EAST HADDAM — From the moment Rose Hovick utters the iconic words, “Sing Out, Louise” from the aisles of Goodspeed Opera house, the audience knows they are in for quite a treat.

The classic Golden Age musical, Gypsy, has returned to Connecticut in an all new production directed by Jenn Thompson. The musical, written by Arthur Laurents, with music & lyrics by Julie Styne and Stephen Sondheim, first made its debut on Broadway in 1959 and has had four subsequent Broadway revivals.

Loosely based on the memoirs of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, the musical explores her beginnings on the vaudeville circuit with her sister June and her eventual rise to stardom. While the musical tells the tale of a young performer (then named Louise) coming into her own, it also delves into her relationship with the mother of all stage mothers, her mother Rose.

Goodspeed Opera House could not be a better home for this wonderful new production.

Gypsy is a love letter to performers and old school musical theater. This show is the ultimate “backstage” musical, performed in one of the most magical and historical venues in the United States. Goodspeed Opera House was the birthplace of such classics as Annie, Man of La Mancha and Shenandoah, each of which has taken their place in musical history right alongside Gypsy. Scenic Designer Alexander Dodge has used this history to his advantage and created a set that feels right at home.

Rose Havok (a/k/a Mama Rose) is a role most actresses dream of playing. In this production we get Broadway vet Judy McLane (Tanya in over 4,000 performances of Mamma Mia) giving us her take on Mama. She does not disappoint.

McLane brings humor and heart to a character that can otherwise become a caricature of an overbearing mother. Her chemistry with love interest Herbie (Philip Hernandez) is palpable. At the end of the day, Rose’s drive comes from how much she loves her two children, June and Louise.

McLane brings so much warmth to the role and the audience can feel that love shine through.

Hernandez is an effortless Herbie, bringing humanity and strength to the role. When Herbie finally stands up to Rose near the end of the show, it breaks the audience’s heart. His is a lovely performance.

One of the major standout performances comes from child actor Emily Jewel Hoder as Baby June. Her timing and delivery of the sugary sweet lines and the belting of her songs are pure perfection. It is a shame she only appears in a brief segment near the top of the show.

The audience was transfixed and could have watched her sing and dance for the whole two hours. This should come as no surprise, as she recently came off a Broadway run in The Music Man, playing Amarylis opposite Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. If she can hold her own up against those two juggernauts then her future in theater looks very bright.

Then there is the titular character Gypsy Rose Lee, the most famous stripper — ahem … Ecdysiast, as she puts it — in history. Lee is played by another Broadway vet, Talia Suskauer, hot off her run as Elphaba in Wicked.

Suskauer’s subtle yet beautiful performance stays with audiences for a very long time. Lee goes from shy tagalong to certified star. Her Ecdysiatical tendencies are strongly encouraged by a trio of jaded burlesque vets, Mazeppa, Electra and Tessie (Romelda Teron Benjamin, Victoria Huston-Elem and Valerie Wright, respectively). Their number “Ya Gotta Have a Gimmick” brings down the house.

The 2023 season opener in East Haddam, Gypsy has extended its run until June 25, and for good reason. This is a show that, whether you’ve never seen or you’ve seen a million times, needs to be revisited. This is the perfect opportunity to do so.

For tickets and more information visit goodspeed.org.