Sally Mayes Stars as 'Mama Rose' in Harbor Lights' GYPSY, Opening Tonight

The Harbor Lights Theater Company (Harbor Lights), Staten Island's only professional Equity Theater Company, led by Founders and Artistic Directors Tamara Jenkins and Jay Montgomery, welcomes a cast of Broadway veterans and Tony and Emmy nominees, as well as many Staten Islanders, for GYPSY, opening tonight, August 7th, and running two weekends through August 16th in an exciting new partnership with the historic St. George Theater in Staten Island.

The production stars Tony nominee Sally Mayes as 'Mama Rose' (She Loves Me, Pete 'n Keeley), Emmy nominee and local Staten Islander Kathy Brier (One Life to Live, Hairspray) as 'Electra,' local Broadway veteran Mimi Quillin (Sweet Charity, Ragtime), and Broadway veteran Patti Mariano (42nd Street, Full Monty, HLTC's Music Man) as 'Tessa Tura' and 'Mazeppa,' respectively.

Bill Castellino (Cagney, Storyville) directs and Mary Ann Lamb and Lisa Gajda will choreograph. Ms. Lamb is a Broadway legend, her image having appeared in the iconic Fosse and Chicago ad campaigns for nearly a decade. Together, Ms. Lamb and Ms. Gajda have appeared in dozens of Broadway shows.

Anthony Johnson will play 'Tulsa' (HLTC West Side Story,) Heidi Friese will play 'June,' and Michael Marotta will portray 'Herbie.' Samantha Bruce stars as 'Gypsy Rose Lee'

"We held auditions both on Staten Island and in Manhattan and have found the perfect mix of local and Broadway talent. The Harbor Lights Theater Company is honored to be producing this all-time classic, Gypsy, at the historic St. George Theater. Gypsy is widely considered one of the greatest musicals of all time, " said Tamara Jenkins.

With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, choreography by Jerome Robbins, and book by Arthur Laurents, the play is based on Gypsy Rose Lee's 1957 memoir. Gypsy tells the story of Mama Rose, Lee's real life "backstage mother," and her daughter Louise, the character based on Lee, who finally, triumphantly emerges from Rose's shadow to become a star.

Casting an affectionate eye on show business life in the heyday of Vaudeville, Gypsy's score features one legendary standard after another - "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Together (Wherever We Go)," "All I Need Is the Girl," and "Let Me Entertain You," among them.

Tickets on sale from the St. George Theatre Box Office or Ticketmaster.

Harbor Lights is the first and only professional Equity Theater Company in Staten Island's history. Since founding Harbor Lights in 2010, Broadway veterans and Harbor Lights Founding Artistic Directors Tamara Jenkins and Jay Montgomery, have begun building a bridge from Broadway to Staten Island, bringing the nation's best to work with their community's finest. In four seasons of producing plays and musicals, Harbor Lights has presented over 75 Broadway professionals, including Tony, Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, Drama Desk, and Obie award-winning and - nominated artists, in sixteen productions at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens. For more, visit www.hltc.org.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Lead Performer in a Musical - Top 3

1. LJ Benet - The Lost Boys, A New Musical

25.4% of votes

2. Joshua Henry - Ragtime

13.9% of votes

3. Sam Tutty - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

11.9% of votes

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