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by George Patterson
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Gypsy

With book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy, the musical comedy/drama that delineates the creation and rise of the star stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and her turbulent relationship with her dynamic stage mamma, Rose, is arguably the best American musical of the twentieth century-it's got everything. A successful production of this masterpiece, even at this late date, can assure the producer full houses. I should know.

In 1967, one year after I had been promoted from technical director to artistic director at now defunct Gallery Circle Theatre, I was fortunate to produce and direct such a succes d'estime. Of course, I was incredibly lucky in amassing a pitch-perfect cast: Margie O'Dair as Mamma Rose, Valeka Grey as Louise (who went on to star in As The World Turns for over a decade), the late great Bob Crane as Herbie, with a teenaged Becky Allen as Mazeppa in only her second show, a theatre debuting Linda Fried as Electra and the amazing ballerina Judy Blumstein Latour as Tessie Tura. A teen-aged Mary Lynn Puissegur, an accomplished toe-tapper and baton twirler, played Dainty June years before she would become Dr. Mary Lynn Lupo. My choreographer was Jack Payne; my costume designer was Harvey Hysell years before Ballet Hysell; my scenic designer was Jamie Greenleaf; and, my musical director was the late Bob Cousins. The cow costume was created by Nancy Staub (now a world famous puppeteer). We had a dog and a lamb that soon turned into a sheep (the show ran an unprecedented ten weeks). The experience still glows warmly in my memory.

Jennifer Vartanian & Chris Lusk in Gypsy

Imagine the outrageous deja vu I experienced upon arriving at the Le Petit theatre box office to retrieve my tickets for this, the theatre's second production in only 15 years, to see prominently displayed the poster from my long-ago production: the letters of "gypsy" forming full lips beside which is a full length photo of Valeka Grey in all her Hysell finery. The lips logo was even reproduced on the program. This poster, like so many from those Gallery Circle days, was designed, gratis, by the Harry Mayronne, Sr. Advertising Agency. Only Arthur Tong, Le Petit's 75 year young house manager, and I still possess those posters. Ah, salad days...

Which brings us to Le Petit's current version of Gypsy, the final production of this, the final season B.B.-Before Borey, as in Sonny Borey, the newly appointed "Executive/Artistic Director."

There is, however, a connection to Mr. Borey in this production and he is the director, Bill Walker, who has been the theatre's technical director for two years-ever since he was originally brought to the theatre by Mr. Borey. Mr. Walker is making his directorial debut with this production.

With a minuscule budget and an organization embroiled in intrigue, Mr. Walker was at an extreme disadvantage and, unfortunately, it shows in almost every department, from unfinished scenery to a torn house curtain, from a small sextet led by conductor Leonard Raybon (instead of Le Petit's vaunted orchestra from days of yore) to Gypsy's sedate costumes (uncredited-unless "designed and directed" means Mr. Walker did it all).

The neophyte director had better luck in the casting department even though he had to replace his Mamma Rose only nine days before opening. Chris Lusk, the replacement, although too young for the role, nevertheless pulls off the difficult assignment with panache. She possesses enough decibels in the vocal department to do the role proud and her dramatic scenes are right on the money. Of course, she receives valuable help from handsome Houston Chase Waites as the loyal Herbie whose love for her is palpable, and the truly beautiful Jennifer Vartanian as the ugly duckling turned swan Louise, aka Gypsy Rose Lee, who, if given a better production would have surely shown as brightly as Valeka Grey ever did. Ms. Lusk and Ms. Vartanian bring this troubled production to dynamic closure in the last, and arguably the best, scene-indeed, Ms. Lusk's reading of "Rose's Turn", the soliloquy that sums up the evening's action in a scorching aria to self-preservation and ego mania belies all that has gone before. She's definitely got the chops.

Ms. Vartanian possesses a lovely voice but being saddled with singing "Little Lamb" to a stuffed toy, and unfamiliarity with the set (she walks through imaginary walls instead of using the door frames), her potential is never fully realized, especially in the ineffectual transition sequence that sees her rise from scared stripper stand-in to confident burlesque queen.

Sean Richmond as Tulsa, one of the boys in the vaudeville act who elopes with Danty June (Katie Guell) thus forcing Rose to turn to the drab Louise, acquits himself admirably in his solo turn "All I Need Is The Girl."

As the trio of strippers who usually stop the show with their second act strip lesson, "You Gotta Have A Gimmick", Dena Rispone's Mazeppa gives Becky Allen a run for the money. Her trumpet gimmick works like a charm; likewise, the Electra of Cindy Huber McCrossen whose costume's lights shine as brightly as her Helen Kane vocals. It is the floor-bound Tessie Tura of Amanda Fawcett that undercuts the song's lyrics-she has no gimmick-no toe shoes-no "finesse." The song is flatfooted, doesn't build and certainly doesn't deserve the encore written into the score.

Mr. Walker is to be commended for taking the heat and giving the theatre's subscribers what they were promised, even if it wasn't directed by Ricky Graham nor did it star Becky Allen, also promised.

Now he can return to the wings and concentrate on becoming a professional technical director who is able to deliver in a timely fashion for his mentor, Sonny Borey, who will open the 98'-'99 season with 42nd Street, Sept. 18 - Oct. 4, to be followed by: Hay Fever directed by Ken Risch, Oct. 30 - Nov. 15; The Innocents directed by Janet Shea, Jan. 15- Jan. 31, 1999; Ma Rainey's Black Bottom directed by Tommye Myrick Mar. 5 - Mar. 21, 1999; and, City Of Angels directed by Sonny Borey, May 21 - June 6, 1999. By then, this Gypsy, like my Gypsy, will be nothing but a memory.

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