The "Gypsy" strip

[Demitri2]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 1:49pm

I just saw the "Gypsy" clip on this site promoting the show and was surprised at how covered up Benanti was at that "big moment". I've seen bits of archival footage of the real Lee stripping and all you can see before the film stops is her taking off a thin string tie around her neck and then the slow coyness involved in the unbuttoning of her blouse. It seemed very tongue and cheek. So my question is, "Does anyone know how far the lady actually peeled? We talking pasties? Did she actually wear a g-string?" If she did then how come the theatre depiction of her strip is so tame? Another thing...Benanti's horrendous strip costumes. I've seen the last three revivals and not one of them could compare with the movie version in regards to the wonderful gowns worn by the Gypsy character. Of course in my book Natalie Wood was the quintessential stripper. I've always wished they'd used the same designs she wore in the movie in the subsequent stage versions. It would make for a much more attractive strip segment which is one of the highlights of the show. If you're not going to re-create the original Christmas tree number from the original stage production then at least splurge on the costumes.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 2:03pm

Gypsy Rose Lee never stripped completely nude. In the early years she wore a skin-toned body stocking with pasties, then in the later years she would be in the flesh, but with little bows as pasties on her breasts and a g-string. She never fully stood on stage completely undressed -- she was always hiding behind a big hat, curtain, or another prop.

The strips you see in GYPSY are pretty much depicted as she did them.

Though the gowns Natalie Wood wore for the 1962 film-version of GYPSY were indeed glamorous, they were not period correct for early 1930's burlesque nor Gypsy Rose Lee's actual costumes from that era. She always wore frilly full skirts and large hats (as Benanti is shown holding in front of her). She also incorporated large feather fans. Natalie Wood was basically wearing 60's style gowns (including those 60's opera gloves, piled-up hairdos AND needle-thin stilletto heels).

NOTE: in the original 1959 Broadway production, the strip was quite short with Sandra Church never talking during her strip, which was Gypsy Rose Lee's 'gimmick' -- she spoke eloquently during her strips, making her the 'smart and educated' stripper, so to speak. The added dialogue we now hear was incorporated into the libretto for the 1974 revival (with Angela Lansbury) which added more authenticity to Gypsy Rose Lee's strip in the show.



Here is the real Baby June and Louise Hovick and 2 of the Newsboys:



Updated On: 7/16/07 at 02:03 PM

[Demitri2]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 2:11pm

Thanks for your insightful reply Brody. The Zan Charisse strip was the first time I saw a full stage production of the show. I had suspected but was never quite sure if it was changed for the Lansbury version since the only comparison recording I had up to that time was the Merm recording. Appreciate the info.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 2:21pm

*poof*

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 2:36pm

There was a recent exhibit at the Performing Arts Library in Lincoln Center that displayed some real "Gypsy Rose Lee" memorabilia.
Collection of letters, one written by Gypsy to her sister debating their real ages since their mother supposedly burned all birth certificates and documents that would hint at their age and professional pictures:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2721268890101412597HszWue
A picture of the real Madame Rose:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2081369470101412597pgRWIx
Louise and Baby June as children:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2513878860101412597hSLdVY
A letter from Elenor Rosevelt to Gypsy on the opening night of a show:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2578353880101412597FiDrQr

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 3:16pm

Read her memoirs! So wonderful! She did a lot of talking and joking- the other strippers hated her! She was NEVER a beauty and performed long long after any other woman would have stopped wearing a swimsuit in public, much less strip.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 4:50pm

Demitri2, thanks for mentioning the Christmas Tree number, Minsky's "Salute to Christmas" from the original 1959 production of GYPSY. I saw that production 5 times and found that number to be hilarious. For those who didn't see it, it consisted of "nudes" on a Christmas tree, with Christmas ornaments covering their boobs, singing a mock "hallelujah", with "slithering" showgirls on the side. Then comics dressed as Santa Claus dragged on a huge Christmas present which opened to reveal Gypsy Rose Lee. It was incredibly tacky and tasteless on purpose, and was a comic gem. Jerome Robbins and Arthur Laurents are to be congratulated for coming up with the idea. The scene was quite brief and must have been an expensive scene to stage, since the showgirls and "nudes" were not used in any other part of the show. I believe there were 13 of them, since I have a photograph of the scene which I got from the Library of Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

When the show moved from the Broadway Theatre with its large stage to the smaller staged Imperial Theatre, they cut down on the number of showgirls for that scene.

I don't remember if that Christmas Scene was used in the Angela Lansbury production . It was changed to Minsky's "Garden of Eden" for the Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters productions. Arthur Laurents said at the time that it was changed because the "Salute to Christmas" wasn't funny. Boy, was he wrong. I think it was changed for expense reasons. I assume that the "Garden of Eden" is being used for the current production of GYPSY.

Updated On: 7/16/07 at 04:50 PM

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 4:53pm

Yes, they are using the Garrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrdeeeeeeeenn of Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedeeeeeeeeeeeeen. (just mimicing the announcer.)

[Demitri2]

Posted: 7/16/07 at 8:41pm

Thanks Gypsy1527. I've never seen that telegram from Eleanor Roosevelt before. What a hoot! The photos are great too. And thanks Gypsy9 for describing in depth the Christmas strip. I was always curious about how it was staged. You folks are the best!

[WOSQ]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 2:15pm

Louise is underdressed with, what, 3-4 gowns at the start of the strip. She finishes 'Wichita' and steps into the wings and the wardrobe department unzips her, she steps out of her shoes and dress, steps into a new pair of shoes while wardrobe is smoothing down the revealed dress, the hair and make-up are altered slightly on the fly, Louise picks up whatever new accessories there might be and the character heads back out on the stage in no time. It goes Wichita, Detroit, Phila (any other city I forgot?) and then New York, so it is three dresses and then the final brief costume.

The dresses cannot be made of thick or heavy fabric because there are several of them there at the start and the whole thing would be too bulky and too heavy.

I saw a production of Gypsy at Valley Forge Music Fair in the round (Ann Southern as Rose) and Louise never left the stage area. She peeled off dress after dress in full view right beside the playing area.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:11pm

I saw a UK tour in the early 90's and at the start of the strip I thought...."Jeez Louise looks fat!" Then gradually she took off the layers and guess what..... SHE WAS FAT! What a disappointment even for a gay boy!