Gypsy
Book by Arthur Laurents
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Portland Center Stage 
Direction by Bill Fennelly
Choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler
Costume Design by Paul Tazewell
Featuring Susannah Mars & Kate Shindle
A Note from Bill2001 is a year I will never forget.
My life, and the lives of so many others, changed forever that year.
I was 26 when I received a phone call from Chris Coleman, the Artistic Director of Portland Center Stage. I had directed the Southeast premiere of the musical Violet for him in his final season at Actors Express, and now he was asking me to come to Portland to open his second season with a reimagined production of a classic American musical.
We decided that Gypsy had everything we both wanted: big-name title recognition, grit, comedy, sex appeal, and material ripe for a fresh approach.
I began my conversations with costume designer Paul Tazewell with a clear starting point: “I do not want the stripper costumes to resemble the iconic (and fabulous) Bob Mackie costumes.” I wanted a rawer, edgier approach to the whole show. I also had the great fortune to collaborate with the brilliant choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler on the creation of this production. Our cast was led by Susannah Mars as Mama Rose, Kate Shindle as Louise, and Michael Pemberton as Herbie. It was a dream team in every way.
Halfway through the rehearsal process, 9/11 shattered the world around us. Several collaborators were stuck in New York, unable to fly to Portland. Rehearsals were paused, and we grieved. Portland Center Stage made the right decision not to cancel or postpone the production.
So, three days after the attacks, as a now 27-year-old director, I had to summon every ounce of artistic courage I had to stand before a devastated and frightened company and rally us forward. I spoke about musical theatre’s power to gather people together, create community, and insist on joy in the face of catastrophe. I believed that then, and I believe it now.
Gypsy was a turning point in our world and in my life. In 2001, I was a young director hungry to grow, and before accepting the offer to direct Gypsy, I had decided to step away from the field and go to graduate school. So, as life would have it, I opened the largest production of my directing career, and the day after, I flew to San Diego to begin my MFA at UCSD.
