Curtain Up! Light the lights! Gypsy plays at Seattle Musical Theatre

Cast members of Gypsy
at Seattle Musical Theatre

Seattle Musical Theatre wraps up their 35th anniversary season with the musical masterpiece, Gypsy, performing April 26 through May 19, 2013.

Clearly on the top of almost every best musical list, this gem shares the intense tale of Seattle’s own Gypsy Rose Lee's younger years with her larger than life stage mom, Rose. Gypsy follows Rose’s incessant drive to push her daughters, Louise (who would later become Gypsy Rose Lee) and June to the big time on the vaudeville circuit in the 1920’s. While often hysterically funny, Gypsy also shows the raw side of dramatic ambition and the emptiness that both success and failure can bring.

This self described musical fable is an adaptation of Gypsy: A Memoir, the autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee, who began performing in the vaudeville houses in Seattle as a young child. While June became the distinguished motion-picture star June Havoc, Louise had a rich career as an actress, author and playwright while starring in burlesque, theatre, movies and her own talk show. However, she was best known for emphasizing the “tease” in striptease. As her son Eric Preminger states, “not bad for a poor girl from Seattle whose mother insisted had no talent.”

Originally opening in 1959, Gypsy was the collaboration of all the genius minds of Broadway’s golden era. Coming off their success with West Side Story, lyricist Steven Sondheim, choreographer Jerome Robbins and writer Arthur Laurents joined forces with Jule Styne to write the music.

Nominated for eight Tony Awards during its original run, Gypsy went on to win multiple Tonys, Drama Desk and Critic’s Circle Awards in revivals from 1973 to 2008. The musical features a little bit of everything, including both intense dramatic and comedic scenes exploring varied topics such as child abuse, early love and mental illness, to classic soft shoe and tap numbers and burlesque spectacles.

Audiences will surely recognize some of the biggest show tunes of all time including, “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” “Together,” “Wherever We Go,”  “Rose’s Turn,” and “Let Me Entertain You.”

The Atomic Bombshells and the Basics of Burlesque

In tribute to the burlesque history of the story, Seattle Musical Theatre welcomes Seattle’s internationally celebrated, polished and perfectly-choreographed, professional burlesque troupe The Atomic Bombshells, for a one night only performance on Wednesday night May 1st for those 18 and older. "Get ready to have your socks knocked off as they present a show that celebrates the feminine form with good humor and style."

We are also hosting a Basics of Burlesque class on Saturday May 4th from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm taught by The Atomic Bombshells.  Tap into your inner diva (or divo) and pick up a few burlesque tricks for the home or stage.  This class is open to all levels, ages and genders. 

Seattle Musical Theatre (formerly Civic Light Opera) is conveniently located in Magnuson Park, at 7120 62nd Ave NE . Parking is plentiful and free. Tickets for Gypsy are priced at $35-$40. Performances are from April 26th through May 19th Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00pm, with one additional show on Thursday, May 16th at 7:30pm.

Tickets for the Atomic Bombshells are $20 for the performance on May 1st at 8:00pm.  Registration for the burlesque class on May 4th is $35.00. For ticket and class registration purchases or information call 206-363-2809 or visit the website.