Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
#1Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/26/10 at 9:14pm
I can already tell I may regret asking, but here goes:
Anyone know why LuPone didn't perform in the Broadway cast of Les Mis? Her website says she didn't want to mess with "the perfect theatrical experience" that was the London cast. I wonder if there's any other reason.
theatreguy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/31/03
#2Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/26/10 at 9:43pmThat's the full story. They wanted her, but she chose not to do the Broadway production.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#2Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/26/10 at 9:47pmShe's told me that story personally. She didn't want to tinker with "perfection"
#3Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/26/10 at 11:57pmI've heard tell that there were some talks about whether she could do her 1/2 hour as Fantine, run up to Lincoln Center to play Reno, then come back for the curtain call. Clearly, this never happened.
beautywickedlover
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
#4Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 12:01amI always wondered why she never performed in the Broadway cast either, but I guess I don't have to wonder about it anymore.
#5Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 1:18amI don't understand her reasoning behind "messing with the perfection" that was the London cast. Wasn't she part of the London Cast to begin with?
#6Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 1:26amYes, and she didn't want to change anything about her Les Miserables experience.
#8Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 3:35amBut she openly says that she disliked the experience of being in Les Mis...she didn't like her contract, she thought the show wasn't that good etc.
#9Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 6:53amNot long after it was announced that Les Miz would come across the pond to Broadway and speculation went into high gear on casting, it was well known that LuPone had declined to recreate her role in NY. And this was her publicized reason (as many have said here). She didn't want to spoil what had been a perfect theatrical experience for her. It was not secret why she passed on it.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#10Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 8:31am
In her memoir she goes on to say (in inimitable LuPone fashion) that when she finally saw the Broadway incarnation she knew she'd made the right decision:
"I was immediately glad I was not up there onstage. What I saw was a pale imitation of the show as I knew it."
Though she's careful to blame the producers, not the US cast.
#11Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 8:35amI feel like Patti's memoir is going to be like finding the dead sea scrolls--enlightening us to things we never imagined.
MrMidwest
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/05
#12Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 5:14pm
She talks about not doing Les Mis in NY at around 16 minutes into this interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asS7GdEO5I
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#13Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/27/10 at 6:33pmI think the obvious reason is that she had already been a Broadway star in Evita. Why return to Broadway in a role that had one power ballad and ten minutes of stage time? I'm more interested in knowing why she didn't get Grizabella in Cats? Was she ever considered?
#14Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/28/10 at 3:44am
Isn't Grizabella the same?
One power ballad but this time at the end of the show and instead of coming back as a ghostlady she becomes a ghostkitty and gets to ride a levitating tire.
#15Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/28/10 at 4:31pm
I'm sure Patti made what she felt was the right decision for her.
Love Patti. LES MIZ is my favorite of all time.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#16Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question
Posted: 8/29/10 at 12:16pm
"Isn't Grizabella the same?"
Yes, Grizabella is a one song role. But it was designed to be a star vehicle for an actress. At first it was Judi Dench, then later Elaine Paige. The show was built around a woman star. If you look at the structure of Cats, the majority of cats that are brought forward are men. So when there's a woman cat, there's more attention.
Also look at the structure of the Grizabella role. It is designed to get all the attention. Grizabella gets the one power ballad in the show which exploded and was sung by everyone including Streisand and Barry Manilow. In the show, Grizabella gets to ride the tire, which in the early 80s was whipped up to be a great special stage effect.
I'm just surprised that LuPone was not a serious contender for the role.
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