Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

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Lupone, 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.

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/26/10 at 9:43pm

That's the full story. They wanted her, but she chose not to do the Broadway production.

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/26/10 at 9:47pm

She's told me that story personally. She didn't want to tinker with "perfection"

"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/26/10 at 11:57pm

I'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.

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 12:01am

I always wondered why she never performed in the Broadway cast either, but I guess I don't have to wonder about it anymore.

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 1:18am

I 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?

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 1:26am

Yes, and she didn't want to change anything about her Les Miserables experience.

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 2:19am

Oh okay..now I get it!

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 3:35am

But 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.

#10

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 6:53am

Not 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.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

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#11

Lupone, 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.

#12

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 8:35am

I feel like Patti's memoir is going to be like finding the dead sea scrolls--enlightening us to things we never imagined.

http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com

#13

Lupone, 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

"The gods who nurse this universe think little of mortals' cares. They sit in crowds on exclusive clouds and laugh at our love affairs. I might have had a real romance if they'd given me a chance. I loved him, but he didn't love me. I wanted him, but he didn't want me. Then the gods had a spree and indulged in another whim. Now he loves me, but I don't love him." - Cole Porter

#14

Lupone, Les Mis, Broadway question

Posted: 8/27/10 at 6:33pm

I 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?

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#15

Lupone, 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.

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

#16

Lupone, 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.

"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES--- "THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS

#17

Lupone, 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.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

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