Patti LuPone Speaks Her Mind- Page 2

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 3:01pm

spiderdj82 said: "And the whole "Sunset Blvd" situation................LuPone was the not the first person fired from a show and she won't be the last. She makes it sound like it ONLY happened to her. 

 

I would love to hear how you reached your conclusion that "she makes it sound like it ONLY happened to her" from the only passage in the article relevant to her firing:

"He fired me. He didn't tell me anything. I found out through my agent on performance night at my dressing table," LuPone explained. "It was in a newspaper in New York that I found out, not from Andrew."

[chernjam]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 3:59pm

OK - just catching up on all the responses I'm no way in favor of telling anyone to shut up.  That's a crappy thing to say about anyone - to anyone...

As an ALW fan, I was happy when it sounded like there was a "détente" between her and him.  I kind of wondered if that was one reason ALW's memoir stopped at the opening of POTO and whether there would ever be a vol 2 (was actually ticked off because I had pre ordered it awhile ago and thought we were going to finally here his perspective on Aspects, Sunset, Whistle...  all the JCS/Cats stuff I already heard)  And I wasn't even looking for it to be nasty or anything, but a more honest telling of his own tension over all that.

The other points she made are just plain silly.  Her current favorite composer, Sondheim seemed to have loved it when Jake Gyllenhall was in Sunday in the Park with George.  People giving standing ovations too much - yeah I'm sure a lot of actors and actresses have complained about that as well 

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 4:12pm

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Maybe some of the posters are missing the fact thatshe complains because THESE PROBLEMS ACTUALLY EXIST. Being nice or silent solvesNOTHING."

There are people right in this very thread who dispute that these problems exist. Assuming they do, how does it help to single out one specific actress?

[newintown]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 4:17pm

Calm down, folks. She's not dissing all film stars. She's talking about a certain habit  some theatre producers have of hiring movies stars who aren't skilled at stage work and can't cut the mustard, merely to sell tickets based on their movie fame - like Thurman, Roberts, Forest Whitaker, etc.

Whitaker is a great example; Frank Wood casually wiped the stage with him having almost no dialogue, and yet Wood would probably never be hired to play Erie Smith in a commercial production because he's not sufficiently "famous."

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 4:18pm

Dancingthrulife2 said:  "would love to hear how you reached your conclusion that "she makes it sound like it ONLY happened to her" from the only passage in the article relevant to her firing"

This is not the first time she has said something about the incident.  What she said in the article was WAY subdued and was fine.  But, my comment was the MANY, MANY, MANY things she has said about it (including in her memoir).  

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 4:24pm

newintown - I think it is that she made an overall blanket statement instead of "There are some film actors....."   Plus she added that extra zinger of "Not in my country" meaning American film actors can't do stage work.    That was my issue with it.   I agree that there are some actors/actresses that do VERY WELL for film but not so much for live theatre.   But, there are some that do amazing at both.   Again, it was the blanket statement that got me, personally. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 5:13pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Given some of the comments on here, I was expecting to see that she said some really, intensely nasty stuff.

But like... as adamgreer said, nothing she said is wrong? She's completely correct in that celebrity status on Broadwayhas become a norm for mediocrity, and standing ovations are essentially meaningless these days. And her relationship with ALW is hers to talk about however frankly she'd like.

Love her."

Same. I stood for her in War Paint because she and Christine deserved it but I generally don't stand and I dislike feeling compelled to do it. I'm glad there are some actors who call out standing ovations and entrance applause that's more about the audience than the performers.

And I've never really liked ALW (aside from Evita) so I'm pretty much cool with whatever she has to say there.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 5:58pm

It just seems tacky to call out a fellow actress.  Patti acts in film and television and she may come across Uma or her allies.  Despite the fact she clarified it, the damage is done.  She's old and wise enough to know better, but too young to get away with it ala Stritch- it's just not very becoming or professional. The ALW stuff seems to be old news, the horse is dead, let's move on- I'm sure Brightman has the same cordial relationship with him.

Updated On: 4/11/18 at 05:58 PM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 6:00pm

The thing is, I'm sure a lot of these "film actors" had no intention of going on stage and sucking. They probably were doing stage work with every intention of respecting the craft and the stage and the material. Some times it takes actually doing it to realize you're really not great at stage acting OR if they really want to do stage work and end up not doing too well the first time, they'll keep trying and hone their craft until they become really good at it. I know stunt casting sucks and some times there is ego involved (ego will be involved whether one is a "film" actor or a "stage" actor), but I do think for the most part, most "film" actors who go on the stage do it with the best intentions and with tons of respect. If they suck, then that's a different topic. 

I also think some of this attitude is a sort of classist elitism being expressed by the Broadway community at times by some actors and a lot of fans who are very protective of Broadway and its community and hate that opportunities are taken away from stage actors when big name celebrities are cast in roles. So it's more about protecting the financial interest and resume-building of certain "stage" actors than it is about the principle because IMO a great actor will learn how to act for both mediums and know that they might not get it right the first time around and will know acting for both is a life-long process that can always be improved.

Updated On: 4/11/18 at 06:00 PM

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 6:05pm

I think the film actors taking to the Broadway stage has a lot to do with producers wanting to sell tickets with a bankable name.  I agree with the above, no one wants to go out and suck- Julia Roberts hasn't been seen on Broadway since her debut, if I remember correctly, a lot of the reviews said her style of acting was too small to go past the footlights, while that is right for film, it's not the best for the stage. She had to do it to realize it was not ideal for her- we've seen others who have had great success on stage and screen- the more I go over it the less appropriate I think the comment was- why waste your breath!

Updated On: 4/11/18 at 06:05 PM

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 8:54pm

I 100% agree with her on standing ovations. Broadway audiences are mad for standing. Bette Midler could have farted and you guys would leap to your feet.

They actually did for some silly little box step she did.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 9:58pm

Obviously, I am a huge fan of Patti LuPone.  I admire her immensely and have met her in person several times.  However, I think she was too harsh on Uma Thurman.  "That's all I'm going to say about that."

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 10:13pm

Gizmo6 said: "I 100% agree with her on standing ovations. Broadway audiences are mad for standing. Bette Midler could have farted and you guys would leap to your feet.

They actually did for some silly little box step she did."

That's true. It also had a double whammy of starring somebody who isn't a legitimate stage actor. Double the horror, double the fun.

Updated On: 4/11/18 at 10:13 PM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 11:08pm

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "Gizmo6 said: "I 100% agree with her on standing ovations. Broadway audiences are mad for standing. Bette Midler could have farted and you guys would leap to your feet.

They actually did for some silly little box step she did."

That's true. It also had a double whammy of starring somebody who isn't a legitimate stage actor. Doublethe horror, double the fun."

I thought she originated Fiddler on the Roof, no?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 11:31pm

I find it rather ironic that many of the same people who praised Patti when she spoke out about Trump (who, for the record, I detest with every fiber of my being), are now chastising her for speaking out about these topics, which she was specifically asked about.

[Anakela]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 11:58pm

adamgreer said: "I find it rather ironic that many of the same people who praised Patti when she spoke out about Trump (who, for the record, I detest with every fiber of my being), are now chastising her for speaking out about these topics, which she was specifically asked about. "

I don’t see the relationship between the two? Say whatever you want about whatever politician you want. Most people on here are talking about a stage actor, who also does film (tv), who a lot of people know from tv, making remarks about film actors should not be on the stage, and then specifying Thurman by name. “Not in my country they can’t.” :/  

LuPone was asked should Trump attend her show; she gave her thoughts on Trump. I seriously doubt that at a press day for Company she was ‘specifically asked’ “so, what did you think about Thurman’s performance?” or “what was the last crap performance you saw from a film actor on stage?’ or any such question that necessitated her talking about film actors as a whole, and by name, in this way. 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 11:58pm

I know, it's like they're two separate opinions about two wildly different topics.

Dancingthrulife2 said: "ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "Gizmo6 said: "I 100% agree with her on standing ovations. Broadway audiences are mad for standing. Bette Midler could have farted and you guys would leap to your feet.

They actually did for some silly little box step she did."

That's true. It also had a double whammy of starring somebody who isn't a legitimate stage actor. Doublethe horror, double the fun."

I thought she originated Fiddler on the Roof, no?"

I don't think that would have met the Patti Lupone "stage actor" test.

Updated On: 4/12/18 at 11:58 PM

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 4/12/18 at 3:40am

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "I know, it's like they'retwo separate opinions about two wildly different topics.

Dancingthrulife2 said: "ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "Gizmo6 said: "I 100% agree with her on standing ovations. Broadway audiences are mad for standing. Bette Midler could have farted and you guys would leap to your feet.

They actually did for some silly little box step she did."

That's true. It also had a double whammy of starring somebody who isn't a legitimate stage actor. Doublethe horror, double the fun."

I thought she originated Fiddler on the Roof, no?"

I don't think that would have met the Patti Lupone"stage actor"test."

I wasn’t commenting on the stage actor I was commenting on how Broadway Audiences have devalued the standing ovation. It means nothing on Broadway. 

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 4/12/18 at 8:36am

I have to ask, do we know if Patti sat through The Parisian Woman?