Rose is the first name of the ambitious stage mother in the Broadway musical Gypsy.
The character, commonly called Mama Rose, is based loosely on the real-life vaudeville and burlesque performer Rose Hovick. She pushes her daughters June and Louise toward show-business success while pursuing her own vision of theatrical fame.
Gypsy opened on Broadway in 1959, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Ethel Merman originated the role of Rose, making songs such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” closely associated with her.
A frequent mix-up is confusing Rose with Louise, the daughter who eventually becomes known as Gypsy Rose Lee. The title refers to Louise’s later stage identity, not her mother’s name.