Reviewed
by Judy Richter
If ever there were a stage mother from hell, it's Mama Rose in "Gypsy" by composer Jule Styne, lyricist Stephen Sondheim and author Arthur Laurents. Based on the autobiography of famed stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, the 1959 musical classic focuses on a mother who is determined to find glory through the show biz success of her two daughters, June and Louise. But despite her apparent single-mindedness, Mama Rose is a somewhat sympathetic character who seems to soldier on no matter how many obstacles are thrown into her path.
Tim
Bair, American
Musical Theatre of San Jose's relatively new artistic director, makes his local directoral debut
with this production. His direction is effective for the most part, but the
opening night pace seemed slow, and the energy level needed more wattage. The
production features Marya Grandy as Mama Rose. Following in the footsteps of greats such
as Ethel Merman,
who originated the role on Broadway, Rosalind Russell, Angela Lansbury, Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters, Grandy puts her own stamp on
the role. Her Rose is a fast-talking unstoppable freight train who relentlessly
pursues her dream through her daughters and who reveals her vulnerability only
after both daughters have taken their own paths (June to become actress June
Havoc, Louise to
become Gypsy Rose Lee) and her longtime, long-suffering agent/boyfriend Herbie
has left her. Rose shows that vulnerability through a great soliloquy, "Rose's
Turn."
Before then, she sings such memorable songs as "Some People" and "Everything's
Coming Up Roses."
Grandy acquits herself well in the role, but she uses a pop rather than a legit
singing style.
She's
ably supported by Rick Hilsabeck as Herbie and Candice Michael as June. Megan Hart Jimenez is generally successful as
Louise, but she needs to be more playfully seductive when she assumes her
stripper persona. The strippers she first meets -- Elizabeth Palmer as Tessie Tura, Melinda Moreno
Miller as
Mazeppa and Tami Dahbura as Electra -- need to be more raunchy in their showpiece song,
"Gotta Get a Gimmick." The rest of the supporting cast is solid, with
kudos to the dancers, choreographed by Troy Rintala.
The
costumes by Thomas G. Marquez are terrific, especially some of Rose's dresses. JB
Wilson's sets,
complemented by Derek Duarte's lighting, are nicely atmospheric for the most part,
but the use of large roses to frame most scenes seems to stretch the point.
This production marks the unveiling of the theater's renovation with a new
lobby carpet and new seats as well as a new sound system. The sound system may
be new, but it's not necessarily improved, at least in some respects. Sound
designer Hage Van Dijk cranks the sound up too loud with too much treble, and William
Liberatore's
orchestra sounds tinny and recorded.