Best Gypsy cast album?
Best Gypsy cast album?
WaffleOnWheels
Stand-by Joined: 6/2/17
#1Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 7:48pm
I've never fully listened to Gypsy and wish to, but man... the 5 major productions of Gypsy on Broadway were all starring equally talented women as Rose.
So, my question is what do you suggest, Lupone, Peters, Daly, Lansbury, or Merman for my first listen?
bk
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
#2Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 7:57pm
Merman. The End.
There is no finer recording technically, and Merman is brilliant as is the rest of the cast. Goddard Lieberson produced a masterpiece of a recording.
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#4Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 8:07pm
I like them, but Daly’s is pretty awful. I would start with Merman and LuPone.
#5Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 8:10pmThe Daly recording is my favorite.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#6Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 9:03pm
I personally consider the LuPone recording as a whole the 'definitive' recording for me - but I alternate with the Bernadette recording when I want to hear something a bit different.
"This Rose, like Ms. Peters in the part, has to work hard to make things happen for her. It doesn't come naturally, as it so famously seemed to for Merman. Watching this production, if you've seen any other version of the show before, you may find that the shivers, laughs and tears don't come in the places you expected. For this reason alone, Ms. Peters makes another visit to ''Gypsy'' essential, only 14 years after its last Broadway revival."
"This woman, after all, has already shown her true colors earlier in what may be the angriest, most disturbing version ever of ''Everything's Coming Up Roses.'' Ms. Peters's portrait is so intimate and persuasive that you aren't allowed to step back and think, ''What a monster she is.'' That's because, thanks to this actress's willingness to turn herself and her character inside out, you've been inside Rose's mind. What a sad and fascinating place it is."
- Nytimes.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 9/23/17 at 09:03 PM
GeorgeandDot
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/16
#7Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 9:45pm
The 2008 album with Patti Lupone, Laura Benanti, and Boyd Gaines is my personal favorite. I think that, that cast is probably the best. After that the album with Bernadette Peters is also enjoyable.
#9Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 11:10pm
by far Merman! Angela and Patti are both very good as well. Imelda, Bernadette and Tyne each have their moments but leave something to be desired (Imelda's recording i appreciated for its new orchestrations)
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
#10Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 11:19pm
The supporting cast is better in Lupone's recording, but overall Bernadette is my favorite Mama Rose. She played the character so intimately and effectively it's scary.
Updated On: 9/23/17 at 11:19 PM#11Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/23/17 at 11:27pm
I forgot about Imelda's recording! I will say it's more enjoyable than the disappointing filmed production.
I would probably rank the recordings:
Merman
LuPone
Peters
Lansbury
Staunton
Daly
#12Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 3:01am
Lansbury as Rose is easily in the top ten performances I've ever witnessed.
But if you're only going to listen to one cast recording, it has to be Merman.
She's the biggest star the Broadway musical ever had and, by all accounts, Rose was her greatest role. Let's have a little respect for history, shall we?
#13Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 3:23am
I like the Merman version a lot - it just has a special thrill. I've listened to some of the Lansbury version. The 2008 version irritates me although Patti is great. I have to admit though I'm not that big of a fan of Gypsy and have not listened to a lot of the versions so I'm no expert here, lol.
#14Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:24am
So no ones likes Bette's version? I had almost forgot about her version. The one thing I always remember is Christine Ebersoles' Tessie.
#15Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:53am
I recommend the hard to get Kay Medford studio recording.....just kidding. Possibly the worst GYPSY recording ever.
My vote is for Merman. However, Lupone's GYPSY includes cut music from the score. The additional songs include "Tomorrow's Mother's Day", "Momma's Talking Soft", "Nice She Ain't", "Smile, Girls", "Who Needs Him?" and "Three Wishes For Christmas." It's a welcome addition which gives us an idea of the Jule Styne songs we never got to hear. The Barnes and Noble release offers a 2nd CD which includes dialogue scenes, underscoring, musical scene change music, the entire final scene dialogue as well as the exit music.
Bernadette is my next choice with Daly (in poor voice), Midler and Staunton on the bottom of my list. Lansbury is fine but I rarely listen to it anymore. Once again, my first "go to" GYPSY recording is the OC with Merman.
#16Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 2:49pm
Merman and the OBC wins. After that I would love an album that puts together Peters, Hadary, Benanti and Bonnie Lanford (as Dainty June).
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
Zamedy154
Featured Actor Joined: 6/26/16
#17Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 3:16pm
Merman. Merman. Merman.
The overture alone is my favorite musical overture of all-time. It is perfection in a musical time bottle.
'Let Me Entertain You' - Hearing Merm first deliver the now iconic line "SING OUT, LOUISE!" And now knowing the history (that it wasn't in the original scripted version. The line was hand-written by Merm. Her idea??).
'Some People' - Love the build up. Love hearing a very young Sondheim. Love Merm's "BUT NOT ROOOOOOSE!"
'You'll Never Get Away From Me' - An unexpected, softer, tender Merm.
'Everything's Coming Up Roses' - Perhaps the song most identifiable with her aside from 'Show Business.' My chill-worthy favorite part is her delivery of the line "momma is gonna see to it." You can almost see her pounding her upper chest with her right fist as she sings it..
'Rose's Turn' - Not the most emotionally powerful version, I'll give you that. All versions that followed delivered a deeper, more drawn-out "mama? mmmmm-ma-ma?" But I love her brassy "WHADDYYYA THINK OF THOSE EGG ROLLS MR. GOLDSTEIN?" and she nails everything from "SCRAPBOOKS full of me in the BACKround" on...
#18Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 3:38pm
I've seen them all, beginning with Merman, and the original album is still the best.
#19Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 3:55pm
jayinchelsea.....Since you state you've seen all the actresses who played Rose on Broadway could you please share with us any name celebrities you've seen in stock or other venues that have played the role?
My favorite was Ann Sothern and least favorite JoAnne Worley. Never caught Merman but did see all the others. I truly enjoyed Peters and for the first time understood why Herbie hung around for so long.
P.S. - Didn't mean to highjack the thread but it seems to be well covered at this point.
Zamedy154
Featured Actor Joined: 6/26/16
#20Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 5:25pm
I, too, would love to hear any Merman Gypsy memories from anyone fortunate enough to have seen her.
Love her or absolutely hate her, Gypsy wouldn't have happened (at least not when it happened) if not for Merman.
#21Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 6:17pm
Yeah, Merman for Merman, then Lupone for the whole ensemble and the quality of the recording itself, then Bette's. I like my Rose's who are big, brassy and belty. But, I love Tyne Daly's Small World...
#22Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 7:25pm
I guess what is difficult about the Merman recording for me is to my ears it sounds like a rather straight interpretation of the score. It seems like over time to play Rose you need to make her sound more desperate or angry or emotionally-heightened (not sure if that is even a phrase), whereas Merman seems to be from a different time where it was sufficient to just sing the score well as written without too much on top. I call this ‘on top’ acting but acknowledge some might call this over-engineered and over the top.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Jake01
Chorus Member Joined: 11/9/10
#24Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:51pm
The 2008 revival is essential for the cut songs (though I suppose you could just download those?). How I love love love the full, originally-intended version of "Small World/Momma's Talkin' Soft".
#25Best Gypsy cast album?
Posted: 9/25/17 at 3:01am
qolbinau said: "I guess what is difficult about the Merman recording for me is to my ears it sounds like a rather straight interpretation of the score. It seems like over time to play Rose you need to make her sound more desperate or angry or emotionally-heightened (not sure if that is even a phrase), whereas Merman seems to be from a different time where it was sufficient to just sing the score well as written without too much on top. I call this ‘on top’ acting butacknowledge some might call this over-engineered and over the top."
You're certainly not wrong, but that was the type of singing for which the show was originally written. And the question was "definitive", wasn't it?
ETA: My bad. The question was phrased as "best", not "definitive", so point taken. If one wants to hear Rose's notes as they are written on the page--including the triplets in "Everything's Coming Up Roses"--the best bet is probably (1) LuPone or (2) Lansbury.
