(Rockwall) July 17, 2012 – Rockwall Summer Musicals introduces its first guest artist – the well-known Dallas performing artist Patty Granville – starring as “Mama Rose” in the cast of Gypsy.
With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and the book by Arthur Laurents, performances of Gypsywill be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 9 – 11; and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12 at the Rockwall High School Performing Arts Center at Utley, 1201 TL Townsend Drive in Rockwall.
Click here to see cast list. The role of Tulsa is being played by the talented Brian Boyce who makes the long drive over from Grapevine. He’ll be attending OU with a major in BFA in Theatre.
Stay tuned to Blue Ribbon News for bios of all cast members coming soon!
Although some mistake the show’s burlesque involvement as being risqué or suggestive, Gypsy is actually a delightfully family-friendly show filled with uplifting messages of love, family, and “doing what’s right.”
Set during the Vaudeville era, Gypsy is about a relentless stage mother, Rose, who travels the country with her two daughters, June and Louise, and their manager, Herbie. While June and Louise wish their mother would settle down and marry Herbie, Rose continues to pursue dreams of stardom for her girls.
When June deserts the act, Rose turns her attention to the shy Louise, whom she hopes to fashion into a star. When the act is booked into a burlesque house by mistake, Louise is forced into the spotlight and Gypsy Rose Lee is born.
Suggested by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the legendary musical features “Let Me Entertain you,” “Some People,” You’ll Never Get Away from Me,” “If Mama Was Married,” “All I Need Is the Girl,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “You Gotta Get A Gimmick,” and “Together Wherever We Go.” Considered by many to be the best book and score of any American musical.
Gypsy originally played for 702 performances on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre starring Ethel Merman as Rose. It played for 300 performances in London at the Piccadilly Theatre with Angela Lansbury as Rose. This extremely successful show has been revived on Broadway no less than four times: In 1974 with Angela Lansbury, in 1989 with Tyne Daly, in 2003 with Bernadette Peters, and in 2008 with Patti LuPone as Rose.
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Information and art submitted by Katherine Bower, rockwallsummermusicals.org. Bob Lewis with PlanetRockwall.com and Roberta Pavlov contributed to this story. Photos by New Vantage Photography.
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Patty Granville is Mama Rose in ‘Gypsy’ added by Editor on
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