Original Cast Recording Of GYPSY Added To Library Of Congress' National Recording Registry

25 recordings have been added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry including the original cast recording of GYPSY featuring Ethel Merman. Other titles include Patti Smith's debut album and Tupac's 'Dear Mama.'

Gypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business mother." It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The character of Louise is based on Lee, and the character of June is based on Lee's sister, the actress June Havoc.

The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including "Small World," "Everything's Coming up Roses", "You'll Never Get Away from Me," and "Let Me Entertain You."

The complete track listing includes 'Let me entertain you,' 'Some people,' 'Small world,' 'Baby June and her newsboys,' 'Mr Goldstone,' 'Little Lamb,' 'You'll never get away from me,' 'Dainty June and her farmboys,' 'If Momma was married,' All I need is the girl,' ' Everything's coming up Roses,' 'Madame Rose's Toreadorables,' 'Together wherever we go,' 'You gotta get a gimmick,' and 'Rose's Turn.'

The original Broadway production opened on May 21, 1959 at The Broadway Theatre and subsequently transferred to the Imperial Theatre, Broadway running for 702 performances after two previews. The show was produced by David Merrick and directed/choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Ethel Merman starred as Rose, with Jack Klugman as Herbie and Sandra Church as Louise. Critic Frank Rich has referred to Robbins' work as one of the most influential stagings of a musical in American theatrical history.[2] The original production received eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design and Best Direction of a Musical, but failed to win any.

When the show closed in March 1961, two national touring companies toured the US. The first company starred Merman and opened in March 1961 at the Rochester, New York Auditorium, and closed in December 1961 at the American, St. Louis, Missouri. The second national company starred Mitzi Green as Rose,followed by Mary McCarty, and a young Bernadette Peters in various ensemble roles; it opened in September 1961 at the Shubert Theatre, Detroit and closed in January 1962 at the Hanna, Cleveland, Ohio.

GYPSY has been revived on Broadway in 1974 with Angela Lansbury, in 1989 with Tyne Daly, 2003 with Bernadette Peters and 2008 with Patti LuPone.

For more information visit http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/