The Footlight Players will take on the daunting task of producing the musical GYPSY. Arguably the best written musical, the story is loosely based on the life of the Queen of Burlesque, Gypsy Rose Lee, but the true lead of the show is Mama Rose (Caroline Rau), a strong-willed stage-mother who will stop at nothing to make her two daughters Vaudeville stars. She starts the show out by show-casing her daughter, Baby June (Teagen Bennett) on the Vaudeville circuit with Baby Louise (Goldie Samardja) as her back-up dancer. She meets Herbie (Tom LeDonne) who falls for her many charms.
The audience get to watch the youngsters transform right before our eyes and become Dainty June (Lillybelle Nuest) and Louise (Brittney Urban), still doing the same dance routines even though they have outgrown them. Longing to move on with her life June runs away and elopes with Tulsa (Donavan Barrier), a dancer in the show and actually makes it big in Hollywood as the actress June Havoc. Mama, stuck with the less talented Louise, tries to replace her in June’s role but is unsuccessful. By this time Vaudeville is breathing it’s last breath, but Herbie is able to find a booking that unbeknownst to him is in a rather seedy house of Burlesque. They are the act to keep the cops out! They are out of money and desperate, so they reluctantly take the job. We meet three of the headliners, Tessie Tura (Courtney Mason),Miss Mazeppa (Amanda Sixbury) and Miss Electra (Kristin Allison) who do a delightful song and dance showing off the tricks of the trade. When one of the “stars” doesn’t show up, Mama sees an opportunity of making a star, albeit a Burlesque star, out of Louise, renaming her Gypsy Rose Lee. Director, Laura Meyer, her Assistant Janice Rice, Music Director Lee Meyer and Choreographer, Lane Grote have selected a beautiful cast that will also include Denise Barkow, Tatum Haynes, Mara Huneryager, Chloey Landis, Thom Nelson, Jed Otterson, Ryan Otto, Gabrial Remson, Ella Taylor, Toby Taylor, Rick Valle, Rebecca Waldron, Katelyn West, Charlotte Wildfang, and Adam Wogoman.
This fun, family-friendly musical will be presented March 6-8,13-15, and 20-22, The show times are 7:30 on Friday and Saturdays with a 2:00 matinee on Sunday. Ticket prices are $15.00 with a $10.00 price for children 12 and younger. The Footlight Players Theater is located at 1705 Franklin Street in downtown Michigan City. This is a small intimate theater, seating only 80 people so it is strongly recommended to make reservations ASAP. To do so simply call our theater hot-line at (219) 874-4035 and leave a message that includes your full name (spelling might help, the number in your party, which date you prefer and a phone number. You can also go on the internet by clicking the “Reservations” box on the website at footlightplayers.org. A footlight representative will call you back with a confirmation within 48 hours. This is a MUST SEE show, so mark your calendars and we’ll see you at theater.