Acclaimed actress and singer Audra McDonald is officially returning to Broadway this fall in a revival production Gypsy at the Majestic Theatre.
On May 29, the Majestic Theater teased the new production by revealing just a few letters on a digital screen in the hours leading up to the announcement. Many people shared the mysterious message that was discovered on TikTok, theorizing that it would confirm a Gypsy revival.
It was later discovered that the sign read “Audra Gypsy” in announcing McDonald’s starring role.
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Audra McDonald will appear in the Broadway revival Gypsy.
Courtesy of Broadway
The 53-year-old six-time Tony Award-winning actress will play the iconic role of Rose in the production and will be the first black woman to ever tackle the role on Broadway.
Gypsy, which originally premiered in 1959, follows the story of an ambitious theater mother who relentlessly supports her daughter’s success in show business. McDonald will follow in the footsteps of legendary Broadway actresses such as Ethel Merman, Tyne Daly, Angela Lansbury and Patti Lupone who also played Rose on stage. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date. get the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In an interview for The New York TimesMcDonald said she was “dreaming Gypsy since she was 10 years old” and that it has remained “very much alive in my brain” ever since.
“It’s one of the great roles in musical theater and I always thought maybe one day I could try it,” McDonald said. “It scares me to death, but I certainly feel old enough now, and having experienced motherhood, maybe I have what it takes to dive in and explore her and all that she is.”
In a press release provided to PEOPLE, producers Tom Kirdahy and Mara Isaacs said, “When we began this journey we had a specific dream of pairing Audra McDonald, our most acclaimed stage actress, with legendary director George C. Wolfe in a musical that many consider to be the biggest Gypsy to the Broadway stage.”
Performances on Gypsy the revival will begin on November 21, with an official premiere on December 19. Tickets go on sale May 30th at 10am EST.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education