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Patti LuPone out, Linda Balgord on today, Sat Nov. 22 Matinee — Page 2

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#28

re: Patti LuPone out, Linda Balgord on today, Sat Nov. 22 Matinee

Just wondering... but would anyone care to surmise how much advance notice Linda Balgord got that Miss Patti would be absent? As soon as L.B. got her notification, what would she do specifically to prepare for the show? from RC in Austin, Texas... where it's a cool 59 degrees (cool for us).
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
#29

re: Patti LuPone out, Linda Balgord on today, Sat Nov. 22 Matinee

Lenora Nemetz was Patti's first understudy? I saw her in "Hello Dolly" in Pittsburgh, and all I'll say is, her Mama Rose must have been rather, erm, interesting...
"I'm seeing the LuPone in Key West later this week. I'm hoping for great vocals and some sort of insane breakdown..." - BenjaminNicholas2
#30

re: Patti LuPone out, Linda Balgord on today, Sat Nov. 22 Matinee

I'm curious as to what Linda's costumes and wigs were like. were they similar to (or the same as) Patti's?
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad
#33

re: Patti LuPone out, Linda Balgord on today, Sat Nov. 22 Matinee

I saw Linda Balgord on for Rose this evening (I rushed the show with a friend from out of town this morning before anyone knew what was going on.)

The scene outside was very awkward to say the least. They had huge signs saying Patti was out and people from the house staff were also handing out elaborate fliers at the door explaining how to go about getting a refund, though it looked to me (at least from the orchestra) as if most people just saw the show as is.

As I was waiting in line to get in, I overheard someone who'd bought their tickets between shows today complaining that the person at the box office who handled them said Patti wasn't scheduled to be out tonight and didn't tell them she'd been out at the matinee. The staff member they were speaking to rebutted that Patti didn't call out for tonight's performance until 5pm, so it looks like she's going on a show-to-show basis with whatever illness has sidelined her.

I thought Balgord was terrific in a completely different way than LuPone (who I've seen in the role twice, once at the very end of previews and once again back in August.) She was much more emotionally vulnerable, which made her moments of anger and frustration that much more volatile.

Her singing was great (though her tendency to close her vowels made her sound shrill at times,) and she wore the same wig and costumes Patti does. She didn't get all of the laughs, but I think that had more to do with the audience than her delivery (since they didn't laugh at much else either, save for "You've Gotta Get a Gimmick" in the second act.)

Knowing that her first time on was only this afternoon, I was particularly impressed with how great her chemistry was with Boyd Gaines and Laura Benanti, both of whom are still turning in stellar performances that only validate their Tony wins. The dynamic is different, but it still works beautifully.

If you do end up seeing Balgord (which I don't imagine will happen often from now on,) know that the role is in good hands.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

Updated On: 11/23/08 at 12:21 AM

#39

re: Patti LuPone out, Linda Balgord on today, Sat Nov. 22 Matinee

so any word on whether Linda is on again today?
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad
#43

re: Patti LuPone out, Linda Balgord on today, Sat Nov. 22 Matinee

Word is that Patti will be back this afternoon.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

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