Boevers and Willis Cast in Ravinia Gypsy, August 11-13

Jessica Boevers, last seen on Broadway in In My Life, is set to entertain audiences as Louise in the Ravinia Festival's upcoming staged concert production of Gypsy, while Jack Willis has been cast as Herbie. Gypsy will be presented from August 11th through 13th at the famed Chicago performance festival.

Directed by Lonny Price, Gypsy will star previously-announced Tony Award-winner Patti LuPone (Evita, Sweeney Todd) as Rose, the stage mother who unconsciously and uncompromisingly lives out her show business dreams through her daughters June and Louise (with the latter becoming stripper Gypsy Rose Lee). Paul Gemigani will conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for the Ravinia production of the musical, which features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. More casting will be announced soon.

In addition to In My Life, Boevers has been seen on Broadway in Oklahoma!, Les Misérables, Rent, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Beauty and the Beast. Willis previously starred opposite LuPone in The Old Neighborhood, and has also been seen on Broadway in Julius Caesar, The Crucible and Art, as well as Off-Broadway in Valhalla, Arturo Ai and others.

Gypsy opened at the Imperial Theatre on May 25th, 1959 and ran for 702 performances, garnering 8 Tony nominations (it was overshadowed by the more sugary The Sound of Music). Gypsy featured a star turn by Ethel Merman that has become legendary, and it also featured Sandra Church, Jack Klugman and Maria Karnilova. A number of revivals--in 1974 with Angela Lansbury, in 1989 with Tyne Daly and in 2003 with Bernadette Peters and directed by Sam Mendes--have all been successes.

To reserve tickets for Gypsy, call (847) 266-5100 or visit www.ravinia.org.