Patti LuPone as Mama Rose?- Page 2

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:38pm

Thanks.

Yeah, I knwo alot of people didn't care for her Rose either. What did you think of Miss Gibson?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:50pm

She sang fine, but her acting...oh God, her acting...If you can call it that...

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:52pm

can someone please explain the whole bety buckely thing?? what was it about her playing mama rose that was so bad??? and why wont arthur laruents allow patti lupone play mama rose??? thanks :)

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:58pm

i wasn't able to see betty but i follow her work very closely and am mostly admiring. i didn't think she and rose were a match made in heaven, but it sounded like an interesting possibility. she has an archness that just doesn't work for rose, imo. do tell, those that saw it.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 2:08pm

I'll preface my short review of Betty's Gypsy by re-stating that I'm about the biggest Betty Buckley fan the world has ever seen. I've seen almost every Broadway show that she's ever been in (I was born a year too late for 1776, but that's about it); I own all of her solo and live recordings; I own every cast recording she's on; I've seen her in concert and her cabaret act, etc.

That said, she brought NOTHING to Rose. No humor. No pain. No empathy. No emotion. Every song, be it "Rose's Turn", "Everything's Coming Up Roses", or "Some People", were recited as if they were "Happy Birthday" or the Pledge of Allegiance. It was a lifeless performance.

Lenny Wolpe was excellent as Herbie, though. As I said, Debbie Gibson sings fine but her acting is terrible. Also, she seemed WAY too old for Louise/Gypsy. Give me the wonderful Tammy Blanchard, who really knocked it out of the park, any day.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 2:23pm

Agree MEF...Rose is tough to play because she has to be a b*tch you love. Betty was unlovable in the part. She sang the score with gusto, but no character...

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 2:30pm

In my opinion, Patti is a much stronger actress than singer. I mean, the timbre of her voice is pleasing(not eargasmic, but pleasing) it's just that pesky diction problem. I would love to see her in this role, I think as an actress she's definetly got the fire for it, and I would be first in line when tickets went on sale, for sure!

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 5:02pm

Can someone expand on the LuPone / Laurents drama?

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 5:10pm

Laurents won't let Lupone do it on Broadway as long as there is breath left in his body.

Then I say it's time for him to drop dead.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 5:29pm

Several years ago, Laurents and Lupone had a falling out over a regional production of his play "Jolson Sings Again." I've heard various reasons, but the real story seems to be that she wanted a some guarantee from Laurents that he planned to take the show to Broadway and that if it made it, then she would be the star (she'd been burned in past). When he wouldn't/couldn't give her any reassurance, she withdrew from the production. Laurents SEETHED and blames her for the play never progressing beyond a few regional productions (truth be told: the reviews were always terrible and Lupone was smart not to do it -- with or without Lupone, it'll never see Broadway).

So, ever since then Laurents has refused to allow any show of his to be produced with her on Broadway. The lead in GYPSY is the only plum role of his for her, though she did just do Cora in ANYONE CAN WHISTLE at the Ravinia Festival with that awful book from Laurents. Lupone got good notices, though. And Laurents was powerless to stop it.

Updated On: 9/2/05 at 05:29 PM

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 5:35pm

Thanks Margo.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 6:31pm

Is it only TWO performances? Regardless of how many perfs she gives as Mama Rose, I'm there for every one of them. I hope there are motels in the area.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 6:37pm

oh if this happens, I am so there (unlike this year).

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 6:45pm

What is soo great about Patti LuPone? I mean, yes, her Evita recording is mesmerizing that's about it. If anyone has seen the DVD of the Sweeney Todd concert in San Francisco, she is such a bland Mrs.Lovett. Now, LuPone as Mama Rose?! Please! She doesn't have that I-don't-know-what that all the actresses who've played Rose successfully possess. Peters gave such a touching and emotional performance that I don't see why LuPone should try on doing this role. I support Arthur Laurent, I wonder what Sonheim thinks of her!

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 6:58pm

Sondheim loves her - he's one of the reasons she's doing Sweeney.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 7:02pm

Sondheim likes her. A lot.

Ray, Patti's a character. Of the old school. With huge, expressive features that carry over to the last row.

Though she can drive me nuts with her garbling of lyrics at times, when she's on stage, you look and pay attention to no one else. That, Ray, is a star.

Musical theater queens have been salivating over the possibility of this happening for well over fifteen years.
I pray that at last it REALLY happens.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 7:12pm

MasterL,I know Patti LuPone is a star and I do respect her as a performer and I think that star quality is what makes her so great in a larger-than-life character like Evita, but come on, Mama Rose is not Patti LuPone! Mama Rose is a bitch, she is funny, she is vulnerable, she is mad, she is so many things, and I'm sorry I really don't see how LuPone could express all of these traits. Plus, I don't see how her-pardon me for lack of a better word-annoying voice would fit to arguably the best musical score written for the stage.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 7:21pm

"Mama Rose is a bitch, she is funny, she is vulnerable, she is mad,...."

My god, if that description doesn't fit Patti Lupone to a T, nothing does. Not sure what you've seen her do, but what you just listed off IS 100% Patti Lupone in spades, on and off stage. She's a huge, scary, bitch diva, extremely adept at comedy (physical and verbal) and very dark serious dramatic roles. She's also out of her damn mind. Yet she can also display vulnerability, playfulness and a certain sexiness when need be. She also has vocal chords of steel and could tear through the score as few have been able to since Merman.

Lupone is practically typecast as Mama Rose -- it's not even a stretch for her. She'll be brilliant in the role.

[alterego]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 8:44pm

I'm with you wonderboy and margochanning. Go Patti!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 10:00pm

Patti has to be witnessed live--not on recordings or DVD's. She's a one-of-a-kind star.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 10:07pm

Absolutely, Dolly. Try BREATHING while Patti is on-stage. It becomes an insurmountable task.

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 10:20pm

Would it work if a male actor played Mama Rose? I always wanted to ask...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 10:21pm

No

[JustABernieFan]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 10:23pm

I'd love to see Patti LuPone in the role. I have seen one broadway run of Gypsy and that was with Bernadette Peters and I can't begin to say how much I loved it.

I wonder if they thought about bringing it to the movies...they did it with Chicago, POTO, now Rent......Gypsy should be next. I wonder if they thought of this...

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 10:23pm

She was bland in Sweeney Todd??? Now, I've heard a LOT of criticisms of her performance in Sweeney, but none of them complained about her being "bland". I happen to be a big fan of her Lovett: it takes a brave actress to play that role without trying to mimic Lansbury's definitive performance. She crafted an original and unique interpretation that brought out different sides of the character and, in turn, the characters around her. She wasn't dotty old lady on the outside like Lansbury, she was a ruthless, greedy, and lusty businesswoman (who happens to be quite funny). I can't wait for the new production, and I hope she changes her performance even more to fit the new concept.

Anyway, Margo is right -- she's perfect for Rose. :)


Updated On: 9/2/05 at 10:23 PM