Here she is, world!
Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald—back on Broadway in the Mount Everest of musical theatre roles: Rose in the revival of the Arthur Laurents-Jule Styne-Stephen Sondheim musical Gypsy—recently spoke with Mo Rocca on CBS Sunday Morning.
McDonald was joined by her Tony-winning director, George C. Wolfe, for the segment on the morning program. About the role, originally created by Ethel Merman (and subsequently played on Broadway by Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Linda Lavin, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone), McDonald says, "It's a high gear the entire time, and instead of someone sweeping me up in the tornado, I'm the tornado!"
Director Wolfe says the characters in Gypsy are "people living with not enough—not enough money, not enough space, not enough love, not enough approval, not enough success, and it becomes this dynamic of people wanting that thing, desperately wanting that thing that is just beyond their reach."
The TV segment, which also includes an interview with theatre expert Erick Neher, also gives viewers a sneak peek at McDonald's performance, including snippets from "Some People" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses." Watch the complete interview in the video above.
The revival, currently in previews, will officially open December 19 at the newly renovated Majestic Theatre.
Along with McDonald, the cast is led by Tony winner Danny Burstein as Herbie and Joy Woods as Louise, with the company also including Jordan Tyson as June, Kevin Csolak as Tulsa, Lesli Margherita as Tessie Tura, Lili Thomas as Miss Mazeppa, Mylinda Hull as Miss Electra, Jacob Ming-Trent as Uncle Jocko, Kyleigh Denae Vickers as Baby Louise, and Marley Lianne Gomes and Jade Smith as Baby June. Tryphena Wade is the standby for Rose.
The ensemble features Jace Bently, Brandon Burks, Hunter Capellán,
Tony d’Alelio, Summer Rae Daney, Kellie Jean Hoagland, Aliah James,
Brittney Johnson, Zachary Daniel Jones, Ethan Joseph, Andrew Kober,
Krystal Mackie, James McMenamin, Majo Rivero, Sally Shaw, Brendan
Sheehan, Thomas Silcott, and Jayden Theophile. Swings Shanel Bailey,
Sasha Hutchings, Cole Newburg, Joe Osheroff, Ken Robinson, Jordan Wynn,
and Iain Young round out the company. Casting is by Jordan Thaler and
Heidi Griffiths.
Gypsy, based on the mostly fictional memoir of famed burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, features a book by Laurents and songs with music by Styne and lyrics by Sondheim. In addition to the Broadway productions, the work has been filmed three times: a 1962 feature film starring Rosalind Russell, a 1993 TV film starring Bette Midler, and a filmed stage performance of a 2015 London revival starring Imelda Staunton.
Wolfe's creative team includes choreographer Camille A. Brown; music director and supervisor Andy Einhorn, who's also penned additional arrangements; scenic designer Santo Loquasto; costume designer Toni-Leslie James; lighting designers Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer; sound designer Scott Lehrer; hair and wig designer Mia Neal; and makeup designer Michael Clifton. Orchestrations are by Sid Ramin and Robert Ginzler, with dance music arrangements by John Kander, and additional orchestrations and arrangements by Daryl Waters. Rick Steiger is production stage manager.
Audra McDonald
Danny Burstein
Joy Woods, Danny Burstein, Audra McDonald, and Jordan Tyson
Jordan Tyson
Joy Woods
