The overture is the best thing about GYPSY!
The entire score and every scene. It is the finest musical ever written. (No one needs to point out that this is only my opinion. I am already aware of that.)
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
Rose's Turn
and
All I Need Is the Girl
Mine too, n.
Any scene I'm in
Chorus Member Joined: 5/20/03
I would have to say:
1. Overture
2. Some People
3. Scene between June and Louise before If Mamma Was Married
4. Together
5. Louise's scene with the mirror right before the Strip
6. The Strip
7. Confrontation Scene before Rose's Turn
8. Rose's Turn
9. Final scene
overture
some people
if momma was married
roses turn
The Overture, Rose's Entrance ("Sing Out Louice...SIng OUT!"), "Some People", "Small World", The hotel room scene, "Litttle Lamb", The restaurant scene, scene in Grantzinger's office, "If Mamma Was Marrried", "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "Together Wherever we Go", All scenes with Tessie Tura, "You Gotta Have a Gimmick", Gypsy's transformationa nd strip montage, The argument scene, "Rose's Turn" and Rose's final wistful glance at the stage as she and Gypsy exit.
THe cast album with Ethel Merman is still my favourite show album of all time. Wow she poured a LOT of anger into that one. SHe was going through a divorce so maybe she used that to fuel her. Whatever it was, it's chilling to hear! (We did an interview with her in 1979 and the announcer asked how she pulled off GYPSY because it seemed like method acting with the force and control. Miss Merman shrugged and and said "well I guess you either got it or you ain't!")
It's an amzingly tight script. A friend of mine was producing and directing a community theatre staging last fall and was looking to trim it down to about 2 1/2 hours. (His shows play to older audiences who get restless whne they go on too long.) He found he couldn't cut any lines because if you cut this one, that one won't make sense. He left it at 3 hours and no one complained because they were so caught up in it.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
Picking a favorite scene or song from that show is like picking a favorite among your children!
I WILL say that my favorite line from the show is:
"You wanna know why I did it?
You REALLY wanna know why I did it?
BECAUSE I WAS BORN TOO SOON AND I STARTED TOO LATE!!!"
Leading Actor Joined: 5/16/03
Rose and Herbie's final scene. What an awesome book.
i love the harmonies in "if mamma was married" thats a great song.
ah screw it...the whole goddamn thing is brilliant!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
The whole show is perfection.
the whole show...... but
once they hit the burlesque to the end is the best....
"I thought you did it for me momma"
Rose's Turn... CHILLS. I'm not even listening to it and I have goosebumps.
The whole damn thing!
Rose's monologue as she get's Louise ready for the strip
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
I love the dressing room scene after the strip ("Nobody laughs at me. Because I laugh first. At me. From Seattle.." etc)
And "Rose's Turn" is a truly brilliant number.
I love Rose's Turn and the ending hamonies of If Mamma Was Married, but one of my favorite numbers is Gotta Have a Gimmick- especially on the latest recording
Broadway Star Joined: 1/29/05
Don't make me pick one. As others have said: the whole thing is brilliant.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/05
Well i've got a soft spot for Tulsa because i played that role. My fave bit ever though was the confrontation scene. We had a really really bad Mama Rose (one guy actually put ear plugs in when she, i use this in the loosest term possible, sang) but Louise was amazing. She was truely captivating especially when she blew her top.
The musical is flawless, but I have to say that my favorite scene is always the one where "Louise" looks into the mirror and says: "I'm pretty. I'm a preety girl Mama". That and Louise's Strip routine in the Garden of Eden setting always "get me".
Updated On: 6/25/05 at 08:54 PM
definitely the strippers and GOTTA HAVE A GIMMICK
"hey, you with the neck! that costume cost five bucks!
"some'n WRONG with STRIP-PIN'??!"
"oh, it's the same burlesque crap they've been doing since the year one."
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/05
"Rose's Turn" if done just right will give you goosebumps into next century. Voice on the verge of cracking, heck Rose's sanity on the verge of cracking, mixed with hope, anger, longing...
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