By: Amanda Valentine | Staff Writer
While the importance of family is essential to the show itself, it also plays a big part in the backstage experience of Salve’s 2019 spring musical, “Gypsy”.
Based on a true story, the musical follows Mama Rose and her two daughters June and Louise (aka “Gypsy”) as she attempts to turn them each into the kind of star that she never got to be. She dedicates her life to making them famous, but after multiple men walk out of her life and her daughters claim their independence, she is forced upon the revelation that she can support herself on her own.
Bradley Simpson, ’20, plays the long-term love interest of Rose although his character, Herbie, never quite gets to marry her. “I think it’s interesting how this show presents how different people define success,” Simpson said. “Ultimately, Gypsy finds success as a burlesque performer, but her mother can’t see that as true success. Herbie’s vision of success is settling down, starting a family, and being happy, but that’s not what Rose wants. It’s these differences in opinion of what qualifies success that really drive the play.”
After years of losses, Rose’s epiphany happens during the show’s big finale, “Rose’s Turn”. While the lyrics themselves are well-written, Madisyn Mugavero, ’19, breathes new life and energy into them. She portrays the struggle between Rose’s vulnerability and her confidence with depth and intelligence, captivating both the audience and her friends in the wings.
The song is no easy feat: Mugavero said the song was the hardest part of the show because of the mental and emotional demand. On portraying a nonfictional person, Mugavero explained, “It’s hard, because you have to have to be truthful, and it has to be organic. You want to be able to kind of bring yourself in there… but still be true to the real person.”
For Julia Curtin, ’20, sharing an inspiring story like Gypsy is what makes theatre powerful. She said, “You become a vessel for something really beautiful and bigger than yourself, with people that you really love and care about.”
The cast and crew truly did work to create something bigger than themselves. This particular show demanded a focus on ensemble. With challenging and collaborative choreography set to driving orchestration, performers had to be mindful of both themselves and one another. Magic like that can’t happen without a strong mutual support system offstage.
“Supporting each other, I think, is the biggest thing. You’re not going to get through the show unless you support each other,” said Jillian Brooks-Duval, ’20, “It’s impossible to do it by yourself.” As dance captain, dancing alone comes easily for her. It’s the group work that often presents a challenge. For this cast, working together was key, and their ability to do so produced captivating visuals and stage presence.
The saying, “there are no small roles, only small actors” takes on a new meaning for the students behind “Gypsy.” While that phrase often translates to a lesson in making the most of the stage time that one is given, for these actors it means filling any spare time with more support for their fellow cast mates.
“This is a show where I had a lot of smaller roles. I played a lot of different characters,” said Curtin. “So that posed a unique challenge of being all over the place, and also doing a lot of work backstage.” While she expressed her gratitude to have been able to do a little bit of everything, she emphasized the best of it: “My favorite part was the fact that I get to be backstage to listen to ‘Together Wherever We Go.’ It’s one of my favorite moments in the show, getting to listen to the audience laughing, and how great my friends are.”
“Together Wherever We Go” highlighted the resilience of family as Rose, Herbie, and Louise (Vanessa Sciolto, ’19) push through the sudden elopement of June (Dakota Benson, ’22) and Tulsa (Daniel Landino, ’20).
Curtin is far from alone in taking time to appreciate the other cast-members. Maggie Corbutt, ’21, is brand new to the Salve theatre group, but she confidently stated, “This is probably one of the most talented casts I have ever been in.” This level of talent doesn’t necessitate exclusivity or competition, however, because she added, “I was so nervous to come in as a second semester sophomore, but everyone’s been super kind to me.”
Katja Thomalla, ’22, also noted the extraordinary kindness upon her first impression of the troupe, “Even though I’m not a part of the theater department, everyone’s been so nice and very sweet to me.”
This is exactly what seniors Madisyn Mugavero and Jill Tereshka wanted the club to be. When asked what she would tell future Salve theatre generations, Tereshka said, “Be kind to people and be welcoming… What makes the play or musical come alive is when you’re working together as a group. Theater is a community, and there will always be a community here at the Casino Theatre, even when we’re not here.”
Mugavero wanted the incoming generations to feel that same sense of welcome, saying, “If you’re feeling down, or if you’re upset, you have a whole group of people who will have your back no matter what. And just trust that. And when you think you can’t do it, you can do it.”
Judging by the impressions of the theatre’s newcomers, they should take pride in leaving behind exactly the kind of club they hoped it would be.
Many cast members expressed their thanks to the seniors for making the experience what it was. When asked what he learned from the show, Simpson said, “I have learned that I’m going to miss Madi.”
Clearly, the family bond extends beyond the onstage relationship of Herbie and Rose, or Rose and her daughters. It permeates the backstage and brings together every person who helped create the show.
“Even though we fight like a family, we love like a family,” said Tereshka.
