GYPSY Opens Tonight at Gallery Players

Gallery Players announces its first show of its 50th season with the award-winning show, Gypsy. Featuring a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Gypsy is a show not just for "Some People" but for everyone.

Gypsy, the premier backstage musical opened in 1959. The original Broadway production was nominated for eight Tony Awards including Best Musical but had the unfortunate luck of opening the same year as The Sound of Music, which swept the major awards. However, it has won many awards for its many revivals; more major revivals than any other show: 1974, 1989, 2003 and 2008 on Broadway and 2015 in London. The show has been nominated for a total of 26 Tony's, and has featured some of Broadway's most iconic divas including Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone.

The show is loosely based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother Rose. It follows the dreams and efforts of the ultimate stage mother to raise two daughters, Baby June and Louise, and looks through 'rose'-colored glasses at the hardships of life in show business. Often referred to as one of the greatest American musicals of all time, it features songs that have become popular standards, such as "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "Together (Wherever We Go)", "Some People", "Let Me Entertain You" and the gripping "Rose's Turn".

Gypsy opens tonight, September 17th, and runs for 16 performances through Sunday, October 9th, 2016. Performances will be held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm and Sunday afternoons at 3:00 pm. The second, third, and fourth Saturdays will also have matinees at 2:00 pm.

Tickets are $25 for Adults and $20 for senior citizens, students, and children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased 24/7 online at www.galleryplayers.com or by calling OvationTix at 212-352-3101 (phone hours 9-9 weekdays, 10-6 weekends). Gypsy is an approved Actors Equity Association showcase.

Bringing Gypsy to the Gallery Stage is Executive Producer and Director, Mark Harborth; Producer, Jonathan-Bruce King; Scenic Design, Adam Crinson; Lighting Design, Scott Andrew Cally; Costume Design, Joey Haws Properties Design, Roxanne Goodby; Sound Design, Ian O'Loughlin; Production Stage Manager, Laurel Detkin; and the largest ensemble to ever appear on the Gallery stage including: Kevin Bain*, Victor Barranca, Emma Grace Berardelli, Julia Bevilacqua, Dylan Brod, Victoria Bundonis*, Sean Dearing, James David Dirck, Benny Enfinger, Adam Fontana*, Chris Gillette, Devin Hatch, Chara Kirkland, Dave Konig*, Lorinne Lampert*, Sonya Rice, Emily La Rosa. Richard Lisenby, David Mackler, Ashley Nicole Martin, Jonah Mossolino, Elizabeth Nestlerode, Annie Grace Payne, Anna Raful, Devra Seidel, Sami Schwaeber, Jake Wasserman, Jolie Rose Wasserman, Tomo Watanabe, Evan Jose Wright, Pam Zazzarino (*member of Actor's Equity Association).

Following the Sunday, October 2nd, matinee, the audience is invited to Gallery Talks, a brief, complimentary post-show event at which they can openly discuss topical facets of the show and the production with theatre scholars, the director and the cast.

A New York institution for the last half century, The Gallery Players' season comprises three plays and three musicals from both the classic and contemporary repertoire; the season finale is the annual Black Box New Play Festival, which workshops and presents world premier productions of works by emerging playwrights. Gallery has received the Off-Off Broadway Review's 2000 Award for Lifetime Achievement, as well as Innovative Theater (IT) awards for outstanding musical for Urinetown, Yank, and Like You Like It, and has earned the reputation of "New York's Best Kept Secret."

The Gallery Players is located at 199 14th Street, between 4th and 5th Avenues, in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Take the F Train to 4th Avenue or the R train to 9th Street. By car: the BQE to Hamilton Avenue, to 14th Street. Visit galleryplayers.com for more information.

Pictured: Rose-Louise and her Hollywood Blondes" Julia Bevilacqua, Annie Grace Payne, Tomo Watanabe, Emily La Rosa, Elizabeth Nestlerode, Devra Aviva Seidel, Chara Kirkland (photo by Laurel Detkin)