Casting is now complete for Goodspeed Musicals' upcoming production of the classic American musical Gypsy, which will launch the East Haddam, Connecticut, theatre's 60th anniversary season.
Directed by Jenn Thompson with choreography by Patricia Wilcox, performances are scheduled for April 28-June 18. Opening night will be May 10.
Judy McLane (Mamma Mia!) will head the cast as the indefatigable stage mother Rose opposite the Louise of Talia Suskauer (Wicked). They will be joined by Philip Hernandez (Les Misérables) as Herbie, Laura Sky Herman (Hello, Dolly! national tour) as Dainty June, Emily Jewel Hoder (The Music Man) as Baby June, and Cameron Blake Miller as Baby Louise.
The ensemble will feature Gabriel Amato, Romelda Teron Benjamin, Kelly Margaret Berman, Amahri Edwards-Jones, Carlos Velasquez Escamilla, Thomas Goldbach V, Sunny Lauren Hoder, Victoria Huston-Elem, Edward Juvier, Meadow Nguy, Bianca Belle Palana, Maddie Robert, Ben Sears, Michael Starr, Geoffrey Wade, David Cochise Williams, and Valerie Wright. Swings are Brianna Ascione and Anthony DaSilva. Chowsie (the dog) will be played by Cha-Cha.
Suggested by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, Gypsy features a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
The musical bowed on Broadway in May 1959 at the Broadway Theatre, playing 702 performances before closing at the Imperial Theatre, where it later transferred, on March 25, 1961. Ethel Merman starred as Rose in the original production; subsequent Broadway Roses include Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone.
The Goodspeed production will also have music direction by Adam Souza, scenic design by Alexander Dodge, costume design by Eduardo Sicangco, lighting design by Paul Miller, sound design by Jay Hilton, hair, wig, and makeup design by Carissa Thorlakson, orchestrations by Dan DeLange, and animal direction and training by William Berloni.
Bradley G. Spachman is the production stage manager. Casting is by Paul Hardt/Hardt Casting.
Visit Goodspeed.org.
