Review - GYPSY - 7/20/07

Gypsy

NY City Center

Friday July 20, 2007 – 8:00 pm

I will admit to being a very bad theater lover. I had no real idea about Gypsy or Patti Lupone until about two weeks or so before I saw this. Yes, I am hanging my head in shame. I finally sat down and watched the original movie and fell in love. The songs, plot, performances were captivating. Then I heard all the hype and reviews regarding this performance, and really got psyched!

I went with a group of friends, and was surprised to find out that I had second row center orchestra seats. It was indescribable. Patti is just a force to be reckoned with. From the moment she entered the theatre the crowd went nuts, and pretty much never stopped!! She just controlled the stage with ease and grace. You could tell she was enjoying being Rose. Boyd Gaines stole my love in Journey’s End, and kept it going. He was great as Herbie. Patti and he had fabulous chemistry in their roles. Laura Benanti was hard to get into at first, but by the second act she had the audience eating out of her hand. I know people have had issues with past performances of hers, but she really nailed this role. And what a gorgeous body!!

The show stealer for me was Leigh Ann Larkin as Dainty June. She had a phenomenal voice that just blew me away. I still have her and Laura’s “If Momma Was Married” going through my head. The playbill said this was her broadway debut, but I am confident this won’t be the last we see of her. At least I hope not. Tony Yazbeck showed off his impeccable dancing in “All I Need Is the Girl”. Nancy Opel, Alison Fraser, and Marilyn Caskey were hilarious as the strippers, they really nailed their scenes.

Patti got a huge standing ovation after “Roses Turn”, but it was like you didn’t have any control. It was so intense that your body just reacted and shot up to cheer! She had to come out a few times at the curtain call because the audience would just not stop.

I have officially been turned on to this show. I have all of the cast recordings and have listened to all of the interpretations! I’m in love!