Talented veteran actress and singer Mary Vanarsdel drives her two young (and later not-so-young) daughters with a completely believable bulldog intensity, ignoring all else including their happiness and the happiness of her devoted lover Herbie (a highly likeable Jeff Austin) – only taking notice when her instinct telling her that she might lose them is somehow able to grab her attention. Her big solo numbers wrap up the first and second act with memorable finishes, though the greatest scene is probably the final confrontation between her and previously overlooked daughter Louise who has just made it big in burlesque, with Sarah Ramsey Duke turning in a terrific performance as the lonely, Plain-Jane young girl desperate for her mother’s love who transforms into stripper star Gypsy Rose Lee.

Other standouts include Jill Townsend (formerly known as Jill Lewis) as mommy’s favorite curly top Dainty June who as a young adult gets tired of playing a sweet and enthusiastic ten-year-old Shirley Temple, and even more tired of mom keeping her trapped in the role instead of letting her grow up. Diane Vincent turns in some good comedy with her talk and walk as the unimpressed theatre assistant Miss Cratchitt and later as the beautiful butterfly Tessie Tura joined by bump-it-with-your-trumpet Mazeppa (Ria Carey) and electrifying Electra (Tracy Powell) as the seasoned strippers who lead Louise to her true calling. An excellent dancing ensemble includes a great group of young actors/dancers led by Janie Escalle and Alexa Bergman as Baby June and Baby Louise and their older counterparts doing basically the same silly act several years later (but with some Hollywood pizzazz and a moo-sical cow thrown into the mix).

Performs through November 13, 2005.

Rob Hopper
San Diego Playbill