I miss Patti Lupone. - Page 2

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 5:47am

I'm just clinging to all of her 54 Below shows/ random concerts she has been doing. I never knew about Patti being thought about for Dolly! I am definitely one to say she has charm.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 9:10am

I think Kristin cheno and Beth leavel would be great as Dolly but I would still choose Patti cause she's got that voice and is an AWESOME actor! I always love her power on stage.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 9:45am

Christine Ebersole DID play MAME once:

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 12:10pm

I miss Miss Dolores Gray.

But she's still here.

[Up In One]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 8:56am

Herman wanted Merman for Dolly but she wasn't up to following Gypsy with another long run, Merman did eventually join the run and I believe Herman put a song back in that was either cut or didn't work for Channing. Merman/LuPone perfect. They both have that bad ass veneer with a heart underneath that peaks out at the right time. Would love to see a reinvented staging and even some book refreshening. Saw the last Channing outing on Broadway of Dolly and was squirming in my seat. Maybe someone like a Tommy Tune should take another look at the staging - keep the sensibilities but brighten it up and add some cleverness.

Updated On: 9/27/14 at 08:56 AM

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 9:20am

Lupone had PLENTY of charm when I saw her in Gypsy. Child please..

[AndersonTours]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 10:26am

I don't miss her at all.
Her singing voice and personae scare me.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 11:17am

^LOL. Girl Bye.

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:45pm

Up In One, that is pretty much correct. Herman transposed most of the score I believe 4 or five steps down so that Channing could sing it because it was originally set to have high notes at Merman's signature C. When Merman joined the cast, she could no longer hit that C so it was transposed I think 2 steps down from the original key for her as it was for all other Dolly's and what is currently licensed through Tams-Whitmark. The songs "World Take Me Back" (which serves essentially the same purpose as "Before the Parade Passes By") and "Love, Look in my Window" were originally cut because there was no way that Channing could sing them and by the time that she left the cast there was no need for the cut songs. When Merman joined the cast, they were added to the show rather clumsily, but it didn't really matter because Ethel sang them so well that it didn't matter. However, it would be misguided to place them back in the show unless you had somebody as amazing and La Merm to perform them.
In terms of personal taste, I still think that Gower's staging is pitch perfect and there is nobody like Channing for the role. I saw her when I was very young in the 30th anniversary tour and it's probably the most clearly defined memory of my earlier childhood. She was pure magic on that stage and you truly felt that she was Dolly instead of somebody playing a character. I can't imagine anybody else doing that nowadays.

Updated On: 9/27/14 at 12:45 PM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 1:13pm

Speaking of LuPone and bringing keys down- I'll never forget when I saw her in Orange County in 1996- before she sang "As if We'd Never Said Goodbye" and said to the piano player "Please play the next song in the key it was written".

So wonderfully bitchy. I ADORE the woman.

[Pan_Am_L-1011]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 6:57pm

Jordan, you are such a dick!