Review: Gypsy

Curtain up, light the lights—Gypsy is back. Again. 

Revived on Broadway almost every fifteen years starring the biggest female belter at the time, New York audiences are no strangers to Gypsy. However, this most recent production seemed to promise something different—but it didn’t deliver. 

Audra McDonald, a six-time Tony Award winner, makes history as the first woman of color to play Rose, one of the most revered roles in musical theatre history. Directed by George C. Wolfe—another historic first—there was plenty of potential to make this a different and more meaningful revival. By casting the ever-charming Danny Burstein as Herbie, their first interaction could have been seen in a whole new light without touching the script. Deeper explorations could have been made into influence and racial and gender power dynamics, but unfortunately, the scenes felt safely traditional—the same way they have for over sixty years. 

Audra McDonald in Gypsy

There’s no denying McDonald’s star power, and that is most apparent during the book scenes. She delivers an acting masterclass, portraying Rose’s commanding determination and bringing fierce clarity and intensity to every scene. Still, McDonald’s strengths don’t entirely align with the role’s vocal demands. She is known for her clear, classical voice, which, historically, is not how Rose has been sung. Rose has traditionally been a big, brassy belter, and while McDonald had some incredible vocal standout moments of the show, especially her breakdown in “Rose’s Turn,” there were other places where she was forced to flip into her head voice in order to hit some notes, diminishing the power of some of the Rose’s most famous notes. Even so, McDonald’s commanding presence and interpretive choices reaffirm her status as Broadway’s most decorated performer.

Burstein’s Herbie offers a traditional take—charming, understated, and ultimately heartbreaking. Though inevitably overshadowed by the flashier characters of Rose and Louise, Herbie is the emotional center of the show. His unwavering devotion to Rose and her daughters is rendered with such sincerity that, by the end, Burstein’s initial quiet radiance makes Herbie’s heartbreak all the more devastating. 

As Louise, established star Joy Woods lacked the charisma needed for Louise’s transformation. Though Louise comes into focus in Act II, Woods doesn’t command the spotlight, never fully embracing the transformation which makes it hard to believe the star that Louise is meant to be. She lacked the spark that the role requires, resulting in a flat and disengaging performance. On the contrary, Jordan Tyson’s June was electric. She brought out June’s childish and high-voltage energy, and was perhaps the biggest highlight of the show.

Company of Gypsy

“You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” one of the most beloved songs of the show, performed hilariously by the three strippers, was certainly a highlight. Lesli Margherita, Lili Thomas, and Mylinda Hull delivered the number with full commitment, making them true standouts in their short time onstage. Before the song, Margherita’s Tessie Tura shoulders most of the setup with brassy charm and razor-sharp timing, setting the tone with just the right blend of grit and glamour which she carries into the song, led by Thomas as Miss Mazeppa. Rounded out by Hull’s deadpan humor, the strippers briefly inject life into a show that, by that point, has started to lose momentum, giving the audience a brief moment to laugh. The large ensemble, though underused, executed Camille A. Brown’s intricate choreography with sharp precision. Kevin Csolak’s solo as Tulsa, ‘All I Need Is the Girl,’ is a highlight—an exuberant, nearly three-minute dance break that earned some of the loudest applause of the night. 

Gypsy at the Majestic Theatre

Behind the cast, the design choices made for this production felt beneath the scale expected of this revival. Although the lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer was fantastic, Santo Losquato’s sets were, in a word, disappointing. Small and underwhelming, they did not match the level of grandeur associated with any production of Gypsy, and especially this one. However, what does not disappoint is the orchestra. Restoring the original 26-piece orchestrations, music director Andy Einhorn leads the largest orchestra of the season. Their full, lush sound brings the grandeur the physical design lacks.

As the first new production to play the Majestic Theatre since Phantom in 1987, this revival certainly has a presence—and it hits many of the expected high notes. But for all its musical and visual polish and status, the material itself feels dated. The pacing sags considerably between “Together Wherever We Go” and “Rose’s Turn”—with the exception of the welcome jolt from “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” but those issues could not be fixed by this production. While this show is certainly a staple of American musical theatre, this latest revival had the potential to do something new with the existing material. It had the chance to reframe Gypsy for a new era—but settled for the same well-worn formula we’ve seen every fifteen years, and likely will again.

3.5/5 stars

2 hours and 40 minutes, one intermission

Majestic Theatre