Gypsy Original Broadway Cast Rare
Original Broadway Cast AlbumMusicLyricsBookBasisbyProductions Broadway revival19932003 Broadway revival2008 Broadway revival2015 West End revivalAwards19892016Gypsy is a 1959 with music by, lyrics by, and a book. Gypsy is loosely based on the of, the famous artist, and focuses on her mother, whose name has become synonymous with 'the ultimate.' It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of life. The character of Louise is based on Lee, and the character of June is based on Lee's sister, the actress.The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including ', ', 'Small World', ', ', 'All I Need Is the Girl', and '.It is frequently considered one of the crowning achievements of the mid-twentieth century's conventional musical theatre art form, often called the. Gypsy has been referred to as the greatest American musical by numerous critics and writers, among them ('what may be the greatest of all American musicals.' Rich wrote that ' Gypsy is nothing if not Broadway's own brassy, unlikely answer to King Lear.' Theater critic wrote that ' Gypsy is one of the best of musicals.'
And described Rose as 'one of the few truly complex characters in the American musical.' Contents.Background A musical based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee was a project of producer and actress. Merrick had read a chapter of Lee's memoirs in and approached Lee to obtain the rights. Was interested, and wanted as co-producer; Merman also wanted Hayward to produce her next show.
Merrick and Hayward approached to write the book. As he relates, Laurents initially was not interested until he saw that the story was one of parents living their children's lives. Composers and declined the project. Finally, Robbins asked, who agreed to do it. Sondheim had worked with Robbins and Laurents on the musical. However, Merman did not want an unknown composer, and wanted to write the music.
Although Sondheim initially refused to write only the lyrics, he was persuaded by to accept the job. Synopsis Act I Rose and her two daughters, Baby June and Louise, play the circuit around the United States in the early 1920s. Rose, the archetype of a, is aggressive and domineering, pushing her children to perform. While June is an extroverted, talented child star, the older girl, Louise, is shy. The kiddie act has one song, ', that they sing over and over again, with June always as the centerpiece and Louise often as one of the 'boys' ('Baby June and Her Newsboys'). Rose has big dreams for the girls but encounters setbacks, such as attempting to borrow money from her father ('Some People').
When Rose meets a former agent, Herbie, she persuades him to become their manager using her seductive and feminine wiles ('Small World'). The girls grow up, and June, now billed as Dainty June, and her act have a chance to perform for Mr. Goldstone of the Orpheum Circuit ('Mr. Goldstone, I Love You'). Meanwhile, Louise celebrates her birthday alone and asks her birthday present, a lamb, just how old she is this year ('Little Lamb').
After Rose rejects Herbie's marriage proposal, he considers leaving, but she asserts that he could never get away from her ('You'll Never Get Away From Me').Now billed as 'Dainty June and Her Farmboys', the act finally performs on the Orpheum Circuit ('Dainty June and Her Farmboys'). June is soon offered a place at a Performing Arts school after an audition.
However, Rose turns this down, refusing to break up the act. Louise and June fantasize what life would be like if Rose were married and finished with show business ('If Momma Was Married'). A few months later, still on the road from show to show, Tulsa, one of the boys from the act, confides in Louise that he has been working on his own act ('All I Need Is the Girl'), and Louise fantasizes that she and he could do the act together. Shortly after, June is missing, and in a note, she explains that she has grown sick of her mother and the endless tour and has eloped with Tulsa, and they will do a new act. Rose is hurt, but then optimistically vows that she will make Louise a star, proclaiming that '.Act II Louise is now a young woman, and Rose has built a pale imitation of the Dainty June act for her. Using all girls, Rose and Herbie try valiantly to sell 'Madame Rose's Toreadorables' to a fading industry. However, they are still together (').
With no vaudeville venues left, Louise and her second-rate act wind up accidentally booked at a house in, as a means to deter police raids. Rose is anguished, as she sees what a booking in burlesque means to her dreams of success, but Louise persuades her that two weeks' pay for the new act is better than unemployment. As they are introduced to Louise, three of the strippers on the bill advise her on what it takes to be a successful stripper, a 'gimmick,' something that 'makes your strip special' ('). Backstage, Rose proposes marriage to Herbie. He asks her to break up the act and let Louise have a normal life, and she reluctantly accepts, agreeing to marry the day after their show closes. On the last day of the booking, the star stripper in the burlesque show is arrested for.
Desperate, Rose cannot resist the urge to give Louise another nudge toward stardom, and she volunteers Louise to do the as a last-minute replacement. Louise is sad at what she's being pushed to do for her mother's love and Herbie is disgusted at how low Rose has stooped and he finally walks out on her ('Small World' (Reprise)). Although reluctant, Louise goes on, assured by Rose that she needn't actually strip, but simply walk elegantly and tease by dropping a single shoulder strap. Shy and hesitant, she sings a titillating version of the old kiddie act song, 'May We Entertain You?' She removes only her glove, but she speaks directly to her 'audience', which becomes her 'gimmick' (' '(Gypsy Strip Tease)').Louise becomes secure, always following her mother's advice to 'Make 'em beg for more, and then don't give it to them!' The song becomes brasher and brassier, and more and more articles of clothing come off. Ultimately, Louise becomes a major burlesque star and does not need her mother any longer.
Rose and Louise, who has become the sophisticated 'Gypsy Rose Lee', have a bitter argument. Rose, feeling sad, useless and bitter, reveals that the true motivation for all her actions has been to live vicariously through her daughters, to chase the stardom she wanted for herself, not her children ('Roses Turn'). She realizes that she has driven away June, Herbie, and now possibly Louise. She displays the talent that could have been under different circumstances, as the name 'Rose' flashes in neon lights.
After her admission to Louise, mother and daughter tentatively move toward reconciliation in the end. In the 1974 and 2008 Broadway revivals, although the final dialogue scene remains, there is not a happy ending, but rather a bleak, sad one as all hopes of reconciliation for Rose and Louise fall flat when Louise walks away, laughing sarcastically at Rose's new 'dream.' The audience is then left with a Rose whose dream of her own lit up marquee slowly fades away to her unrealistic dreams. In the 2003 revival starring Bernadette Peters, the final dialogue scene remains, but leaves the ending open to more interpretation from the audience. Louise walks through the stage door, with Rose following behind.
Rose then turns to face the audience, a look of sadness and longing on her face as she takes one last look at the empty stage. She pauses and slowly closes the door. In the 2015 West End revival starring Imelda Staunton, Louise begins to walk out, and Rose catches up after waking up to reality.
Louise puts her arm around Rose as they exit together, giving the appearance that Louise is now taking care of Rose.Songs. Act I. 'Overture' – Orchestra.
' – Baby June and Baby Louise. 'Some People' – Rose. 'Some People' (Reprise) – Rose.
'Small World' – Rose and Herbie. 'Baby June and Her Newsboys' – Baby June and Newsboys. 'Mr. Goldstone, I Love You' – Rose, Herbie, Ensemble. 'Little Lamb' – Louise.
'You'll Never Get Away From Me' – Rose and Herbie. 'Dainty June and Her Farmboys' – June and Farmboys.
'Broadway' – June and Farmboys. 'If Momma Was Married' – June and Louise. 'All I Need Is the Girl' – Tulsa. ' – RoseAct II. 'Entr'acte' - Orchestra. 'Madame Rose's Toreadorables' – Louise, Rose and the Hollywood Blondes. ' - Rose, Herbie, and Louise.
' – Mazeppa, Electra, and Tessie Tura. 'Small World' (Reprise) – Rose. ' – Louise. ' – RoseNotes on songs. ^ Brantley, Ben. The New York Times, May 2, 2003.
^ Rich, Frank (November 17, 1989 The Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980–1993. Random House. 1998. Rich, Frank (November 17, 1989), The New York Times. ^ Barnes, Clive (September 24, 1974) The New York Times. Millstein, Gilbert (May 17, 1959) 'Culled From a Stripper's Past', The New York Times, p.
X1. ^ Zadan, Craig (1986) Sondheim & Co., Second Edition, pp.37-39, pp.50-51,.
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'Daly Brings Complexity To Role In 'Gypsy' ', Palm Beach Post (Florida). May 13, 1989. (no author). 'Tyne Daly Stars In 'Gypsy,' Opening Monday At The MUNY', St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p. June 18, 1989.
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Gypsy Original Broadway Cast List
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Gypsy Original Broadway Cast Rare Star
'It's surely the first time in a long time that the actors singing the songs are actually singing them, instead of just moving their lips to a pre-recording.' Retrieved December 21, 2016. Riedel, Michael. New York Post. January 5, 2011 (updated from January 4, 2011).
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Viagas, Robert; Gioia, Michael. Playbill, August 3, 2016. February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019. Retrieved 2016-11-16.External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to. at the.
on. on original cast album's inclusion into the.