| |
|
biography |
page 2
When all the press had arrived and assembled their cameras, the
artistic director of The audience was treated to six numbers from the musical. First up were the Newsboys, who introduced Dainty June, played by Alexandra Kiesman, who delighted the audience with her singing, dancing and acrobatic skills. A hard act to follow, director Waldrop commented, but "if anyone can follow it, it's our Mama Rose, Betty Buckley." And, follow it, she did. Buckley performed an electric, thrilling rendition of Rose's first song, "Some People"; her voice is so intensely powerful and rich that even without the benefit of a microphone, it just knocks you out. Without costumes, make-up, a set or proper lighting, Buckley's delivery is still extremely focused and concentrated: When she hollered to her father, "Then I'll get it somewhere else! but I'll get it, and I'll get my kids out," it was riveting, and her sound was so exciting on the lyric "Goodbye to blueberry pie" that I can hardly imagine how wonderful it will sound in the theatre. Laura Bell Bundy, the former Ruthless! star, and Deborah Gibson followed with a well-sung "If Momma Was Married," and then Buckley returned for a duet with Lenny Wolpe, who plays her love interest Herbie. The two delighted the listeners with a sweet rendition of "You'll Never Get Away from Me," oneof the more tender moments of the show. Deborah Gibson reappeared as the reinvented Louise, Gypsy Rose Lee, teasing the audience with a bit of her strip act and a belty take on the final verse of "Let Me Entertain You." Director Waldrop then announced, "There's one more song that we knew everyone would feel not satisfied without hearing," so Buckley returned to perform Gypsy's Act I closing number, 'Everything's Coming Up Roses.'" It was another expertly shaded, sensational turn from the star of the show. I particularly loved the way she altered -- just slightly -- the melody on "there's the bell, follow me," and when she belted the line, "and nothing's gonna stop us till we're through" it was a feast for the senses. After the performances, the press was allowed time to speak with some of the cast members, and, of course, I chose to speak with the two leading ladies, Buckley and Gibson, who both agreed that the rehearsal period for the Paper Mill production is unusually short. "It's only two-and-a-half weeks," said Buckley, adding with a laugh, "which is ridiculous! I'm very spoiled because, in terms of Broadway, they give us six to eight weeks of rehearsal, which is what it should be. But in regional theatre you learn things very fast." And Gibson concurred: "It's really quick, but Gypsy is one of the best-written shows, so it's kind of like, 'just add water,' and the show will come together. And, Betty and I are so into our characters, I think it will come together." Although the two actresses have never worked together previously, they do study with the same voice teacher. "I've bumped into Betty going in and out [of lessons]," said Gibson, "and I had a really lengthy conversation with her at the High Society opening party. We happened to sit next to each other, and we just hit it off so well. We're both excited to be working with each other." Gibson recently finished her Broadway run as Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast and discovered the title role in Gypsy was hers just one day after her Beauty stint concluded. It's a bit of a leap going from the sweet and innocent Belle to the strip-teasing Gypsy Rose Lee, but Gibson explained the transformation is a two-step process. "First I go from Belle to Louise, which isn't that bad. And then I go from Louise to Gypsy Rose Lee in the course of the show, so it's kind of all connected. I definitely get to show my sassy side!" When asked whether she is worried about performing the striptease in the second act of the musical, Gibson chuckled and said, "Betty keeps saying to me, 'I'm worried about you because you're too into this striptease!' It's my chance to do what I do, in the sense that I get to work an audience, which you never get todo in a Broadway show unless your Fanny Brice or Gypsy Rose Lee. I really enjoy it, and at 28 I'm more than comfortable with my sensual or sexual side."
|
the Paper Mill Playhouse, Robert Johanson,
thanked everyone for coming and related an anecdote about performing
as Tulsa in a college production of Gypsy, his first association with the musical. "At the opening performance,
about 15 minutes into the show, right after 'Some People,'" Johanson
said, "there was a power failure that went on for about 20 minutes.
Then the power came back on, and we went on with the show. We
found out the next morning that at exactly the time [of our power
failure], Gypsy Rose Lee had died. I've never forgotten it, and
I've always wanted us to be able to do this show at Paper Mill.
It really takes the right cast and the right creative people to
do it properly, and I think we have assembled those people." Johanson
then introduced the director of the Paper Mill company, Mark Waldrop,
the lyricist and director of the recent Off-Broadway hit, When Pigs Fly. Waldrop spoke briefly, saying, "I think we've assembled an extraordinary
cast. I consider Gypsy to be the best musical ever written. And, as I've worked on the
show and gotten deeper into it, it's only made me more convinced
that it's as fresh today as it was 40 years ago."