Photo Preview: Encores! Summer Stars' 'Gypsy'

New York City Center's previously-announced production of Gypsy, starring Patti LuPone, Boyd Gaines and Laura Benanti and directed by Arthur Laurents, with musical direction by Patrick Vaccariello, will be the first offering of the Encores! Summer Stars series, beginning July 9; opening July 14 with performances through July 29.

LuPone (Sweeney Todd, Evita) will headline as Mama Rose opposite Gaines (Journey's End, Contact) as Herbie, and Benanti (The Wedding Singer, The Sound of Music) as Louise.

"Encores! Summer Stars will light up the summer night with classic works of the American musical theater, expanding City Center's acclaimed Encores! series with more fully-realized productions of memorable shows. Summer Stars will also shine bright, as leading actors get the chance to play roles they were born to play," states press notes, "One of the greatest musicals of all time, Gypsy is a musical fable with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The 1959 blockbuster, originally directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, features some of the biggest songs in Broadway history: 'Everything's Coming Up Roses,' 'Rose's Turn' and 'Some People.'"

The cast also includes Leigh Ann Larkin, Tony Yazbeck, Marilyn Caskey, Alison Fraser, Nancy Opel, Bill Bateman, Jim Bracchitta, Sami Gayle, Bill Raymond, Brian Reddy and Emma Rowley.

The performance schedule is as follows: Mon. & Tues. nights at 7 pm; Wed.- Sat. at 8pm; Sun. evening. at 7pm; matinees Wed. & Sat. at 2 pm (note exceptions: July 12 at 6:30pm, no performances July 27 and 28).

Tickets ($110-$25) for Gypsy are available at the New York City Center Box Office (West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues), through CityTix at 212-581-1212, or online at www.nycitycenter.org.

Photos by Joan Marcus

Laura Benanti, Patti LuPone and Boyd Gaines

Marilyn Caskey, Nancy Opel and Alison Fraser