Audra McDonald to lead Broadway revival of Gypsy

A new revival of Gypsy is heading to Broadway, with the iconic role of Madame Rose played by Audra McDonald.

Directed by George C Wolfe and choreographed by Camille A Brown, Gypsy will reopen the Majestic Theatre (where The Phantom of the Opera previously played), with previews beginning 21 November. Opening night is set for 19 December.

Featuring a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy is loosely based on the life of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee and tracks her relationship with her overbearing stage mother. The musical debuted on Broadway in 1959 with Ethel Merman starring as Rose.

McDonald and Wolfe previously collaborated on the Broadway musical Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, which ran in 2016. Wolfe will receive a 2024 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement later this year.