Patti Lupone talks about Elena Roger in - Page 5

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 7:46pm

Well i don't think its fair to say one of them was "better". Each actress is only responsible for the text in which they are given. I did see Angela do it before Patti and I honestly just prefer Patti's version. Patti's version felt more realistic where as I felt Angela's characterization felt more like a caricature instead of an actual character.

* runs and hides*

[Wynbish]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 7:47pm

So, we're at Raw Umber, Thistle, a little bit of Salmon and heading straight toward Puce. I think I'm going to go do something more fun, like play a Chinese fire drill with toenails.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 7:52pm

Everyone should watch this Highschool girl do A NEW ARGENTINA. Her vocals are INSANE!

http://youtu.be/BubfLiDwcLU

[all that jazz]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 8:17pm

Her voice is chilling!! With better direction she'd be sensational. The production overall is very impressive for a High School.


Don't cry for me Argentina:

http://youtu.be/0CNXOld7rPs

Rainbow High:

http://youtu.be/0Ev6wNjnnj8

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 8:23pm

Right?! I can't believe how well she is hitting those notes. Crazy Talented.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 8:29pm

We'll have to keep an eye on this one...



Updated On: 6/18/13 at 08:29 PM

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 8:33pm

AH! Holy crap! I almost spit out my food when seeing that picture HAHAHAH. But yeah, she is crazy good. I wish the full show was up.

[Evita@theBroadway]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 10:15am

I know I’m late to the discussion, but I thought this might be an interesting perspective. I’ve seen Lupone and Paige both sing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” in concert, and Elena Roger sing the song on Broadway twice. Out of all three, Elaine Paige was the best, no competition.

I think we get underwhelmed by her simply because the OLC was a VERY abbreviated version and the OBC was the entire show.
Talking with those who saw her, I hear she was unbelievable.

With Paige, I got the sense that she could not only sing the role, but act while singing (if that makes sense). Paige’s Eva was coming from a fusion of the heart and mind, whereas LuPone was simply portraying her as a power-hungry witch. Paige got all the emotions that made up Eva Peron and beautifully channeled them into “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” recognizing that this night was not only Eva’s triumph, but that much harder days lay ahead for her (and Juan).

What I’m constantly amazed by with Patti’s performance of Eva, both from the OBC and what I’ve seen of her in concert, is her dictation. It is so poor, I feel like Henry Higgins needs to come out and school her. Where was Hal Prince when she had this problem during 1979-80? I love this video of her because it is so true: http://youtu.be/XWGchv7kHzw

As for Roger, I felt like she played Eva as a politician, nothing wrong with that. But her accent and dictation will forever prohibit her from being remembered as one of the great Evas. Sad, because I really liked her performance. But unless you know every line of Evita, like I do, you frequently saying “what?” At least that was the case with the guests I took to see Evita on Broadway last year.

Anyway my two cents – Great thread!

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 10:29am

I have always been a bit underwhelmed by Elaine's Eva for some reason. I have never seen her live so maybe she is much better live but i have heard the recordings and the bootlegs and all of that and she just doesn't really do it for me. I prefer Patti and Loni to Elaine. In the recordings i have heard her voice just sounds tired. She doesn't evoke that fire and passion that Lupone does for me. I don't think Patti just played Eva like a bitch I thought she really got to the center core of eva. patti's "final broadcast" is just heart breaking to listen too.

I have nothing against Elaine or anything, I am sure she is fabulous and I do lover her DCFMA but idk She has never striked me as an outstanding Evita. I also have never had a problem with lupone's diction.

Yeah Elena Roger did nothing for me. I thought her acting was fine but she could barely hit the noted without screaching. Her acting was fine and she played it differently than everyone else and i respect that but She really was very lackluster as EVA.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 10:43am

Broadway Guy- you'll love this- circa 1997-98 I saw Patti at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Just before her accompanist started As If We'd Never Said Goodbye, she said to him "Please play the next song in the key in which it was written".

HAHAHA! How wonderfully bitchy! She's the tops.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 10:46am

OMG! HAHAHAHHAHAHAH! Jesus christ I love that woman. Honestly If i could go back in time to see any show it would be to watch Lupone do her final performance of Evita on Broadway. I would probably be crying through most of it.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 10:53am

My dad's secretary had seen Patti in Evita. I was only 9 when it was going on. Years later after I came under Patti's spell when I saw Anything Goes I asked her about it. All she said was "She was HOT".

It's amazing to me that you can see how electric her performance is even in those grainy youtube videos. She is a woman possessed with brilliance there.

The "I was once as you are now" speech on there is really something.