Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!

By: Nov. 17, 2012
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On November 13th, the company of The Mystery of Edwin Drood celebrated their opening night with the Gypsy Robe ritual with the company's recipient Eric Sciotto. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you full photo coverage below!

The Gypsy Robe began in 1950, when Bill Bradley, in the chorus of GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, borrowed a dressing gown from Chorus member Florence Baum and sent it to a friend in CALL ME MADAM on opening night Oct 12, 1950 saying it was worn by all the Ziegfeld beauties and would "bless" the show. A cabbage rose from Ethel Merman's gown was added and the robe was passed along to next Broadway musical on opening night. The tradition evolved so that the robe is now presented to the "gypsy" who has performed the most Broadway musicals on a chorus contract. Along the way, the robe is decorated, painted, patched, stitched, and signed by everyone in the show, becoming a fanciful patchwork for an entire Broadway season.

Recognizing their cultural and historic value, Gypsy Robes can now be viewed at two of Equity's Offices. The National Headquarters in New York now houses two of the historic Robes. The second floor Audition Center's newly designed case displays the Robe from the 2006-2007 season, which was dedicated by the ACCA to the memory of Patrick Quinn. The 2007-2008 Robe, dedicated to Broadway veteran Adrian Bailey, can be viewed on the fourteenth floor Council lobby.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Stephanie J. Block & Merwin Foard (recipient for 'Annie')

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Chita Rivera

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Spencer Plachy (making his Broadway debut!)

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Spencer Plachy (making his Broadway Debut!)

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Spencer Plachy (Making his Broadway Debut!)

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Will Chase & Stephanie J. Block

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & Chita Rivera

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & Chita Rivera & Company

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Kyle Coffman

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Merwin Foard (recipient for 'Annie')

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Stephanie J. Block

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Rupert Holmes

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Will Chase & Stephanie J. Block

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Will Chase, Peter Benson, Stephanie J. Block

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Chita Rivera, Will Chase, Peter Benson, Stephanie J. Block, Justin Greer & Rupert Holmes

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
David Westphal, Eric Sciotto & Merwin Foard (recipient for 'Annie')

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
David Westphal, Eric Sciotto & Merwin Foard (recipient for 'Annie')

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & Merwin Foard (recipient for 'Annie')

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
David Westphal, Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolf & Chita Rivera with Company & guests

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & Warren Carlyle with Company

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Will Chase, Peter Benson, Stephanie J. Block & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolfe, Chita Rivera, Will Chase, Peter Benson, Stephanie J. Block, Rupert Holmes & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolfe, Chita Rivera, Will Chase, Peter Benson

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolfe, Chita Rivera, Will Chase, Peter Benson, Stephanie J. Block, Rupert Holmes & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & Company

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & David Eggers

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Andy Karl & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Andy Karl & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & Jim Walton

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Gregg Edelman & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
David Eggers, Eric Sciotto & Kirsten Wyatt

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Warren Carlyle & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolfe, Chita Rivera, Stephanie J. Block, Eric Sciotto & Will Chase

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolfe, Chita Rivera, Stephanie J. Block, Eric Sciotto & Will Chase

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Chita Rivera & Eric Sciotto

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!
Eric Sciotto & Company

Photo Coverage Exclusive: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD's Gypsy Robe Ceremony!



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