I saw her 3 times. Once, early into the run, she was sick and awful (just after she came back from missing). A second time she was similar to the cast recording. A third time (the final performance in the West End, with Sondheim in the audience) she was on fire. I don't have a good sense of what she was like day-to-day given this diversity, but even at her best she is no Raul Esparza or Bernadette Peters. I know people sometimes complain about Laura Benanti but she sounded much much stronger to me than Craig just this past Sunday in concert. She is not a pop belter but she can in her words 'pretend' to belt and it sounds great. She also shared two anecdotes about Patti from Gypsy and Woman on the Verge that suggests they are or were reasonably close.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
I know it's highly likely Lupone will be in a Broadway transfer, but if, for whatever reason, it's not her, for the love of God, please let it be Donna Murphy.
I'm sure they've been offering Bobbie to various actresses, too, with this being a precautionary measure. I doubt Bobbie (and some of these other roles) is going to come out of an EPA.
I love the idea of Patti sitting there like - "show me the cast first, b*tch"
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards