Quad City Music Guild's “Gypsy" at the Prospect Park Auditorium -- August 8 through 17.
Friday, August 8, through Sunday, August 17
Prospect Park Auditorium, 1584 34th Avenue, Moline IL
Regarded by many, including New York Times critic Ben Brantley, as potentially the greatest of all American musicals, the legendary, Tony-winning Gypsy enjoys an August 8 through 17 Quad City Music Guild staging at Moline's Prospect Payk Auditorium, the Times' Frank Rich adding that "Gypsy is nothing if not Broadway's own brassy, unlikely answer to King Lear."
Loosely based on the 1957 memories of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, Gypsy is the ultimate tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters’ success – while secretly yearning for her own. Set all across America in the 1920s and 30s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born, book writer Arthur Laurents’ landmark show explores the world of two-bit show business with brass, humor, heart and sophistication. The celebrated score by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim boasts one glorious hit after another, including “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” “Some People,” “You’ll Never Get Away from Me,” “If Momma Was Married,” “All I Need Is the Girl,” “You Gotta Get A Gimmick,” “Small World,” and “Together Wherever We Go.” To date, between its original Broadway incarnation (starring Ethel Merman) and its numerous revivals, Gypsy has received six Tony Awards among dozens of nominations, and the show's 2015 West End production starring Imelda Staunton received four Oliver Awards including Best Revival of a Musical.
Directing Gypsy's local run is Music Guild veteran Troy Stark, whose numerous credits for the organization include directing Mame, producing The Wizard of Oz, and appearing in Children of Eden and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Fellow Music Guild favorite Jen Sondgeroth serves as assistant director and Mark Swessinger acts as music director, with additional members of Stark's creative team including: stage manager Matt Stoefen; choreographer Harper Clark; set designer Aaron Deneckere; assistant set designer Colleen Houlihan; costume designer Cathy Marsoun; lighting designer Luke Vermiere; sound designer Kayla Sierra Lee; props designer Matt Swanson; makeup designer Sue Cates; and producer Sheri Brown Olson.
Taking on the challenging, iconic role of "Momma" Rose is Julie Funk, a Music Guild favorite who previously played the title role in Mame and the evil Miss Hannigan in Annie. Rose's daughter's Louise and June are respectively portrayed by Jordyn Mitchell and Katelyn Morris, with Rose's long-suffering beau Herbie played by Brian McKenrick, and additional members of the Gypsy ensemble include: Amy Singleton; Emilene Leone; Stevee Baker; Quinn Dunford; Meyer Wikoff; Aaron Deneckere; Morris Nunn; Eli Schroeder; Rori Myers; Marissa Elliott; Ally Dismer; Carly Jackson; Sara Laufer; Sydney Phares; Harold Truitt; Greg O’Neill; Don Faust; Michael Lotspeich; Molly Strickler; Griffin Wilson; and Quinn Kolander.
Meanwhile, the musical's gifted pit orchestra is composed of: Flute - Zolimar Garcia and Storm Marie Baca; Clarinet - Bailey Reynolds; Alto Sax - Elaina Aguilar; Tenor Sax - Talon Weiskamp; Baritone Sax/Clarinet - Seth Rashid; Trumpet I - Ben McKay; Trumpet II - Phyllis Miller; Trumpet III - Jerry Miller; Trumpet sub - Joe Brown; Trombone I - Joe Drahozal; Trombone II - Pete Drahozal; Bass Trombone - Greg Etzel; French Horn - Laurel Filzen; Piano - Deb Swift; Bass - Mark McGinn; Harp - Jesslyn Cohn; Drums - Pete Philhower; and Auxiliary Percussion - Ashley Knobloch.
Quad City Music Guild's presentation of Gypsy runs at Moline's Prospect Park Auditorium August 8 through 17, with performances Thursdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission is $15-20, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)762-6610 and visiting QCMusicGuild.com.
