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LIGHTNING REVIEW: 'Gypsy' livens up Playhouse stage

Stephanie Cowan stars as Gypsy Rose Lee in the Flat Rock Playhouse production of Gypsy. [PHOTO BY LINDSEY PATTON]

By Robin Tolleson, Published: July 25, 2015

When watching the Flat Rock Playhouse’s spirited production of “Gypsy” one must remember the context.

It’s a Great Depression-era survival story, part “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” part “Coyote Ugly.” Based on the 1957 autobiography of burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee, the musical really centers on the dancer’s domineering stage mom, Rose.
Easily forgotten under the bright lights and tassels is the reality that times were tough then. One of the first things Rose does in the play is eat dog food out of the can. That does little to dampen her unfulfilled ambitions; in fact it is a great motivator. She explains to her father (Scott Treadway), skeptical of her taking her children on the road, that she’s “gotta try,” before scooping up the gold-plated service award his workplace gave him upon retirement to pawn for one of her own schemes.
Rose, in the part popularized on Broadway by Ethel Merman, is played very effectively by Klea Blackhurst. She is an unstoppable force with a big, commanding voice and fine comedic timing. In the first half of the play, Rose gives all of her attention, and starring roles, to her daughter June (played at different ages by Clancy Penny and Samantha Penny and Libby Servais), the obviously talented great blond hope, and gives the scraps to her other daughter Louise (Caroline Quinn and Stephanie Cowan. Cowan, who favors actress Natalie Wood, plays the part with a quiet strength.). Rose is willing to exploit her family, and tell half-truths to her suitor/booking agent Herbie to keep him on board for as long as possible. She will say and do anything to get what she/her family wants/needs.
“Don’t you dare answer the phone while I’m yelling at you,” she screams at Herbie, later deadpanning “Why does everybody have stomach troubles except me?”
Five years later Baby June has become Dainty June, still baby-talking her way through “Let Me Entertain You,” while it gets harder and harder to find decent paying vaudeville gigs. The teenagers grow restless, except for Louise, who simply hopes to be noticed. June is still the star, but has grown to hate the show, exclaiming “I’m not Fanny Brice.” A member of the chorus, Tulsa (David Paul Kidder), has become a fabulous dancer and shows off some terrific footwork during a routine he has been working on, before convincing June to leave the act with him to look for better work elsewhere. Louise is now alone to deal with a revved up Rose – “Mama, I’m not June” – who keeps her stiff upper lip while belting out “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” and conjuring up a new act.
With “family” type vaudeville productions drying up, Herbie mistakenly books them into a burlesque house. When one of the strippers is unable to perform, Rose suggests that Louise step in. Partly out of duty to her mother, and partly because she has been overlooked all of her life, Louise agrees. She’s offered advice by some of the more seasoned dancers (“You Gotta Get A Gimmick”), and surprise…she enjoys the feeling of being in control for once. Soon she is given the stage name Gypsy Rose Lee.
Rose does apologize to Gypsy in the end. The hard feelings between Gypsy and her mom get smoothed over as they sing “Together Wherever we Go,” not because of a dramatic attitude shift on the part of Rose, but because of Gypsy’s big heart.
An eight-piece band is onstage for “Gypsy,” directed by keyboardist Alex Shields. It’s a nice effect seeing the band tuning up before the show and interacting with performers at times, although from a purely visual standpoint, the conductor might want to refrain from counting each measure out during the overture. The ensemble performs the memorable Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim soundtrack crisply, nailing all the vocal and dance cues and generally sounding larger than it is. Trombonist Wes Lebo embellishes Tulsa’s “All I Need Is The Girl,” and drummer Paul Babelay guides them through the rhythmic stops on the finale, “Rose’s Turn.”

“Gypsy” runs at The Flat Rock Playhouse through August 16. Visit flatrockplayhouse.org or call 828-693-0731 for tickets.

Robin Tolleson is a professional drummer, percussion teacher and music journalist. He lives in Hendersonville.