B'way Update: Audra McDonald to Star in Gypsy

Audra McDonald
Credit: Allison Michael Orenstein

The rumors have been confirmed. Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald will tackle the King Lear of musical theater roles when she plays Mama Rose in the fifth Broadway revival of Gypsy, the musical suggested by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The production will be directed by five-time Tony winner George C. Wolfe (Angels in America, Shuffle Along) and choreographed by four-time Tony nominee Camille A. Brown (Hell's Kitchen, for colored girls) and begin previews at the re-opened Majestic Theatre on Nov. 21 prior to a Dec. 19 opening. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

“When we began this journey we had the specific dream of pairing Audra McDonald, our most lauded stage actress, with legendary director George C. Wolfe in a musical deemed by many to be the greatest. Sometimes the theatre gods smile upon us. This is one such time. We could not be more honored to bring this particular Gypsy to the Broadway stage and also include the singular Camille A. Brown as part of our creative team," said producers Tom Kirdahy and Mara Isaacs.

Gypsy opened at the Broadway Theatre in 1959 with Ethel Merman as Rose. Broadway revivals have starred Angela Lansbury (1974), Tyne Daly (1989), Bernadette Peters (2003) and Patti LuPone (2008). Rosalind Russell headlined the 1962 film version and Bette Midler did the 1993 TV version.

2024-25 Broadway/Off-Broadway/Awards Calendar 
Summer 2024
June 4--What Became of Us (Atlantic Stage 2)
June 5--Home (Roundabout/Todd Haimes)

June 6--The World According to Micki Grant (New Federal Theater/WP Theater)
June 10--Drama Desk Awards (NYU Skirball)
June 10--Theater World Awards (Marquis Theater)
June 12--The Welkin (Atlantic Theater Company)
June 12--Titanic (Encores/City Center)
June 16--Tony Awards (David Koch Theater/Lincoln Center)
June 18--Pre-Existing Condition (Connelly Upstairs)
June 20--Cats (Perelman Performing Arts Center)
June 23--N/A (Mitzi Newhouse)
July 11--Oh, Mary! (Lyceum)
July 30--Job (Hayes)
Aug. 12--Once Upon a Mattress (Hudson)

Fall 2024

Sept. 12--The Roommate (Booth)

Sept. 12--Counting and Cracking (Public Theater/NYU Skirball)

Sept. 24--Vladimir (MTC/City Center Stage I) (previews begin; opening TBA)

Sept. 30--MCNEAL (Vivian Beaumont/LCT)

Oct. 1--Yellowface (Roundabout/Todd Haimes)

Oct. 1--Good Bones (Public)

Oct. 9--The Counter (Roundabout/Laura Pels)

Oct. 10--Our Town (Barrymore)

Oct. 10--Deep History (Public)

Oct. 17--Maybe Happy Ending (Belasco)

Oct. 20--Sunset Boulevard (St. James)

Oct. 24--Romeo and Juliet (Circle in the Square)

Nov. 8--Gatz (Elevator Repair Service/Public)

Nov. 11--What a Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical (Studio 54)

Nov. 14--Tammy Faye (Palace)

Nov. 14--King Lear (Kenneth Branagh Theater Company/The Shed)

Nov. 21--Death Becomes Her (Lunt-Fontanne)

Nov. 25--Eureka Day (MTC/Samuel J. Friedman) (previews begin; opening TBA)

Left on Tenth

Swept Away

We Live in Cairo (NYTW)

Winter 2024-25

Dec. 19--Gypsy (Majestic)

Jan. 23--English (Roundabout/Todd Haimes Theater)

Feb. 20--Liberation (Roundabout/Laura Pels)

The Antiquities (Playwrights Horizons/Vineyard Theater)

A Knock on the Roof (NYTW)

Sumo (Ma-Yi Theater/Public)

2024-25

My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?)

Romeo and Juliet w.Tom Holland/Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (?)

Smash

Wine in the Wilderness (CSC)

Spring 2025

March 25--Old Friends (MTC/Samuel J. Friedman) (previews begins opening TBA)

April 24--The Pirates of Penzance (Roundabout/Todd Haimes Theater)

Bowl EP (Vineyard Theater/National Black Theater)

Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp. (Public)

Good Night and Good Luck

Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole (NYTW)

Othello

The Picture of Dorian Gray (???)

Show Boat (Target Margin/NYU Skirball)

Summer 2025

Twelfth Night (Public Theater/Delacorte)

Fall 2025

Initiative (Public)

Future--Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death; Beaches the Musical; Black Orpheus; BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical; Come Fall in Love--The DDLJ Musical; Crazy Rich Asians; The Devil Wears Prada; Ella: An American Miracle; Everybody's Talking About Jamie; Frida, the Musical; Game of Thrones; The Griswolds' Broadway Vacation; High Noon; Imitation of Life; The Interestings; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; The Karate Kid; La La Land; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; The Mousetrap; Nancy Drew and the Mystery at Spotlight Manor; Pal Joey; Purple Rain; The Queen's Gambit; Rear Window; The Nanny; The Normal Heart/The Destiny of Me; The Queen of Versailles; The Secret Garden; Sing Street; Soul Train; Stranger Things: The First Shadow; Working Girl.

2024-25 Broadway Season Breakdown

New Plays

Good Night and Good Luck

Job 

Left on Tenth

MCNEAL

Oh, Mary!

The Roommate

New Musicals

Death Becomes Her

Maybe Happy Ending

Old Friends

Smash

Swept Away

Tammy Faye

What a Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

Play Revivals

English

Eureka Day

Othello

Our Town

Romeo and Juliet

Yellowface

Musical Revivals

Gypsy

Once Upon a Mattress

The Pirates of Penzance

Sunset Boulevard