Description
I'm currently listing a large number of playbills from out-of-town tryouts prior to the Broadway runs. Many are from early performances when revisions were common and include song titles that were cut before opening in New York. (See cut songs below.) ....... This is a rare April 1959 "Playgoer" playbill from the Pre-Broadway tryout of the JULE STYNE and STEPHEN SONDHEIM musical comedy "GYPSY" at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (The production would open May 21st, 1959 at the Broadway Theatre in New York City and run for 702 performances.) ..... The legendary ETHEL MERMAN created several of the most endearing characters in musical theatre history; "Reno Sweeney" in Cole Porter's "Anything Goes", "Annie Oakley" in Irving Berlin's greatest success "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Mama Rose" in Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim's "GYPSY" ..... In addition to ETHEL MERMAN, the cast included JACK KLUGMAN, SANDRA CHURCH, CAROLE D'ANDREA (whose role was eliminated out-of-town), MARIA KARNILOVA, PAUL WALLACE, MORT MARSHALL, JACQULINE MAYRO, KAREN MOORE, LONEY LEWIS, PEG MURRAY, FAITH DANE, CHOTZI FOLEY and JOE SILVER ..... CREDITS: Music by JULE STYNE ("Bells Are Ringing", "Darling of the Day", "Do Re Mi", "Fade Out, Fade In", "Funny Girl", "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", "Gypsy", "Hallelujah, Baby!", "Hazel Flagg", "High Button Shoes", "Lorelei", "Subways Are For Sleeping", Sugar", "Prettybelle" 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", "Gypsy", "Company", "Follies", "A Little Night Music", "Do I Hear a Waltz?", "Sweeney Todd", "Pacific Overtures", "Merrily We Roll Along", "Sunday in the Park With George", "Into the Woods", "Passion", "Assassins"); Sets designed by JO MIELZINER; Costumes designed by RAOUL PENE DU BOIS; Dance Music arranged by JOHN KANDER; Directed and Choreographed by JEROME ROBBINS; Produced by DAVID MERRICK and LELAND HAYWARD ..... DETAILS: The 16 page playbill measures 6" X 9" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers and bios of each of the leading actors, but no cast photos ..... CUT SONGS: The list of musical numbers includes "Momma's Talking Soft" and "Three Wishes for Christmas" which were cut out-of-town ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light creasing, this playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
