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Curtain Down: LuPone Gypsy Ends Run at Broadway's St. James Jan. 11
By Andrew Gans
11 Jan 2009
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Gypsy stars Patti LuPone, Boyd Gaines and Laura Benanti
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| photo by Joan Marcus | The acclaimed revival of Gypsy — which won Tony Awards for its three stars, Patti LuPone, Boyd Gaines and Laura Benanti — ends its run at the St. James Theatre Jan. 11 at 3 PM.
When it closes, the production will have played a total of 27 previews and 332 regular performances.
The musical, directed by its librettist, two-time Tony winner Arthur Laurents, had been scheduled to close March 1 at the conclusion of LuPone's contract. In a recent statement producer Roger Berlind said, "Though we originally announced that Gypsy would play its final performance on March 1, 2009, due to these uncertain financial times my partners and I have made the difficult decision to close instead on January 11, 2009."
The production, however, was a personal triumph for LuPone, who many thought would never get the chance to star in a Broadway production of Gypsy given a now-resolved argument with director/librettist Laurents and the fact that Gypsy had already been revived on Broadway for Tony-winning actresses Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters. However, a triumphant weekend run of Gypsy at the Ravinia Festival in Illinois led to a lengthier run at New York's City Center — the first production in the Encores! Summer Stars series, in 2007 — and eventually the Broadway mounting, which began previews at the St. James March 3, 2008, with an official opening March 27, 2008.
For her performance as Rose in Gypsy, LuPone went on to the Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award.
LuPone, Gaines and Benanti are joined onstage in Gypsy by Leigh Ann Larkin as Dainty June, Tony Yazbeck as Tulsa, Marilyn Caskey as Electra, Alison Fraser as Tessie, and Lenora Nemetz as Mazeppa with Bill Bateman as Mr. Goldstone, Jim Bracchitta as Uncle Jocko, Sami Gayle as Baby June, Bill Raymond as Pop, Brian Reddy as Weber and Emma Rowley as Baby Louise.
The company also includes Beckley Andrews, Andrew Boyer, Nancy Renée Braun, Jacob Clemente, Kyrian Friedenberg, Matt Gibson, Sarah Marie Hicks, Steve Konopelski, Matthew Lobenhofer, Nicole Mangi, Matty Price, Lisa Rohinsky, Jaclyn Taylor Ruggiero, Jessica Rush, Alicia Sable, John Scacchetti, Geo Seery, Rider Quentin Stanton, Dorothy Stanley, Pearce Wegener and Emma Zacks.
Gypsy features scenic design by James Youmans, costumes by Tony Award winner Martin Pakledinaz, lighting by
Tony Award winner Howell Binkley, hair by Tony Award
winner Paul Huntley and sound design by Dan Moses Schreier.
Gypsy was produced on Broadway by Roger Berlind, The Routh - Frankel - Baruch - Viertel Group, Roy Furman, Debra Black, Ted Hartley, Roger Horchow, David Ian, Scott Rudin and
Jack Viertel
The Encores! Summer Stars production of Gypsy played New York City Center July 9-29, 2007. It opened July 14.
The Broadway production of Gypsy won three 2008 Tony Awards: for stars LuPone, Benanti and Gaines.
Gypsy features a score by Jule Styne (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and a book by Laurents. The musical bowed on Broadway in May 1959 at the Broadway Theatre, playing 702 performances before closing at the Imperial Theatre, where it later transferred, on March 25, 1961. Ethel Merman created the role of Rose in the original production; subsequent Broadway Roses include Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters (as well as Linda Lavin, who took over for Daly). Merman and Peters were Tony-nominated for their performances; Lansbury and Daly won the coveted award.
The St. James Theatre is located in Manhattan at 246 West 44th Street. Tickets are available by calling (212) 239-6200 or by visiting www.telecharge.com.
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