Video: Joy Woods Discusses Playing Louise in Broadway’s GYPSY [Video]

Gypsy is now open on Broadway and the show, led by Audra McDonald, is receiving rave reviews. Joy Woods plays Louise in the production, and the star recently joined The View to discuss her character and the casting choices on display in the revival.

In the interview, Woods credits her extensive dance experience with helping her find the physicality of Louise. “So much of how we feel about ourselves shows up in our bodies,” she explains. “There’s so much you can say with your body. Having some control over my limbs and understanding what my body does [and] how it moves has helped me find that journey of storytelling.”

This is the first time in Broadway history that the central characters- Rose, Louise, and June- are all being played by Black performers. Rather than color-blind casting, the production is taking a “color-conscious” approach, says Woods.

“The direction we took with this is [the characters] don’t have to look …