History

Rose In Bloom

By Kelly DiNardo ⋅ March 27, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅

After four weeks of previews, the new Broadway revival of Gypsy opens tonight. The musical about burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee stars Laura Benanti, left, in the title role and Patti Lupone as Mama Rose.

The Hollywood Reporter offers up this bit of Gypsy trivia:

The role of Mama Rose won a 1975 best actress Tony for Angela Lansbury in the first revival of the show; it also won Tyne Daly a 1990 Tony for her redo. However, there was no Tony for Ethel Merman, the woman who created the role, despite the fact that that has always been considered the role and the performance of her legendary legit career.