The Great White Way comes to Forestburgh—and vice versa

FORESTBURGH, NY — The Forestburgh Playhouse production of the Broadway musical “Gypsy,” playing through Sunday, July 6, boasts some Broadway talent to go along with its pedigree.

Leslie Alexander, who portrays Mama Rose, appeared on Broadway with Hugh Jackman in “The Boy from Oz” and was in the original Broadway cast of “Mamma Mia!,” the ABBA-inspired musical that is still playing on the Great White Way. Playing opposite her in the Forestburgh “Gypsy,” in the role of Herbie, is Bruce Sabath, who most recently appeared on Broadway in the recent revival of “Company.”

“Company,” which won the 2007 Tony for Best Revival, shows that the traffic between Broadway and Forestburgh goes both ways. Bruce shared the stage in that production with two Forestburgh Playhouse alumni: Amy Grant, who was part of the resident company of young actors here in 2001, and Kelly Jeanne Grant, who played the leading role of Victoria Grant in the 2004 Playhouse production of “Victor/Victoria.”

“Gypsy” is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Mama Rose, whose name has become synonymous with “the ultimate show business mother.” The big, brassy, funny show has music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. The show serves up one popular standard after another like “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “You Gotta Have a Gimmick” and “Let Me Entertain You.”

Upcoming productions at Forestburgh will also have Broadway talent on display: Adam Halpin, who recently appeared in the short-lived musical “Glory Days on Broadway,” will play leading man Cliff Bradshaw in “Cabaret,” starting on July 8. And Alexander and Sabath will return, this time as the star-crossed older lovers, in their second appearances of the season.

All main stage shows at The Forestburgh Playhouse are presented at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday and at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Visit FBplayhouse.com for more information.