Patti Lupone

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 12:59pm

Did anyone get to see Encores production of Can Can this past weekend? I was taken to see it on Valentines day and, though the show itself was basically fluff, (cute fluff, mind you) I really loved Ms. Lupone's performance. Her voice is better than ever and her comic timing is wonderful. The rest of the cast was pretty good also, though I doubt there will be a Broadway revival anytime soon. Will somebody please find a vehicle to bring Patti back to Broadway? I feel that Broadway theatre is sorely lacking in true Star performances these days. (the closest I can think of are Sutton Foster and Kristin Chenoweth )But that is just my humble opinion. Any thoughts?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 1:28pm

I found the show less-than-fluff with one of the worst books of a hit I know of. It was just a big ker-plop. Thuddingly unfunny and not even creative. I couldn't believe Abe Burrows' name was on it. Nice songs though.

Patti who I usually like only in small doses, was very good and quite entertaining. She probably took one look at the script and said, "I can stop the show there, there and there" which she did, and she did it with good old show biz Broadway know-how.

Patti is one of those talents who was born 50 years too late. If she had come of age in the 40s-50s-60s, she would have had producers and writers at her door constantly, begging to create shows for her.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 2:46pm

I never cared for the shrill Patti of EVITA but the 'new Lupone' (which I discovered a few months ago) I find thrilling.

One of things I like about her is that she's a freek, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Ethan Morrdden one noted that biggest Broadway stars were all larger-than-life and kinda wierd, and Patti belongs to that tradition. Even though my date & I were in nosebleed seats for CAN CAN, I could see her expressive face clearly: herhuge rolling eyes, Martha Raye sized crimson mouth and big proud Italian peasant nose (like my moms) and huge boobs. She commanded the stage like few others I've seen. In all fairness to Kristin & Sutton, (and I love Kris) they look like cheerleaders on corn flake boxes next to the larger than life honest to goodness Broadway diva Patti.

Updated On: 2/17/04 at 02:46 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 6:38pm

The huge boobs were the costume. Patti doesn't have huge boobs. Check out "Summer of Sam".

[lc1965]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 11:00am

Patti is not short on work because she was born too late. Patti is short on work because she has a rep as a tempermental (sp??), difficult, self-absorbed performer who thinks her desires are paramount. What is a surprise is that she gets any work at all. She may have the talent, but she's not a significant enough draw to make all the other stuff worthwhile. They were practically giving the tix to Encores away, so my guess is they're fairly sorry she was involved. Poor Lonny Price! Such a nice man....

[NBC]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 11:17am

Well, her presence and performance sold me a second ticket!

[WOSQ]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 11:38am

Patti is difficult, make no mistake about that. So are a lot of people. Sometimes the difficult people have no reason at all to be difficult, and sometimes they sell tickets. Rex Harrison was no weekend in the country.

Nonetheless on Sunday evening, Can-Can was pretty much a sellout at the hard-to-fill City Center all the way to topmost row of the upper gallery.

Sacred Monsters and all that.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 11:45am

Her Fosca in Passion at Ravinia was fantastic. I love her voice, but the accent in Sweeney puts me off from listening to the recording much. I met her a couple of times and she's very much the diva, but warmed up when I told her we knew a few people in common. I thought she was mesmerizing in Master Class and her concert at the Donmar was heavenly. She's obviously a brilliant performer, but requires the right role or the show will center around her presence rather than the character's involvement in the story. I do agree that something should be written for her. Another one of those larger-than-life female characters like Mamma Rose, Eva Peron, or Norma Desmond.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 11:54am

THANK YOU!

[BroadwayNYC]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 1:05pm

I haven't been following Patti LuPone's career much. I vaguely remember that tv show "Life Goes On" which first introduced me to her, and just 2 years ago with the Sweeney Todd at the Philharmonic, which I thought she was fantastic in.

I really like her. Her voice is very decent. Her looks are ok.
But there is something about her that just turns me off, but I can't pinpoint what.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 1:12pm

Is it her "in yo' face" quality? The fact that she's a little nuts? That she's a big vulgar pushy broad?

I can see how those things can annoy people (I can't deal with Mandy P. for these reasons, but Patti adores him) Those qualities are things I find very attractive about her!

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 1:29pm

i think jerry herman, cy colman, or kander and ebb should write a new show for her!!!! she needs to do othere musical!!!!!

[XxDiVaSpArKleXx]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 7:14pm

"Patti is short on work because she has a rep as a tempermental (sp??), difficult, self-absorbed performer who thinks her desires are paramount. What is a surprise is that she gets any work at all. She may have the talent, but she's not a significant enough draw to make all the other stuff worthwhile. They were practically giving the tix to Encores away, so my guess is they're fairly sorry she was involved. Poor Lonny Price! Such a nice man...."

Wow! Someone sounds a little bitter LOL

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 7:34pm

I would love to see her in "Hello, Dolly".

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 10:12pm

she would be AWSOME in hello dolly!!!!!! perfect role for her :)

[eva's boy2]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 12:02am

"so my guess is they're fairly sorry she was involved. Poor Lonny Price! Such a nice man...."

Hmmm. Lonny has cast and directed Patti in: Sweeney Todd, Annie Get Your Gun, Passion, A Little Night Music, Can-Can, and the upcoming Candide. He also dedicated his bio to her in the Can Can program. I doubt he's sorry!

[eva's boy2]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 12:04am

PS: and Pal Joey.

[lc1965]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 1:00am

To: XxDiVaSpArKleXx

Wow. Someone sounds a little ignorant.
You may not agree w/ ,y distaste for PL, but I don't believe I said anything that can be disputed on fact. She does indeed have a rep as being extremely self-centered & difficult. And, I was priviliged to see Mr. Price during the rehersal period of Can Can -- & he was on the verge of exhaustion from all of her silly demands & just wanted to get on w/ the task at hand. Instead, he had to run interference for her w/ the mgt of Encores & wasn't thrilled at all.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 6:55am

What demands and what interfernce, lc?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 8:12am

Lonny Price is hooking his star on Patti LuPone. His entire Can-Can bio is a total gush to the woman. He actually says, "His life has not been the same since". I like Patti LuPone, but I think Price has gone way overboard in his adoration for her.

[alterego]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 8:41am

In the talent dept Patti has it all over Bernadette. Now that would have been one helluva Madame Rose!

I'd pay to watch Patti Lu Pone read the telephone book.

[actorgaedu]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 8:53am

alterego, I couldn't agree with you more! I think Patti Lupone would be an AMAZING Rose in "Gypsy." She has the right edge to really bring something great to the sometimes over/under done role. I had the honor of seeing her in "Sunset Blvd" in London when it first opened and I thought she was incredible. She really put a lot into her creation of that role and I think pulled it off quite well. I was mortified for her when they pulled her from the NY production and replaced her with Glenn Close. Ms. Close was great in the acting dept, but this is a musical and she could not sing it like it needed to be done. I know bad reps can cause producers not to want to use actors, but come on guys, she is one of the greatest divas to grace the Broadway stage! Lets give her a vehicle!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 9:03am

MOMMIE DEAREST - The Broadway Musical!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 9:15am

By her own admission, Patti is very demanding and "difficult to work with". However, most of her demands are totally professional in that she anticipates things which other performers or directors don't see coming until it's too late. I've meet her on several occasions and actually watched television with her in her dressing room at one point. She's impressed me as being a down-to-earth and really funny woman. I love her almost as much as I love TGC.

As for her "not getting work". This is of her own choice. Right now she prefers concerts and Encores-type productions because they allow her to spend more time at home. Her son, Josh--who played a walk-on in CAN-CAN, is 14 years old and she believes that this is a time in his life where a full-time maternal presence is essential.

Now are we going to criticize Patti for her "family values"?

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 11:41am

You have a good outlook on the situation and I applaud you for defending Patti's professionalism and maternal instincts. I admire people who can manage a home life and career in the theatre at the same time. Raising a child in this world is far tougher (and infinitely more rewarding) than hitting a high note 8 times a week. Certainly there are those of us who will, most likely, never have children (I'm just toooo old...LOL!)...but I consider my art to be my child. And to paraphrase (because I can't remember the exact quote at the moment) a pair of my favorite writers (Sondheim and Lapine) "the most important things you leave behind in this world are Children and Art."
May all who read this today do their utmost to be Creative!