Explore this Show

Overview

Synopsis

Speculated by many (including NY Times critic Ben Brantley) to be the greatest of all American musicals, Gypsy tells the story of the dreams and efforts of one hungry, powerhouse of a woman to get her two daughters into show business. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoir of famous striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, entitled Gypsy: Memoirs of America’s Most Celebrated Stripper. The memoir and the musical focus on the story of Gypsy Rose Lee’s mother, Rose, and earned Rose a place in the theatrical and literary canon as the quintessential, archetypal “Stage Mother.” The musical features songs that have become standards of the musical theatre canon, including “Some People,” “Let Me Entertain You,” “Rose’s Turn,” and the show-stopping “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”. Gypsy is famous for helping launch lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s career, and features a book by Arthur Laurents that is widely considered to be one of the classic examples of a traditional “book musical.” At the heart of the musical is the gregarious Rose, whose journey made critic Frank Rich call Gypsy, “Broadway’s own brassy, unlikely answer to King Lear.”

Show Information

Music
Jule Styne
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Gypsy: A Memoir by Gypsy Rose Lee
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1959
Genres
Historical/Biographical
Settings
Multiple Settings
Time & Place
american, the early 1920s - the late 1930s
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
Some Dance
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Large Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Includes Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Louise

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Rose

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

June

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Herbie

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Baby June

Featured

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Baby Louise

Featured

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Tulsa

Featured

Male

Baritone

L.A.

Featured

Male

Tenor

Yonkers

Featured

Male

Tenor

Angie

Featured

Female

Tenor

Tessie Tura

Featured

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Mazeppa

Featured

Female

Alto

Electra

Featured

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Uncle Jocko

Featured

Male

Spoken

Clarinet Boy

Featured

Male

Silent

Pop

Featured

Male

Spoken

Weber

Featured

Male

Spoken

Kringelein

Featured

Male

Spoken

Miss Cratchitt

Featured

Female

Spoken

Agnes

Featured

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Treble/Boy Soprano

Newsboys

Ensemble

Male

Tenor, Treble/Boy Soprano

Mr. Goldstone

Ensemble

Male

Silent

Madame Rose’s Toreadorables

Ensemble

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Songs

Act One

  • Overture – Orchestra
  • *May We Entertain You? – 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 (also titled “Mr. Goldstone” or “Have an Eggroll, Mr. Goldstone”) – Rose, Herbie, Ensemble
  • Little Lamb – Louise
  • You'll Never Get Away From Me – Rose and Herbie
  • *Dainty June and Her Farmboys – June and Farmboys
  • If Momma Was Married – June and Louise
  • *All I Need is the Girl – Tulsa and Louise
  • Everything's Coming up Roses – Rose

Act Two

  • Entr'acte - Orchestra
  • *Madame Rose's Toreadorables – Louise, Rose, and the Hollywood Blondes
  • *Together, Wherever We Go - Rose, Herbie, and Louise
  • *You Gotta Get a Gimmick – Mazeppa, Electra, and Tessie Tura
  • Small World (Reprise) – Rose
  • Let Me Entertain You (titled “The Strip” in 2008 revival) – Louise
  • Rose's Turn – Rose

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.

Quote Analysis

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.