The Musical Fable “Gypsy” is already wowing audiences and critics alike at Theatre 29. The show, called “The greatest American Musical” opened March 8 for a five week run weekends through April 6th. The first two performances saw sold-out audiences jumping to their feet for spontaneous standing ovations.
Set in the late 1920’s, “Gypsy” is based on the memoirs of famed burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. It tells the story of her ambitious and driven stage mother Mama Rose as she tries every trick in the book to further her daughter June’s stage career. The play follows their ups and downs as they travel around the country pursuing their vaudeville dreams, even as the “talkies and burlesque are causing the death of vaudeville.” A surprise ending brings us to the beginning of Lee’s burlesque career.
The Musical, directed by Gary Daigneault with musical direction by Ed Will and Choreography by Mandi Pushkar, features familiar favorite Broadway hits such as, “Let Me Entertain You,” “Some People,” “You’ll Never Get Away from Me,” “If Momma Was Married,” “All I Need Is the Girl,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “You Gotta Get A Gimmick” and “Together Wherever We Go.”
A relative newcomer to the Morongo Basin stage, Analisa Pilecki, brings a high level of performance talent to the lead role of Mama Rose with a nuanced representation of the “ultimate stage mother” and a powerful voice that brings new life to Jule Styne’s music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics. Pilecki studied Musical Theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and worked off-Broadway in New York City. This is her second show at Theatre 29, having been previously seen in last years “Anne of Green Gables”.
“Gypsy” will run through April 6. Performances are at 7:00 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. A Sunday Matinee will be offered at 2:30 pm on March 24th. “Gypsy” has some mature themes and is not recommended for children under 12. Tickets for “Gypsy” are $8 to $12 and are available online at <http://www.theatre29.org/>www.theatre29.org or by calling the Theatre 29 Box Office at 760-361-4151.
