So many pictures, yay! First and foremost, let me preface this post by saying "Gypsy" as written by Arthur Laurents, with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim is pretty much my favorite musical of all time. I recently saw it (twice) in New York with Patti Lupone starring as Mama Rose, and let me tell you, that was a sight to be seen. As Seth Rudetsky was say, "it was a-MAH-zing." I have seen a lot of musical theater in my life, but I have never seen an audience give a performer a standing ovation in the middle of a number that quite literally stopped the show. Anyway, the book. So this book is the memoir of Gypsy Rose Lee, who during her time, was the most famous stripper in burlesque. She was known for not only being sexy and highly skilled in the art of the strip tease, but she was also hilarious. Unlike other women who just took of all there clothes and ran the stage shaking their junk, she actually put on a show. Her memoir, accordingly, is hilarious and was the basis for the musical. It has been said that a lot of what she says isn't necessarily one hundred percent "true," but who cares! Most of it probably is, and the most interesting aspect of her life (her relationship with her mother) was what the entire musical was formed around. Interesting fact: late in life, Gypsy's mother opened a lesbian boarding house where she shot and killed her lover (who was apparantly making a pass at Gypsy) and got off because it was ruled a suicide. hmmm. HERE SHE IS BOYS!
No comments:
Post a Comment