Broadway's “Gypsy” Revival Led by Audra McDonald Cancels 7 Shows in 1 Week Due to Cast Illness

The week between Christmas and New Year's typically yields big box office success on Broadway, with tourists flocking to New York City to see the biggest shows during their holiday vacations. But there was one ticket that was impossible to get last week: George C. Wolfe's revival of Gypsy, with six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald in the leading role.

That's because seven straight shows between Monday, Dec. 23 and Saturday, Dec. 28 were cancelled, some just hours before they were scheduled to start.

The culprit, according to announcements on the show's official X account, was "continued Illness within the company." Because the show had just officially opened on Dec. 19, the production was "very quickly getting all our understudies up to speed."

Performances resumed on Sunday, Dec. 29. An evening performance on Monday, Dec. 30 is currently still scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Those who had tickets to one of the canceled performances were instructed to check with their point of purchase for exchanges or refunds.

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McDonald posted about the issue on Dec. 22, before the cancellations began.

"Hi friends! You know that nasty cold that’s going around right now? Maybe some of you have it? Sore throat, cough, etc? No fun right? Well that little bugger is racing through the Broadway community right now too including here at Gypsy and including yours truly 🙃," she wrote.

The theater star's message came along with a selfie, snapped as she used a personal steam inhaler.

"I’m hoping all of you that are coming to shows this holiday week and next can give a little grace to us folks up onstage and backstage as well," McDonald continued. "Whether it be understanding a little crack or two in a song, or a sneeze or cough while we’re up there. Maybe not the most perfectly sung notes or spoken lines OR if you come to the theater to find out that one of our glorious understudies or swings are on. We are all doing our absolute best to give you the show you deserve while taking care of ourselves at the same time."

"See you on the boards… and take your vitamins! ❤️🌹," she added.

Related: Audra McDonald and Her Gypsy Costars Strike a Pose in First Look at Cast of Anticipated Broadway Revival (Exclusive)

Related: Audra McDonald Makes History with Powerhouse Performance in Broadway Revival of Gypsy

Gypsy officially opened at the Majestic Theatre in New York City to rave reviews. It's the first Broadway revival of Gypsy ever to feature three Black actresses in the roles of Mama Rose and her two daughters, Baby June and Louise.

Inspired by the 1957 memoirs of legendary burlesque entertainer, stripper and actress Gypsy Rose Lee, Gypsy is often named the greatest American musical of all time. Lines from Arthur Laurents' masterful book like, "Sing out, Louise," have become part of pop culture lexicon, while songs from Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim like "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "You Gotta Get a Gimmick," "Together, Wherever We Go" and "Rose's Turn" have become show tune staples.

The musical has been revived multiple times on Broadway following its initial 1959 production starring Ethel Merman, with renowned actresses like Tyne Daly, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone playing Rose on stage. On screen, the part has been played by Rosalind Russell (1962), Bette Midler (1993) and Imelda Staunton (in a filmed version of the 2015 London stage revival).

Related: Audra McDonald Says the Idea to Do Gypsy Came from Friend Gavin Creel Before His Death

The idea of playing Rose was something McDonald long dismissed until her late friend, Gavin Creel, encouraged her to do it.

"He kind of put it in my head," McDonald recalled during an appearance on The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal that aired in October, noting Creel — who died on Sept. 30 at the age of 48 amid treatment for a rare and aggressive form of cancer called sarcoma — had approached her about it one Thanksgiving.

"[Gavin] dragged me into my garage after we had eaten, and he goes, ‘Hey, I want to talk to you about something. You need to play Rose in Gypsy. You need to do it. You need to do it. It's just right. It should be a Black woman and honey, you need to do it,' " McDonald, 54, said.

She noted that Creel even approached Wolfe about the idea "A few years ago, Gavin cornered George and went, 'Are you going to direct Audra in this? Because you have to do it,' " she shared.

As thanks, McDonald dedicated her performance to Creel, writing in the show's Playbill that he "planted the seed for this Rose."

Tickets for Gypsy are now on sale.

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