever written on this board. What does that even mean? How could these people have "written, directed, choreographed and played" these roles?

Oh, and Merman might just disagree with whatever you were trying to say.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 2:09am

^ And the point of bumping this thread was...

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 9:51am

Let's see, wonderfulwizard. I have not had a lot of time to read all the threads about Gypsy. I was finally getting caught up and this particular post jumped out at me. So I responded. Got a problem with that?
Can YOU explain what the point of that post is?

[logan0215]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:30am

To bump my review, because I posted it in the only GYPSY thread that wasn't bumped 30 times. :)