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Musical theatre archive
Gypsy
An enduring musical portrait of ambition, family, and the changing world of vaudeville, built around one determined parent and the daughters whose lives she tries to direct.
Music Jule Styne
Lyrics Stephen Sondheim
Book Arthur Laurents
First staged in 1959
The work
A family act under pressure.
Based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, Gypsy follows Rose, a parent intent on securing a place in show business for her daughters. When June leaves the act to pursue her own life, Rose turns her full attention to Louise, whose eventual success reshapes the family’s expectations and bonds.
The musical looks closely at the cost of performance, the force of parental ambition, and the difficult moment when a child’s path becomes her own. Its score has made it a central title in the twentieth-century musical-theatre repertoire.
Archive record
Production notes.
- Original production
- Broadway Theatre, New York
- Opening
- 21 May 1959
- Original run
- 702 performances, closing 25 March 1961
- Original direction
- Jerome Robbins
- Early Rose
- Ethel Merman created the role in the original production.
- Screen adaptations
- A feature film followed in 1963, with a television adaptation in 1993.
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Materials for Gypsy
Music & scripts
Cast albums
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Music & scriptsSheet music
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Screen recordThe movie
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Reading roomThe script
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Reading pathway
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Note the collaborators
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Useful notes
About this archive page.
A few practical details for readers using this record.
Who wrote Gypsy?
The music is by Jule Styne, the lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim, and the book is by Arthur Laurents.
What is the musical based on?
It is based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee and centres on Rose and her daughters as they navigate the entertainment world.
When did the original Broadway production open?
The original production opened at the Broadway Theatre on 21 May 1959 and ran for 702 performances.
Who directed the original production?
Jerome Robbins directed the 1959 Broadway production.
Where can I find recordings or score material?
The materials cards above lead to the related cast-album, sheet-music, screen, and script sections.
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