Gypsy, a story suggested by Gypsy Rose Lee's memoirs, deals mostly with her early years and her ultimate stage mother, Rose. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics and Arthur Laurents' words sparkle under the able direction of Lewis Winkenfeld. John Charron's choreography is charmingly traditional.
Rose (Mary VanArsdel) is a truly terrible stage mother, vicariously living through the successes of her two daughters and traumatically suffering through their failures. She seems to have one basic idea for her daughters' vaudeville act, just as vaudeville is going the way of the horse and buggy. As the fixated mother, VanArsdel is dynamic, blessed with a speaking voice that could quell riots and a singing voice that can shake the rafters. She is thrilling to watch.
Brunette Louise (child, Alexa Bergman; teen and adult, Sarah Ramsey Duke), eventually to become Gypsy Rose Lee, is the left-out sister. Rose favors blond June (child, Janie Escalle; teen and adult, Jill Townsend). Balancing Rose's over-the-top lifestyle, is agent/friend/lover Herbie (Jeff Austin). Austin plays a man trying to stabilize the erratic Rose. He, too, is blessed with an excellent singing voice.
The very young June and Louise open Gypsy with "Let Me Entertain You," their signature song as kid entertainers. Both are very talented, and at such a young age. Soon, though, Jill Townsend is the older June, who really can belt out a number. The elder Louise, Sarah Ramsey Duke, shares the stage with Tulsa (Justin Caster) in "All I need is the Girl." Caster is an excellent dancer. Duke, at this point, proves her acting skills. In the second act as Gypsy Rose Lee, she stars in her various strip routines and some of the fastest costume changes to be seen on stage. Rose returns in "Rose's Turn," which is certainly a show stopper.
Diane Vincent, Ria Carey, and Tracy Powell (as strippers Tessie Tura, Mazeppa, and Electra) are pure delights, each with a distinctive routine. Powel's blinking-light costume is amusing. Jennifer Edwards-Northover provides very nice show lighting, highlighting each scene. The sets by designer Mike Buckley, many on wagons, are versatile, giving just the right touch to each scene. Ambra Wakefield's costumes are outstanding. Wigs, provided by Jeff Weeks, play an essential role in the production. The orchestra, under the direction of Justin Gray, sounds much bigger than its size.
Much of Gypsy is ensemble work by a group of very dedicated young actors and actresses from the San Diego area. A not-so-young local, Ralph Johnson, is responsible for three roles. It's a joy to revisit a show we haven't seen in many years - definitely worth the drive to just north of Escondido.
