Exclusive Photo Coverage: Afra Hines Earns the Gypsy Robe for SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL!

It's Summer in April! Summer officially opened earlier this week at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and BroadwayWorld at the Gypsy Robe ceremony before the production's opening night performance. We're taking you behind the scenes with recipient Afra Hines below!

Hines' other Broadway credits include: Shuffle Along (Astaire Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show), Motown, Soul Doctor, Ghost, In The Heights (ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus), and Wicked. National Tours: Hamilton. Television: "Boardwalk Empire." Other: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Rockette).

The Gypsy Robe began in 1950, when Bill Bradley, in the chorus of GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, borrowed a dressing gown from Chorus member Florence Baum and sent it to a friend in CALL ME MADAM on opening night Oct 12, 1950 saying it was worn by all the Ziegfeld beauties and would "bless" the show. A cabbage rose from Ethel Merman's gown was added and the robe was passed along to the next Broadway musical on opening night. The tradition evolved so that the robe is now presented to the "gypsy" who has performed the most Broadway musicals on a chorus contract. Along the way, the robe is decorated, painted, patched, stitched, and signed by everyone in the show, becoming a fanciful patchwork for an entire Broadway season.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

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