Description
This is a rare autographed souvenir program from a National Tour of the ARTHUR LAURENTS, JULE STYNE and STEPHEN SONDHEIM musical comedy "GYPSY" in 1962. (The Original Broadway production opened May 21st, 1959 at the Broadway Theatre in New York City and ran for 702 performances.) ..... The musical starred BETTY HUTTON as "Mama Rose", the role created by the legendary ETHEL MERMAN and featured fourteen year-old BERNADETTE PETERS in the role of "Dainty June" (shown in the fourth scanned image). Who could have predicted then that forty years later Miss Peters would not only be one of Broadway's leading ladies, but would also appear in lights as "Mama Rose" in the 2003 Broadway revival of this very same show ..... Others in the cast included MARIAN MERCER, VINCENT BECK, DIANNE BARTON, JAMES MOORE, BONNIE WALKER, LYNNE OSBORNE, LAURA LEE HUNT, CAROL COBY, ZALE KESSLER, WILLIAM BUSCH, RICHARD LEDERER, ROBERT CESSNA, DICK MARKEL, MARCIA GILFORD, JOHNNY BEECHER, SUSAN COGAN, DENISE McLAGLEN, GLORIA MILLS, LYNNE LIPTON, BARBARA IDELSON, DON KYLE, SHANNON MOORE, MIKE DOUGLASS and JACK ADER ..... Note: The back cover photo was signed by BETTY HUTTON (inscribed "All My Love") ..... CREDITS: Music by JULE STYNE (the prolific composer of "Bells Are Ringing", "Darling of the Day", "Do Re Mi", "Fade Out, Fade In", "Funny Girl", "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", "Hallelujah, Baby!", "Hazel Flagg", "High Button Shoes", "Prettybelle", "Lorelei", "Sugar", "Subways Are For Sleeping" and "Two on the Aisle"); Book by ARTHUR LAURENTS suggested by the memoirs of GYPSY ROSE LEE; Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM ("A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum", "West Side Story", "Company", "Do I Hear a Waltz?", "Follies", "A Little Night Music", "Sweeney Todd", "Pacific Overtures", "Sunday in the Park With George", "Into the Woods", "Assassins", "Passion", "Putting It Together", "Road Show"); Choreographed by RON TASSONE; Musical Direction by DICKSON HUGHES; Directed by HENRY VELEZ; Produced by JOHN KENLEY ..... DETAILS: The oversized eight page program measures 8 1/2" X 11" inches and includes full production credits, synopsis of scenes, photos and bios of each of the leading actors and members of the creative team and a photo and excerpt from the memoirs of GYPSY ROSE LEE ..... CONDITION: This rare program is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian and is a "Must Have" for the BERNADETTE PETERS fan. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
