Ray D'Ambrosio, Whitney Hisako Moore, and Caitlin Gjerdrum Photo by Scott Lasky

The musical debuted on Broadway in 1959, enjoying a highly successful but not historic run. Gypsy was nominated for eight Tony Awards but won none. Yet it is viewed by most critics as one of the finest musicals ever written and by several influential ones as the greatest musical written up to that time. Several Broadway revivals have followed, most recently in 2024-2005, starring Audra McDonald, who has won the most Tonys of any performer and received a nomination for this one.

It must be daunting to step into the legendary shoes of many of the greatest and most iconic actresses. Among others who placed their stamp on the role, Ethel Merman created Rose for the stage, and Rosalind Russell starred in the movie. Palo Alto Players has enlisted Caitlin Gjerdrum as Rose, and she is absolutely stupendous.

First of all, Gjerdrum has the pipes, with power to spare. She blasts away buoyantly and optimistically on composer Jule Styne's “Everything's Coming Up Roses," in which Rose gives encouragement to her no-talent daughter Louise (Whitney Hisako Moore), who would become Gypsy Rose Lee. Among lyricist Stephen Sondheim's brilliant formulations, this song not only conveys Rose's need to dominate but plays effectively on her name. Rose also reveals her ambition in “Some People" in which she notes that a sedentary life is okay for others but not for her.

Gjerdrum brings compassion as well in the hopeful and beautiful “Small World." Rose has a long, warm relationship with their act's managing agent, Herbie (Ray D'Ambrosio), and in the song she notes all of their complementarities which make them a fine couple.

Despite the fact that Rose is single-minded, she possesses facets that make her complex, interesting, infuriating, and even sympathetic. And though she is manipulative and determined, she does have her boundaries, but in desperation they can be broken. Gjerdrum mines Rose's depths giving an acting performance that equals her singing. She dominates the stage and the people around her, emphatically dismissing those who don't share her views.

The musical contains other memorable tunes, such as the daughters' catchy anthem “Let Me Entertain You" and the experienced strippers' advice to Louise “You Gotta Get a Gimmick." The strippers, Tessie Tura (Kristina Nakagawa), Mazeppa (Chloë Angst), and the aged Electra (Barbara Heninger) who can barely move around, also provide some of the best humor in the show.

If there are weaknesses in the musical, they reside in the book, written by Arthur Laurents. The run time exceeds three hours, so it seems a little bloated, particularly for a contemporary audience. In addition, much of the plot focuses on how the vaudeville material that Rose creates is dying. The performances of those show acts feel dated and drag.

Gypsy is a big musical in many ways. It is lengthy; it has a large cast; and the action plays in a number of locations. The Palo Alto Players' production, directed adeptly by Janie Scott, manages the bigness and is quite entertaining. Singing is generally good, while acting is uneven. The dance highlights include June's (Samantha Borthwick) performances for the act and Tulsa's (Ralph Shehayed) practicing in hopes of getting his break. On the creative side, particular kudos go to costume designer Jenny Garcia and scenic designer Kevin Davies, both of whom confront numerous changes and come up with appealing solutions.

Gypsy runs through September 21, 2025, at Paolo Alto Players, Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto CA. For tickets and information visit www.paplayers.org.