Bay Area Musicals Presents GYPSY

Bay Area Musicals has announced the full cast and creative team for the first production of the Company's 2019-2020 season, the timeless 6-Time Tony Award-winning masterpiece GYPSY. Inspired by the 1957 memoirs of legendary burlesque artist Gypsy Rose Lee, GYPSY features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. Bay Area Musicals' production of GYPSY runs from November 9 - December 8, 2019 and will perform at San Francisco's Alcazar Theatre (650 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102). The press opening will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Regular tickets range from $40 - $85 and can be purchased online at www.bamsf.org/gypsy. Opening Night Fundraiser Tickets (available only for the Saturday, November 9 performance at 8:00 p.m.) range from $50 - $100 and includes dessert and a champagne toast with the cast (and can also be purchased online at www.bamsf.org/gypsy).

Bay Area Musicals' production of GYPSY will be directed and choreographed by Matthew McCoy (who will also serve as set and lighting designer), with music direction by Jon Gallo.

"To me, GYPSY is one of the very best - perhaps THE best - book musicals in the American musical theatre canon," said Director Matthew McCoy. "In that assessment, I am one amongst innumerable musical theatre enthusiasts, critics, artists, audiences and historians. It is the ultimate showbiz fable, packed with songs that we know and love, and told with an unvarnished honesty that lays bare the love, greed and pathos of the ultimate stage mother: Rose Hovick. Momma Rose is undoubtedly one of the most sophisticated characters in musical theatre, and we can't wait to share our unique vision of this story with the Bay Area. Our stellar cast comes from all over the Bay, and our Rose, Ariela Morgenstern, has wowed audiences throughout San Francisco and across the country. And with a lush 10-person orchestra conducted by our own virtuosic Jon Gallo, our patrons will be in for a truly stellar opening to our fifth anniversary."

"GYPSY, the 1959 fable of the last days of vaudeville, shines with a magnified transparency... there is no separation at all between song and character, which is what happens in those uncommon moments when musicals reach upward to achieve their ideal reasons to be." - The New York Times

Bay Area Musicals is pleased to open our fifth anniversary season with GYPSY, considered among critics and theater historians to be the best American Musical---EVER! GYPSY is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business mother." It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage, and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The luscious and recognizable score includes "Everything's Coming up Roses", "Together (Wherever We Go)", "Small World", "You Gotta Get a Gimmick", "Let Me Entertain You", "All I Need Is the Girl", and "Rose's Turn." Resident Music Director Jon Gallo will be arranging and gathering the top orchestral talents for the largest orchestra Bay Area Musicals has ever had. Come to the theater and let us 'entertain you'!

The cast of GYPSY will feature Ariela Morgenstern* as "Rose," Jade Shoajaee as "Louise," Tia Konsur as "June," DC Scarpelli as "Herbie," Emma Berman as "Baby June," Chloe Fong as "Baby Louise," Jean-Paul Jones as "Tulsa," Elaine Jennings as "Tessie Tura/Miss Cratchitt," Olivia Cabera as "Mazeppa / Hollywood Blonde," Glenna Murillo as "Electra / Rose Understudy," Mark Robinson as "Uncle Jocko / Mr. Goldstone / Cigar / Herbie Understudy," Ernie Tovar as "Weber/Pastey," Amber Lee Wunderlich as "Newsboy," Dakota Colussi as "Newsboy," Kayla Yee as "Newsboy," Juan Castro as "Kansas / Ensemble," Benjamin Nguyen as "L.A. / Ensemble," Philip Leyva as "Yonkers / Ensemble," Cassie Grilley as "Agnes / Esnemble," April Deutschle as "Geraldine / Ensemble / Louise Understudy" and Veronica Ortiz as "Marjorie May / Ensemble / June Understudy."

In addition to Mr. McCoy and Mr. Gallo, the creative team will include Jane Troja as Stage Member, Andrea Fanelli as Assistant Stage Manager, Isaac Traister as Assistant Stage Manager, Brooke Jennings as Costume Designer, Anton Hedman as Sound Designer, Jackie Dennis as Wig Designer, Richard Gutierrez as Wardrobe Master, Stewart Lyle as Technical Director / Set Consultant and Matt Owens as Rigger / Assistant.

GYPSY runs approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, including one intermission.

Bay Area Musicals' upcoming 2019-2020 season will include the powerful 6-time Tony Award-winning GYPSY (November 9 - December 8, 2019), the hysterical 10-time Tony Award-nominated THE FULL MONTY (February 15 - March 15, 2020), the game-changing Tony Award-winning Best Musical A CHORUS LINE (April 11 - May 10, 2020) and Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award-winning IN THE HEIGHTS (July 11 - August 9, 2020). GYPSY and A CHORUS LINE will perform at San Francisco's Alcazar Theatre (650 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94103) and THE FULL MONTY and IN THE HEIGHTS will perform at San Francisco's Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103). Subscriptions and single tickets to all 2019-2020 season are available now at www.bamsf.org.

Bay Area Musicals (BAM!) is a professional, non-profit theatre organization dedicated to presenting the highest-caliber of musical theatre in San Francisco. Founded in 2014, the Company strives to stimulate and inspire the San Francisco Bay Area community through high-caliber musical theater ranging from familiar classics to challenging new works; to produce professional musical theater at accessible ticket rates; and to engage the community through performance, outreach, and educational opportunities. For more information, visit www.bamsf.org.