Patti LuPone's "Ramblings From The Road" Latest Edition

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 3:22pm

Hello. Here's the newest installment of "Ramblings" from her official website:

Ramblings From The Road
Dolls,

So, I went through the rehearsal period, the previews, the Opening, the Tony voters, and the Tony Awards, not to mention the Drama Desk, The Drama League, and The Outer Critics Award parties. It was only after it was all over that I thought I would die a grizzly death from sheer exhaustion. It's as if we continually opened "Gypsy" for four months. But, thank God the theatre gods and muses smiled upon me. The show is going extremely well, we are still a loving, supportive, and happy company and the thing that absolutely blows my mind is that nobody in the company misses a performance. It is the best company I have ever had the privilege of working with. There's a rather sickening trend on Broadway that I guess isn't a trend any more, but a bad habit, a really unprofessional, disrespectful, unethical habit and that habit is company members calling in and missing shows whenever they feel like it. I remember in "Evita" when I actually saw a dancer go up to the stage manager and say, "Well, I'll do "Art of the Possible", but I won't dance "A New Argentina", and maybe I'll show up for something else in the first act but I'll be going home in the second. Our ineffectual stage manager accepted this and I asked him, "How come they're getting a full paycheck for half a performance? I'm not allowed to do that." He just looked at me and ignored me. Well, it continues to this day. However, the "Gypsy" company is the exception and I am so grateful to them for their work ethic and their desire to be on stage and perform this musical. It's hard, eight shows a week, it's extremely hard. But that's Broadway and it takes muscle to perform on Broadway, eight shows a week. When all is said and done, it's an accomplishment one can be proud of. Whether you stunk in the part or not, you honored your contract and showed up every day. As they say, "Broadway ain't for sissies." So, if any of you reading this are considering a career on the Broadway stage, it is not glamorous and personal fame is rarely achieved. What it is, is eight shows a week. Oh, the other thing I choose to bitch about is the arrogant and disrespectful actor who thinks half hour doesn't apply to them. Half hour means half hour before the show. This again does not apply to my company. I cannot believe how fortunate I am. I would work with each and every one of these actors again and for the rest of my career. Speaking of the rest of my career, how do I follow Madame Rose?

I've got six months and six weeks left on my contract. I have a fire door in my dressing room that has a prison countdown on it. It's quite colorful and fun to look at. The reason I know how many days I have left is because I am reeling from unbelievable exhaustion. I know that if I get to the top of the summit, which is the six month mark, then I'm home free. I can start coming back down off the mountain. But, what do I do after Madame Rose?

My son Joshua played in The Broadway Show League for the "Gypsy" team. I had the quintessential summer day. I was watching "Gypsy" play "The Little Mermaid" in a softball game on Field One in Hechsher Field in Central Park. Field One is right next to the carousel. As I sat in the bleachers watching the game I was listening to the calliope of the carousel. It was turn of the century America. It was pure American. Don't we wish life was that simple again? Maybe it wasn't that simple then, but it had to be a hell of a lot simpler than it is today. Can we talk about Times Square and the Pedi-cabs? Can we talk about the amount of people in Times Square? Sometimes I feel like I'm in Bangkok. Don't get me wrong, I love Bangkok, but what the hell are they doing to Times Square? Who are all those people?

It's beautiful up here in Connecticut... late July and no humidity... must be the end of the world.

Love,
Patti


from RC in Austin, Texas

Ramblings

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 3:28pm

"A New Argentina" had dancing in it?

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 3:34pm

I agree 100% with that first paragraph.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 3:37pm

Don't get me wrong, I love Bangkok, but what the hell are they doing to Times Square? Who are all those people?

Ya gotta love her. She's so easily taken out of context.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 3:39pm

Well, I agree with it too. But isn't it strange that she's being so negative about something that is not presently occuring?

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 3:41pm

good point. What a bitch.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 3:55pm

Love Patti This was wonderful.

[morosco]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 4:11pm

I can't wait for Patti to write a book. The chapter on EVITA should be a hot box of drama.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 4:29pm

It's the chapters on Sunset Boulevard and Kevin Kline that I'm excited about!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 4:53pm

Apparently Kevin asked her NOT to talk about their affair.

Since she's never been good with impulse control, we'll see where that request leads...

[dchesnutny]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 4:53pm

"Ya gotta love her. She's so easily taken out of context. "

PalJoey - very well said. She IS so easily taken out of context.

But then again, once you take her out of context, she's no longer Patti LuPone. "Like the good lord said, you gotta take the rough with the smooth".... That's Patti.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 5:21pm

Apparently Kevin asked her NOT to talk about their affair.
party pooper.

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 5:23pm

This is why I worship that woman!

[Judas]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 6:31pm

I am so excited to finally see her performance next month!

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 7:20pm

She is amazing - I'm actually excited for you lol.

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 10:11pm

Where does she go after Madame Rose? I say a very relaxing vacation and then a revival of Hello Dolly on Broadway. Then another vacation followd by a revival of Mame on Broadway. Who is with me on this?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 10:37pm

And after HELLO PATTI LUPONE DOLLY and PATTI LUPONE MAME, I'd like to see her gender-bend and do PATTI LUPONE KING LEAR.

And then I'll change my name to PalPatti!

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 2:48am

I would love to see her in a straight play next. I love the musicals, but she was fabulous in "Master Class."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 9:34am

Patti sure was a beyotch to that stage manager during Evita. She tells other stories about him.

She really needs to do a new work rather than just being the queen of revivals. It would be nice if there was a high profile musical version of Tales of the City. She could play Mrs. Madrigal.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 9:55am

Of course it may well be that the stage manager has it coming. Who knows?

It would be nice to see her create another role. But I'd rather see her in a first-class revival than in a crappy new bomb.

But I'll happily take either. She's one of our most important performers.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 10:08am

God!!!! Why can't she be all bouncy and bright like Bailey?? Bailey would never mouth off to a stage manager!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 10:41am

"Of course it may well be that the stage manager has it coming. Who knows?"

In this instance, Patti is butting in where she doesn't belong. At that moment, it's not her business. Stage managers are under enough stress without actors needlessly creating backstage drama.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 10:43am

If you say so. I wasn't there.

I'm not sure that I see asking a question as creating drama.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 10:50am

"I'm not sure that I see asking a question as creating drama."

She has no business asking a stage manager about another actor's pay. Stage managers don't make payroll decisions. Additionally, it seems to me that the story takes place before a performance. There's not much a stage manager can do at that precise moment. The stage manager has to wait and take matters up with the Equity Deputy on the show and/or the union itself.

Secondly, LuPone only did six shows a week for Evita. She has no place talking about what another actor will or won't do.

Updated On: 8/8/08 at 10:50 AM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 10:50am

Ok.