The musical “Gypsy” will be performed in the IVCC Cultural Center April 10-13. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets are available free for IVCC students with a student ID, $15 for the general public, $10 for non-IVCC students and seniors. No child will be admitted under the age of 10 given the adult content of this musical.
The Theater Department’s page on the IVCC Web site describes “Gypsy” as “The ultimate story about an aggressive stage mother. Join Rose, June and Louise in their trip across the United States during the 1920s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born.”
“Gypsy” will be the first musical performed in the Cultural Center since the grand opening of the Peter Miller Community Technology Center in November 2013.
Elizabeth Voitik, cast member and IVCC graduate, commented on the benefits of the new facility: “The floor on the stage has been replaced, which is wonderful because the floor before was full of splinters and kind of dangerous to be acting on.”
Voitik also mentioned that overall the Cultural Center looks and feels as it did before, only with added perks such as new dressing rooms.
Auditions for the musical took place in January, with rehearsals starting in February.
Local resident and cast member Alex Guerrero said, “A ton of time and work goes into practices; [rehearsals] run late sometimes, going to 10 or 11 at night.”
These hours are endured by the cast comprised of about 30 individuals including adults, children, and two animals, according to Voitik.
This performance is directed and choreographed by Don Grant Zellmer who is also in charge of Show Choir, which can be taken for credit at IVCC.
Zellmer commented, “We wanted our first show back in the theatre to be big — and ‘Gypsy’ seemed to just step forward as a classic, powerful, and well-known show. It also seemed a natural choice as we’ve been performing all over the place — like gypsies.”
“Gypsy” is produced by David Kuester, who teaches drama classes at the Oglesby
campus as well as presides over S.P.A.M.O. (Students of Performing Arts and Music Organization).