It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life.

With no vaudeville venues left, Louise and her second-rate act wind up accidentally booked at a burlesque house in Wichita, Kansas, as a means to deter police raids.

Rose is anguished, as she sees what a booking in burlesque means to her dreams of success, but Louise persuades her that two weeks' pay for the new act is better than unemployment.

Although reluctant, Louise goes on, assured by Rose that she needn't actually strip but simply walk elegantly and tease by dropping a single shoulder strap.

A young Bernadette Peters appeared in the ensemble and understudied Dainty June, a role she would play the following year in summer stock, opposite Betty Hutton's Rose.

It was produced by Barry M. Brown and Fritz Holt, in association with Edgar Lansbury (Angela's brother) and directed by the show's author, Arthur Laurents, with choreography reproduced by Robert Tucker.

Prior to opening on Broadway, the Lansbury West End production had a 24-week tour of North America, starting in Toronto, and then travelling to many cities, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Boston.

[20] It was completely recast for the American tour and Broadway run with the exception of Bonnie Langford as baby June and Zan Charisse as Louise/Gypsy who played it in the West End with Ms. Lansbury.

Maureen Moore (later Bernadette Peters' understudy as Rose in the 2003 revival) played the adult June, and Mary Louise Wilson was Tessie Tura.

Jule Styne, in a 1989 interview in connection with the California tryout, said: "About six months ago, Bette Midler wanted to buy it (Gypsy) for a movie.

[29] The cast featured John Dossett as Herbie, Tammy Blanchard as Louise, Kate Reinders as June and David Burtka as Tulsa.

But by early January [2004], with tourists gone and local theatergoers staying inside during a brutal stretch of weather, the production's sales grew increasingly weak.

[35] Excitement was generated around LuPone playing the role of Rose and producers were eager to see Price's production, with the hope of moving it to New York.

Directed by Arthur Laurents, the production also featured Laura Benanti as Louise, Boyd Gaines as Herbie and Leigh Ann Larkin as June.

production was a success, and despite Ben Brantley's somewhat negative review of LuPone's performance in The New York Times, the show transferred to Broadway, where it opened at the St. James Theatre on March 27, 2008.

Joining McDonald were Danny Burstein as Herbie,[48] Joy Woods as Louise, Jordan Tyson as June, Kevin Csolak as Tulsa,[49] Lesli Margherita as Tessie Tura, Lili Thomas as Mazeppa and Mylinda Hull as Electra.

Mabel Manzotti starred as Rose, with Sandra Guida as Louise, Eleonora Wexler as June, and Ambar La Fox as Tessie Tura.

This production ran in rep at the Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario starring Nora McLellan as Rose and Julie Martell as Louise.

The first Brazilian production opened at Teatro Villa-Lobos, Rio de Janeiro, starring Totia Meireles as Rose, Renata Ricci as June, and Eduardo Falcão as Herbie.

[56] Tovah Feldshuh starred as Rose at the Bristol (PA) Riverside Theatre (BRT) production of Gypsy which opened on December 8, 2011, following two nights of previews.

The production also featured Michael James Leslie as Pop, Scott Ripley as Herbie, Alanna Saunders as June, and Amandina Altomare as Louise.

Tony Award winner Beth Leavel starred as Rose, alongside Adam Heller as Herbie, Julia Knitel as Louise, Hayley Podschun as June, Drew Redington as Tulsa, Jennifer Cody as Tessie and Ms. Cratchit, Ellen Harvey as Mazeppa, and Ann Harada as Electra.

Daryn Whitney Harrell performed as Louise, Antonio "Tony" Garcia as Herbie, Aalon Smith as June, Dawn Bless as Mazeppa, Melissa Young as Tessie and Honey West as Electra.

Tracie Bennett, Nicola Hughes, Keala Settle, Rebecca Lock, Samantha Spiro, Melanie La Barrie and Sally Ann Triplett each played Rose during different sections of the show, alongside Laura Pitt-Pulford as Louise, Carly Mercedes Dyer as June, Christopher Howell as Herbie, Ebony Molina as Electra, Rachel Stanley as Mazzepa and Alexis Owen-Hobbs as Tessie.

[64] In July 2022 Buxton Festival staged a production directed by Paul Kerryson, and featuring Joanna Riding as Rose, David Leonard as Herbie, Monique Young as Louise, Hannah Everest as June, and Liam Dean as Tulsa.

A Spanish-language production directed by Antonio Banderas ran from October 17, 2024 to January 12, 2025 at the Teatro del Soho in Málaga, starring Marta Ribera as Rose.

[68] The 2015 West End revival of Gypsy starring Imelda Staunton was recorded live at the Savoy Theatre during its run and broadcast on BBC Four on 27 December 2015.

[75] Playbill reported in October 2015 that "Universal, which had been working with Streisand on the project, formally put Gypsy in turnaround, meaning it has decided not to develop the film any further.

"[76] In April 2016, it was reported that Streisand was in advanced negotiations to star in and produce the film, which will be directed by Barry Levinson and distributed by STX Entertainment.

The 2001 Royal Variety Performance featured Cilla Black, Paul O'Grady (in his Lily Savage persona), and Barbara Windsor singing "You Gotta Get a Gimmick".