PROGRAM NOTES BY MICHAEL FLING | ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE

What do a cow, lamb, dog, and goat have in common?

A lot. Obviously. And if you’re thinking to yourself, “but there isn’t a goat in Gypsy, where is he going with this?”—BEAR with me (I promise the animal jokes will conclude in a moment).

As far as golden age musicals go, Gypsy is often cited as the greatest of all-time— AKA the G.O.A.T. Alongside titles like West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line, South Pacific, My Fair Lady and Carousel, Gypsy is frequently pulled out as the best of the bunch.

What sets Gypsy apart in this list of shows is that it manages to go toe-to-toe with each of the astonishing accomplishments of the other shows. And of course, there’s Mamma Rose, the King Lear of Musical Theatre.

Originally conceived as a star vehicle for Ethel Merman, Gypsy didn’t even win the Tony for Best Musical when it premiered on Broadway in 1959. In a shocking turn of events, two musicals tied for the top award: the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fiorello! (produced by Goodspeed in 1985), and a little chestnut written by Rodgers and Hammerstein that you’ve probably never heard of—The Sound of Music. And though Merman received the best reviews of her career for her performance of Rose, Mary Martin won the Best Actress statue for her portrayal of Maria, the young Austrian governess, at the tender age of 47.

The prestige of the show has grown over the years, particularly as an opportunity for some of the greatest stars to play Rose. Its first major revival starred Angela Lansbury in a performance that solidified her status as a musical theatre legend. Subsequent Broadway revivals have starred Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and most recently, Patti LuPone. Each of these performances received a Tony nomination, causing the role Rose to be tied for the most nominated musical role in the history of the awards. (The other two roles are Fiddler’s Tevye and, coincidentally, Louise—Gypsy herself).

When it came time to make the film, the production team (and Natalie Wood, who played Louise) wished for Judy Garland to play Mamma—which would have been a remarkable performance given her childhood experience. Instead, the role went to Rosalind Russell, and the film, though moderately successful, is largely forgotten. Bette Midler played the role to acclaim in a made-for-television version, and Imelda Staunton’s lauded rendition on the West End was captured for PBS. More recently, Barbra Streisand was rumored to be starring in a film remake.

And for Goodspeed, we are thrilled that Broadway veteran Judy McLane will render an unforgettable performance for our audience. Though the character of Rose is one of the most complex roles in the entire canon and monopolizes much of the discussion surrounding the musical, the show that surrounds her is equally impressive. The book by Arthur Laurents is a near perfect combination of drama, dialogue, structure, and character development. Jule Styne’s score is as invigorating and emotional as it is tuneful. And in his sophomore outing, lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s creation of “Rose’s Turn” previews genius to come in his storied career.

And while the most recognizable song is likely the simplest in the score (“Let Me Entertain You”), the story that Gypsy tells is as rich and compelling as anything Shakespeare or Chekov ever put on the boards. So the next time people try to tell you that musicals are simply one-dimensional entertainment, introduce them to Rose, Louise, Herbie, and Gypsy…and they’ll have a real good time.