 | Gypsy is a 1959 musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. It is usually referred to as simply Gypsy. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee (see photo), the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business mother." In particular, it follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The character of Louise is based on Lee, and the character of June is based on Lee's sister, the actress June Havoc. |
| The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including "Small World," "Everything's Coming up Roses", "You'll Never Get Away from Me," and "Let Me Entertain You." It is frequently considered one of the crowning achievements of the mid-20th century's conventional musical theatre art form, often called the "book musical." Gypsy has been referred to as the greatest American musical by numerous critics and writers, among them Ben Brantley and Frank Rich; Rich even goes so far as to call it the American musical theatre's answer to King Lear. Theater critic Clive Barnes wrote that "Gypsy is one of the best of musicals...." He described the character of Rose as "one of the few truly complex characters in the American musical...." The original production opened on May 21, 1959, at The Broadway Theatre, moved to the Imperial Theatre, and ran for 702 performances after 2 previews. The show closed on Broadway in March 1961. Rosalind Russell, Karl Malden, and Natalie Wood starred in the Warner Bros. 1962 film version of the musical. The 2008 Broadway revival opened on March 3, 2008 at the St. James Theatre. Patti LuPone (Rose), Boyd Gaines (Herbie), Leigh Ann Larkin (Dainty June), and Laura Benanti (Louise) repeat their roles, with Arthur Laurents again directing and Bonnie Walker reproducing the original choreography by Jerome Robbins. | |
Let Me Entertain You - Natalie Wood 1962 film 2003 Broadway "Rose's Turn" - Bernadette Peters Lyrics: "Rose's Turn" Here she is, boys! Here she is, world! Here's Rose! Play it, boys! Ya either got it, or ya ain't. And, boys, I got it! Some people got it and make it pay. Some people can't even give it away. This people's got it and this people's spreadin' it around! You either have it or you've had it! How do you like them eggrolls, Mr. Goldstone? Hold your hats and hallelujah. Mama's gonna show it to you. Ready or not, shhh, here comes Mama. Mama's talkin' loud. Mama's doin' fine. Mama's gettin' hot. Mama's goin' stong. Mama's movin' on. Mama's all alone. Mama doesn't care. Mama's lettin' loose. Mama's got the stuff. Mama's lettin' go. Mama? Mama's got the stuff. Mama's gotta move. Mama's gotta go. Mama? Mama? Mama's gotta let go. Why did I do it? What did it get me? Scrapbooks full of me in the background. Give 'em love and what does it get ya? What does it get ya? One quick look as each of 'em leaves you. All your life and what does it get ya? Thanks a lot and out with the garbage, They take bows and you're battin' zero. I had a dream. I dreamed it for you, June. It wasn't for me, Herbie. And if it wasn't for me then where would you be, Miss Gypsy Rose Lee? Well, someone tell me, when is it my turn? Don't I get a dream for myself? Starting now it's gonna be my turn. Gangway, world, get off of my runway! Starting now I bat a thousand! This time, boys, I'm taking the bows and everything's coming up Rose! Everything's coming up roses! Everything's coming up roses this time for me! For me! For me! For me! For me! For me! For me! Yeah! | |
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