‘Gypsy’

I’m going to share with you some wandering thoughts about the Diamond Head Theater’s production of “Gypsy,” the story of Gypsy Rose Lee and her mother Rose.

First of all, it’s an okay production. Nothing really special about it, evidenced by the lack of a prolonged standing ovation by the audience when it was over, and the paucity of theater-goers who stayed behind to talk to the actors afterwards.

Almost everything before the intermission didn’t excite me, especially the vaudeville performances by the children, which went on and on, over and over again as the costumes changed and the children aged.

The three aging strippers early in the second half finally perked me up when they performed their bump and grind rendition of “You Gotta Get a Gimmick.” Mazeppa (Cathy Foy-Mahi) was excellent. I liked Candes Meijide Gentry as Louise, later to become Gypsy Rose Lee. Now that young woman has talent. More on these two later.

I thought that although Shari Lynn turned in a semi-powerful performance as Mama Rose, she just wasn’t quite able to grab onto me and pull me into the early acts.

The songs themselves are quite memorable, as a few of them have become standards. You remember "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Let Me Entertain You," "Together Wherever We Go," and the Johnny Mathis hit, "Small World."

Back to the two I mentioned earlier: Cathy Foy-Mahi became Miss Hawaii the year I was Honolulu Jaycees president and our chapter sponsored the Miss Hawaii Pageant, so I got to know her a little. About 10 years ago, when Candes Meijide Gentry was Miss Hawaii, my client and I took her to the Big Island to visit and entertain at a long-term care hospital. She was younger then, and a lovely representative of our state.

Finally, a group of Red Hat Society women sat near us and had a ball. They alone were worth the price of admission.

Check this out:

The little monkey? That’s Heart-Throb Pinchy, my new pet.