Sunset Playhouse’s production of Gypsy is chock full of all the flashy, gaudy and bombastic pageantry one would expect from the celebrated musical by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents, while staying true to the original intention of Gypsy Rose Lee’s memoirs and conveying a very personal tale of a mother’s life lived vicariously through her daughter.
It was clear that a lot of time and care went into this production, evidenced by the excellent performances by Tamara Martinsek (Rose) and Fiona Dolan (Louise) who led the cast in powerful portrayals of their respective characters. Rose’s fierce determination and selfish motives both brought ruin to her family and great success to her daughter, elevating the meek and sweet Louise from a second-rate vaudeville actress to a famous and dazzling burlesque star.
The show impressed with its frequent and complicated scene changes, flashy costumes and wild dance numbers, leaving the audience ultimately satisfied after the final scene. A live band played atop the stage, competently providing the show’s musical accompaniment.
Gypsy runs until August 10th, with tickets priced at $25. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Fri., and Sat., with a 4:00 p.m. showing on Saturday, and an early 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday.
