Camille A. Brown finds new steps in classic 'Gypsy'

When colleagues heard Camille A. Brown was creating new choreography for the latest revival of “Gypsy,” some were excited. Others would say, “Oh, you’re doing ‘Gypsy.’ I never saw that.”

Known for more contemporary shows, “I felt like, ‘Wow, they’re placing me in a box,’” Brown says. Rather than rebel, “I said to myself, ‘Let the work speak for itself.’ And I’m so thankful that I did.”

Now, she’s nominated for a Tony Award for the celebrated musical — her fifth in a handful of years.

“Yes, I can do ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ ‘Once on This Island,’ ‘Choir Boys’ and ‘For Colored Girls.’ But I can also do classic golden age Broadway,” she says.

To find a new essence in the production starring Audra McDonald, Brown studied the cast and familiarized herself with their body language. “I’m never going