Patti Lupone talks about the "dumbing down" of Broadway, and more

[Ali Gator]

The legendary diva of the stage talks 'the dumbing down' of Broadway, her honest thoughts about 'Sunset Boulevard', and much more in this new interview. 

While Patti Lupone Vows She’ll Never Do Another Musical, She Is Singing Soon Onstage in L.A.

WWW.HOLLYWOODREPORTER.COM

---

The performer, who'll present 'Patti Lupone: A Life In Notes' at LA Opera on April 20, talks about the "dumbing down" of Broadway, her honest thoughts...

 

[MaybeMaybeNot]

I think if I were to go to New York for a week, I would struggle to find enough shows to fill my dance card. I'm not that picky; give me a Frank WIldhorn musical anytime. But, the prevalence of movie photocopies and jukebox musicals is disheartening.

[+ WilliamM]

9 hours ago, MaybeMaybeNot said:

I think if I were to go to New York for a week, I would struggle to find enough shows to fill my dance card. I'm not that picky; give me a Frank WIldhorn musical anytime. But, the prevalence of movie photocopies and jukebox musicals is disheartening.

Someone would have to pay me to   see aFrank Wildhoorn  musical 

[handiacefailure]

9 hours ago, WilliamM said:

Someone would have to pay me to   see aFrank Wildhoorn  musical 

I don't care for most of his stuff, but Jekyll and Hyde was good (the version with Linda Eder, not the revival with Deborah Cox), and I also liked Victor/Victoria, which he finished the score for after HenryMancini died.

I love Linda Eder.   

[handiacefailure]

Patti Lupone is my favorite broadway performer and I have tickets to see the LA show next weekend.   I've seen her perform at least 15 times now, either in a show or concert (I've seen Company three times on Broadway and once in the West End), and I think she is the only actress I've seen get a standing ovation in the West End.

Also loved her in "Life goes on" and wish they would stream it.

Her memoir is great.   I listened to it on Audio after I had my eye surgery last year.   

 

 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

19 hours ago, MaybeMaybeNot said:

I think if I were to go to New York for a week, I would struggle to find enough shows to fill my dance card. I'm not that picky; give me a Frank WIldhorn musical anytime. But, the prevalence of movie photocopies and jukebox musicals is disheartening.

If you can sit through Wildhorn, you can find a ton in NYC right now to see as well.

[+ nycman]

God, I wish I liked her.

So many things she says are spot on and I think she’s a talented singer.

But whenever I see her perform, I just wanna get away as fast as I can.

I can’t really explain it. It just is.

[marylander1940]

Always a straight talker!

I can't remember who posted this first or I would mention him!

Taking this slightly off subject:

 

Edited April 11 by marylander1940

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I've always liked her straight-shooter vibe.  She doesn't bullshit.

I've liked her in some shows.  She's a specific type and you can't always shoehorn her into things.  It just doesn't work out well.  She's not incredibly versatile.

Glad to see her coming back to Broadway in a new play, as well as continuing to get TV work.

[+ WilliamM]

2 hours ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

I've always liked her straight-shooter vibe.  She doesn't bullshit.

I've liked her in some shows.  She's a specific type and you can't always shoehorn her into things.  It just doesn't work out well.  She's not incredibly versatile.

Glad to see her coming back to Broadway in a new play, as well as continuing to get TV work.

I guess she was right for "Gypsy,"   but I don't think Ethel Merman would have agreed. I would have agreed with Merman

On 4/10/2024 at 12:20 AM, MaybeMaybeNot said:

I think if I were to go to New York for a week, I would struggle to find enough shows to fill my dance card. I'm not that picky; give me a Frank WIldhorn musical anytime. But, the prevalence of movie photocopies and jukebox musicals is disheartening.

Someone would have to pay me to   see aFrank Wildhoorn  musical 

[MaybeMaybeNot]

All the Wildhorn hate! I know his shows are often not great, but I would sit through "Bonnie & Clyde" repeatedly before going to a jukebox show (unless that jukebox show starred Corey Cott). I was just talking to someone recently about "Beautiful," which was ok, but I hardly remember it.  I have vivid memories of "Bonnie & Clyde," "The Civil War," and "The Scarlet Pimpernel." But I know his shows are flawed.  

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

2 hours ago, WilliamM said:

I guess she was right for "Gypsy,"   but I don't think Ethel Merman would have agreed. I would have agreed with Merman

She was quite right for Gypsy.  Even Laurents agreed and he was a gigantic, pedantic pain in the ass.

I saw her do it multiple times on Broadway and at City Center.  It was epic, every performance.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

8 minutes ago, MaybeMaybeNot said:

All the Wildhorn hate! I know his shows are often not great, but I would sit through "Bonnie & Clyde" repeatedly before going to a jukebox show (unless that jukebox show starred Corey Cott). I was just talking to someone recently about "Beautiful," which was ok, but I hardly remember it.  I have vivid memories of "Bonnie & Clyde," "The Civil War," and "The Scarlet Pimpernel." But I know his shows are flawed.  

Frank's shows aren't horrible, just schmaltzy.  I can handle that as long as they're cast with singers who can make me forget how asinine the lyrics are.

Linda Eder is one of those singers.  She elevated his material.

[+ WilliamM]

10 hours ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

She was quite right for Gypsy.  Even Laurents agreed and he was a gigantic, pedantic pain in the ass.

I saw her do it multiple times on Broadway and at City Center.  It was epic, every performance.

I  saw Ethel Merman in Gypsy twice. On ce on Broadway and once on the road 🛣️ in Boston 

 

[Marc in Calif]

8 minutes ago, WilliamM said:

I  saw Ethel Merman in Gypsy twice. On ce on Broadway and once on the road 🛣️ in Boston 

So it's merely your personal opinion. Point taken. 

[Ali Gator]

It seems like she determined 'Sunset Blvd' was a 'shitty musical' only after she got fired and she had gotten bad reviews.  Before that, she seemed to like it - especially in its workshop, rehearsals, previews, etc.  If she thought it was 'shitty' from the beginning, she would have never contracted herself to star in the West End and then again on Broadway. A talented, reputable legend such as she  would've quit early on, not wanting to be associated with this 'shitty' musical...yet, she didn't. 

Edited April 12 by Ali Gator

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

3 hours ago, Ali Gator said:

It seems like she determined 'Sunset Blvd' was a 'shitty musical' only after she got fired and she had gotten bad reviews.  Before that, she seemed to like it - especially in its workshop, rehearsals, previews, etc.  If she thought it was 'shitty' from the beginning, she would have never contracted herself to star in the West End and then again on Broadway. A talented, reputable legend such as she  would've quit early on, not wanting to be associated with this 'shitty' musical...yet, she didn't. 

To be fair, the hell Webber put her through was more than enough to taint the entire experience, from Sydmonton onward.

 

[+ WilliamM]

6 hours ago, Marc in Calif said:

So it's merely your personal opinion. Point taken. 

The New York Times said: The best damn musical in years"

But, The Sound of Music  was more popular with ticket. Buyers . Even when Mary Martin left Sound of Music 

[+ WilliamM]

On 4/11/2024 at 10:57 AM, marylander1940 said:

Always a straight talker!

I can't remember who posted this first or I would mention him!

Taking this slightly off subject:

 

W atch Wath Happens is mostly about plugging their shows. Sad that Patti has joined the anti Madonna crowd.

Not critical of @marylander

[+ WilliamM]

On 4/12/2024 at 10:20 AM, Marc in Calif said:

So it's merely your personal opinion. Point taken. 

i also saw Vivien Leigh in a Broadway musical 

 

I wish I saw Mary Martin South Pacific,  but I did she  in the tribute "Our Hearts Belong to Mary". Only time I met Helen Hayes and  Lillian Gish. And Yul Brynner 

 

[+ WilliamM]

On 4/12/2024 at 10:11 AM, WilliamM said:

I  saw Ethel Merman in Gypsy twice. On ce on Broadway and once on the road 🛣️ in Boston 

 

No Jerome Robbins was a pain in the ass, but he was on Ethel 's side 

[TonyDown]

 

 

On 4/4/2024 at 9:05 AM, Ali Gator said:

The legendary diva of the stage talks 'the dumbing down' of Broadway, her honest thoughts about 'Sunset Boulevard', and much more in this new interview. 

While Patti Lupone Vows She’ll Never Do Another Musical, She Is Singing Soon Onstage in L.A.

WWW.HOLLYWOODREPORTER.COM

---

The performer, who'll present 'Patti Lupone: A Life In Notes' at LA Opera on April 20, talks about the "dumbing down" of Broadway, her honest thoughts...

 

Thank you for sharing the article.   That is pretty cool Aubrey Plaza was her roomie for awhile in NYC.

 

I don't mind "dumbing down" if the production is still entertaining.

Before the pandemic "Girlfriend" was a fun jukebox musical.  Would like to see it again 

 

 

Edited April 19 by TonyDown

[Marc in Calif]

2 hours ago, TonyDown said:

Before the pandemic "Boyfriend" was a fun jukebox musical.  Would like to see it again 

Freudian slip? I think you meant "Girlfriend"!

Of course, there's always The Boy Friend -- which is pretty brilliant itself. 🥳

[TonyDown]

13 hours ago, Marc in Calif said:

Freudian slip? I think you meant "Girlfriend"!

Of course, there's always The Boy Friend -- which is pretty brilliant itself. 🥳

Fixed it.  Been a long week.  🌀