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.”
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Context
Gypsy is suggested by the 1957 book Gypsy: A Memoir, written by the famous burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee. Born Rose Louise Hovick on January 8, 1911, in Seattle, Louise and her younger sister June were mothered by Rose Thompson Hovick, an overbearing, murderous, mentally ill woman who only loved and cared for her daughters when it benefited her. She pushed June into show business at the age of two, wanting her to become a vaudeville star, often neglecting and mistreating Louise. When June
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Act One
After the overture, the curtain rises on a rehearsal for Uncle Jocko’s Kiddie Show, a vaudeville performance competition in a tacky, run-down Seattle theatre. Uncle Jocko, the corrupt host of the competition, instructs his assistant Georgie that no mothers are allowed in the theatre, and then proceeds to briefly audition the different acts. Two little girls--one dressed as a boy--begin to perform a flawlessly rehearsed act, and they are revealed to be Baby June and Company (“May
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Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Gypsy.
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Monologues
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.
Key Terms
An 11 o’clock number is a show-stopping song that appears late in a musical, usually near the climax. It is often performed by the lead character and delivers a surge of emotional or dramatic power. The number reenergizes the audience and sets up the finale.
A musical with a well-structured narrative that integrates songs, dialogue, and dance to advance plot and character development.
A theatrical genre mixing parody, music, and often sensuality, originating in the 19th century as satirical entertainment.
A period of artistic flourishing, often referring to 1940s-60s Broadway or English Renaissance theatre. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
The “Golden Age Musical” refers to Broadway shows written roughly between the 1940s and 1960s, a period known for integrating songs, story, and character development. These musicals often balanced romance, comedy, and social themes with memorable melodies and large ensembles. Classics from this era continue to shape the foundation of modern musical theatre.
An “I Want Song” is a number, usually placed early in a musical, where a main character expresses their deepest desire or ambition. This song sets the character’s journey in motion and gives the audience a clear emotional stake in the story. It has become one of the most recognizable and enduring conventions of musical theatre structure.
