THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Herbie ( Gary Saipe ) may never grow accustomed to Rose's shennanigans, but it takes no time at all for the audience to get "used to" Billings as the scheming, high-spirited Mama Rose. Her comedic timing hits all the right marks, especially when delivering her fast-as-lightening, drama-drenched dialogue. Based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, this musical ( made famous by Ethel Merman and Bette Midler ) exposes the underbelly of the vaudeville circuit where Rose struggles to make a star out her favorite daughter June and, later, her daughter Louise.

Depending on where you look, Gypsy is a coming-of-age story, a story about the false allure of fame, and a story about the thorny relationships between mothers and daughters. Those stories are buoyed by rousing, memorable music that includes such classics as "Small World," "Some People." "Let Me Entertain You," and "Everything is Coming up Roses," to name but a few. To be successful, these lovably corny songs should be delivered with a vocal intensity that is, unfortunately, often missing from Billings' performance. Can Billings' sing? Of course she can. But the audience finds itself almost cocking an ear towards the stage as if to say "We hear you. But we want to REALLY hear you!"

Bailiwick's decision to wipe the dust off of this musical and present it to Chicago audiences in the year 2001 may seem like an odd choice to seasoned theatergoers; but Gypsy continues to be a story that effortlessly charms its audiences. Everyone loves a good make-over story, and Louise's transformation, from gawky to glamorous, powered by Susan Miller's strong performance, virtually steals the show. Look for another stand-out performance from Northwestern University graduate and All My Children alum Amber Dow as "June" ( who has perfected the art of the cheesy smile to hilarious results ) as well as an energetic performance ( and some fancy footwork ) from Andrew Delo as her husband.

It is also important to note the contributions of Brian Bembridge ( scenic designer ) and Eric Appleton ( lighting design ) who transport us to the murky worlds of vaudeville and burlesque houses without ever distracting the audience with gimmicky sets or props. In the end, everything is coming up roses for this Bailiwick production. It's just that, depending on the scene, some roses tend to bloom larger than others.