Patti LuPone joins Laura Benanti's new CBS sitcom

[RyToast1]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 10:55am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/137310-LuPone-and-Benanti-to-Reteam-for-CBS-Pilot

Interesting!!

[cglaid]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 11:13am

Patti is a great choice for Benanti's mother, Roz, but the character is a bit annoying in the script. I didn't like where they went with her character, but my excitement for this pilot (I hope it's picked up) just increased tenfold.

You think they'll cast Boyd Gaines for her father?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 11:16am

I'd love to see Patti return to the screen. To be honest, after playing Rose, there's really nowhere for her to go onstage but down.

[Brick]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 11:38am

If it's picked up, then I guess no LuPone in WOMEN ON THE VERGE. It is just a pilot, though...

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 11:48am

She also mentioned the possibility of a play on Broadway in the fall in the interview at the 92nd Street Y a few weeks ago. So who knows now

[Flight0017]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 11:52am

I laughed so hard at the subject of this post, not knowing it was for real.

[Londonskyguy]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 12:16pm

Perhaps the show is to be filmed in New York, and she could do both?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 12:16pm

So awesome.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 12:19pm

Patti is still signed on to do a straight Broadway play this fall.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 12:35pm

Any hints as to what it is, Ry?

I was thinking the show was being filmed in New York, too, though.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 1:38pm

If she is signed on to do a straight play this Fall, then why in the world would she even bother doing a reading of VERGE, which opens this Fall?

[RyToast1]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 1:45pm

Updated On: 2/26/10 at 01:45 PM

[RyToast1]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 1:45pm

...because she can? Scott is also close to being booked for a show in the spring, so she may not be able to commit to anything for too long.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 1:45pm

Maybe as a favor to Lincoln Center Theatre? She thinks very highly of them.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 1:51pm

"..because she can?"

Yes, that is a fabulous reason. I don't know how I didn't think of that. :-P

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 1:53pm

There is also always the possibility of whatever play she's signed on to do not making it to Broadway in the fall. It's not necessarily a bad idea to be involved in a few things to keep all avenues open.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 1:53pm

Hahaha, ljay

It's Patti, there seems to never really be a rhyme or reason as to why she does things. givesmevoice made a good point though.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 2:06pm

Patti does not strike me as the type of actress to do readings for the sake of advancing the art form. If she's doing a reading, it's because she expects to perform in the cast of the show on Broadway, and she expects it to be a hit show. She's going to choose whichever project she thinks will be the most commercially successful.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 2:11pm

Remember that Chita Rivera is also in the mix for WOMEN ON THE VERGE..., even though she's not participating in this upcoming reading.

The only role in the show that both she and LuPone really fit is Lucia. If LuPone is already unavailable in the fall, she may just be subbing for Rivera for this particular developmental presentation.

RyToast, is Scott lined up for a show in the spring of this season or next season?

Updated On: 2/26/10 at 02:11 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 2:25pm

somethingwicked, I was thinking something similar about Chita and Patti.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 2:40pm

A lot of the cast of the upcoming reading of WOMEN ON THE VERGE are already committed to other projects for the fall, so clearly this recently announced cast does contain some interim participants.

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 2:57pm

Performers do get paid for readings.

And Patti and LCT do have the same publicist, maybe that has something to do with it...

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 3:25pm

adam, if Patti is doing things only if they're going to be a commercial success, she's doing a really bad job.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 3:28pm

Sweeney recouped.

And she thought Gypsy would be a much bigger success than it was. Remember the NY Times article the weekend it closed where she revealed how disappointed she was?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/26/10 at 3:37pm

Yes, but I thought that had more to do with how much she loved doing the show and working with the cast. Everyone wants their show to be a hit, but I don't think she's choosing things based only on whether they'll be a commercial success.