I'm going to see Patti do her Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda (Played that Part) show down in Costa Mesa at the Segerstrom. I'm really excited. Friday September 9.
Can anyone tell me: Does she do her famous stuff like Evita, Les Miz, Meadowlark? What is that show like?
I saw her do Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda a few years back, and it's an absolute treat! Besides what was mentioned in the article to which Michelle linked, I also remember her doing "Sleepy Man" from The Robber Bridegroom and "The Way You Look Tonight." Also, she did her encore acapella, and hearing her unamplified was unforgettable.
I was on the Atlantis cruise this past April in Tahiti where Patti was the headliner. The night she performed was an astonishing night for several reasons. She was doing a 7:00 show and a 9:30 show that I believe was basically a modified version of her Coulda Woulda Shoulda tour. And yes, she performed flawless versions of Meadowlark, Don't Cry for Me Argentina, and a ton of other signature songs.
In the middle of the concert came 3 songs that demanded a chorus: Trouble, Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat, and Blow Gabriel Blow. Patti had invited any of us who wanted to participate to come to the rehearsal 2 days before. 40 or 50 of us showed up and were handed a 1" thick stack of sheet music with all the chorus parts for those songs-- intimidating as hell to nonprofessionals like ourselves. Somehow we muddled through and were hired as long as we promised to show up for both shows on show night. Are you crazy? Who would ever pass up the opportunity to sing with La LuPone?! The night turned out to be a raving success, with Patti applauding our efforts louder than anyone in the audience could. She was like a sweet nurturing mother hen through the whole process and made every single one of us feel essential to its success. My proud husband recorded video of our performances like any dutiful parent might record his child's first appearance in the Xmas Pageant.
Oh and 10 minutes after the second show ended, we were dressed in our white-palm-frond finery and twinkle lights ready for the night's White Party. (Don't think Patti made it to that party sadly.)
When Patti did CWS in Patchogue a few years ago, she invited the choir from the school she was graduated from (Northport HS) to perform a number before joining her in "Ya Got Trouble". It was all delightful and Patti was like a proud mother hen with those kids.
We saw her perform in New Haven 2 years ago. I don't remember the name of the concert but it sounds similar to the description in that link. Let me tell you... I had a cold and pink eye. I felt awful. My BF was kind of a grump. Seeing Patti LuPone wasn't his cup of tea. In spite of all that... We had the most glorious time. She was amazing-even won the BF over. She told anecdotes from her childhood, college, Juilliard... Performing songs from these points in her life. She was charming and funny. She interacted with the crowd. She sang the songs she's known for and she did a number with a group from Yale. She was incredible. My ears were so happy. We could have had a meet n greet, but I didn't want to give PL pink eye... I was on an antibiotic, but I couldn't risk it. I couldn't live with myself if I infected PL. I'd see her perform any time any place. Have fun!
May I ask, how did you get the opportunity for a meet n greet? Did you pay extra?
Thanks for sharing!!
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You had to pay for it, and I think it may have been a donation of some sort. It's true, I was worried about infecting her with my pink eye, but honestly, I looked like total hell. I was an oozy mess. I wouldn't want to meet anyone looking like that, let alone someone as fabulous as PL. Have fun! And please report back to tell us how it was.
By my count, this will be my 13th time seeing Patti live. I adore this woman. You can have your Streisand. Patti is MY Streisand.
Here is a list of all the times I've seen her:
Anything Goes, December of 1988 (I may have seen her last performance)
Sondheim Tribute at Carnegie Hall, June 1992
Concert at Le Conte Playhouse (Now Geffen) January 1993
Hollywood Bowl Tribute to Irving Berlin June 1995
A concert in Orange County Sometime in 1997, I think
Hollywood Bowl with Audra, Summer 2000
Sweeney Todd on Broadway 2005
Gypsy on Broadway 2008
Patti and Mandy at the Ahmanson, June 2009
Patti with Seth at Santa Monica College October 2013
Master Class with Patti LuPone at the Wallis in Bev Hills (she didn't sing tho) April 2016
That's it. I can't wait to hear her glorious voice live once again one week from today at Sergerstrom in Costa Mesa. Not sure how many more opportunities I will have to see her, so this is very precious.
I am so very very excited. To let that beautiful voice wash over me. To hear the original American Evita sing Don't Cry For Me- to hear Meadowlark, and for the first time to hear her sing Don't Rain on My Parade. To hear her wonderful stories.
It has been 28 years since 18 year old me saw her in Anything Goes, and I experienced "diva worship" for the first time. It was my first gay experience, you might say!