SouthFlorida.com | Teen Link South Florida

Underneath the veneer of glittering costumes and musical extravaganzas, there is an underworld to showbiz where hatred thrives, where relationships crack, and where jealousy and competition reign over all. Such is the iconic tale of "Gypsy", tackled by the performers from North Broward Preparatory School.

The show, loosely based on a true story, opened on Broadway in 1959 starring Ethel Merman as Momma Rose, an overbearing stage mother living vicariously through her daughters. Her obsession with molding them into stars of a vaudeville act caused rebellions and many rifts in their relationship—June ran away, and Louise abandoned Rose's innocent act for the glamorous world of burlesque. Though the plot is set over eighty years ago, playgoers can still find similar themes in modern times such as dominating parents and obstacles in mother-daughter relationships.

Gypsy continues to be hailed as one of the most brilliant musicals of all time, a daunting task for a group of high school students to undertake. The cast, however, put their best foot forward in order to produce an energetic and emotional show.

Morgan Siegel displayed her excellent vocal talents as Rose, shining especially during numbers like "Everything's Coming Up Roses". Siegel's maturity made the character both believable and likable, especially when interacting with her daughters. Louise was brought to life by Rachael Johnston whose emotion brought about great character development throughout the story. A memorable moment was the upbeat and adorable duet "If Momma Was Married" with Dani Weiner, who played her rebellious sister June.

Other standout performances came from the comedic Coby Tuchman, the theatre manager in Wichita, and Jessie Carter as Baby June. Miles McKee was also charming as Tulsa, especially during his solo "All I Need Is the Girl". A particularly impressive part was the transition from Baby June and Baby Louise to Dainty June and the older Louise, done during a musical number. Although the ensemble's dancing could have been more polished, their vocals were pleasant. Some dialogue was so quick that it became muddled and lines were lost in the hustling tempo of the story, but the actors recovered well to keep the show moving.

Among the aesthetics that contributed to the show's success was the costume design, done by Devon Horn. The pieces glittered and sparkled with intricate details and glamorous designs, especially the costumes for Baby June and the burlesque dancers. The student tech crew did a fine job of keeping up the show's pace and was hardly distracting during set changes.

Living up to the hype that is "Gypsy" is not an easy task, but North Broward Preparatory School took the challenge in stride to create a well-done performance.