Catherine Zeta Jones to Play Rose in New Gypsy Film?

In today's New York Post, Liz Smith writes that a second film version of Gypsy may be on the way...with Oscar-winner Catherine Zeta Jones as ultimate stage mother Rose.

According to the columnist, the film would be produced by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, who head their own production company after having left Miramax. If the Weinsteins have their way, it would be directed by Rob Marshall, who received an Oscar-nomination for the Oscar-winning Chicago film, and would serve as a vehichle for Zeta Jones. "Well, Mama Rose doesn't have to be middle-age and matronly in the Merman mode. Zeta-Jones is 35, so she could, conceivably, play a woman with a teenage daughter. Maybe a new look at the stage-managing mom as a sexy, youthful, fully realized female who is unfortunately living through her children will be a treat!," writes Smith.

Zeta Jones won the Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for her turn as Velma Kelly in the film version of Chicago. She was no stranger to musicals, having performed onstage in shows such as 42nd Street, Annie and Bugsy Malone in her native UK (the actress is Welsh). Her other film credits include The Legend of Zorro and The Mask of Zorro, Ocean's Twelve, The Terminal, Intolerable Cruelty, America's Sweetheart, High Fidelity and Traffic.

Gypsy, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents, opened at the Imperial Theatre on May 25th, 1959 and ran for 702 performances, garnering 8 Tony nominations (it was overshadowed by the more sugary The Sound of Music). Gypsy, which recounts stage mother Rose's attempts to turn both of her daughters into stars and daughter Louise's transformation into burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee, featured a star turn by Ethel Merman that has become legendary. It also featured Sandra Church, Jack Klugman and Maria Karnilova. A number of revivals--in 1974 with Angela Lansbury, in 1989 with Tyne Daly and in 2003 with Bernadette Peters and directed by Sam Mendes--have all been successes.

The Ravinia Festival in Chicago will present Lonny Price's staged concert of Gypsy, starring Patti LuPone as Rose, in August, while Karen Mason is set to star in the St. Louis MUNY's production from July 17th through 23rd.