MARK AUERBACH
Everything’s Coming Up Uggams!
Connecticut Repertory Theatre presents Broadway’s Leslie Uggams as Mama Rose in a new production of the classic musical, “Gypsy” (July 10-20) in Storrs, Conn. With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthut Laurents, “Gypsy” chronicles the story of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, her sister June Havoc, and their mother, Rose, the ultimate show business mother, who will do just about anything to make sure her daughters get the spotlight.
Leslie Uggams is Mama Rose in “Gypsy” at Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Vincent J. Cardinal directs. “”Gypsy” not only set the standard for the 20th century book musical but introduced the most complex character to emerge in a musical up to that point, Mama Rose, the archetypal show business mother. Mama Rose has challenged the greatest stars of our time to match her fierce desires, epic disappointments, and heartbreaking dreams, says Cardinal.”
Cardinal added that “Gypsy” has a musical score of showstoppers from “Some People” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” to “You Gotta Have a Gimmick” and “Rose’s Turn”.
Amandina Altomare plays the shy Louise in “Gypsy” at Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Leslie Uggams makes her debut as Rose, the role made famous by Ethel Merman, and then Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and most recently Patti LuPone. Uggams knows a lot about being a child star. At age 7, she played the niece of Ethel Waters in “Beulah”, and she was a regular on “The Mitch Miller Show” when she was a teen. She made an electrifying Broadway debut in “Hallelujah Baby” at age 24, and won a Tony Award for her performance. She played Kizzy in the TV mini-series “Alex Haley’s Roots” and retuned to Broadway in “Blues in The Night”, “Jerry’s Girls”, “Anything Goes”, King Headley II (a Tony Award-nominated performance), “Thoroughly Modern Millies” and “On Golden Pond” (with James Earl Jones).
Alanna Saunders plays Dainty June in “Gypsy” at Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Scott Ridley plays Herbie, Rose’s boyfriend. Amandina Altomare plays the shy Louise, who becomes Gypsy Rose Lee, and Alanna Saunders plays June. Steve Hayes also stars.
For tickets: 860-486-2113 or www.crt.uconn.edu
Keep in Mind…
***June Moon, Ring Lardner’s and George S. Kaufman’s comedic look at the music business, opens the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s summer season (Jlu 2-13). Based on Lardner’s “Some Like It Cold”, “June Moon” is the story of a lyricist who leaves Schenectady for New York, meeting a young woman on the way. The lyricist tries to make a go of it on Tin Pan Alley, meets the glanmourous set, and eventually returns to his simpler life. Jessica Stone directs. For tickets: 413-597-3400 or www.wtfestival.org.
The Capitol Steps return to Cranwell. (Photo by Mike Reyna.)
***The Capitol Steps return to Cranwell in Lenox (July 4-August 31) with their newest show, “How to Succeed in Congress Without Really Lying”. In satire, song, and dance, The Capitol Steps have been poking fun at Democrats and Republicans for several decades. Depending on the headlines of the day, and which politician has made the biggest fool of himself or herself, there’s plenty of material to keep the show freshly up-to-date. For a preview of the Capitol Steps: www.capsteps.com. For tickets:413-881-1636 or http://shop.cranwell.com
***Black Comedy, Peter Shaffer’s classic 1960’s British farce, launches the new Silverthorne Theater’s inaugural season at the Rhodes Arts Center Chiles Theatre on the Northfield Mount Hermon School campus (July 3-5). Peter Shaffer, the widely acclaimed British playwright, is best known for such popular plays as “Amadeus” and Equus”. Set in artsy 1960s London, “Black Comedy” first premiered in 1965 with Derek Jacobi as a desperate young sculptor and Maggie Smith as his lover. Lucinda Kidder directs. Dan Jarvis and Steve Henderson star. For tickets: 413-768-7514 or www.silverthornetheater.org.
***The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, the very funny recap of everything Shakespeare ever wrote by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield takes up residence at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox (July 4-August 24). Three actors (Charles Sedgwick Hall, Josh Aaron McCabe, and Ryan Winkles) play over 750 roles in a fast-paced evening staged by Jonathan Croy. For tickets: 413-637-3353 or www.shakespeare.org.
***Celebrate America–The Annual Red, White and Blue Tradition. The Hartford Symphony Pops brings musical fireworks to the Talcott Mountain Music Festival in Simsbury on July 3 (raindate: July 4) with Eric Dudley conducting the ensemble and the Travelers Chorale. The program includes seasonally appropriate music by Ellington, Gershwin, Copland, Ives, and of course, Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” (where cannons and fireworks stir up the crowd. For tickets: 860-244-2999 or www.hartfordsymphony.org
***Cinderella opens the Paint Box Theatre’s summer season for kids (July 2-5) at the Northampton Senior Center. Artistic director Tom McCabe has adapted the classic for kids. For tickets: 413-320-0517 or www.paintboxtheatre.com.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
