George C. Wolfe on Desperation and Desire in His “Gypsy”

For Tony-winning playwright and theater director George C. Wolfe, the “landscape of America is rich and complicated and messy.” He takes the greatest joy in putting that messiness on the Broadway stage. This time, he’s directing the Broadway revival of “Gypsy,” widely considered the best of the Golden Age musicals. Alongside the show’s lead actor Audra McDonald, Wolfe has dug into the past to modernize Rose, the most famous stage mother in history. Their work has been nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. In this episode, George C. Wolfe talks to us about the harrowing photographs he unearthed during his research into the Great Depression and the economic uncertainty of the era in which “Gypsy” takes place. He shares how he reshaped the production to portray Rose as a more sympathetic and modernized character. Wolfe reflects on the importance of finding joy in troubled times, both on the stage and off. You can also learn more about the choreographer of “Gypsy” in our new short documentary, “Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps” here. This film is part of our digital series called “In The Making” and directed by Michelle Parkerson and Shellée M. Haynesworth.

You can listen to George C. Wolfe on Desperation and Desire in His “Gypsy” online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

George C. Wolfe on Desperation and Desire in His “Gypsy” is an episode from American Masters Podcast by American Masters | PBS.

This episode is 25:43 long.

This episode was published on May 23, 2025.

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