BWW Reviews: Ocean State Theatre Company Sings Out with Glorious GYPSY

While it seems that some musicals are constantly produced and have been seen by every theatergoer alive, others seem more elusive. For example, there's no good explanation for why so many people have mentioned recently that they've never seen the musical Gypsy. "Oh, I know the songs," they all say. Immediately followed by, "But I've never seen the actual show." If you are among that number, Ocean State Theatre Company has just what you need, a nearly perfect production of this beloved musical. And if you are not one of those people, and you have seen the show before, you should definitely see it again at OSTC.

The musical version of Gypsy appeared on the scene in 1959 and was based on the book Gypsy: A Memoir, published in 1957. That source material was an autobiography of striptease sensation Gypsy Rose Lee, describing her journey from childhood vaudeville star to burlesque performer to Hollywood actress. Gypsy, the Broadway musical, looks at the first two parts of that journey and focuses primarily on the role played by Gypsy Rose Lee's mother, Rose. She is the true center of the musical as it chronicles her desperate attempts to turn her daughters into show business stars, whether they like it or not.

There's actually a lot more going on than just that in a musical which is still relevant in today's celebrity-and-reality-television-obsessed culture. Watching Rose, the ultimate stage mother, poke and prod and push her daughters makes one instantly think of today's reality TV families, especially those where the parents are desperately trying to make their kids famous, usually for their benefit, not the benefit of the kids. When the musical creates a vaudeville show filled with child performers, it's not a far cry from some of the child beauty pageants and talent shows we see everywhere today.

In addition to that, there are a number of universal themes and ideas woven through the book by Arthur Laurents and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (accompanied by the music of Jule Styne). Chief among those major themes is the desperate desire and quest for fame and celebrity, certainly something that's prevalent today. There are also major themes of family, especially the connections between mothers and daughters. It is the mother-daughter dynamic that truly drives the show, as Rose drives her two daughters into the ground and drives herself to the edge of sanity. Other relationships are at the center of this story, such as the one between Rose and Herbie, her agent who is in love with her. How we choose to treat and use, or not use, the people we love is another big theme here.

These relationships and the story they tell are not lost on director and choreographer Russell Garrett, who crafts numerous beautiful moments between his actors. While some directors may choose to push this show into the territory of camp or caricature, Garrett is not satisfied with that. He keeps things grounded and real, maintaining the emotional truth in each moment, rather than just going for the big, easy, over-the-top theatrics (except for when over-the-top theatrics are called for and make sense in context). He is careful to take care of each small moment, all so important to the story and the characters, rather than just skipping over them to get to the next big dance number.

Having said that, Garrett has an equally impressive skill at staging the dance numbers, and there are a bunch of them in this musical. Actually, there's a little something for everyone. There are big solo dance numbers. Group song-and-dance numbers. Solo ballads, duets and trios. And a dancing cow. At each one of those, and all the others I've left out, Garrett pulls it off brilliantly, never showing signs of a weak spot in his repertoire. If there's a negative, it may be that his choreography is not particularly innovative, new or unique, but that may have been by design, considering the time period of the show. Whatever the reason may be, it is always crisp and skillfully executed.

Leading the equally skillful cast is Amiee Turner, OSTC's own Producing Artistic Director. As Rose, Turner takes full opportunity to make the role her own and hit an absolute home run with it. From the first moment she appears, walking through the theater and onto the stage, her magnetism and charisma draw the audience to her. She commands their attention and they can't wait to see what she says and does next. What she does is make the audience love, hate and pity Rose, all in equal measure. Though she does miss on the delivery of a couple of jokes (they both happen in the same brief scene), her comic timing and delivery is hilariously perfect (your new favorite line from a musical will be "It's a train!"). At the same time, she is always grounded in the truth of the moment, always staying true to her character's motiations, objectives and feelings. Her scene at the end of act one, as everything falls apart and Rose tries to hold on, is devastating in the best possible way. Not to be left out is her singing. Every time she belts out a ballad, she impresses with her deep, resonant voice and powerful vocal ability. She was part of the team that built OSTC, now she is blowing the roof off the place.

Turner's equal in talent and charisma is Kristin Wetherington, playing Louise, the daughter who grows up to be Gypsy Rose Lee. It's a pleasure to watch the radiant Wetherington as she journeys from timid, quiet and mousy Louise to the brash, bold and bawdy queen of burlesque. Utilizing her gorgeous voice, she delivers a couple of perfect and beautiful musical moments. While there are not many of them, each one is memorable. Also memorable are the moments when she proves that she is just as talented an actress as she is a singer. The fact that she has incredible chemistry with Turner only adds to the joy of watching this production, as their scenes together are truly moving and often perfectly executed.

Another person who has perfect chemistry with Turner is Christopher Swan as Herbie. While they really do make an adorable couple onstage, the relationship between the characters is so much deeper than that. The two of them are in a constant dance, sometimes a literal dance, as they pursue, manipulate, love and depend on each other, in one way or another. Often, their relationship is demonstrated with nothing more than a pained expression, a glance or twinkle in the eye, but it's all these two actors need to convey every thought or feeling. For his own part, Swan does a wonderful job in a role that's somewhat one-note. There really isn't much depth here, beyond a man who is pushed around and manipulated by the woman he simply and innocently loves and wants to marry. Still, Swan brings an endless amount of believable emotion and life to the role.

It feels at times like there's a cast of thousands in this production, though many of the actors play multiple roles. And many of them are absolute scene-stealers when they get the chance. Jennifer Mischley is hilarious in two brief appearances as two very different characters, Miss Crachitt and Electra. Dan Reardon as Tulsa is wonderful in an extended solo dance number. Also very funny is Taryn Mallard-Reid as Tessie Tura, a burlesque star who helps Gypsy along the way. There are a number of child actors in the cast, all of whom are fantastic, but Victoria Cardi as Baby June and Abigail Paige as Baby Louise are especially amazing. Juliette Sallaway is also fabulous as the adult June, especially in her delightful duet with Wetherington as the two sisters sing about what they wish for their mother.

Also deserving of mention are the incredible technical wizards behind this production. It will be difficult for any show to top the costume design by Brian Horton. This one has everything, from frumpy dresses to stylish pantsuits to burlesque outfits that light up to dance costumes for child performers. And Horton never misses a beat, creating a uniformly spectacular set of costumes for every actor or actress in every scene. Equally astounding is the set design by Kimberly V. Powers. There are so many set pieces coming and going, it makes one wonder just how big is the backstage area at OSTC. Yet it all works perfectly, moves well and makes total sense. And the idea of having scenes play out with the back wall of the theater visible (so every scene seems to take place in a theater, as if Rose is always on a stage, always performing, no matter where she is) is a stroke of genius.

Many have called this entire musical a work of genius and with good reason. Whether you've seen it before or not, don't miss this opportunity to see it now.

Gypsy is at Ocean State Theatre Company through August 2nd. Performances are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 with matinees on Saturdays (except July 11 and 25) and Sundays at 2:00. OSTC is located in Warwick at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard. Tickets are $39 to $54 and may be purchased at the box office, Monday through Friday, from 12 noon to 6:00, Saturdays from 12 noon to 4:00 and from 12 noon until curtain time on performance days. Tickets are also available at www.OceanStateTheatre.org or by calling 401-921-6800.

Pictured: Amiee Turner. Photo by Mark Turek.

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