Gypsy and the Broadway Musical Madwoman: A Feminist Analysis (Elements in Musical Theatre)

By: Mary Beth Sheehy

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Synopsis: Gypsy, the groundbreaking 1959 Broadway musical by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents, introduced the world of musical theater to one of the most formidable female characters ever to strut onto the stage: Madam (Momma) Rose. She embodies the archetypal “stage mother” whose lifelong journey to achieve fame, enacted vicariously through her daughters and their vagabond life across America, drives her to a “madness” akin to that of the quintessential operatic madwoman. Her famous mad scene, “Rose's Turn,” demonstrates the many analytical possibilities intrinsic to this character definition. The creators of Gypsy's Rose thus showcased the “Broadway musical madwoman” type: a female character who, like her foremother the operatic madwoman, is rife with gendered complexity that creates a fascinating opportunity for feminist analytical study. This Element's two-pronged approach uses the frameworks of feminist theory and musicological analysis to consider the importance, legacy, and reception of Rose's journey.