Patti Lupone on Madonna

[+ Gar1eth]

I wonder if they record cast albums similar to that nowadays too. I had the opportunity to see the 2013 production of Pippin. I think I saw a Sunday matinee performance. Patina Miller who played the leading lady was out that day. I think they had just recorded the cast album a few days earlier -possibly the Tony nominations had just been announced and she had also had a lot of interviews. I vaguely remember a newspaper story saying her voice had given out during a performance a day or two before. Her U/S did a good job in any case.

 

Gman

 

Monday is the traditional recording day, as it's the "dark day" (i.e. no performance that evening). And I just checked - Pippin recorded on April 29th, which was indeed a Monday.

 

 

 

And I just looked up the Tony Award Nominations for 2013. They occurred on April 30th. I probably saw the show the following Sunday. The strain of recording and all the interviews during the week were probably what strained Patina's voice.

 

Gman

[bostonman]

And I just looked up the Tony Award Nominations for 2013. They occurred on April 30th. I probably saw the show the following Sunday. The strain of recording and all the interviews during the week were probably what strained Patina's voice.

 

Gman

 

And...they had just been through previews (starting March 23rd) and opening (April 25th), which is always a busy and potentially stressful period of time. Add that to the recording, the interviews, etc...and the fact that it's a high-energy role with some intense singing...and there you go...

[+ WilliamM]

I liked Patti LuPone so much in the "Sweeney Todd" concert that I saw it twice.

 

My history with Elaine Stritch was more difficult. But, I'll stay with the highlights.

 

She did a play about Lillian Hellman in the early 1990s. Elaine was a damn good actress.

 

I also saw Elaine in her final appearance with Barbara Cook at the Vivien Beaumont Theater in NYC --a benefit concert. It must have been well known that Cook had enough of Stritch because even I knew. Interesting evening. As I have written before Elaine had a way of making everything about Elaine. It was wonderful for the audience...but no longer wonderful for Barbara Cook.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I liked Patti LuPone so much in the "Sweeney Todd" concert that I saw it twice.

 

My history with Elaine Stritch was more difficult. But, I'll stay with the highlight.

 

She did a play about Lillian Hellman in the early 1990s. Elaine was a damn good actress.

 

I also saw Elaine in her final appearance with Barbara Cook at the Vivien Beaumont Theater in NYC --a benefit concert. It must have been well known that Cook had enough of Stritch because even I knew. Interesting evening. As I have written before Elaine had a way of making everything about Elaine. It was wonderful for the audience...but no longer wonderful for Barbara Cook.

 

 

Your great Stritch story reminded me of my own. I met her through friends after one of her shows at Cafe Carlyle. She was abrupt, salty and I loved it.

 

Definitely one of a kind. A very specific talent, but a talent nonetheless.

[marylander1940]

She does have a temper, good for her!

 

[+ Gar1eth]

Your great Stritch story reminded me of my own. I met her through friends after one of her shows at Cafe Carlyle. She was abrupt, salty and I loved it.

 

Definitely one of a kind. A very specific talent, but a talent nonetheless.

 

There's a stereotype of gay men liking harridans. I'm not saying you fit the stereotype-it might just be Elaine Strich that you liked. While it might be interesting to watch them semi-close, I doubt I would get along with Madonna, Garland, Minnelli, Streisand, Lupone, Merman, and Taylor. I wouldn't like men with that kind of attitude either. Talent would only give them some slight leeway with me. I prefer being around nice guys (and gals).

 

Gman

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

There's a stereotype of gay men liking harridans. I'm not saying you fit the stereotype-it might just be Elaine Strich that you liked. While it might be interesting to watch them semi-close, I doubt I would get along with Madonna, Garland, Minnelli, Streisand, Lupone, Merman, and Taylor. I wouldn't like men with that kind of attitude either. Talent would only give them some slight leeway with me. I prefer being around nice guys (and gals).

 

Gman

 

I like women with talent. I always have. To me, that's completely different from women who are harridans.

 

Nice is fine... But in that business, it only gets you so far.

[TruHart1]

I have an odd affinity for her version of Bongo Bongo Bongo myself

 

TruHart1

[+ WilliamM]

Definitely one of a kind. A very specific talent, but a talent nonetheless.

 

I am laughing as I write this. I met Elaine also. Difficult to out talk Elaine. She interrupted me constantly to 'finish' my sentences.

[handiacefailure]

She does have a temper, good for her!

 

 

And don't forget about her throwing someone out of the theater the night before Gypsy closed for taking pics. I still think it's funny someone was recording her bitching out someone for taking pics:) Who do you think you are? LOL

 

[+ Gar1eth]

And don't forget about her throwing someone out of the theater the night before Gypsy closed for taking pics. I still think it's funny someone was recording her bitching out someone for taking pics:) Who do you think you are? LOL

 

Talent is wonderful. It enriches our lives. But if I had to choose between a difficult personality with talent and a pleasant person you can count on, I'd pick the pleasant person. I don't have much tolerance for prima donnas.

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

I doubt I would get along with Madonna, Garland, Minnelli, Streisand, Lupone, Merman, and Taylor. I wouldn't like men with that kind of attitude either. Talent would only give them some slight leeway with me. I prefer being around nice guys (and gals).

 

I could make a similar lists of male performers, starting with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Danny Kaye.

 

Also, Judy Garland does not belong on your list. In my opinion she was the most talented, and also the most troubled. Especially near the end of her life, it would be very difficult to be around her for an extended period of time....of say five hours.

 

Gman, you have a point, but a minor point which could easily be challenged.

[+ WilliamM]

Talent is wonderful. It enriches our lives. But if I had to choose between a difficult personality with talent and a pleasant person you can count on, I'd pick the pleasant person. I don't have much tolerance for prima donnas.

 

Ethel Merman rarely missed a performance in many, many years on Broadway. I assume if you were as dedicated as Ethel, you would have no problem becoming friends, Gman. Jack Klugman, her co-star in "Gypsy," was initially afraid of Ethel and spent as little time with her as possible. Of course, Ethel eventually asked him about it. Jack, "Well you are the star, Miss Merman?" Ethel, "Have I ever acted like the star with you?" Jack, "Well, no." Ethel, "Good, let's enjoy working together."

 

Comments by Klugman on the day Merman died.

[+ Gar1eth]

I could make a similar lists of male performers, starting with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Danny Kaye.

 

Also, Judy Garland does not belong on your list. In my opinion she was the most talented, and also the most troubled. Especially near the end of her life, it would be very difficult to be around her for an extended period of time....of say five hours.

 

Gman, you have a point, but a minor point which could easily be challenged.

 

 

You are definitely right. I wouldn't like being around male prima donnas either.

 

Ethel Merman rarely missed a performance in many, many years on Broadway. I assume if you were as dedicated as Ethel, you would have no problem becoming friends, Gman. Jack Klugman, her co-star in "Gypsy," was initially afraid of Ethel and spent as little time with her as possible. Of course, Ethel eventually asked him about it. Jack, "Well you are the star, Miss Merman?" Ethel, "Have I ever acted like the star with you?" Jack, "Well, no." Ethel, "Good, let's enjoy working together."

 

Comments by Klugman on the day Merman died.

 

That sounds very nice. But I believe in prior posts someone has alluded to the fact that Merman had a potty mouth (I apologize if I'm wrong about that). I was never one to curse much-even in my teenage or college years, and I become very uncomfortable around people who curse all the time for no reason.

 

That's just me. It's a personal preference.

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

That sounds very nice. But I believe in prior posts someone has alluded to the fact that Merman had a potty mouth (I apologize if I'm wrong about that). I was never one to curse much-even in my teenage or college years, and I become very uncomfortable around people who curse all the time for no reason.

 

If I remember correctly, Merman liked dirty jokes.

[bostonman]

But I believe in prior posts someone has alluded to the fact that Merman had a potty mouth (I apologize if I'm wrong about that).

 

This is an account from Stephen Sondheim about Merman (from the documentary Six By Sondheim - also used in the Broadway revue Sondheim On Sondheim):

 

One of my favorite Ethel Merman stories - it's apocryphal, it's been attributed to

other people, but I like to believe it's true of Ethel because it is profoundly true of

Ethel - is the time that she went on the Loretta Young Show. Loretta Young was a

lady with a capital "L" who had a half hour show. She was Catholic and she did not

like swearing on her set. And Ethel had the mouth of a truck driver, so when Ethel

came in for rehearsals it wasn't long before she said, "Where's the damn prop?" and

Loretta came over to her and said, "Ethel, I really don't approve of swearing and

anytime anybody swears on my set, I charge them a quarter." So Ethel gave her a

quarter. And a few minutes later, of course, Ethel was annoyed at something else and

so she said, "Goddammit!" and Loretta said, "Ethel, a quarter please." Ethel

dutifully gave it again. And a few minutes after that, of course, Ethel said "For

Christ's sake!" and Loretta Young came over and said, "Ethel." and before she could

finish the sentence, Ethel said, "Loretta, here's ten bucks and go fuck yourself."

 

[actor61]

Vile and pathetic Yeah, it's pretty clear it was a jealousy thing.

 

I used to love Madonna's music growing up, but I haven't really been fan of her work in the last 15 years or so. I absolutely loved Patti Lupone on the show Life Goes On; she was a fighter with class. So I was disappointed to learn later that she was nothing at all like her character in real life. I guess that means she's a great actress, at least!

Read her autobiography. She trashes her costar in Life Goes On mercilessly. She also trashes the cast of Evita, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Paul Sorvino and Topol. I finished the book thinking, "Yeah, those guys sound disagreeable but you sound like a bitch on skates."

[actor61]

This is an account from Stephen Sondheim about Merman (from the documentary Six By Sondheim - also used in the Broadway revue Sondheim On Sondheim):

 

One of my favorite Ethel Merman stories - it's apocryphal, it's been attributed to

other people, but I like to believe it's true of Ethel because it is profoundly true of

Ethel - is the time that she went on the Loretta Young Show. Loretta Young was a

lady with a capital "L" who had a half hour show. She was Catholic and she did not

like swearing on her set. And Ethel had the mouth of a truck driver, so when Ethel

came in for rehearsals it wasn't long before she said, "Where's the damn prop?" and

Loretta came over to her and said, "Ethel, I really don't approve of swearing and

anytime anybody swears on my set, I charge them a quarter." So Ethel gave her a

quarter. And a few minutes later, of course, Ethel was annoyed at something else and

so she said, "Goddammit!" and Loretta said, "Ethel, a quarter please." Ethel

dutifully gave it again. And a few minutes after that, of course, Ethel said "For

Christ's sake!" and Loretta Young came over and said, "Ethel." and before she could

finish the sentence, Ethel said, "Loretta, here's ten bucks and go fuck yourself."

 

Another apocryphal story but so funny. Between a matinee and an evening performance, Ethel took 6 year old Ethel Jr. to a park to play. Other mothers observed her swathed in a mink coat frantically running after her daughter yelling, "You don't want to play on the swings, you don't want to play on the slide - what the fuck do you want to do?"

[actor61]

Comparing Martin to Rigby (oh, how I wish I had seen Duncan, who I've always heard great things about), I prefer Martin in every way - even though yes, she can get very "cute" in that role at times. But I think it works in that context.

For my money, Duncan was the definitive Peter Pan.

[actor61]

A few years ago I saw Patti Lupone perform with Mandy Patinkin and she stunk that time too.

Holy crap - it was a festival of self indulgence. For a moment I thought it was a parody but they were in deadly earnest. "Stunk" is a great description - the theatre reeked of boiled ham.

[+ WilliamM]

From "I Got Rhythm: The Ethel Merman Story" by Bob Thomas (1985)

 

Mary Martin asked Merman, "Did you really say "Mary Martin's okay---if you like talent?"

 

Merman's response, "Of course not." "A press agent dreamed it up."

 

Like all Merman stories: Only Ethel knew the truth and she may have forgotten exactly what is true and what is not.

[bostonman]

Like all Merman stories: Only Ethel knew the truth and she may have forgotten exactly what is true and what is not.

 

From Gypsy:

"Momma can do one thing: she can make herself believe anything

she makes up. Like with that rhinestone finale dress you sewed

for me. Momma wants publicity so she makes up a story that

three nuns went blind sewing it! Now she believes it. She even

believes the act is good."