Laurents vs. LuPone - does Sondheim have a say?- Page 4

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:13pm

I would never doubt the words of both MargoChanning and Michael Bennett, as neither of you have ever steered me wrong in the past, but is there a link? This would be wonderful news for me, but I don't want to get too excited over "rumor has it" and "early word is".

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:16pm

There's no link to the whole feud thing to begin with. It's always been hearsay.

There is indeed a rumor about her doing Gypsy, spread strictly through the grapevine.

[TheaterJunkie]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:18pm

LuPone was great at Ravinia and I agree with most critics on the fact that her performance was too good for just a 3 day stint in Chicago.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:24pm

No worries...Margo and Michael aren't steering anyone wrong.

Although nothing is set in stone yet and I'm being very vague here, but, there is a possibility for a version at a prominent Center in NYC in rotation with another show for a few weeks.

Too early tell any more (in fact, doing so could screw it all up!)

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:24pm

There's no link to the whole feud thing to begin with. It's always been hearsay.

I don't know if Sondheim Review's website contains archived stories so I don't know if there's a link, but the first time I ever heard of a feud between Laurents and LuPone was in an interview with Patti in their magazine in spring of 2005 while she was touring Matters Of The Heart. I maybe can't LINK to it, but a published interview with one involved is a little more than hearsay. That was the first time I'd heard of it.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:29pm

Wonder, you'll probably never find a public story about the feud. It's just simply between the parties involved...

However, BWW and all of the Broadway world is very small...people hear and see things. That can't and shouldn't be printed in the papers.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:40pm

MB I have also heard (from a VERY good source) that Laurents is over the whole Patti thing and actually wants her to do it.

Now most people know I am not a Patti Lupone fan. However, she was amazing as Rose!! She should do this show on Broadway. She would finally get that second Tony.

PS I saw Madonna too and did not think she was THAT bad. I also saw her in "Up For Grabs" and actually enjoyed her (I saw her the night her tit popped out!! haha).

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:45pm

As of now (and nothing is settled yet) she won't be doing it in a Broadway theatre and thus won't be eligible for a Tony nomination.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:45pm

Is the possible "reunion" of Patti LuPone and Arthur Laurents to be part of the Encores series at the City Center, or is it to be a more substantial run somewhere? Isn't it too soon after the Bernadette Peters revival to stage another full revival in NYC in the near future?

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:47pm

Well I didnt mean this year margo haha. She should do it though. Weren't there rumours she would do it in London?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 8:50pm

At this point, Broadway is not an option. Too soon and still "issues".

London? Maybe...

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:02pm

Wonder, you'll probably never find a public story about the feud.

Well Tom, that was sort of the point of my post. I was stocking the magazine racks for a podunk indie bookstore in Columbus, Georgia from a bin provided by Anderson News Service from Alabama, and there was the Sondheim Review with Patti on the cover. This was a while before I discovered BWW, and I picked it up and read the article. At that time I was just another show queen (theater devotee, I prefer) in just another podunk town who picked up the magazine and read all about it. That was in the Spring of '05, and I didn't come across BWW until October of that same year - and that was only because I had internet access!

How many other show queens (or theater devotees) are there in any number of other podunk towns who might not have the internet or BWW as a resource? But if they had an Anderson News or similar servicing their area they read that article. They might not even know that Patti has played that role at Ravinia already, but they've at least had the opportunity to read about the feud in the Sondhiem Review.

So yeah, news of the Laurents/LuPone thing has had the opportunity to make it outside the seemingly-insular Broadway and BWW community. At least in one form.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:21pm

I'm sorry, Wonder, glad to hear that news gets out...

The Sondheim Review is wonderful and I'd forgotten that Patti had made it public in that forum. I was just implying that the "general" public wouldn't have a clue as to the feud.

I'm thrilled that they stock the mag in your area! (It's even hard to come by here in NYC unless you subscribe.)

Forgive me if I sounded elitist; that was never my intent. I should know better...Broadway is no longer a small town.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:31pm

I never intended to accuse you of being elitist. I was just pointing out that at least once, that story made it out into the general knowledge.

The Sondhiem Review is indeed wonderful, and unfortunately we had to part ways with Anderson News and stop carrying magazines. I can only hope for the sakes of other Podunk Show Queens (theater devotees) who might not have access to the internet or BWW, that their local news distributor continues to carry such a fine magazine. If they do, they might just know more than I do right now!

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 10:29pm

As of now (and nothing is settled yet) she won't be doing it in a Broadway theatre and thus won't be eligible for a Tony nomination

- As long as it's in a NEW YORK Theatre. I am happy as hell.

I hope. This is wonderful news.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 10:45pm

Wow, what a fascinating thread.

If I may contribute to it, I have stories about both Laurents and LuPone.

Let me start by saying I think Arthur Laurents may possibly be the nastiest person ever born.

On the flip side, I think that LuPone is one of the most decent people ever born.

The Larents story goes like this:

Many years ago, I directed a show called "Oedipus, Tex", which was picked by the Dramatists Guild as their best musical that year. It was a musical version of Oedipus, set in Texas. (While that sounds like a good idea, it was not). It was not a good musical, but I directed it. Incidentally, it starred Roger Bart, who was a sweetheart.

The thing about these "Dramatist Guild" musicals is that they pick one, and then they have professional people judge it. The night we did that show, it was Sondheim, Gretchen Cryer, and Arthur Laurents judging the show.

That night, the night of the judging, Arthur Laurents showed his true colors. He screamed at the authors, "Why do you think you have any talent" and so on. Sondheim was lovely, and he tried to stop Laurents from being so nasty. But nasty is Laurents' milleu.

Well, you know what? Roger Bart went on to have a terrific career.

And Laurents is still an asshole.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:05pm

Now, there's one more thing.

I have one more Arthur Laurents story.

I was having dinner with my mother, at our favorite restaurant in NYC, the El Quitoxie.

It was many years ago, when Tyne Daly was doing "Gypsy." At this particular moment in time, Linda Lavin was replacing Tyne as Mama Rose.

Laurents and Lavin were having dinner next to us. And Laurents kept saying things like "Well, you know, in the first act, when Tyne does THIS" and "In Act Two, Scene One, when Tyne does THIS"...

Lavin looked at him, and listened. And finally, she turned to him. And she said (and I quote): "Arthur: I am NOT Tyne Daly. I am going to mop the floor with Tyne Daly."

And you know what? She did.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:14pm

Now, third story, about Miss LuPone.

A few years ago, I was living with a set designer, who worked both On and Off-Broadway, and he contracted AIDS. When he got sick, and couldn't pay his rent, I called the head of EFA (Equity Fights Aids), and I asked for help.

I was told that EFA/BCA only raised money for research, and they couldn't help my friend.

I was SHOCKED. I always thought that that money we raised for EFA/BCA was for things like paying rent, and helping people.

Apparently, not.

Enter Patti LuPone. I emailed her, and told her the situation.

She send a check the next day to my friend which paid his rent for months and months.

Patti is a wondeful human being. Laurents is not.

I'm just saying.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:23pm

"Now, third story, about Miss LuPone."

Not to nitpick, but Patti is only featured in your last anecdote.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:42pm

Patti rocks! And that's a very nice story that you've told us! Thanks for sharing.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:49pm

-------------------------------------------------------------
quote:
"Now, third story, about Miss LuPone."

Not to nitpick, but Patti is only featured in your last anecdote.
-------------------------------------------------------------

HA! Especially because you're the wrong one. If you read the sentence correctly, including punctuation, he is saying "Now a third story, this one is about Miss LuPone."

Bravo.

On the Speed-the-Plow note, theres a pretty interesting interview of Madonna with her arm-candy of the moment, Sandra Bernhard, on the forbidden-streaming-video-site. (Title "David Letterman- Madonna & Sandra Bernhard (1988 )" )

Updated On: 10/24/06 at 11:49 PM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 12:04am

Touche!

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 12:23am

Hey,

All I'm saying is this:

If we're pitting LuPone against Laurents, LuPone wins.

I think I've said why.

If you disagree, I'd love to hear why. I I think I've explained why I feel why I do. Ergo, I think I'm right. If you have evidence otherwise, go for it.
Updated On: 10/25/06 at 12:23 AM

[BAbigApple]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 1:47am

Oh man... I love theatre people...
: ) this thread rocks!


Now here's a bit of timing that I don't understand... If the "feud" between Laurents and LuPone started because she left "Jolson Sings Again" (which was... mid-90's??), how would a 1989 "begging to be in Gypsy" come into play?

If she DID beg him to put her in Gypsy in 1989, and he denied her... why on earth would she have agreed, years later, to do Jolson with him?? Doesn't make sense....

Anyway... I've never met Laurents, so I have no idea what he's like to his friends or colleagues or fans... but he doesn't sound like someone I'd ever care to meet.

Patti, on the other hand, is gracious, giving, the ultimate professional, and passionately GOOD to her friends, colleagues, and fans.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 5:00pm

Enter Patti LuPone. I emailed her, and told her the situation.

She send a check the next day to my friend which paid his rent for months and months.

Patti is a wondeful human being. Laurents is not.

Aww, that's so sweet. I'm loving Patti even more then usual today!