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Jewish Renewal

Jewish Renewal (התחדשות יהודית) is a Jewish religious movement originating in the 20th century that endeavors to reinvigorate modern Judaism with Kabbalistic, Hasidic, and musical practices. Specifically, it seeks to reintroduce the "ancient Judaic traditions of mysticism and meditation, gender equality and ecstatic prayer" to synagogue services. It is distinct from the baal teshuva movement of return to Orthodox Judaism.

Overview
The term "Jewish Renewal" describes "a set of practices within Judaism that attempt to reinvigorate what it views as a moribund and uninspiring Judaism with mystical, Hasidic, musical and meditative practices drawn from a variety of traditional and untraditional, Jewish and other, sources. In this sense, Jewish Renewal is an approach to Judaism that can be found within segments of any of the Jewish denominations".

The term also refers to an emerging Jewish movement, the Jewish Renewal movement, which describes itself as "a worldwide, transdenominational movement grounded in Judaism's prophetic and mystical traditions". The Jewish Renewal movement incorporates social views such as egalitarianism, environmentalism and pacifism.

Jewish Renewal rabbi Barbara Thiede writes:

"Jewish Renewal will joyfully embrace music, meditation, chant, yoga, and storytelling in the practice of Judaism. Jewish Renewal reads Torah as our deepest challenge and our most precious gift ... Jewish Renewal is about learning the why and not just the how. It's about plumbing the very depths of why so that we can hear our private and godly voices of truth ... Ideas, texts, tradition – Jewish understanding laced together in a sweet web of life so clearly that I could unpack the teaching as easily as I could unzip a boot."

The movement's most prominent leader was Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Other leaders, teachers and authors associated with Jewish Renewal include Arthur Waskow, Michael Lerner, Tirzah Firestone, Phyllis Berman, Shefa Gold, David Ingber, and Marcia Prager.

Jewish Renewal brings kabbalistic and Hasidic theory and practice into a non-Orthodox, egalitarian framework, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as neo-Hasidism. Like Hasidic Jews, Renewal Jews often add to traditional worship ecstatic practices such as meditation, chant and dance. In augmenting Jewish ritual, some Renewal Jews borrow freely and openly from Buddhism, Sufism and other faiths.

Origins
Jewish Renewal, in its most general sense, has its origins in the North American Jewish countercultural trends of the late 1960s and early 1970s. During this period, groups of young rabbis, academics and political activists founded experimental chavurot (singular: chavurah) or "fellowships" for prayer and study, in reaction to what they perceived as an over-institutionalized and unspiritual North American Jewish establishment.

Initially the main inspiration was the pietistic fellowships of the Pharisees and other ancient Jewish sects.

Also initially, some of these groups, like the Boston-area Havurat Shalom attempted to function as full-fledged communes after the model of their secular counterparts. Others formed as communities within the urban or suburban Jewish establishment. Founders of the havurot included the liberal political activist Arthur Waskow, Michael Strassfeld (who later became rabbi for a Conservative congregation and then moved on to serve a major Reconstructionist congregation), and Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Although the leadership and ritual privileges were initially men-only, as in Orthodox Jewish practice, the second wave of American feminism soon led to the full integration of women in these communities. Lynn Gottlieb became the first female rabbi in Jewish Renewal in 1981.

Havurot
Apart from some tentative articles in Response and other Jewish student magazines, the early havurot attracted little attention in the wider North American Jewish community. Then, in 1973, Richard Siegel, and Michael and Sharon Strassfeld released The Jewish Catalog: A Do-It-Yourself Kit. Patterned after the Whole Earth Catalog, the book served both as a basic reference on Judaism and American Jewish life, as well as a playful compendium of Jewish crafts, recipes, meditational practices, and political action ideas, all aimed at disaffected young Jewish adults. The Jewish Catalog became one of the bestselling books in American Jewish history to that date and spawned two sequels. A much more widespread havurah movement soon emerged, including self-governing havurot within Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist synagogues.

By 1980 an increasing number of havurot had moved away from strictly traditional Jewish worship practices, as members added English readings and chants, poetry from other spiritual traditions, percussion instruments, and overall a less formal approach to worship.

In an interview (published in Zeek in 2012), scholar and folklorist Chava Weissler, who has been a "participant-observer" in both the Havurah movement and in Jewish Renewal, said:

"CW: I often use the following metaphor: the Havurah movement represents the Misnagdim and the Renewal movement the Hasidim of the Jewish counter-culture. The style of the Havurah movement is more cognitive, and the style of Renewal is more expressive and devotional. Also, the Havurah movement has a deep aversion to the "rebbe" model, while the Renewal movement has seen it as a way into a heightened spirituality.

ZEEK: The Hasidim/Misnagdim analogy is a fascinating one, though I can see how some folks in the Havurah movement might have bones to pick there.

CW: Especially because we saw ourselves as reinstating Hasidism, or parts of it. Some years ago, a well-known Renewal teacher taught at the Havurah Institute. I asked him how he felt it compared to the Kallah and Renewal. And he said, 'the havurah movement is so unspiritual, it really bothered me ... when they have a study class, they go in, open the text, study, close the text and you're done. When I teach a class, we sit in silence, we open our hearts to the text, we sing a niggun, we study the text, we process what's happened to us, then we sing another niggun and sit in silence again to receive what we've received.'

My havurah friends were outraged that he would say the Havurah movement isn't spiritual! But it's a different model of spirituality and also of study ..."

B'nai Or / P'nai Or
Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, a Hasidic-trained rabbi ordained in the Lubavitch movement, broke with Orthodox Judaism beginning in the 1960s, and founded his own organization, The B'nai Or Religious Fellowship, which he described in an article entitled "Toward an Order of B'nai Or". "B'nai Or" means "sons" or "children" of light, and was taken from the Dead Sea Scrolls material, where the "sons of light" battle the "sons of darkness". Schachter-Shalomi envisioned B'nai Or as a semi-monastic ashram-type community, based upon the various communal models prevalent in the 1960s and 1970s. This community never materialized as he envisioned it, but B'nai Or did produce a number of important leaders in the Renewal movement. It also produced the B'nai Or Newsletter, a quarterly magazine that presented articles on Jewish mysticism, Hasidic stories and Schachter-Shalomi's philosophy. The masthead of this publication read: "B'nai Or is a Jewish Fellowship established for the service of G-d through prayer, Torah, celebration, meditation, tradition, and mysticism. We serve as a center to facilitate people in the pursuit of Judaism as a spiritual way of life."

Schachter-Shalomi was strongly influenced by Sufism of Islam and Buddhism, and translated some of the prayers into Hebrew. He also focused more on urban sustainable living than rural culture, and suggested for instance interconnected basements of houses in urban neighborhoods that would create collective space (especially for holidays), while providing the level of privacy secular life had encouraged. Some of these ideas have influenced urban economics.

In 1985, after the first national Kallah (conference) gathering in Radnor, Pennsylvania, the name was changed from B'nai Or to P'nai Or ("Faces of Light") to reflect the more egalitarian perspective of the rising feminist movement. Together with such colleagues as Arthur Waskow, Schachter-Shalomi broadened the focus of his organization. In 1993 it merged with The Shalom Center, founded by Waskow, to become ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal.

In 1979, Waskow had founded a magazine called Menorah, which explored and encouraged many creative ritual and social issues from a Jewish perspective. It was in this publication that Waskow coined the term "Jewish Renewal". In 1986, Menorah merged with The B'nai Or Newsletter to become New Menorah, now available online through ALEPH. The new version of the publication addressed Jewish feminism, the nuclear arms race, new forms of prayer, social justice, etc. Several of the early New Menorah issues explored gay rights, and became an important catalyst for opening this discussion in more mainstream synagogues.

The executive-director of ALEPH said in 2016 that 50 Jewish Renewal communities had been established in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Israel. By this time, the beginnings of institutionalization were in place, in the form of the nonprofit organization ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal, the rabbinical association OHaLaH, and an increasingly formalized but non-accredited rabbinic ordination program.

Renewal and the contemporary Jewish community
Statistics on the number of Jews who identify themselves as "Renewal" are not readily available. However, the evidence of Renewal influence can be found throughout the spectrum of Jewish denominational affiliation and in many diverse other arenas of Jewish life. It is not uncommon for congregations that are not associated with the Reconstructionist movement to feature many Renewal influences. These include workshops on Jewish meditation and various Judaized forms of yoga which may be incorporated into religious services. "Chanting" and "healing" services have become increasingly common. Many melodies and liturgical innovations have found their way into the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements. Rabbis and Cantors trained by the ALEPH Ordination Program, the Jewish Renewal seminary, have begun to serve congregations with other affiliations and bring Renewal-informed influences to these environments.

Jewish Renewal is "part of the burgeoning world of transdenominational Judaism—the growing number of synagogues, rabbis and prayer groups that eschew affiliation with a Jewish stream".

Rabbi Marcia Prager wrote in 2005:

"Jewish Renewal is a "movement" in the sense of a wave in motion, a grassroots effort to discover the modern meaning of Judaism as a spiritual practice. Jewish-renewalists see "renewal" as a process reaching beyond denominational boundaries and institutional structures, more similar to the multi-centered civil rights or women's movements than to contemporary denominations."

Ordination training
The ALEPH Ordination Program emerged out of ALEPH founder Reb Zalman's earlier project of training and ordaining an inner circle of students, many with extensive yeshiva backgrounds, to be inspiring progressive post-denominational community organizers and spiritual leaders. The ALEPH Ordination Program has grown to become the largest rigorous liberal Jewish seminary in North America, comprising a Rabbinic Program, a Rabbinic Pastor Program (training Jewish clergy specializing in pastoral care), a Cantorial Program, and the Hashpa'ah Program (training Jewish Spiritual Directors).

Over 90 students are currently enrolled from varying denominational backgrounds in the US, Canada, Europe and Israel, who study both locally and through ALEPH courses and retreats. The rabbinic students undertake an academic program comprising a minimum of 60 graduate-level courses and practica covering a broad curriculum of rabbinic education. Cantorial students are masters of liturgy and nusach, traditional and contemporary Jewish music, western and non-western traditions, and also fulfill course requirements in Jewish history, philosophy, text, thought and practice. Rabbinic Pastors are specialists, trained to provide Jewish wisdom, spiritual direction, support, and counseling in chaplaincy and in congregational settings. The Hashpa'ah Program offers a three-year concentration in Jewish Studies and Jewish Spiritual Counseling and Guidance, leading to Certification as Mashpia/Spiritual Director.

Since 1973, more than 200 Jewish Renewal spiritual leaders have been ordained through the ALEPH Ordination Program and/or its predecessor the B'nai Or/P'nai Or Ordination Program.

The ALEPH Ordination Program combines low-residency and residential components. Semester-length seminars and courses are offered via live videoconference technology; winter and summer residential "retreats" are held of students and faculty for intensive sessions and practica.

AOP offers both a Master of Divinity degree and Doctor of Ministry Degree in cooperation with New York Theological Seminary (NYTS).

New Age Judaism
Jewish Renewal has been criticized for emphasizing individual spiritual experience and New Age practices over communal norms and Jewish textual literacy.

The ALEPH website offers the following response:

"Jewish Renewal is sometimes referred to as "New Age" by people who do not know that meditation, dance, chant, and mysticism have been present in Judaism throughout the ages and not, as some mistakenly believe, patched on to Judaism from other cultures or made up out of whole cloth. Sadly, some of our authentic, time-honored beliefs and practices have been lost to assimilation, leaving many contemporary Jews largely unaware of them. This is a major reason why so many spiritually sensitive Jews have sought spiritual expression in other faith traditions. It is an important part of ALEPH's mission to make the "hidden" treasures of Judaism known and accessible to these seekers."

Mainstreaming
Many Jewish Renewal techniques, ideas, and practices have become mainstream and are now familiar to Jews across the denominations, according to claims by the movement: "Three decades after Reb Zalman began reaching out to disenfranchised Jews with a hands-on, mystically inflected, radically egalitarian, liturgically inventive, neo-chasidic approach, many of the techniques he pioneered—from meditation to describing God in new terms--are widely employed in mainstream settings."

Despite the prevalence of Renewal practices, ideas, and teachings across the denominational spectrum, Jewish Renewal is not always known or credited with having originated these teachings and ideas. "Our influence is penetrating much deeper into the mainstream, but without acknowledgement," said Rabbi Daniel Siegel. "There is still a lot of ignorance and prejudice toward us in other movements."

Challenges
Some within the Renewal community maintain that the movement has been more successful in providing occasional ecstatic "peak experiences" at worship services and spiritual retreats than in inculcating a daily discipline of religious practice. Others have observed a tension within the community between those who prefer to focus on liberal social activism on American, Middle East and global issues; and those who favor an emphasis on meditation, text study and worship. And as a summer 2017 article in The Forward notes, there are tensions within ALEPH that have led many of its recent and in particular younger leaders not directly associated with the movement's early years to walk away, preferring to pursue the renewal of Judaism outside that organization. Additionally the movement struggles to recruit and train future generations of leaders.

title: Jewish Renewal


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Gypsy (musical)

Gypsy: A Musical Fable is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. It is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business mother." 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. The character of Louise is based on Lee, and the character of June is based on Lee's sister, the actress June Havoc.

The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "Rose's Turn", "Small World", "Together (Wherever We Go)", "You Gotta Get a Gimmick", and "Let Me Entertain You".

It is frequently considered one of the crowning achievements of the mid-twentieth century's conventional musical theatre art form, often called the book musical. Gypsy has been referred to as the greatest American musical by numerous critics and writers, among them Ben Brantley ("what may be the greatest of all American musicals...") and Frank Rich. Rich wrote that "Gypsy is nothing if not Broadway's own brassy, unlikely answer to King Lear." Theater critic Clive Barnes wrote that "Gypsy is one of the best of musicals..." and described Rose as "one of the few truly complex characters in the American musical."

Background
A musical based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee was a project of producer David Merrick and actress Ethel Merman. Merrick had read a chapter of Lee's memoirs in Harper's Magazine and approached Lee to obtain the rights. Jerome Robbins was interested and wanted Leland Hayward as co-producer; Merman also wanted Hayward to produce her next show. Merrick and Hayward approached Arthur Laurents to write the book. As he relates, Laurents initially was not interested until he saw that the story was one of parents living their children's lives. Composers Irving Berlin and Cole Porter declined the project. Finally, Robbins asked Stephen Sondheim, who agreed to do it. Sondheim had worked with Robbins and Laurents on the musical West Side Story. However, Merman did not want an unknown composer and wanted Jule Styne to write the music. Sondheim initially refused to write only the lyrics but was persuaded by Oscar Hammerstein to accept the job.

Act I
Baby June and Louise, the two daughters of Rose Hovick, play the vaudeville circuit around the United States in the early 1920s. Rose, the archetype of a stage mother, is aggressive and domineering, pushing her children to perform. While June is an extroverted, talented child star, the older girl, Louise, is shy. Their act has one song, "May We Entertain You", with June always as the centerpiece and Louise in the background. Rose has big dreams for the girls but encounters setbacks when her father refuses to lend her money for those dreams ("Some People"). When Rose meets a former agent, Herbie, she persuades him to become their manager using her seductive and feminine wiles ("Small World"). Through Herbie's efforts, "Baby June and Her Newsboys" becomes a top vaudeville act.

As the girls grow into adolescents, June and her act have a chance to perform for Mr. Goldstone of the Orpheum Circuit ("Mr. Goldstone, I Love You"). Meanwhile, Louise celebrates her birthday alone and wonders how old she is ("Little Lamb"). Rose rejects Herbie's marriage proposal and he considers leaving, but she asserts that he could never get away from her ("You'll Never Get Away From Me"). After an audition for T.T. Grantziger ("Dainty June and Her Farmboys/Broadway"), June is offered a place at a Performing Arts school. However, Rose turns this down, refusing to break up the act. Louise and June fantasize what life would be like if Rose were married and finished with show business ("If Momma Was Married").

A few months later, still on the road from show to show, Tulsa, one of the boys from the act, confides to Louise that he has been working on his own act and Louise fantasizes that she and he could do the act together ("All I Need Is the Girl"). Shortly after this, June is missing, and she explains in a note that she has grown sick of her mother and the endless tour and has eloped with Tulsa, with whom she will do a new act. Rose is hurt, but she optimistically vows that she will make Louise a star, proclaiming that "Everything's Coming Up Roses".

Act II
Louise is now a young woman, and Rose has built a pale imitation of the Dainty June act for her. Using all girls, Rose and Herbie try valiantly to sell "Madame Rose's Toreadorables" to a fading vaudeville industry. However, they are still together ("Together, Wherever We Go").

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. Backstage, Rose proposes marriage to Herbie. He asks her to break up the act and let Louise have a normal life, and she reluctantly accepts, agreeing to marry the day after their show closes. As they are introduced to Louise, three of the strippers on the bill advise her on what it takes to be a successful stripper, a "gimmick," something that "makes your strip special" ("You Gotta Get a Gimmick").

On the last day of the booking, the star stripper in the burlesque show is arrested for solicitation. Desperate, Rose cannot resist the urge to give Louise another nudge toward stardom, and she volunteers Louise to do the striptease as a last-minute replacement. Herbie is disgusted at how low Rose has stooped and he finally walks out on her ("Small World" (Reprise)). 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. Shy and hesitant, she sings a titillating version of the old vaudeville song "May We Entertain You". She removes only her glove, but she speaks directly to her audience, which becomes her "gimmick". Louise becomes secure, always following her mother's advice to "Make 'em beg for more, and then don't give it to them!" With each performance, the song becomes brasher and brassier, and Louise removes more articles of clothing. Ultimately, she becomes a major burlesque star ("Let Me Entertain You").

At Louise's dressing room, Rose argues with her daughter, now known as the sophisticated "Gypsy Rose Lee". Embittered, Rose reveals that the true motivation for all her actions has been to live vicariously through her daughters so she can chase the stardom she wanted for herself, not for her children. She realizes that she has driven away June, Herbie, and now possibly Louise. She displays the talent that could have been under different circumstances, as the name "Rose" flashes in neon lights ("Rose's Turn"). After her admission to Louise, mother and daughter tentatively move toward reconciliation in the end.

 * In the 1974 and 2008 Broadway revivals, although the final dialogue scene remains, there is not a happy ending, but rather a bleak, sad one as all hopes of reconciliation for Rose and Louise fall flat when Louise walks away, laughing sarcastically at Rose's new "dream." The audience is then left with a somber Rose, whose dream of her own lit up marquee slowly fades away to her unrealistic dreams.
 * In the 2003 revival starring Bernadette Peters, the final dialogue scene remains, but leaves the ending open to more interpretation from the audience. Louise walks through the stage door, with Rose following behind. Rose then turns to face the audience, a look of sadness and longing on her face as she takes one last look at the empty stage. She pauses and slowly closes the door.
 * In the 2015 West End revival starring Imelda Staunton, Louise begins to walk out, and Rose catches up after waking up to reality. Louise puts her arm around Rose as they exit together, giving the appearance that Louise is now taking care of Rose.

Act I

 * "Overture" – Orchestra
 * "May We Entertain You" – Baby June and Baby Louise
 * "Some People" – Rose
 * "Some People" (Reprise) – Rose
 * "Small World" – Rose and Herbie
 * "Baby June and Her Newsboys" – Baby June and Newsboys
 * "Mr. Goldstone, I Love You" – Rose, Herbie, Ensemble
 * "Little Lamb" – Louise
 * "You'll Never Get Away From Me" – Rose and Herbie
 * "Dainty June and Her Farmboys" – June and Farmboys
 * "Broadway" – June and Farmboys
 * "If Momma Was Married" – June and Louise
 * "All I Need Is the Girl" – Tulsa
 * "Everything's Coming Up Roses" – Rose

Act II

 * "Entr'acte" - Orchestra
 * "Madame Rose's Toreadorables" – Louise, Rose and the Hollywood Blondes
 * "Together, Wherever We Go" - Rose, Herbie, and Louise
 * "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" – Mazeppa, Electra, and Tessie Tura
 * "Small World" (Reprise) – Rose
 * "Let Me Entertain You" – Louise
 * "Rose's Turn" – Rose
 * "Finale" – Orchestra

Notes on songs
During the pre-Broadway tryout tour, several songs were cut, including a song for Herbie called "Nice She Ain't" (cut because it was given to Jack Klugman one week prior to opening and he could not memorize the keys and staging in time), and a song for Baby June and Baby Louise titled "Mama's Talkin' Soft". The latter song was cut partly because the staging required the little girls to stand on a platform elevated above the stage, which terrified the young actress playing Baby Louise and partly because the show was running too long. "Mama's Talkin' Soft" was later recorded by Petula Clark and released as a single in the UK in 1959. Other cut songs include "Mother's Day", a song for Baby June's act, "Smile, Girls", which involves Rose trying to teach the untalented girls to smile in order to make the act look good, "Who Needs Him?", which Rose sings to herself after Herbie leaves her, and "Three Wishes for Christmas", a burlesque number similar to one that would be performed at Minsky's Burlesque.

Dramatic analysis
In analyzing the character of Rose, Clive Barnes described her as "bossy, demanding, horrific". Rich described Rose as "a monster". Critic Walter Kerr commented that though Rose is a monster, she must be liked and understood. Patti LuPone describes Rose: "She has tunnel vision, she's driven, and she loves her kids.... And she is a survivor. I do not see her as a monster at all—she may do monstrous things, but that does not make a monster." Sondheim has said of the character: "The fact that she's monstrous to her daughters and the world is secondary... She's a very American character, a gallant figure and a life force." Sondheim also noted, "Yet the end of Gypsy is not entirely bleak. Louise comes out a star and forgives her mother. There is hope for her.  Rose does confront who she is in 'Rose's Turn.' There is a catharsis. It's not Rodgers and Hammerstein, but you feel maybe the mother and daughter will come to an understanding and maybe triumph over Rose's craziness and Louise's bitterness."

Brantley noted that Rose is a "mythic character". She is "[t]raditionally presented as an armored tank on autopilot, which finally crashes only minutes before the final curtain".

Bernadette Peters' take on the character was different: "Rose was a woman who was traumatized by her own mother leaving her at an early age. I think that longing for acceptance is what fuels all her ambition. In the end, when she confronts herself in 'Rose's Turn', she realizes she has failed her daughter just as her own mother failed her...and that destroys Rose. There is a vulnerability to Rose that makes her human, not just some loud and cartoonish parody of a stage mother."

Original production
The original Broadway production opened on May 21, 1959, at The Broadway Theatre, transferred to the Imperial Theatre, and closed on March 25, 1961, after 702 performances and two previews. The show was produced by David Merrick and directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Ethel Merman starred as Rose, with Jack Klugman as Herbie and Sandra Church as Louise. Scenic and Lighting design were by Jo Mielziner and costumes were by Raoul Pène Du Bois. The orchestrations, including an overture, were supplied by Sid Ramin and Robert Ginzler.

Critic Frank Rich has referred to Robbins' work as one of the most influential stagings of a musical in American theatrical history. The original production received eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, but failed to win any. The original Broadway cast recording won the Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Album (Broadway or TV), and "Small World" was nominated for the Grammy for Song of the Year which went to Sondheim & Styne, popularized with a recording by Johnny Mathis.

When the show closed in March 1961, two national touring companies toured the US. The first company starred Merman and opened in March 1961 at the Rochester, New York Auditorium, and closed in December 1961 at the American, St. Louis, Missouri. The second national company starred Mitzi Green as Rose, followed by Mary McCarty. 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 opened in September 1961 at the Shubert Theatre, Detroit and closed in January 1962 at the Hanna, Cleveland, Ohio.

1973 London production
In 1973, it was announced that Elaine Stritch would be starring in the first West End production of the show. However, when ticket sales proved to be unsuccessful, producers hired the more familiar Angela Lansbury (according to Craig Zadan, "The ...producers were not able to raise the required capital on Stritch's name, and the promise of a new production...became ominously distant"). The West End production opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on May 29, 1973. 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. The supporting cast featured Zan Charisse, Barrie Ingham, Debbie Bowen and Bonnie Langford. Lansbury left the London production in December 1973 to tour the show in the US and was succeeded by Dolores Gray. The production closed on March 2, 1974, after 300 performances.

1974 Broadway revival
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. The production opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 23, 1974, for a planned limited engagement, and closed on January 4, 1975, after 120 performances and four previews. 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. John Sheridan played Tulsa, for which he won the 1974-75 Theatre World Award. Angela Lansbury won the 1975 Tony Award.

1989 Broadway revival
A second revival had pre-Broadway engagements starting at the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, Miami Beach, Florida, in May 1989, and Tampa in May, then The Muny, St. Louis, in June 1989, moving to the Los Angeles Music Center and Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa, California in July 1989, and then the Kennedy Center in August and September 1989, with several other venues prior to Broadway.

The production opened on Broadway on November 16, 1989, at the St. James Theatre, and then moved to the Marquis Theatre on April 18, 1991, and closed on July 28, 1991, after 476 performances and 23 previews. Laurents returned as director, with Tyne Daly as Rose, Jonathan Hadary as Herbie and Crista Moore as Louise. Linda Lavin (on July 30, 1990) and Jamie Ross replaced Daly and Hadary respectively, with Daly returning to the production at the Marquis Theatre from April 18, 1991 until closing.

This production won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival and Daly won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.

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. We wouldn't sell it.  Because they'd only destroy it." USA Today reported that "Both Liza Minnelli and Bernadette Peters say they would love to play it, but they weren't even approached for this production."

2003 Broadway revival
A new Broadway revival began previews on March 31, 2003, and opened on May 1, 2003, at the Shubert Theatre. The director was Sam Mendes, with choreography by Jerry Mitchell and costumes and sets by Anthony Ward. Bernadette Peters played the role of Rose. The New York Times described Peters as "a surefire box office draw who nonetheless may surprise some Gypsy aficionados...How will the ladylike Ms. Peters fit into the role of Rose, a part indelibly marked by its brassy, belting originator, Ethel Merman?...'One of the main reasons I wanted to do the piece was to cast someone as Rose that was closer to Rose as she really existed,' Mr. Mendes said. 'She was a tiny woman. And she was a charmer. And so is Bernadette.'" Laurents had talked to Mendes ("Roughly five years ago" according to The New York Times in 2003) about directing the revival, and Mendes said "he was surprised by the idea of casting Ms. Peters as Rose". Laurents notes of his suggestions on this production are in his 2009 book Mainly on Directing 'Gypsy', 'West Side Story' and Other Musicals. In a 2004 interview Laurents said that Peters' portrayal of Rose was "brilliant, original, totally unlike any of the others" while criticizing Mendes for the "physical production" which Laurents said "was misconceived and hurt the show more than people realized." Gypsy had begun previews with a virtually bare stage, but by opening night this had been changed to a minimalist set. The cast featured John Dossett as Herbie, Tammy Blanchard as Louise, Kate Reinders as June and David Burtka as Tulsa. The production was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical; it won none.

In his review, Ben Brantley in The New York Times wrote that "the surprise coup of many a Broadway season...Working against type and expectation under the direction of Sam Mendes, Ms. Peters has created the most complex and compelling portrait of her long career...There have been many illustrious successors to Merman as Rose...Only Ms. Peters, however, can be said to have broken the Merman mold completely."

Gypsy twice set new box office records for the Shubert Theatre. Its gross of $853,476 for the week of June 9–14, 2003 was the highest ever gross for a non-holiday week and the subsequent June 15–21, 2003 box office gross of $874,397 represented the highest gross for a show in Shubert history. However, The New York Times announced that Gypsy would close on February 28, 2004, stating: "Gypsy sold well for most of 2003. 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. More important, the show's advance sale, the main indicator of a production's staying power, began to shrink rapidly. It stood at less than $2 million yesterday." After an increase in the gross, the show's closing was postponed indefinitely, but Gypsy finally closed on May 30, 2004, after 451 performances and 33 previews. The production is believed to have recouped a little more than half of its $8 million investment.

2008 Broadway revival
Patti LuPone first portrayed Rose in Gypsy at the Chicago Ravinia Festival in August 2006, directed by Lonny Price and accompanied by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It began as a concert production but evolved into a full-fledged production featuring Jerome Robbins' original choreography (recreated by Bonnie Walker) and even a live lamb. 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. Jack Viertel, the artistic director of New York City Center Encores! saw the production and was so impressed that he contacted Arthur Laurents, requesting that he direct a new production of the show for a new summer "Encores!" program. From July 9 to 29, 2007, the show was presented at New York City Center with LuPone once again. Directed by Arthur Laurents, the production also featured Laura Benanti as Louise, Boyd Gaines as Herbie and Leigh Ann Larkin as June. Nancy Opel, Marilyn Caskey, and Alison Fraser played the strippers Mazeppa, Electra, and Tessie Tura (Lenora Nemetz assumed the role of Mazeppa / Miss Cratchitt for the Broadway transfer.)

LuPone recounted in her memoirs that, when Laurents began directing this production, he based his direction initially on the 1989 revival, "because, I think that in Arthur's mind, the Tyne Daly Gypsy had been the last successful production." However, the cast "questioned Arthur relentlessly about...the scenes", and he "tossed the old prompt book out and freed" the actors to explore.

The Encores! 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. Brantley gave the production a rave review, praising LuPone, Laurents and the rest of the cast, and describing the characterizations in the production: "'You see, everyone's starved for attention in Gypsy. That craving, after all, is the motor that keeps showbiz puttering along. And Mr. Laurents makes sure that we sense that hunger in everyone....  I was so caught up in the emotional wrestling matches between the characters (and within themselves), that I didn't really think about the songs as songs....  There is no separation at all between song and character, which is what happens in those uncommon moments when musicals reach upward to achieve their ideal reasons to be.'"

This production won numerous awards including the Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards for LuPone, Gaines and Benanti. The show was originally scheduled to close in March 2009 on LuPone's final performance, but closed on January 11, 2009, due to decreases in ticket sales. Like the 2003 production, this revival also closed at a loss. The production played for 332 performances and 27 previews. On the eve before the final performance, LuPone made news when she stopped the show during the song "Rose's Turn" to scold a patron for taking illegal photographs during the performance.

Patti LuPone performed in Gypsy before Broadway, stating she starred as Louise in a high-school production of the show when she was 13 years old. LuPone had voiced interest in heading the 2003 Broadway revival, but Arthur Laurents reportedly banned her from any future work with his involvement because she previously walked out on a production of Jolson Sings Again, written by Laurents, in 1995. LuPone and Laurents subsequently reconciled.

2015 West End revival
Following a run at the Chichester Festival Theatre, which won the Critics' Choice Theatre Award for Best Musical in 2014, a West End revival of Gypsy opened at the Savoy Theatre on April 15, 2015, in a limited run through November 28. Directed by Jonathan Kent with choreography by Stephen Mear and set and costume design by Anthony Ward, the production starred Imelda Staunton as Rose, Peter Davison as Herbie, Lara Pulver as Louise, Gemma Sutton as June, Dan Burton as Tulsa, Anita Louise Combe as Tessie Tura, Louise Gold as Mazzeppa and Julie Legrand as Electra. The London production was nominated for eight Laurence Olivier Awards at the 2016 ceremony, winning four, including Best Actress in a Musical (Staunton) and Best Musical Revival, the most awards won by a single production in that year. It also won Best Musical Production and Best Performance in a Musical (for Staunton) at the UK Theatre Awards in 2015. Staunton also won Best Musical Performance at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2015. The production was also filmed and broadcast on BBC Four over the 2015 Christmas/New Year period and was first broadcast on PBS' Great Performances in the United States in 2016.

Planned 2024 Broadway revival
On May 29, 2024, it was announced that Audra McDonald would play Mama Rose for a new planned revival. George C. Wolfe will direct with Camille A. Brown choreographing. Further casting is still to be announced. Previews are expected to begin November 21 with a planned opening date of December 19 at the Majestic Theatre.

Other productions
Other notable productions of Gypsy include:

1977 Mexico
Marga Lopez as Rose and Claudia Islas as Louise. Enrique Gómez Vadillo, director. Also with Raúl Ramírez and Eduardo Alcaraz.

1992 Argentina
The production opened at the Teatro Astral in Buenos Aires, directed by Víctor García Peralta. Mabel Manzotti starred as Rose, with Sandra Guida as Louise, Eleonora Wexler as June, and Ambar La Fox as Tessie Tura.

1998 Mexico
A Mexican revival opened at the Teatro Silvia Pinal in Mexico City, produced and directed by Silvia Pinal (legendary Luis Buñuel's Viridiana muse). Pinal and her daughter, the rock singer Alejandra Guzmán starred. Guzmán was replaced by Irán Castillo.

1998 Paper Mill Playhouse
Betty Buckley, Deborah Gibson and Lenny Wolpe starred at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. Laura Bell Bundy played June. It was rumored to be Broadway bound, but this did not materialize.

2001 Estonian production
The production opened at the Theatre Vanemuine in Tartu, directed by Mare Tommingas. The cast included Silvi Vrait as Rose and the production would enjoy a successful run of performances from 2001 through 2003.

2005 Shaw Festival
This production ran in rep at the Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario starring Nora McLellan as Rose and Julie Martell as Louise. Martell understudied Tammy Blanchard in the 2003 Broadway revival. Also, Kate Hennig, who has appeared on Broadway as Ms. Wilkinson in Billy Elliot, played Ms. Cratchitt as well as understudying and playing Rose at certain scheduled performances.

2007 North American tour
Gypsy was presented by Phoenix Entertainment with Kathy Halenda starring as Rose and Missy Dowse as Louise. The production was directed by Sam Viverto and assisted by Aja Kane. Principal casting also included Ruby Lewis as June, Rachel Abrams as Mazeppa, Claire Norden as Baby June, Loriann Freda as Tessie Tura, Nick Hamel as Herbie, and Maria Egler as Electra. The tour ended in May 2008.

2010 Brazil
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. Later the production was transferred to Teatro Alfa, São Paulo.

2010 Czech Republic
The very first production of the musical Gypsy in Joseph Kajetan Tyl's Theatre in Pilsen was short-lived, no more than 18 performances.

2011 Lyric Stage
From September 9 to 18, Lyric Stage in Irving, Texas produced the musical. The production featured a 39 piece orchestra and full original orchestrations that had not been heard since 1961 when the original production closed. It also featured an acoustic guitar part, which had been removed prior to the Boston tryout due to pit size. The production, directed by Len Pluger and Music Directed by Jay Dias, starred Sue Mathys as Rose, Ashton Smalling as Dainty June (she has previously been Baby June at Ravinia in 2006) and Caitlin Carter as Tessie Tura, with local performers Mary McElree as Louise and Sonny Franks as Herbie.

2011 Bristol Riverside Theatre
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, directed by BRT artistic director Keith Baker, ran until January 15, 2012.

2012 Leicester Curve Theatre
Gypsy opened in Leicester, UK for a six-week run in March 2012. Directed by Paul Kerryson and starring Australian musical theatre actor Caroline O'Connor as Rose. Among the cast were Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Louise, David Fleeshman as Herbie, and Daisy Maywood as Dainty June.

2014 Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT), Storrs, Connecticut
In July 2014, Leslie Uggams starred as Rose, directed by Vincent Cardinal (CRT, Artistic Director), with musical direction by David Williams. The production also featured Michael James Leslie as Pop, Scott Ripley as Herbie, Alanna Saunders as June, and Amandina Altomare as Louise. Uggams' appearance marks the first African-American woman to portray Rose in an Equity Production.

2014 Chichester Festival Theatre, UK
In October 2014, Imelda Staunton starred as Rose in a production directed by Jonathan Kent. Lara Pulver performed as Louise, Kevin Whately as Herbie, Louise Gold as Mazeppa, Anita Louise Combe as Tessie Tura and Julie Legrand as Electra. The musical ran to 8 November.

2017 The Cape Playhouse
In July and August 2017, The Cape Playhouse presented a celebrated revival of Gypsy that featured Julia Murney as Rose. The production, directed by Michael Rader, choreographed by Jason Sparks and with music direction by Garrett Taylor, broke box office records and featured Caroline Bowman as Louise, James Lloyd Reynolds as Herbie, Tess Soltau as June, Garett Hawe as Tulsa, Jennifer Cody as Tessie and Ms. Cratchit and Wally Dunn as Pop/Goldstone/Webber.

2018 The Muny
In July 2018, The Muny in St. Louis produced Gypsy as a part of their historic centennial season. 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. The production was directed by Rob Ruggiero.

2018 Porchlight Music Theatre
In October 2018, E. Faye Butler starred as Rose in a production directed by Michael Weber at Porchlight Music Theatre in Chicago. 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. The production closed December 29, 2018

2019 Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre
In November 2019, Jo Davies directed a production starring Ria Jones as Rose, Dale Rapley as Herbie, and Melissa Lowe as June. The production closed February 1, 2020.

2022 Alexandra Palace Theatre, London
An "in concert" version of Gypsy was held on February 21, 2022, at the Alexandra Palace featuring seven different actresses in the role of Rose. 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.

2022 Buxton Opera House
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.

2023 Shaw Festival
This production opened for a rep run from May 10 through October 7 at the Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario starring Kate Hennig as Rose. It had originally been slated for the 2020 season but was postponed when the Covid-19 pandemic shut the theatre company down.

Film and TV versions
Rosalind Russell, Karl Malden, and Natalie Wood starred in the 1962 Warner Bros. film adaptation of the musical. Russell won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her portrayal of Rose.

Gypsy was also adapted as 1993 television movie with Bette Midler playing Rose. Cynthia Gibb portrayed Louise and Jennifer Beck portrayed Dainty June. Bette Midler won the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV; Michael Rafter won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Direction. This production was a rare example of a film or TV project in which some of the songs are sung live, and not lip synced to a prerecorded track.

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. This recording was released on DVD in November 2016.

Remake talks
In January 2011, the New York Post reported that Barbra Streisand was in negotiations to produce, direct and star in a new film version of Gypsy. In an interview with the New York Post, Arthur Laurents said, "We've talked about it a lot, and she knows what she's doing. She has my approval." He said that he would not write the screenplay. In a clarifying statement and report, The New York Times wrote that Streisand would star, but would not produce or direct. Streisand's spokesperson confirmed that "there have been conversations".

However, Frank Rizzo of courant.com reported on March 12, 2011, that the film with Streisand "is not going to happen, according to playwright-director Arthur Laurents, one of the rights holders to the work." But that was contradicted by an August 2011 report by USA TODAY that the plans for a film adaptation of Gypsy were still intact. "Before writer and director Arthur Laurents died at age 93 last May, there had been much talk about a movie version of Gypsy starring Streisand as Rose. 'We just have to find our team and a writer,' said Streisand. 'It's too bad, because I was looking forward to working with Arthur,' who directed Streisand in her Broadway debut. 'I had seen him a few months before that, and he seemed so strong and healthy.

In March 2012, reports stated that Universal Pictures was pressing on with the new film. Streisand was still attached to produce and play Rose, with Joel Silver co-producing and Julian Fellowes scripting. 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. Streisand reportedly has been working with producer Joel Silver on the project, and they are now free to shop their Gypsy around to other studios." 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. In July 2016, it was reported that Richard LaGravenese had finished writing the script for the film and that production for the film was aiming to begin in early 2017. However, on August 3, 2016, it was reported that STX Entertainment "was withdrawing as distributor and co-financier of the film."

In February 2019, it was reported that Amy Sherman-Palladino will write and direct the remake, Silver is still producing, with distribution by New Regency. As of June 2024, there have been no updates.

Recordings
There are recordings of each of the Broadway and London productions, as well as the film and television productions. The original 1959 and revival 2003 cast albums each won the Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Show Album.

The original Broadway cast album was Ethel Merman's first recording in the then-new stereophonic sound technology. Motion pictures recorded in stereo had been steadily made since 1953, and stereo was first used on magnetic tape in 1954, but it was not until 1958, a year before Gypsy opened, that it became possible to use this technology on records.

The 1974 Broadway recording was not an actual recording of the Broadway revival, but a remix of the London Cast recording of 1973 with a new recording of "Some People".

The 1989 Broadway cast recording was released in 1990.

The 2003 Broadway cast recording featuring Peters was released August 19, 2003.

The 2008 Broadway cast recording featuring LuPone was released August 28, 2008.

The 2015 West End cast recording was recorded at Angel Recording Studios in London on 9 March 2015 and was released on 27 April 2015.

Other performances
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".

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Gypsy (musical)


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Heel-and-toe shifting

Heel-and-toe shifting is an advanced driving technique used mostly in performance driving with a manual gearbox, although some drivers use it on the road in everyday conditions in the interest of effectiveness. It involves operating the throttle and brake pedals simultaneously with the right foot, while facilitating normal activation of the clutch with the left foot. It is used when braking and downshifting simultaneously (prior to entering a turn), and allows the driver to "blip" the throttle to raise the engine speed and smoothly engage the lower gear.

Usage
Heel-and-toe shifting is used before entry into a turn while a vehicle is under braking, preparing the transmission to be in the optimal range of rpm to accelerate out of the turn. One benefit of downshifting before entering a turn is to eliminate the jolt to the drivetrain, or any other unwanted dynamics. The jolt will not upset the vehicle as badly when going in a straight line, but the same jolt while turning may upset the vehicle enough to cause loss of traction if it occurs after the turn has begun. Sporting vehicles are usually modified (if necessary) so that the heights of the brake and accelerator pedals are closely matched when the brake is sufficiently depressed, and the pedals are not too far apart to permit easy use of heel-and-toe.

The name stems from pre-WW2 vehicles where the accelerator pedal was in the centre (between the clutch on the left and the foot brake to the right). The brake was able to be operated with the heel whilst the accelerator pedal could be simultaneously pressed with the toe. The technique is carried out in modern cars by operating the brake with the toe area, while rocking the foot across to the right to operate the throttle with the right side of the foot. With practice, it becomes possible to smoothly and independently operate both pedals with one foot.

As the power band of most race cars is found high in the rev range, this technique can also be used to ensure that engine rpm does not drop below the power band of the car while under braking, by allowing a lower gear to keep the engine in the desired rev range. The importance of this is to avoid delay between the driver accelerating after the corner and when the car responds. This is especially true in turbocharged cars where not only is it important to maintain the required rev range for strong positive boost, but the 'blipping' of the accelerator can also be used to maintain turbine speeds and thus avoid turbo lag. This technique ensures that maximum power can be reached the instant the brake pedal is released and the accelerator fully depressed.

Rowing is the technique of downshifting more than one gear along with the heel-and-toe technique to provide engine braking and smoother deceleration/braking while in the intermediate gears. This provides for maximum braking when going from a top gear to a much lower gear, and optimal engine rpm for exiting the corner.

title: Heel-and-toe shifting


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Common moorhen

The common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), also known as the waterhen or swamp chicken, is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae). It is distributed across many parts of the Old World, from Africa to Europe and Asia.

The common moorhen lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals and other wetlands. The species is not found in the polar regions or many tropical rainforests. Elsewhere it is likely the most common rail species, except for the Eurasian coot in some regions.

The closely related common gallinule of the New World has been recognized as a separate species by most authorities, starting with the American Ornithologists' Union and the International Ornithological Committee in 2011.

Name
The name mor-hen has been recorded in English since the 13th century. The word moor here is an old sense meaning marsh; the species is not usually found in moorland. An older name, common waterhen, is more descriptive of the bird's habitat.

A "watercock" is not a male "waterhen" but the rail species Gallicrex cinerea, not closely related to the common moorhen. "Water rail" usually refers to Rallus aquaticus, again not closely related.

The scientific name Gallinula chloropus comes from the Latin Gallinula (a small hen or chicken) and the Greek chloropus (khloros χλωρός green or yellow, pous πούς foot).

Description
The moorhen is a distinctive species, with predominantly black and brown plumage, with the exception of a white under-tail, white streaks on the flanks, yellow legs and a red frontal shield. The bill is red with a yellow tip. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The frontal shield of the adult has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line. In the related common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) of the Americas, the frontal shield has a fairly straight top and is less wide towards the bill, giving a marked indentation to the back margin of the red area.

The common moorhen gives a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened. A midsized to large rail, it can range from 30 to 38 cm in length and span 50 to 62 cm across the wings. The body mass of this species can range from 192 to 500 g.

Habitat
This is a common breeding and resident bird in marsh environments, rivers, well-vegetated lakes and even in city parks. Populations in areas where the waters freeze, such as eastern Europe, will migrate to more temperate climates. In China, common moorhen populations are largely resident south of the Yangtze River, whilst northern populations migrate in the winter, therefore these populations show high genetic diversity.

Diet and feeding
This species will consume a wide variety of vegetable material and small aquatic creatures. They forage beside or in the water, sometimes walking on lilypads or upending in the water to feed. They are often secretive, but can become tame in some areas. Despite loss of habitat in parts of its range, the common moorhen remains plentiful and widespread.

Breeding
The birds are territorial during breeding season, and will fight with other members of their species, as well as other water birds such as ducks, to drive them out of their territory. The nest is a basket built on the ground in dense vegetation. Laying starts in spring, between mid-March and mid-May in Northern hemisphere temperate regions. About 8 eggs are usually laid per female early in the season; a brood later in the year usually has only 5–8 or fewer eggs. Nests may be re-used by different females. Incubation lasts about three weeks. Both parents incubate and feed the young. These fledge after 40–50 days, become independent usually a few weeks thereafter, and may raise their first brood the next spring. When threatened, the young may cling to the parents' body, after which the adult birds fly away to safety, carrying their offspring with them.

Status and population
On a global scale – all subspecies taken together – the common moorhen is as abundant as its vernacular name implies. It is therefore considered a species of Least Concern by the IUCN. However, small populations may be prone to extinction. The population of Palau, belonging to the widespread subspecies G. c. orientalis and locally known as debar (a generic term also used for ducks and meaning roughly "waterfowl"), is very rare, and apparently the birds are hunted by locals. Most of the population on the archipelago occurs on Angaur and Peleliu, while the species is probably already gone from Koror. In the Lake Ngardok wetlands of Babeldaob, a few dozen still occur, but the total number of common moorhens on Palau is about in the same region as the Guam population: fewer than 100 adult birds (usually fewer than 50) have been encountered in any survey.

Other localised groups of common moorhen are starting to come under threat. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the United Kingdom has the common moorhen classified as one of its 103 species whose conservation status is of moderate concern due to its recent population decine. The number of breeding pairs has fallen to its lowest level in the UK since 1966 and has been protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).

The common moorhen is one of the birds (the other is the Eurasian coot, Fulica atra) from which the cyclocoelid flatworm parasite Cyclocoelum mutabile was first described. The bird is also parasitised by the moorhen flea, Dasypsyllus gallinulae.

Subspecies
Five subspecies are today considered valid; several more have been described that are now considered junior synonyms. Most are not very readily recognizable, as differences are rather subtle and often clinal. Usually, the location of a sighting is the most reliable indication as to subspecies identification, but the migratory tendencies of this species make identifications based on location not completely reliable. In addition to the extant subspecies listed below, an undescribed form from the Early Pleistocene is recorded from Dursunlu in Turkey.

title: Common moorhen


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Left-foot braking

Left-foot braking is the technique of using the left foot to operate the brake pedal in an automobile, leaving the right foot dedicated to the throttle pedal. It contrasts with the practice of using the left foot to operate the clutch pedal, leaving the right foot to share the duties of controlling both brake and gas pedals.

At its most basic purpose, left-foot braking can be used to decrease the time spent moving the right foot between the brake and throttle pedals, and can also be used to control load transfer.

It is most commonly used in auto racing, where simultaneous gas and brake keeps revs up, and in turbocharged vehicles keeps pressure up and reduces turbo lag).

Racing and rallying
Karts, many open-wheelers, and cars that are equipped with automatic transmissions, or semi-automatic transmissions with paddle-shifters (as used in motorsports such as Formula One) have no foot-operated clutch, and allow, or sometimes even require the driver to use their left foot to brake.

One common race situation that requires left-foot braking is when a racer is cornering under power. If the driver does not want to lift off the throttle, potentially causing trailing-throttle oversteer, left-foot braking can induce a mild oversteer situation, and help the car "tuck", or turn-in better. Mild left-foot braking can also help reduce understeer.

In rallying left-foot braking is very beneficial, especially to front-wheel drive vehicles. It is closely related to the handbrake turn, but involves locking the rear wheels using the foot brake (retarding actually, to reduce traction, rarely fully locking – best considered a misapplication), which is set up to apply a significant pressure bias to the rear brakes. The vehicle is balanced using engine power by use of the gas pedal, operated by the right foot. The left foot is thus brought into play to operate the brake. It is not as necessary to use this technique with rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive rally vehicles because they can be easily turned rapidly by using excess power to the wheels and the use of opposite lock steering, however the technique is still beneficial when the driver needs to decelerate and slide at the same time. In rear wheel drive, left foot braking can be used when the car is at opposite lock and about to spin. Using throttle and brake will lock the front tires but not the rears, thus giving the rears more traction and bringing the front end around.

Finnish rally legend Flying Finn Rauno Aaltonen used left-foot braking as a driving style in rallying when he competed for Saab in the 1950s.

In restrictor plate NASCAR events, drivers were known to left-foot-brake at times, particularly in heavy traffic situations. Rather than lift off the throttle, which could lose considerable power and speed (due to the restrictor plates), a mild tap of the brakes while the right foot was still planted flat on the gas, could help avoid contact and bump drafting.

This technique should not be confused with heel-and-toe shifting, which is another driving technique.

Switch-foot braking
A left-foot braking technique where the driver will complete the heel-and-toe downshift using standard right-foot braking at which time they will switch to left-foot braking. This is most often used by drivers wishing to employ left-foot braking, but that must still use the left foot to operate the clutch.

Throttle-braking
A braking technique where the driver will combine the use of left-foot braking with throttle to dynamically control brake bias and remove engine braking. In a rear wheel drive vehicle, greater throttle usage while braking will counteract the rear braking force and move the brake bias forward.

Road use
Many commentators advise against the use of left-foot braking while driving on public roads. Critics of the technique suggest that it can cause confusion when switching to or from a vehicle with a manual transmission, and that it is difficult to achieve the necessary sensitivity to brake smoothly when one's left foot is accustomed to operating a clutch pedal. Other factors cited include potential brake damage as well as driver fatigue. Most of the arguments are based on the difficulty of switching from automatic to manual cars, and do not apply to people who only drive automatic cars.

However, some commentators do recommend left-foot braking as routine practice when driving vehicles fitted with an automatic transmission, when maneuvering at low speeds.

Proponents of the technique note that in low-speed maneuvers, a driver of a vehicle with a manual transmission will usually keep a foot poised over the clutch pedal, ready to disengage power when the vehicle nears an obstacle. This means that disengagement is also possible in the event of malfunction such as an engine surge. However, the absence of a clutch pedal on a vehicle with automatic transmission means that there is no such safety override, unless the driver has a foot poised over the brake pedal.

title: Left-foot braking


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Common gallinule

The common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) is a bird in the family Rallidae. It was split from the common moorhen by the American Ornithologists' Union in July 2011. It lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands in the Americas. The common gallinule is one of the most conspicuous rail species in North America, along with the American coot.

Description and ecology
The gallinule has dark plumage apart from the white undertail, yellow legs and a red frontal shield. The young are browner and lack the red shield. It has a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened.

Measurements:

 * Length: 12.6–13.8 in (32–35 cm)
 * Weight: 10.9–16.1 oz (310–456 g)
 * Wingspan: 21.3–24.4 in (54–62 cm)

This is a common breeding bird in marsh environments and well-vegetated lakes. Populations in areas where the waters freeze, such as southern Canada and the northern USA, will migrate to more temperate climes. This species will consume a wide variety of vegetable material and small aquatic creatures. It forages beside or in the water, sometimes upending in the water to feed. Its wide feet allow it to hop about on lily pads. It is often secretive, but can become tame in some areas. Despite loss of habitat in parts of its range, the common gallinule remains plentiful and widespread.

The common gallinule will fight to defend its territory. The nest is a basket built on the ground in dense vegetation. Laying starts in spring, between mid-March and mid-May in northern hemisphere temperate regions. About 8 eggs are usually laid per female early in the season; a brood later in the year usually has only 5–8 or even fewer eggs. Nests may be re-used by different females. Incubation lasts about three weeks. Both parents incubate and feed the young. These fledge after 40–50 days, become independent usually a few weeks thereafter, and may raise their first brood the next spring. When threatened, the young may cling to a parent's body, after which the adult birds fly away to safety, carrying their offspring with them.

This species is parasitized by the moorhen flea, Dasypsyllus gallinulae.

Subspecies
Seven subspecies are today considered valid; others have been described that are now considered junior synonyms. Most are not very readily recognizable, as differences are rather subtle and often clinal. Usually, the location of a sighting is the most reliable indication as to subspecies identification, but the migratory tendencies of this species make identifications based on location not completely reliable.

In addition to the extant subspecies listed below, there is a Pleistocene population known from fossils: the larger, stout and long-winged paleosubspecies G. g. brodkorbi is known from the Ichetucknee River deposits in Florida. It was originally described as a distinct species, but is probably the direct ancestor of some of today's common gallinules. The presence in the same deposits of fossils typical of the shorter-winged and more delicate G. g. cerceris suggests that G. g. brodkorbi was not ancestral to the Antillean (Florida) gallinule of our time but rather to the more northerly North American subspecies.

title: Common gallinule


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Opposite lock

Opposite lock, also commonly known as countersteer, is a colloquial term used to mean the steering associated with the deliberate use of oversteer to turn a vehicle rapidly without losing momentum. It is typified by the classic rallying style of rear-wheel drive cars, where a car travels around a bend with a large drift angle. The terms "opposite lock" and "counter-steering" refer to the position of the steering wheel during the maneuver, which is turned in the opposite direction to that of the bend.

The technique works best on loose or wet surfaces where the friction between the tires and the road is not too high, but can also be used on asphalt or other surfaces with high friction if the vehicle has enough power to maintain speed.

Before entry to the bend, the car is turned towards the bend slightly, but quickly, so as to cause a rotating motion that induces the rear of the car to slide outwards. Power is applied which applies further sideways movement. At the same time, opposite lock steering is applied to keep the car on the desired course. As the car reaches the bend it will have already turned through most of the needed angle, traveling sideways and losing some speed as a result. A smooth application of power at this point will accelerate the car into the bend and then through it, gradually removing the sideways component of travel.

For front-wheel drive vehicles, there is much less natural tendency for the rear wheels to break traction because they are not transmitting power, so often such vehicles are set up with a strong bias to the rear brakes, allowing the driver to control traction using the brake pedal. The brake balance (front/rear braking force) may be continually controllable by the driver using a hand lever. Left-foot braking is the favored technique for using opposite lock in a front drive vehicle.

A related technique is the handbrake turn, in which the rear wheels are deliberately locked in order to break the friction between the tires and the road, allowing the car to be spun around a very tight bend or junction, etc.

title: Opposite lock


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Talk:History of the Russian Federation

Bias in the Crimean annexation section
Hey, I'm concerned that the section on the annexation of Crimea is not neutral. I think it is too favorable to the Russian view on the annexation. For example, the phrasing of "though [the referendum on joining Russia] was passed with an overwhelming majority, the results are contested by some and approved by others" seems to advance the idea that the referendum was legitimate as it doesn't explain why some contest the results. It even waters down the critique by saying that some people support it.

I think overall, the whole section is like this, both on the scale of individual sentences as well as the overall structure and order of the paragraph. It emphasizes all of the details in support of the annexation while glossing over the negatives. I think it's possible that someone could read this section and not realize that this was a Russian invasion and annexation of the territory of another sovereign nation, in violation of international law. 108.28.184.197 (talk) 00:14, 22 May 2020 (UTC) BW

Needs to be updated
The article currently covers events from 1991-2014, but nothing after that. ~EdGl !  02:59, 14 September 2020 (UTC)

Russia never directly declare independence from Soviet Union
In 12 December 1991 Russia do not declare independence, it is just the date belvocha accord become effective in Russia, which nothing resembles an independance declaration, i think the date when the russian presidential law which strengthen Russian statehood was passed can be treated as an indirect declaration of independance which is on 24 of april. 112.119.199.66 (talk) 02:18, 24 July 2022 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the. —Community Tech bot (talk) 17:37, 28 December 2022 (UTC)
 * Russian Federation (orthographic projection) - Annexed Territories disputed.svg

Requested move 1 September 2023

 * The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The result of the move request was: Moved.  estar8806 (talk) ★ 00:30, 9 September 2023 (UTC)

History of Russia (1991–present) → History of the Russian Federation – Per WP:NATURAL, such as the articles History of the State of Palestine, History of the Republic of Turkey and History of the Islamic Republic of Iran (not History of Palestine (1988–present), not History of Turkey (1923–present) and not History of Iran (1979–present)). Parham wiki (talk) 17:31, 1 September 2023 (UTC)
 * Support per WP:NATURALDISAMBIGUATION. Rreagan007 (talk) 01:12, 3 September 2023 (UTC)
 * No strong opinion, but there could be confusion with the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic which existed from 1922 to 1991.--Ymblanter (talk) 07:32, 4 September 2023 (UTC)
 * I would also add that it is not consistent with the other aspect of history articles e.g. history of Russia (1894–1917). Mellk (talk) 23:16, 4 September 2023 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Requested move 25 December 2023

 * The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

History of the Russian Federation → History of Russia (1991–present) – "Russian Federation" is sometimes used to refer to the Russian SFSR (see this for example for definition) while this article is specifically about the period of Russian history after 1991. This also makes it consistent with articles about other periods of Russian history: Mellk (talk) 14:31, 25 December 2023 (UTC) — Relisting. –  15:59, 1 January 2024 (UTC)
 * History of Russia (1721–1796)
 * History of Russia (1796–1855)
 * History of Russia (1855–1894)
 * History of Russia (1894–1917)
 * History of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union (1917–1927)
 * History of the Soviet Union (1927–1953)
 * History of the Soviet Union (1953–1964)
 * History of the Soviet Union (1964–1982)
 * History of the Soviet Union (1982–1991)

 * Oppose per WP:NATURALDISAMBIGUATION. Yorkporter (talk) 19:38, 26 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Oppose. I see no reason to move it. In my opinion, the odd articles out of this list are the first four with ambiguous “Russia” instead of the Russian Empire. And the list is selective, omitting earlier history articles, which show that specific name is usually used, and parenthesized years only when necessary:
 * Principality of Moscow
 * Tsardom of Russia
 * —Michael Z. 03:54, 27 December 2023 (UTC)
 * The main article is history of Russia. Mellk (talk) 18:41, 27 December 2023 (UTC)

 * Support. There is nothing wrong with "Russian Federation" because it is a federal state and frequently used name. However, our main page i.e. Russia (1991–present) is Russia, while Russian Federation is a redirect. That would be consistent with renaming as suggested. My very best wishes (talk) 05:08, 27 December 2023 (UTC)

 * Support. I will also note that the article was moved to the present name from the target name 3 months ago in an unopposed 2-0 vote. Ostalgia (talk) 23:20, 28 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Note: WikiProject Russia has been notified of this discussion. –  16:00, 1 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Note: WikiProject History has been notified of this discussion. –  16:00, 1 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Note: WikiProject European history has been notified of this discussion. –  16:00, 1 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Support for clarity Marcelus (talk) 11:28, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Strong opposition per WP:NATURALDISAMBIGUATION and WP:CONSISTENT. Russian Federation is often referred to post-Soviet Russia (Russian Federation redirects to Russia). The second point is that the Russian Federation is the official name of the current Russia (unlike Soviet Russia). Just like History of the Islamic Republic of Iran, History of the Republic of Turkey and History of the State of Palestine, this article deals with the complete history of a nation-state, unlike the articles you mentioned. Parham wiki (talk) 11:14, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Both Russia and Russian Federation are official names. Your consistency argument is weak since the articles you mentioned are about other countries, the main article for this one is history of Russia with all of other period specific articles using years in the titles. Also, if you want to mention other countries then History of Germany (1990–present) shows you are wrong. Mellk (talk) 11:59, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Russia is not an official name. "History of Germany (1990–present)" does not fully cover the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, but covers Germany after reunification (the official name of West Germany and the united Germany is "Federal Republic of Germany"). Parham wiki (talk) 12:18, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Please check this before making such claims. Also, Federal Republic of Germany redirects to Germany and we have History of Poland (1989–present), History of Bulgaria (1990–present), among others. Basically, your consistency argument does not hold up. Mellk (talk) 13:06, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * OK, but the rest of my arguments are correct. Parham wiki (talk) 13:18, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Strong opposition Russia is a physical piece of land, that varies in shape over the centuries, whereas the Russian Federation is just the current political occupant. The Russian Federation was created in 1991 and as such the article is correctly named. The use of Russia as an alternative for the Russian Federation is just an abbreviation. Make it History of the Russian Federation (1991 to present) if you wish, but it seems a pointless change. Ânes-pur-sàng (talk) 14:28, 7 January 2024 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

title: Talk:History of the Russian Federation


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Andean goose

The Andean goose (Chloephaga melanoptera) is a species of waterfowl in tribe Tadornini of subfamily Anserinae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

Taxonomy and systematics
The Andean goose's taxonomy is unsettled. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) place it in genus Chloephaga with several other geese. However, based on a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014, the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society and the Clements taxonomy place it and the Orinoco goose in the resurrected genus Oressochen. The IOC and HBW place the Orinoco goose in genus Neochen.

The Andean goose is monotypic.

Description
The Andean goose is 70 to 76 cm long and weighs 2.73 and 3.64 kg. Both sexes have the same plumage. Adults' heads and bodies are white. Some scapulars have sooty centers and others are dark brown, giving a striped appearance to the shoulders. The wing's primaries and the tail are black with a greenish gloss. Their bill is coral red with a black nail and the legs and feet are light red. Downy young are mostly white with some blackish spots and streaks. Older immatures are similar to adults but duller. Their bodies are somewhat off-white, the sides of the head often partly gray, and the scapulars brownish gray.

Distribution and habitat
The Andean goose is found from Peru's departments of Ancash and Junín south through western Bolivia to the Ñuble Region of Chile and in Argentina into Catamarca Province. It inhabits open grasslands, bogs, and the shores of lakes and lagoons. In elevation it is found almost entirely above 3000 m but in Chile moves lower temporarily in times of heavy winter snow.

Physiological adaptation
Andean geese have developed a mutation in their hemoglobin that has led to a vast increase in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity over that of lower-elevation species.

Movement
Except for temporary elevational changes, the Andean goose is a year-round resident throughout its range. They are almost entirely terrestrial but will fly to escape danger and will lead chicks into water to avoid predators.

Feeding
Almost nothing is known about the Andean goose's diet but it appears to be almost entirely grasses. They often form loose flocks except in the breeding season.

Breeding
Andean geese are territorial only in the breeding season, which begins in November, the austral spring. They are believed to form strong year-round pair bonds. They do not make a conventional nest but lay eggs in a scrape among sparse vegetation and sometimes on bare ground. The clutch size is five to ten eggs. Males guard females during the incubation period of about 30 days.

Vocalization
The Andean goose is very vocal, and males and females have very different voices. Males make "a "soft huit-wit-wit..., crip, quiop, [a] low, grunting kwwwwwu..., [a] single-syllable threat whistle, and double-syllable sexual calls." Females make a louder "somewhat grating kwa-kwak and "a hoarse gack-gack".

Status
The IUCN has assessed the Andean goose as being of Least Concern. It has a very large range, and though its population size is unknown it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. "The remote habitat of this species has protected it from human persecution [and it] is unlikely that the areas this goose uses will be modified by man in the near future." It is persecuted by sheep farmers who view it as a competitor to their flocks.

title: Andean goose