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A Gypsy What?
By
Francine L. Trevens
ART TIMES November 2005
It began on a
whim, and grew into a beloved backstage tradition.Launched with a raggedy
old white satin wrapper it metamorphosed into almost a dozen wearable
works of art. First a hand-me-down from friend to friend in various musicals,
it later became a prescribed ritual, and now is a highlight of a Broadway
musical’s opening night.No Broadway dancer is unaware of it – but
few people uninvolved with Broadway musicals know it exists.
It’s
the ceremony of the Gypsy Robe.
The
Gypsy what?
Gypsy
Robe, or more accurately, robes. For over the years, there have been almost
two-dozen of these individual works of art, some residing in such places
as the Smithsonian, The Museum of the City of New York, Lincoln Center
Library of the Arts and most recently, the People’s Hall of Fame.
As
the ceremony has evolved, it occurs an hour before opening of any new
Broadway musical that has a chorus.Representatives from Actors Equity,
including Terry Marone, who heads the ACCA (Actors Committee of Chorus
Affairs) and the previous recipient of the robe arrive, and the ritual
begins: awarding the robe and crowning the King or Queen of the Gypsies.
It’s
the award just for chorus members, who receive far too little recognition.
But
lets back up.
Chorus
performers had a long struggle before gaining any recognition, and this
year is a major one in their history.It is the 50th anniversary since
their incorporation into Actor’s Equity.It is also the year the People’s
Hall of Fame recognized them and accepted one of the robes for display.
On November 7th at the American Airlines Theatre,
Chita Rivera and Harvey Fierstein will host a celebration of chorus –
called THE GYPSY IN OUR SOULS – to pay tribute to the Broadway chorus
troupers.These are the men and women who dance, in one Broadway show after
another, not only for money but for the sheer love of dancing!
In 1919, six years after the formation of Actor’s
Equity, chorus actors fought for a union, the Chorus Equity Association,
formulated in consultation with Equity leaders.They became, in essence,
a section of Actor’s Equity.Members of the famed Drew and Barrymore families
assisted them in their fight to receive rehearsal pay, to have decent
dressing rooms, etc.Marie Dressler was their first president.
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Tom Titone with Alfred Molina (Walter McBride Photo) |
,
they merged with Actors Equity.Now they have health insurance, pension
benefits and other important considerations. It’s a long way from rehearsing
as much as 16 weeks without pay and providing their own shoes, for the
privilege of dancing on Broadway in a show which might close in under
a week!
Still,
there is little recognition of hard working, talented chorus members,
nicknamed gypsies, as in the song “She’s No Longer a Gypsy,” in APPLAUSE.
They are never mentioned at the Tonys –
although they often dance at this annual award event.Where is their moment
of glory, the recognition of the public for their work?
In
1957 – backstage at GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES -- chorus member Bill
Bradley got a brainstorm, in the midst of the flurry of preparation and
the nervous excitement of an opening night.He asked if he could borrow
an old white satin wrapper from a fellow “Gypsy.”She agreed.
Donning the robe, he visited the other chorus
members in their dressing rooms, bestowing blessings on them and the production.
Bradley
then sent the robe to a pal in CALL ME MADAM.There a rose from Ethel Merman’s
gown got sewn on, before being passed on to another pal in another show,
where again an item representing the musical was added. Pretty soon, the
robe was overloaded with souvenirs of plays and a new robe was needed.
No
one documented the proceedings pr the winners at that time, and some of
the old robes have been lost to history.
In
1982 Terry Marone, herself a gypsy, decided to make the tradition more
than a happenstance. The Gypsy Robe presentation is now an intimate, charming
tribute, an award to honor the services of the most experienced chorus
member in each new musical.
No
longer does an old wrapper serve. Currently, when a new robe is needed,
wardrobe people make one of heavy muslin.
Terry Marone explained, “I used to pay for fabric
to have this done. Equity now pays the cost of the fabric – about
$40. The AVENUE Q wardrobe people created a pattern, making it easy for
new robes to be made.”
But
don't get the idea they are dull and pedestrian cover-ups.These robes
are more colorful than a kid’s collection of crayons and more creative
than the most modern stage set.They have become living memorials of every
musical boasting a chorus that opened on Broadway since 1982.The Gypsy
Robe even has its own pages on the Equity web site!
Records are kept, rules created and adhered to,
and the robe’s an award chorus dancers covet. Terry Marone wants to get
the Gypsy Robe onto the Tony telecast.Seeing how much she has already
accomplished in giving the robe status, you can expect that soon.
The
robe ceremony occurs on opening night. No one on the company knows, when
the stage manager calls them onstage for the event, who will be the recipient
until the robe is draped on the shoulders of the gypsy, who has appeared
in the most Broadway musicals, according to Equity employment records.
No more nepotism involved, although, occasionally
it is a friend who passes it on to the next dancer.That was the case when,
after being awarded the robe for NICK AND NORA, in December of ’91, Cynthia
Thole passed it to Bob Freschi in MOST HAPPY FELLA in February of ’92.In
the interim, the robe is kept at Equity.
Cynthia and Bob had appeared in ME AND MY GIRL
together, so “He was thrilled to be awarded the robe.It was made very
special knowing the presenter.
“The robe is about community, not just in the
individual theatre community that is having an opening, but all of Broadway.”
Cynthia
recalls, “I had such a feeling of pride and honor to wear the robe, to
represent our company among all those great actors. I have fond memories
of the opening for many reasons, and certainly the Gypsy robe ceremony
remains a favorite.”
A
representative from Equity and the previous recipient join the chorus
and other company members (these days even the principals in the musical
attend) of the newly opening show on stage an hour before curtain time.Since
musicals open extra early the first night, the ceremony is usually late
afternoon.
The
recipient becomes King or Queen of the gypsies. S/he then tours the stage
three times, with everyone touching the robe for luck.
Later,
still wearing the robe, the winner visits each dressing room to bestow
the good luck the robe represents.
Before
the robe is passed on, a souvenir of the show is added, along with signatures
of the chorus members.Some of these additions are quite elaborate.Such
as the quilted helicopter from MISS SAIGON, on one, and a picture of every
chorus member wearing a miniature costume from the play for FIDDLER ON
THE ROOF.Wardrobe personnel for those shows lovingly created all of this.As
a result, some robes can weigh as much as 40 pounds before they are retired!
“A
robe used to last for maybe 15-20 different openings.Now its six to eight,”
Terry Marone informed me.
According
to Ms. Marone, whose pet project this has been since 1982, the most touching
time was when a fellow who had AIDS won the robe.“The entire company almost
cried as he proudly toured the stage.”
Though the dancer died a few months later, the
image of him in the robe still lives in the minds of everyone who was
on stage that afternoon.
Since
the number of Broadway credits determines the winner, several people have
worn a robe more than once…though not necessarily the same one.They've
earned it by their hard work and persistence.
Some
claim this charming tradition, which began as a lark and evolved into
a touching ceremony (literally and figuratively) is due to superstition
– claiming that most performers are very superstitious.
Ms.
Thole humorously remarks, “I'm not very superstitious.But if I got a job
wearing a certain leotard, I would often wear it to the next audition.If
out of work, sometimes I allowed myself to buy my next opening night dress
to put out good karma for a new job!”
Ms.
Marone feels the tradition is continued because it gives chorus members
an award of their own; a special moment of recognition on that all-important
opening night.
Ms.
Thole seconds that, noting, “It’s wonderful because it carries the hopes
and dreams of all the other actors that have gone through the thrill and
stress of an opening night onto your stage and backstage with you.Actors
really are hopeful that all shows will be hits.”
One
hit we can be sure of is the Gypsy Robe tradition.