PATTI AT RAVINIA - please post reviews here — Page 3

I HIGHLY doubt it will be recorded for PBS because there was no word of it at Ravinia, and Ive never seen anything recorded there.

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im going to see the show thurs. and my i have a friend who has done gypsy before as baby june and she was wondering how the kids did, so if someone coul gimme a good review of the kids, baby june louise, and the newsboys, that would be great. Thanks

evilNpunk: Ummmmmm I'm glad you appreiate it. :x I am so happy that my brain has been turning itself off at random during the day today, like *click* "Did I really do that last night?? Did she really say that? Wow." And then I have to totally regroup and start over with whatever I was doing previously. Waaaah. I wish I could go back and see it again. God it was fun. :]

hey, how about them kids, somebody give me a review of all the kids. please.

what did u think about the kids

Can't someone tell theatrebro about the kids? The kids! Why is no one talking about the kids!

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A family emergency has kept me away from Ravinia this weekend, so I'm grateful to all of you that have posted lengthy reviews. Thanks for painting the picture.

Thanks to all for the great information coming out of this performance.

Margo: great and informative review.

Thanks.

I'm doing a full review for BWW, but let me add my brief 2 cents here: It was a stunning night in the theater for me. I'm still emotional about it. Quite honestly, I was unable to speak for some time after the performance.

Brava LuPone!

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So the CSO was magical. The overture, seeing the full orchestra go at it, was out of this world.

It gets kicked off with an interesting prologue with music from Act 2 when Rose is gathering the music in the dressing room. An interesting concept establishing the grown up Louise reflecting on her childhood with Baby Louise and June popping out of the trunk.

This leads into Michael Weber as Uncle Jocko really taking off. Best Jocko I have seen - in and out of a Scottish/Seattle accent and all. Really manic and funny. Strange to say that since it's not really a big part but he totally set up LuPone brilliantly for her entrance and they were hilarious together. Stopped the show cold.

In fact, I really took notice of a number of the supporting cast here. Perhaps because of it's being a concert staging-they are popping out? Joe Dempsey as Pastey-really creepy, Jane Blass (Mazeppa) a riot as she was in the Hairspray tour, Rengin Altay-a much more human and not so caricatured Miss. Cratchitt, Etc. Maybe it's that Chicago acting thing but it felt more like an ensemble and less like a star show with a chorus. Different and great. And I appreciated the interracial casting.

Jessica Boevers was terrific. I've not been the biggest fan of hers in the past but she nailed this. You really believe the transformation in the strips (including the London "talking") and the final moment with LuPone after Roses Turn is just great. So right. Good work from Lonny Price here.

Jack Willis is in the Jack Klugman/Karl Malden mode. A strong man, not a wimpy noodle of a Herby which I feel is so wrong. But his energy is low and not yet focused. I don't really buy the passionate/sexual/love between he and Rose. And his exit scene is all wrong. Poor work from Lonny Price here.

Unfortunately, I thought the Tulsa was pretty bland and looked like he was working too hard on the dance. He should be cooler in my opinion and he's far too fay for me to believe that he would fall in love with June over one of the farmboys.

LuPone is amazing and frustrating. She is so "right" for this and yet many of her choices are, at this point, as lacking as much as right on. She is a very sensual Rose but not as hilariously possessed as I would have hoped. There are not yet enough highs and lows. Many moments are not there.
-the lead into Some People.
-the lead into Mr. Goldstone.
-the lead into Everything's Coming Up Roses.
she just needs to up the stakes a lot more.

I saw it on Friday. I'm going back again tonight (Sunday). I'm fascinated to see where she'll go with this.

Acting wise;
Not as funny as Merman or Russell
Not as passionate as Russell, Lansbury or Daly
Better than Midler

Musically;
She sounded great

I am VERY fortunate having seen Merman in the final month of the original Broadway run as well as Lansbury both in London AND Broadway in addition to Daly, Peters, Lavin, Dolores Gray (In stock) and, in Chicago, Ann Arvia, Paula Scrofano and Alene Robertson play the role of Rose.

Wonderful memories.

*SNAP!!!* says nybb. Kudos to you for the BWW kick-ass response of the week (month).

anyway...on the train to Ravinia. listening to Bette. First-rate Diva, but no Rose (in my book). Really excited...

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Just got back from Chicago…..one word for the show and Lupone…Tremendous!
I have seen multiple actors play Rose including Angela (full disclosure, I was very young and my memory isn’t that clear), Tyne, Linda Lavin, Betty, Bernadette, Bette & Rosalind on film, and multiple smaller productions.
LuPone was born to play Rose. The perfect actress/part/show experience that rarely occurs…like an astrological event!
Patti’s Rose was sexy, VERY funny, manipulative, wounded, driven, vulnerable…all in one seamless package. From “sing out Louise” to “Roses Turn” she had the audience in the palm of her hand and performed a tour de force.
The standing ovation after Roses Turn was brewing all night and it was a spontaneous catharsis for the audience…so well deserved! I think my heart missed beats during the song (is that possible?).
The most awe inspiring aspect was that this layered and nuanced performance was delivered after what (I suspect) was an extremely short rehearsal period…I can’t imagine what we would have seen in a fully rehearsed/ full scale production.I loved Herbie, my favorite Tulsa ever…and the pacing of the production was thrilling.
There are events in entertainment history that you always here about and I always wished I could have been there. These include Merman belting out “I’ve Got Rhythm” in Girl Crazy and becoming a star, Judy at Carnegie, etc. I am putting Patti in Gypsy at the Ravinia in this category!
As stated above, Arthur Laurents needs to get over this and AT LEAST let this be performed/televised for Great Performances (similar to Passion which I believe started at Ravinia too).
PS. This was my first Ravinia experience and I highly recommend it!

Updated On: 8/13/06 at 10:32 PM