Civic Theatre of Allentown opens its 2012-2013 season with 'Gypsy', the legendary musical loosely based on the memoirs of the famed stripped Gypsy Rose Lee.and considered by many to be the last great musical comedy.

 ˜Gypsy tells the backstage tale of the vaudeville entertainer turned stripper and her overbearing mother, Rose.

   With a book by Arthur Larents, and lyrics by Jule Styne to the music of Stephen Sondheim, Gypsys songs include such Broadway standards as œEverythings Coming Up Roses, œSmall World, œSome People, œIf Momma Was Married, œTogether Wherever We Go, and the climactic œRoses Turn.

   Originally opening in 1959, with Ethel Merman in the title role and running 720 performances, ˜Gypsy earned a Tony for Best Revival in 1989.

   The production will run October 12-27, 2012.