GYPSYOpening Date: April 15, 2015
Closing Date: Nov 28, 2015 Air date: Dec 27, 2015 Medium: television Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime, DVD & Blu-ray, Netflix (Netflix UK only) |
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Stage Production Notes
Born Rose Louise Hovick, Gypsy Rose Lee was a writer, actor, and a burlesque performer. Her memoir, Gypsy, was published in 1957 and two years later became a smash-hit Broadway musical. The musical has become a staple of musical theatre, and an almost guaranteed Tony Award-winning star vehicle for the woman playing the indomitable stage mother, Mama Rose.
With music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theater in 1959. Directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, the production starred Ethel Merman as Mama Rose, and Sandra Church as Louise. The production was immensely successful, and was nominated for 8 Tony Awards (though did not win any, losing out to Fosse's Redhead for Best New Musical).
Gypsy played on Broadway for 702 performances before closing on March 25, 1961.
The production opened on the West End in 1973 starring Angela Lansbury (Mama Rose) and Zan Charisse (Louise).
Gypsy has been revived on Broadway five times, starring Angela Lansbury (1974), Tyne Daly (1989), Bernadette Peters (2003), and Patti LuPone (2008).
Warner Bros released a film version starring Rosalind Russell in 1962, and CBS aired a made-for-TV version starring Bette Midler in 1993. A new film version starring Barbra Streisand has been long rumored, but has yet to be made.
Chichester Festival Theatre staged a new production of Gypsy directed by Jonathan Kent and starring Imelda Staunton. The production opened on October 6, 2014. It received rave reviews and played to sold out houses.
The Chichester Festival Theatre production transferred to the West End, opening at the Savoy Theatre on April 15, 2015. Once again, the production received rave reviews. It was nominated for multiple awards including 8 Olivier Awards. It won 4, including Best Actress in a Musical (Imelda Staunton) and Best Musical Revival.
Various reports claimed that the Chichester production would transfer to Broadway in 2017 or 2018, though the transfer did not eventuate.
Gypsy is widely performed and is available for licensing through Concord Theatricals.
Born Rose Louise Hovick, Gypsy Rose Lee was a writer, actor, and a burlesque performer. Her memoir, Gypsy, was published in 1957 and two years later became a smash-hit Broadway musical. The musical has become a staple of musical theatre, and an almost guaranteed Tony Award-winning star vehicle for the woman playing the indomitable stage mother, Mama Rose.
With music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theater in 1959. Directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, the production starred Ethel Merman as Mama Rose, and Sandra Church as Louise. The production was immensely successful, and was nominated for 8 Tony Awards (though did not win any, losing out to Fosse's Redhead for Best New Musical).
Gypsy played on Broadway for 702 performances before closing on March 25, 1961.
The production opened on the West End in 1973 starring Angela Lansbury (Mama Rose) and Zan Charisse (Louise).
Gypsy has been revived on Broadway five times, starring Angela Lansbury (1974), Tyne Daly (1989), Bernadette Peters (2003), and Patti LuPone (2008).
Warner Bros released a film version starring Rosalind Russell in 1962, and CBS aired a made-for-TV version starring Bette Midler in 1993. A new film version starring Barbra Streisand has been long rumored, but has yet to be made.
Chichester Festival Theatre staged a new production of Gypsy directed by Jonathan Kent and starring Imelda Staunton. The production opened on October 6, 2014. It received rave reviews and played to sold out houses.
The Chichester Festival Theatre production transferred to the West End, opening at the Savoy Theatre on April 15, 2015. Once again, the production received rave reviews. It was nominated for multiple awards including 8 Olivier Awards. It won 4, including Best Actress in a Musical (Imelda Staunton) and Best Musical Revival.
Various reports claimed that the Chichester production would transfer to Broadway in 2017 or 2018, though the transfer did not eventuate.
Gypsy is widely performed and is available for licensing through Concord Theatricals.
Filmed Production Notes
The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Gypsy was recorded live during its West End run at the Savoy Theatre over three performances. It was broadcast on UK television on BBC4 on December 27, 2015.
The film was directed by Lonny Price, and edited by Gary Bradley. The film opens with the overture, which plays while the camera cuts between black and white shots of the conductor, tight close-ups of the actors applying make-up, combing their hair, tying their shoes, walking up and down stairs backstage, a stage hand sweeping the stage. The curtain rises and a bright and colorful stage full of children and balloons is revealed.
On BroadwayWorld.com message boards, people discussed the thrill of being able to watch (or re-watch) the production. Some noted that the stage lighting, particularly the strobe effect, did not translate well on screen, and that the production was perhaps better experienced live in-person.
The Express reported that “The broadcast gave BBC Four a rare chance to trend on Twitter, beating out big budget television shows.
Gypsy: Live at the Savoy Theatre aired in the United States on PBS's Great Performances in October 2016, and was later released on BroadwayHD.
The musical was added to the Netflix catalog in the UK in November 2021.
Gypsy is currently available to view on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, DVD & Blu-ray, and on Netflix (UK only).
The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Gypsy was recorded live during its West End run at the Savoy Theatre over three performances. It was broadcast on UK television on BBC4 on December 27, 2015.
The film was directed by Lonny Price, and edited by Gary Bradley. The film opens with the overture, which plays while the camera cuts between black and white shots of the conductor, tight close-ups of the actors applying make-up, combing their hair, tying their shoes, walking up and down stairs backstage, a stage hand sweeping the stage. The curtain rises and a bright and colorful stage full of children and balloons is revealed.
On BroadwayWorld.com message boards, people discussed the thrill of being able to watch (or re-watch) the production. Some noted that the stage lighting, particularly the strobe effect, did not translate well on screen, and that the production was perhaps better experienced live in-person.
The Express reported that “The broadcast gave BBC Four a rare chance to trend on Twitter, beating out big budget television shows.
Gypsy: Live at the Savoy Theatre aired in the United States on PBS's Great Performances in October 2016, and was later released on BroadwayHD.
The musical was added to the Netflix catalog in the UK in November 2021.
Gypsy is currently available to view on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, DVD & Blu-ray, and on Netflix (UK only).
GYPSY PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Savoy Theatre, London
Producer: Chichester Festival Theatre, Executive Producers: Ellen M. Krass, Corey Brunish, Dennis Grimaldi/Robert Sher, Michael Harrison/David Ian, Neil Laidlaw, Carole Roaman, Co-Executive Producers: Patrick Catullo/Aaron Glick, Jeff Krevat, Ramin Sabi/Seaview Productions, Ted Snowdon, Producers: Dion Orrom, Celia Moore,
Book: Arthur Laurents
Music: Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne
Director: Jonathan Kent, Film Director: Lonny Price
Musical Director/Orchestrator: Nicholas Skilbeck, Tom Kelly
Choreography: Stephen Mear
Scenic/Costume Design: Anthony Ward
Hair, Wigs, & Make-Up: Campbell Young
Lighting Design: Mark Henderson
Sound Design: Paul Groothuis
Video Design: Ian William Galloway
Stage Manager: George Cook
Cast: Imelda Staunton (Mama Rose), Lara Pulver (Louise/Gypsy), Peter Davison (Herbie), Billy Hartman (Uncle Jocko), Scarlet Roche (Baby June), Lara Wollington (Baby Louise), Patrick Romer (Pop), Tom Hodgkin (Mr Weber/Boucheron), Gemma Sutton (June), Dan Burton (Tulsa), Kieran Jae (Yonkers/Pastey), Roger Dipper (LA/Phil), Luke Street (Little Rock), Jack Chissick (Mr Goldstone/Rich Man), Natalie Woods (Agnes/Toreadorable), Danielle Morris (Geraldine/Toreadorable), Lauren Hall (Delores/Toreadorable), Clare Halse (Majorie May/Toreadorable), Anita Louise Combe (Tessie Tura), Louise Gold (Mazeppa), Lucinda Shaw (Mother/Stripper/Showgirl), Ruby Oliver, Caitlin Garcia, Molly May Gibson, Henry Austin, Harvey Pearce, Dominic Bryant, Owen Pennington, Joseph Adams (Children’s Ensemble)
Theatre: Savoy Theatre, London
Producer: Chichester Festival Theatre, Executive Producers: Ellen M. Krass, Corey Brunish, Dennis Grimaldi/Robert Sher, Michael Harrison/David Ian, Neil Laidlaw, Carole Roaman, Co-Executive Producers: Patrick Catullo/Aaron Glick, Jeff Krevat, Ramin Sabi/Seaview Productions, Ted Snowdon, Producers: Dion Orrom, Celia Moore,
Book: Arthur Laurents
Music: Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne
Director: Jonathan Kent, Film Director: Lonny Price
Musical Director/Orchestrator: Nicholas Skilbeck, Tom Kelly
Choreography: Stephen Mear
Scenic/Costume Design: Anthony Ward
Hair, Wigs, & Make-Up: Campbell Young
Lighting Design: Mark Henderson
Sound Design: Paul Groothuis
Video Design: Ian William Galloway
Stage Manager: George Cook
Cast: Imelda Staunton (Mama Rose), Lara Pulver (Louise/Gypsy), Peter Davison (Herbie), Billy Hartman (Uncle Jocko), Scarlet Roche (Baby June), Lara Wollington (Baby Louise), Patrick Romer (Pop), Tom Hodgkin (Mr Weber/Boucheron), Gemma Sutton (June), Dan Burton (Tulsa), Kieran Jae (Yonkers/Pastey), Roger Dipper (LA/Phil), Luke Street (Little Rock), Jack Chissick (Mr Goldstone/Rich Man), Natalie Woods (Agnes/Toreadorable), Danielle Morris (Geraldine/Toreadorable), Lauren Hall (Delores/Toreadorable), Clare Halse (Majorie May/Toreadorable), Anita Louise Combe (Tessie Tura), Louise Gold (Mazeppa), Lucinda Shaw (Mother/Stripper/Showgirl), Ruby Oliver, Caitlin Garcia, Molly May Gibson, Henry Austin, Harvey Pearce, Dominic Bryant, Owen Pennington, Joseph Adams (Children’s Ensemble)
Sources
Books
Articles
Websites
- Dan Dietz, The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals, Rowman & Littlefield (2014)
Articles
- Billington, Michael “Gypsy review – Imelda Staunton gives ‘one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen in a musical’” The Guardian, (April 17, 2015)
- Ben Cosgrove, "Striptease Superstar: Rare and Classic Photos of Gypsy Rose Lee," LIFE Magazine (undated)
- Kitchener, Shaun “Imelda Staunton hailed as ‘exquisitely brilliant’ as West End smash Gypsy airs on BBC Four” Express, (Dec 27, 2015)
Websites
- Concord Theatricals, "Gypsy," Accessed via: https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/65753/gypsy
- Gypsy the Musical, "Chichester," Accessed via: http://www.gypsythemusical.com/chichester/
- Gypsy the Musical, "The Savoy," Accessed via: http://www.gypsythemusical.com/chichester/
- London Theatres: The Savoy, "Gypsy," Accessed via: https://savoy.londontheatres.co.uk/gypsy/
Written by Luisa Lyons (December, 2016)