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About GYPSY

"Curtain up! Light the lights! Ready or not, here comes Mama!" Considered by many to be the greatest American musical, this story of the ultimate stage mother is intimately reimagined in the style of MTC’s acclaimed Cabaret and Evita. 

PRESS RELEASE:
“Gypsy” Opens MTC MainStage’s 30th Anniversary Season in Norwalk

• MTC’s season-opener is reimagined in Fairfield County’s most intimate theatre setting
• Broadway veterans Paul Binotto, Kirsti Carnahan, Jeri Kansas, Carissa Massaro and Jodi Stevens star in this musical theatre classic

Music Theatre of Connecticut MainStage, Fairfield County’s professional award-winning theatre company, will open its 30th Anniversary Season with a revamped production of “Gypsy.” The season-opener will run September 9-25. Staged in a cozy 110-seat theatre, this production of “Gypsy” offers audience members the intimacy of a local theatre with the professionalism of Broadway -- an experience only MTC MainStage can provide.

“We couldn’t be more excited to open our 30th Anniversary Season with one of the greatest American musicals of all time,” says “Gypsy” Director Kevin Connors. “We are re-imagining the production in the style of our previous critically-acclaimed musicals, ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Evita.’ And with no seat more than four rows from the stage, our audiences will experience this legendary classic unlike ever before.” 

“Gypsy” is a musical fable inspired by the memoirs of famous striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, with a book by Arthur Laurents (“West Side Story”), music by Jule Styne (“Funny Girl”) and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (“Into the Woods”). The ultimate backstage musical, “Gypsy” tells the story of an ambitious stage mother, Rose, and her dreams to skyrocket her two daughters, June and Louise, into fame. A provocative portrait of the last days of Vaudeville, “Gypsy” features an unforgettable score including, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Together (Wherever We Go),” “Small World,” “Some People” and “Let Me Entertain You.”

Leading the “Gypsy” cast as Rose is Kirsti Carnahan, who starred in the original cast of Broadway’s “The Kiss of the Spider Woman” and in other Broadway productions including “King David,” “Baby,” “The Three Musketeers,” “Les Miserables,” “Cats” and “Annie.” Her regional credits include: “Mamma Mia!,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Doubt,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “Mame.” Paul Binotto plays Herbie, and his Broadway credits include the original company of “Dreamgirls,” “Starlight Express” and the first revival of “Hair.” He appeared with The New York City Opera in “Sweeney Todd” and “Candide,” and Off-Broadway credits include: “Enter Laughing” and Forever Plaid.” Kate Simone plays Louise, and has appeared in Broadway’s Roundabout Theatre Company’s workshop of “Sunset Boulevard,” with regional credits including, “South Pacific” at The MUNY and “Camelot” at Sacramento Music Circus. Rounding out the cast are Brittany Cattaruzza (“42nd Street”), Joe Grandy (“Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” National Tour), Jeri Kansas (“Sugar Babies” on Broadway), Marca Leigh (“The Taming of the Shrew”), Carissa Massaro (“Jane Eyre: The Musical” on Broadway), Peter McClung (“Baby” Off-Broadway), Chris McNiff (“Memphis” National Tour), Abigail Root (“Peter Pan”) and Jodi Stevens (“Urban Cowboy” on Broadway). The cast also features four young actors: Abby Sarah Dahan, Jonah Frimmer, Charlie Pelletier and Natalie Steele.

“Gypsy” is directed by MTC Co-Founder and Executive Artistic Director Kevin Connors. The design team includes set design by Carl Tallent, lighting by Michael Blagys, costumes by Diane Vanderkroef, choreography by Becky Timms and musical direction by Thomas Martin Conroy. The production is stage managed by Jim Schilling.

The MTC MainStage 30th Anniversary Season will continue with “Sleuth” (November 4-20), “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” (December 9-18), “I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers” (February 24-March 12, 2017) and “The End of the Rainbow” (April 7-23, 2017). Season subscriptions to see all five productions, including “Gypsy,” are still available starting at $120. 

The MTC MainStage 30th Anniversary Season is generously sponsored in part by The State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and The Hour/Hearst Connecticut Media Group. 


“GYPSY” TICKET/PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Ticket prices range from $30-$55, and are available now online at www.musictheatreofct.com or by phone at (203) 454-3883.
Performances are September 9-25, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2pm.
MTC MainStage is located at 509 Westport Avenue (behind the Nine West Outlet) in Norwalk, CT.

Who's Who

Also featuring . . .

Kevin Connors (Director, Executive Artistic Director & Co-Founder) Off-Broadway credits include Play Like A Winner (2016 NYMF), Prime Time Prophet, Jukebox Saturday Night, The Abandoned Loves of Frederick R., Life Anonymous, Lover - The Valentino Musical, Babes Off Broadway, Saloon and Suzy Q. Regional credits include The Fantasticks, Baby, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Babes in Toyland, Bah Humbug!, Grand Re-Opening of the Palace Theatre starring Skitch Henderson, Louise Pitre, James Naughton and Joan Rivers. Mr. Connors began his career as a performer touring his own act with Bob Hope, Henny Youngman and Johnny Mathis. In 1987 he co-founded Music Theatre of Connecticut with Jim Schilling, and has since directed many of the MainStage productions including Yours, Anne, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Moss Hart Award Winner), The Fantasticks, A Little Night Music, Edges, john & jen, Doubt, Evita, Little Shop of Horrors and Master Class. He is a six-time Connecticut Critic's Circle Best Director nominee and the recipient of the CCC's Killen Award for Outstanding Contribution to Connecticut Professional Theatre, as well as a Connecticut Legislative Citation for Execllence. As a composer he has penned the score for both It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play (with playwright Joe Landry and both published by Playscripts, Inc.). He served as Adjunct Professor at The Hartt School of Music/University of Hartford, Sacred Heart University, the University of Bridgeport, and at Musical Theatre Works in NYC, and created many of MTC’s educational programs including the nationally-recognized College-Bound in the Performing Arts. Proud member of AEA, ASCAP and The Dramatists Guild. 

Jim Schilling (Managing Director, Co-Founder and Stage Manager) co-founded MTC in 1987 and has served as teaching artist, Artist in Residence, director, general manager, actor, producer and currently as Director of the School of Performing Arts and MTC’s Managing Director. Acting credits include John Guare’s A Day for Surprises, Upper Broadway (Westport Country Playhouse), Hamlet (with Tony Roberts), South Pacific (with Jamie Farr), The Fantasicks (Rich Forum) and on MTC’s MainStage in Jacques Brel is Alive and Well..., Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down, Yours, Anne, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Doubt, Almost, Maine, God of Carnage, The Fantasticks, A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play and last season’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Film credits include Bullets Over Broadway, Cadillac Man, Soapdish and as Sean Penn’s double in Dead Man Walking. Jim holds a BFA degree in Musical Theatre from Otterbein College and was also trained at the Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Playwright’s Horizons in New York City and Improv Asylum in Boston. Jim, a graduate of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts’ AMICI Arts Management Program, continues as a Blue Ribbon Panelist for the Daytime Emmy Awards, and is on the voting committee for the SAG awards, and a member of “Who’s Who in the American Theatre” from 1991-present. Jim is a proud member of Actors Equity Association since 1980. Member AEA, SAG, AFTRA.

Gypsy is presented by arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc. 560 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022.