photo courtesy of Town Theatre
Mama Rose, the iconic heart of Stephen Sondheim’s second musical, has been called the King Lear of American musical theatre. Both characters appear to commit the egregious sin of making their relationship with their daughters all about themselves. It has even been argued that Rose is darker because she demands more than obsequious flattery. She expects her girls to adopt her unrealized ambition and indomitable spirit as their own. But we must remember two things. One, even selfish love is love. And two, Lear had a kingdom to leave his daughters. Rose has nothing in an ever-shrinking world. After all, Vaudeville is dead. She has naught to give her girls except her drive and unvanquishable spirit. This truth makes her a character of agonizing complexity that we love because we feel and share her desperation even while we might quietly despair at some of her choices.
In Town Theatre’s Gypsy, directed by Jerry Crouch, Shannon Scruggs lays bare the swirling conflict of this character with sensitive specificity in a performance that is the central pillar of a lovely, heartfelt production. From her first line, her energy dominates the stage just as Mama Rose would demand. We see her deny her insecurities, insist upon attention, and struggle to provide her family with love, all while trying desperately to keep moving forward. Her voice is beautiful and her songs are not only moving, but they also remain connected to and driven by her character through every word, even when Rose steps out of herself and into her fantasy life in her soaring finale. The energy Scruggs brings to her performance never falters.
Crouch has directed a tight, well-paced show and the cast is very solid even to the smallest part. The show opens on the stage of Uncle Jocko, smartly played by Chris Matney, who also plays two other character roles. Those familiar with the film version of 1996 recognize that the production has chosen to emulate the style of that film. Dell Goodrich designed colorful vibrant costumes that went very far toward helping the director accomplish that goal. Bob Bramhall and Jeremy Hansard designed and constructed a set that perfects that endeavor, with stunning builds, particularly the show business lights.
Hayle Berry and Ashton Boland play Rose’s daughters, June and Louise, respectively. They are committed and convincing, but Boland’s performance explodes when Louise begins to undergo her transformation into Gypsy Rose Lee. Her final number is charged with emotion and humor as we celebrate her growing sense of self and laugh at the speed with which she acquires that new awareness.
Joel Yarborough plays Herbie aptly as he evolves over the course of the story from an essential tool in Mama Rose’s ambition to someone she loves even though she cannot choose the path to make him happy. Herbie has his own expansion of self-awareness when he realizes that while he expects to be second to her daughters, he cannot bring himself to come second to Rose’s ambition.
Michael Simmons is the Music Director and did a fine job with a talented band. The music pushed the pace of the drama and made scene changes smoother by filling gaps in action. Joy Alexander choreographed the story elegantly and fluidly. The lighting design by Jeremy Hansard seemed to flow perfectly with very nice effects, although there were a few scenes mid-stage where this reviewer had trouble seeing faces and wondered if one of the lighting instruments in those cues might have been out. Live theatre always has fresh challenges.
The entire production team has come together to create a very well-paced show. We would like to congratulate the entire cast and crew. We would gladly celebrate each of you by name, but there are so many of you, this review would become ponderous (if we haven’t struck that mark already).
This reviewer recommends this show highly, not just because of the quality of the production or because it is Sondheim, but because this is an appropriate moment in history to see it. Our world is changing as rapidly as Mama Rose’s. Desperation is becoming so common that even if we don’t feel it ourselves, it touches our lives. The driving forces of this story and particularly the dark striving heart of the central character, resonates in our daily struggles. The immortal Nina Simone charged us with a duty when she said “the work of the artist must reflect the times in which she lives.” This play was a timely choice for this season. Well done, Town Theatre.
