Ethel Merman "GYPSY" Jule Styne / Stephen Sondheim / Laurents 1961 Boston Flyer

Description

This is a rare oversized advertising handbill (flyer) promoting ticket sales for the
three-week, Post-Broadway engagement of the ARTHUR LAURENTS, JULE STYNE and STEPHEN SONDHEIM musical comedy "GYPSY" at the Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. (The production opened May 21st, 1959 at New York's Broadway Theatre, moved to the Imperial Theatre August 15th, 1960, running for a combined 702 performances before going out on the road.) ..... 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 JULIENNE MARIE, ALFRED SANDOR, BETTY BRUCE, JEFFREY BOLTON, JUNE SQUIBB, LONEY LEWIS, SAMMY PRICE, SUSAN WILLIS, LOIS ROBERTS, LEON BENEDICT, JAN TANZY, ALICE PLAYTEN, DORIS FAYE and MERLE LETOWT ..... 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: Advertising handbills (heralds) were distributed or inserted into the playbills of other productions to help generate ticket sales for upcoming shows and events. This single page, two-sided handbill measures 4 1/2" X 12" inches and includes a photo of ETHEL MERMAN, production credits, an excerpt from a review, performance dates and ticket prices on the front and excerpts from a number of additional New York reviews
and a ticket order form on
the backside ..... CONDITION: With the exception of moderate to heavy creasing in the middle and minor edge wear, this rare handbill is in very good 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.