For Patti LuPone and "Hello, Dolly!" fans only!- Page 3

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 2:57pm

madbrian-
If she can play Anita, she can play Mame.

Least that's my theory.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 2:57pm

Patti would make a great Vera...but I don't know if she'd be willing (or able) to take back seat to someone else.

I'm not sure I think she wants to play Vera, but I do think she'd be willing to take a back seat to someone else. I think Patti still thinks of herself as the girl from Juilliard and the Acting Company who did repertory, with an ensemble of actors. plus, she's done smaller roles before (Fantine, Yvonne in Ravinia's Sunday..., the Scenery Chewing Old Lady in Candide)

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 3:00pm

givesmevoice-
With the exception of Fantine (Which she took a smaller part since she was doing Cradle Will Rock at the time...my thought), most of those are one-off concerts.

Since Fantine, she's been the star in:
Anything Goes
Sunset Boulevard
Master Class
Sweeney Todd
Gypsy

Not saying she wouldn't do it...but it seems kinda unlikely to me.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 3:13pm

I have to agree with husk. She took Fantine because it was a London credit in a brand new musical. If she wanted ensemble work, I'm sure she could have grabbed Joanne in the recent production of Company.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 3:43pm

I'm too friendly with Mitzi Gaynor to reveal her age, but she doesn't LOOK a day over 50. Believe me, we've been out socially and I've seen her in all sorts of lighting. She looks absolutely grand. She also has the energy of a 40 year old.

She can still pull off Dolly--and it would be a performance to cherish!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 5:23pm

Mitzi Gaynor would be frightening as Dolly.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 5:35pm

I agree with the earlier statment about mame saying that while Patti has warmth she hasnt needed to use it as much in recent roles. Also having spoken to her about this subject I am aware she would rather play Dolly than Mame. And while I am a bigger Mame fan than that of Hello, Dolly I think shed be great as Dolly. I think she will always be able to find things nobody else does in a role and that's why she is who she is. However I think that her Mame would be a revelation and in many ways could be far superior to her Dolly. As Paljoey said that him thinking of the moment right before "Before the Parade..." gives him goosebumps. I can only imagine what would happen when she just stares off at Patrick to proclaim "Where's that boy with the bugle" I think it would be a moment for the ages.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 7:21pm

Patti LuPone obviously will get a well deserved rest before her series of concerts with Mandy Patinkin and her other shows. Who knows how long it will be before she goes back onstage on Broadway? Maybe...... with "Call Me Madam"? from RC in austin, texas

[maddieisepic]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 9:52pm

Ehh...
I would much rather see Patti originate a role.

What ever happened to A Waitress in Yellowstone?...

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 10:07pm

Since she was brought up, can we throw Bette Midler into the mix of Dolly ideas? You know she'd at least be exciting.

Also, Victoria Clark did a production of it here in Pittsburgh. I didn't see it, but I know some loved it and some thought she was too cold.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 10:17pm

I'd rather see her as Desiree in "A Little Night Music" because I know she wants to do this on Broadway, and it's going to take all the "names" it can get to mount the show.

True, she maybe not be everyone's first choice for the part, but she could do it all the same...

On the other hand, after Monday Night maybe Natasha Richardson will be the one to bring it back to Broadway!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 10:20pm

I listened to an audio from the Ravinia production of Night Music that Patti did and while I really liked her Desiree, I can imagine a lot of people...wouldn't. I'd love to actually see her as Desiree, but I've a feeling she's getting too old now.

I still vote for an original role. and what did happen to A Waitress in Yellowstone? perhaps this is the role Mamet was talking about?

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 12:53am

I would LOVE for Patti to originate a role. However, people are not writeing good roles anymore. People originate roles. Patti perfects them. She is makeing our time a "Golden Age of Broadway". We are lucky to have her.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 2:37am

I'm having trouble putting my finger on why Ms. LuPone would not make an ideal Dolly. LuPone is doing some of her best work at the moment. She's taking risks and stretching herself. But her Dolly would lack a natural warmth that I don't think LuPone possesses. I'm not saying she's an uncaring, cold performer, far from it, but I fear she's play Dolly'd mistake Dolly's assertiveness for aggressiveness. Dolly is a firm, strong woman, who knows who she is, but there is nothing pushy about her. I'm in agreement that LuPone needs to do an original play or musical as her next project.

Jenifer Lewis is playing Dolly in Seattle in March. I'm looking forward to seeing what she does with the role. We had a lackluster revival hear only a few season back with a local actress who was great (very Mary Martin in her vocals but I found the overall production lacking in style and substance (sans the Dolly, whose name I'm blanking on).

I an intrigued that Queen Latifah was sought after for the role. She's an interesting choice who would make this Dolly revival an event. Peters would be ideal as well. I've heard she's still searching for an original musical for her Broadway return. And it was a shame to hear Herman remark that he and Peters are no longer close.

She wouldn't be the name the show needs but how about Jan Maxwell?

EDIT: Actually, Maxwell would make a better Mame
Updated On: 1/16/09 at 02:37 AM

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 8:58am

"People originate roles. Patti perfects them."

Perhaps you don't intend it this way, but it kind of sounds like you're saying that you feel LuPone has surpassed people like Merman, Lansbury, Glynis Johns, and Vivienne Segal in the roles that they originated. And it's your right to feel that way, but I have to wonder if you saw those people play those roles.

P.S. Lansbury was much better live in Sweeney Todd on Broadway than she is in that national tour video.
Updated On: 1/16/09 at 08:58 AM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 9:37am

I know no one in the thread said this, but I was thinking today, about why Patti hasn't originated roles. and I wanted to say that I don't think her lack of original roles devalues her as a performer. I don't think originating tons of roles makes you an inherently better performer than someone who hasn't. I think it means that you're luckier, in some ways.

Patti has said herself that it would have been easier for her if she had been born earlier. I have a very difficult time thinking of roles written in the past few years that would have worked for her. Broadway Baby, it's not necessarily that people haven't been writing good roles, it's just that the roles haven't been a good fit. Thinking back to some of the original roles for women around her age, I think of roles like Margaret Johnson, which is a GREAT role, but terribly wrong for Patti.

[show lover]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:58am

You have got to be kidding.
Before I type this next sentence I know Barbra can sing but look how bad the movie did.

Dolly is a non singing part.

What is this with Patti being a GOD she is good but she cannot do everything. Get real

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 12:29pm

I would like to see Faith Prince revive the role!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 2:33pm

Although our esteemed Pal Joey feels that Mitzi Gaynor would be "frightening" as Dolly, Jerry Herman is nothing short of euphoric about this. We had a long phone conversation this morning (it's HELLO, DOLLY's 45 anniversary, thank you very much) and he said he'd be "thrilled" to make any adjustments needed so that Matzi would be comfortable. He also thinks Bette Midler would do "a bag up job" in the role.

All that said, he doesn't feel our current economic situation is a good time to be mouning a bif new production of ANY show.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 2:41pm

Dollypop, did he express an opinion about LuPone in the role? He seemed to be somewhat enthusiastic in that interview a few months ago.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 2:45pm

The topic of Patti LuPone never came up in our conversation. (I take that back, Jerry wanted to know everything about GYPSY's final performance!) I'll mention it to him the next time we speak.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 3:00pm

"Bang up" or "bag up"?

There is a rather big difference, after all.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 3:07pm

Dolly is a non singing part

Huh?

She sings 8 songs in the Channing version and 10 songs in the Merman version.

How does that make it a "non singing part"?

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 3:08pm

"Although our esteemed Pal Joey feels that Mitzi Gaynor would be "frightening" as Dolly, Jerry Herman is nothing short of euphoric about this. We had a long phone conversation this morning (it's HELLO, DOLLY's 45 anniversary, thank you very much) and he said he'd be 'thrilled' to make any adjustments needed so that Matzi would be comfortable."

I have no opinion on whether she'd be frightening, but I gotta disagree with your earlier statement that "she doesn't LOOK a day over 50." Well, maybe she doesn't to you, but she looks a good deal older than 50 to me (and I'm guessing to most people). Look at this interview from a couple of years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEdkm4NOePk

You also wrote that she "has the energy of a 40 year old." I'm sure that in social situations on a daily basis, she's very energetic for a 77-year-old woman. I remain extremely doubtful that she'd have the energy for a long run of eight performances a week in this role.

Anyway, in regard to Mame: It really is integral to the show that Mame seem like a WASP. She's gotta seem upper-class. I think even Patti LuPone's biggest fans have to admit that she doesn't seem remotely like a WASP. Upper-class may be something she can pull off using her skills as an actress. After all, when she was young, she played roles like Lady Teazle. But she's really not right for Mame.

And Bette Midler (suggested by gothampc) would be a good deal less right. I mean you'd have to add a scene in which Claude Upson said to Dwight Babcock, "She seems awfully . . . non-Aryan. Are you sure she's one of us?"

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 3:22pm

I imagine the notion that Dolly is a non-singing role would come as a surprise to Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Martha Raye, Pearl Bailey . . .