‘Gypsy’ struts onto Naperville stage
Mama Rose? Sure, she sounds sweet with a huge personality and two cute daughters to flaunt.
But in Naperville’s community theater production of “Gypsy,” the stage mom character isn’t walking away smelling as nice as her name suggests. “She’s definitely looked at as a monster,” said actress Sarah Conrad, 27, of North Aurora. “I’m thrilled to be playing her. It’s one of the most well-known and coveted roles in musical theater.”
“Gypsy” opens at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at the Center Stage Theater, 1665 Quincy Ave., Suite 131, in Naperville.
The musical follows a dysfunctional performing family — Gypsy Rose Lee (Mama Rose) and the daughters she pushes into the spotlight. The fame-seeking stage mom says she’s aggressive for her daughters, but others around her see through her act.
“You can’t live your life through your children and eventually your children become responsible for you as you age,” said co-director Ted Waltmire of Oakbrook Terrace.
It’s a unique production, cast members say, because it paved the way for musical theater to address adult subjects in an over-the-top, vaudeville, highly entertaining way.
“The tone of the show is surprisingly dark for a musical and probably overlooked because some of the numbers are so buoyant and fun,” said Keith Carlson, an actor who plays Herbie, and who is also known in the community for his role as a film and journalism teacher at Naperville Central High School.
Typically, musicals don’t delve too deeply into a character’s personality or history.
“They’re pretty much surface characters that sing when they’re happy and really don’t have a lot of emotional depth,” Waltmire said. “But the characters of this show have a lot of layers, and it doesn’t back away from that.”
This production includes a cast and crew of all ages with nearly 30 people involved onstage and another 10 behind the scenes.
Summer Place Theatre, which formed in 1966 and is staging “Gypsy”, has two shows planned for this summer, in addition to a murder mystery scheduled for the fall.
The group is performing for the first time at Center Stage Theater. In the past, it has occupied the stage at Naperville Central, but construction issues caused it to relocate.
Show times are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 4, 5, 11 and 12; and at 2 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 6 and 13.
Ticket prices are $17 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and $10 for children ages 5 to 12.
For more information, call (630) 355-7969 or visit summerplacetheatre.org.
If you go
What: Summer Place Theatre production of Gypsy
When: 8 p.m. Feb. 4-5 and 11 a.m.-12 p.m., 2 p.m. Feb. 6 and 13
Where: Center Stage Theater, 1565 Quincy Ave., Suite 131, Naperville
Tickets: $17 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, $10 for children
Info: (630) 355-7969 or e-mail boxoffice@ summerplacetheatre.org