George C. Wolfe on Desperation and Desire in His “Gypsy”
From American Masters: Creative Spark by American Masters | PBS
May 23, 2025 · 26 min · Season 8 · Episode 3
About this episode
George C. Wolfe discusses his direction of the Broadway revival of 'Gypsy' and the complexities of modernizing its characters.
For Tony-winning playwright and theater director George C. Wolfe, the “landscape of America is rich and complicated and messy.” He takes the greatest joy in putting that messiness on the Broadway stage. This time, he’s directing the Broadway revival of “Gypsy,” widely considered the best of the Golden Age musicals. Alongside the show’s lead actor Audra McDonald, Wolfe has dug into the past to modernize Rose, the most famous stage mother in history. Their work has been nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. In this episode, George C. Wolfe talks to us about the harrowing photographs he unearthed during his research into the Great Depression and the economic uncertainty of the era in which “Gypsy” takes place. He shares how he reshaped the production to portray Rose as a more sympathetic and modernized character. Wolfe reflects on the importance of finding joy in troubled times, both on the stage and off. You can also learn more about the choreographer of “Gypsy” in our new short documentary, “Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps” here. This film is part of our digital series called “In The Making” and directed by Michelle Parkerson and Shellée M. Haynesworth.
People in this episode
Guest: George C. Wolfe
Topics covered
- theater
- Broadway
- musicals
- Great Depression
- character development
Keywords
- Tony Award
- Audra McDonald
- Rose
- sympathetic character
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Gypsy, Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps
Books & works: Gypsy, Tony, a Tony Award, Best Revival of a Musical, Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps, In The Making”
Places: America
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