Thank Heavens for Classic Broadway: The 'Gigi' Revival Hits All the Right Notes

Madison Gallup ’18/ Emertainment Monthly Assistant TV Editor

It is easy to get as entranced by the youthful magic surrounding the revival of Gigi as Gigi herself is with the beach that Gaston Lachaille takes her and Mamita to. She sings “I Never Want to Go Home Again” while on this beautiful holiday, and that feeling of being swept up by something so fun and spontaneous is shared by the audience who may never want to leave Broadway again. This is what Gigi does so well. It is the purest version of what Broadway offers, and it reminds audiences how fabulous a classic musical can be. In addition to the spectacular Broadway numbers, some audience members may be surprised to find that this show tackles feminist issues with as much power and grace as it does the show stopping songs. Just by seeing this show, a love of the theater could easily be formed or reignited.
Vanessa Hudgens stars as Gigi, and she carries the role beautifully. Hudgens is well known for her role as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series, but she has also released two albums (V in 2005, and Identified in 2008) and been in a number of other shows and films (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and Spring Breakers being two of the best known films she has starred in). Gigi is her Broadway debut, but under the lights in the intimate Neil Simon Theatre, Hudgens is so poised that it is difficult to tell that she is not an old Broadway pro. What stands out is Hudgens’ wonderful voice and vibrant energy that radiates throughout her performance. Many of Gigi’s songs involve her dancing and jumping around while singing big notes, and Hudgens makes even the most challenging numbers seem effortless. Hudgens transforms completely into this young french girl who becomes caught up in a romance with her old family friend, Gaston. Look out for Hudgens as Rizzo in the Grease: Live TV special, where she will surely show off her singing and acting chops on an even grander scale after honing them during her first Broadway run.

The male lead of Gigi, Gaston Lachaille, is masterfully played by Corey Cott. Cott is an impressive young man, who was cast in this role after playing Jack Kelly in Newsies (the lead role) which he landed straight after graduating from Carnegie Mellon. Cott has the talent to make his incredible success in his trade more than understandable. He is someone to look out for in the future as he is currently working on the upcoming film The Teacher, and is likely to keep tackling more projects from there. On stage, Cott is a force to be reckoned with. His voice is very strong, and his range is on full display in this show, particularly in his solo song “Gigi” in which he beautifully acts out his internal struggle of finding himself in love with Gigi while belting out some incredible notes. He and Hudgens have a great chemistry on stage that is easy to root for, which is important since they are the central couple of the piece. Cott’s performance adds a great deal of nuance to the character of Gaston who could easily be dismissed as a rich white boy who just does not know how to deal with media attention.
The entire cast is really fabulous in this show, but the final person who deserves to be highlighted is Victoria Clark who plays Madame Alvarez (Mamita). The Tony Awards committee thought so, too, and she is currently nominated for her performance as Gigi’s caretaker and Honoré’s (played by Howard McGillan) former (and perhaps future?) lover. Clark is certainly no stranger to the stage, and her credits in various shows go on and on. She shines as Mamita both in acting and singing. Her voice is simply astounding in this show, and in the final act she really brings down the house with the last notes of her song “Say a Prayer.” Clark also shares a chemistry with Hudgens that makes Mamita’s concern for Gigi very convincing and touching. She lays out all her experience and skill on the table for this wonderful musical revival, and it speaks to the talent of Hudgens and Cott that they hold their own in their many scenes with her.

In addition to the talented cast (both the core six characters and the seventeen marvelous ensemble), this Gigi revival deserves a lot of praise for costume and set design. Catherine Zuber created a myriad of gorgeous dresses and suits that transport the whole theatre back to Paris at the brink of the 20th century. Even the bathing suits are charming and feel very authentic. With the character of Aunt Alicia (played by Dee Hoty) being as consumed with image and fashion as she is, it was crucial to have costumes that could really pop out. Zuber handled the task wonderfully. Derek McLane is to be thanked for a simply beautiful set design, which again served to transport the theatre to an idyllic Paris. Each set piece changes the mood of the show and adds personality and depth to many of the characters. For example, Aunt Alicia’s home becomes very recognizable and indicative of her classy nature, which is consumed with keeping up appearances.
Victoria Clark is the sole Tony nomination for Gigi, but Zuber, McLane, Hudgens, Cotts, and the show itself were very deserving of nods as well. There is something very lighthearted and wonderful about this show, which makes it a perfect choice for a day or evening of theater in New York.

Gigi is currently playing at the Neil Simon Theatre in NYC. For tickets and more information visit: http://gigionbroadway.com/