Patti - diva?- Page 2

[morosco]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 2:15pm

All can be forgiven if you just take a moment and visit that certain site and watch her perform "Rainbow High". The woman is FIERCE! Beat me Patti....eight to the bar!

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 3:07pm

Can't speak to the soiree issue, wasn't there. But I was at the Portsmouth, NH concert, and if ever there was a moment when Ms. LuPone was entitled to be a diva but wasn't it came smack dab in the middle of her Carousel soliloquy. A blankety blank cell phone went off right at the moment when she was making her transition from singing about her boy Bill to thinking, but what if he's a girl. She paused, shot a look in the direction of the phone, smiled as if to say, I'll wait, then, when she was sure there wouldn't be another ring, she continued with the song. It was amazing to see how composed she was. She went right back into the emotion of the song and didn't let the spirit drop at all. The phone ringing could have ruined the moment, but she didn't let it. After she finished the song, she took her applause graciously, but then she said quietly, humorously, yet firmly, "Now would be a good time to turn off all cell phones, pagers, beepers..." She gave this wicked little smile, and that was that.

HAH! I mentioned that in my review [yes, I was there in attendence as well]. That was definitely one of the highlights of the night.

To me, Patti can do no wrong after she sang "The Ladies Who Lunch" and "Losing My Mind" [Portsmouthians will note how great those two selections were ].

Getting back on topic, I feel that an "I love everyone and everything is just peachy keen!" Patti LuPone would be a bore, and therefore her sassy "I don't take crap from any one" demeanor is what truly makes her ... well, her. Granted, I have never met her face to face or communicated with her via email, letters or otherwise, but she strikes me as the person who will tell you how she feels, regardless if it's going to hurt your feelings. And Lord knows we need more of those people in the world.

Updated On: 5/22/07 at 03:07 PM

[unckristen]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 3:15pm

I echo what many of the others have said. She is brash, she speaks her mind and she does her thing. It's part of what makes her her. I did meet her at the stage door after Sweeney and she was exactly what I expected. She wasn't at all rude and I enjoyed the experience. I was a little hesitant since I was also asking her to sign my Noises Off playbill (a sentimental item for me since it was my first Broadway experience) and she was great -- she seemed to get a kick out of it and chatted for a bit. I remember that I had a book with me and I was using it as a support for her to write on -- she picked it up and wondered what I was reading. Seemed like Patti being Patti.

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 3:20pm

My only experience with her was getting an autograph and picture with her after Sweeney.

An old woman used my digital camera to shoot me, my partner Tom, and Patti, but she started to hand the camera back to me before the picture had even completely taken or the flash had completely gone off. Patti said, "I bet that doesn't come out."

Well, I looked at it and is was a blur of colors and light streaks. I showed Patti and asked her if we could do another one super-quick. "I just can't... sorry." And then she jumped in her SUV (with a driver).

I'm sure he was tired, I'm sure she's tired of fans, etc. But there weren't many people there, and it would have extended her evening by about 8-10 seconds.

Oh well...

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 3:24pm

"I had a book with me and I was using it as a support for her to write on -- she picked it up and wondered what I was reading."

Ha! See thats why I love her, she seems like a normal person. A friend of the family's kid got into the second round of callbacks for GYPSY, so hopefully I'll be able to come backstage and meet her if he gets in. I was thinking of bring my EVITA poster for her to sign, but I'll think I'll go with the Sweeney Todd poster instead, just to be sure I stay on her good side.

I live in Boston too, but I didn't feel like driving all the way out to New Bedford during rush hour to catch her show. Come do a show in the metro-Boston area, Patti!

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 3:32pm

Is this common in the theater diva world? I have VIP tix to see Bernadette that includes a meet and greet. Hope it happens. Now I'm nervous.

Updated On: 5/22/07 at 03:32 PM

[wiggum2]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 4:48pm

Re: the cell phone

I was there also and thought the phone thing was planned to get a laugh, it seems a little too coincidental where she was in the song... just my thought

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 5:09pm

I met her a couple of times in New York and London after performances and she was always gracious and attentive. But then, we knew/studied with some of the same people, so perhaps having that in common helped. I don't know. It's too bad that happened to you, though. Sounds like a real disappointment.

Aside from the Patti Concert Debacle of 2007, not posing for pictures or signing autographs after a show is quite common for many actors. Some days, they are just simply exhausted or had a bad day or are in a time crunch for a prior commitment. Spending time with the fans is a bonus for the fans. If an actor does it, be grateful, but don't ever expect it. Fans can be demanding, rude, pushy, invasive and inconsiderate, and often demonstrate a monstrous sense of entitlement, so when the most popular theatre performers decline autographs and photos, it's not tough to figure out why. If you ever saw the stage door when Menzel/Chenoweth were in Wicked, you would instantly understand.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 5:10pm

I saw the show and Morgantown and there were no cellphones.

I can't imagine Patti actually setting up cell phones to ring during shows, the woman despises them.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 5:29pm

There's no way the cell phone ringing was planned. Patti was singing the Soliloquy from Carousel - an incredibly moving and tender piece. She would not want a laugh right at the point where it occurs to her that her boy might turn out to be a girl. That's the most dramatic transition moment in the song.

I'm just glad that the coincidental timing on that ring happened when it did. Had it been one second sooner or one second later while Patti was still singing, she wouldn't have been able to stop and recover the way she did. The moment was so shocking that the entire audience gasped when it rang and looked over in the direction of the ring.

lc

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 7:51pm

Well, Miss Patti is a diva extraordinaire...I have not had any bad experiences with her at all. Here's how I first met her: When I initially submitted questions to her "Ask Patti", I eventually got around to asking her if it would be o.k. if I could meet her backstage at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas (November 2000). I mentioned my name to the theatre mgt. This particular lady then talked with Miss Patti's representative/personal asst. to verify that I had made prior arrangements. As her concert ended, the crowd left and then the workers started to take down various bits of equipment. Mind you, I was nervous about meeting someone like her. As the time approached, I saw her walking down the theatre in her black leather jacket and her big glasses. She was so warm and put me at ease. I had a couple of things for her to sign we talked for a bit. I really don't know what to say to that person who didn't have a great experience. All I can think of to say is that famous people are human. They have flaws just like everyone else. Even with that unfortunate circumstance, all in all, Miss LuPone appreciates her fans and their support. Having had a chance to meet her in Austin, Dallas,Houston, SF and NYC, I can only speak of the wonderful experiences in meeting her.
from Roman in Austin, Texas... the official Patti LuPone FANatic
P.S. I'm flying into NYC from May 29 -- June 1st and staying at the Da Vinci. I'd be intrigued to meet a local person from this site to chat a bit (and also help me take some pictures.) We could possibly meet at the Cosmic Diner by 8th and West 52nd. I loved that place during my first visit to NYC.

[istillbelieve24601]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 8:31pm

I've never met Patti, but I've heard fantastic things about her from my mom and one of her closest friends. When my Mom and her friend were in their teens, they met Patti outside her stage door in Evita. Patti and my mother's friend struck up a conversation and eventually she invited both of them into her dressing room. Patti became sort of a mentor figure to my mom's friend, because they both had gone thru similar things in life regarding their parents divorce. Eventually, Patti kept in contact and invited both of them to the Evita closing night party.

I've never met her, but from that story my mom has told me many times, she really doesn't seem like a diva to me.

[Effie]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 9:44pm

These "so and so is a bitch" posts always crack me up. Everybody has their grumpy moments. The only difference is that when you're famous, people rush to the internet and proclaim to the world that the real you has been ummasked. Maybe she was having a bad day. Yeesh.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 9:47pm

I don't know about this situation, but I saw Patti in Sweeney three times, and every time I stagedoored, she was nothing but gracious to me.

Everyone has their bad days.

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 9:55pm

I had a bad stagedoor experience with her too, but I think that ade me love her more. She's a diva, she's a bitch, and I love her!

[McCall2]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 10:26pm

Well, it was definitely a bad time to have a bad moment -- in front of over 100 fans who were invited to a reception where you were the featured attraction. This was way more painful than just a bad stage door moment! Anyway I don't think it deserves a lynching, but definitely merits comment. And much was made that night!

[Luvinbroadway]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 10:57pm

I've only had WONDERFUL experiences meeting Patti. Anyone else find it strange that those "who were there" and those who are complaining just joined the board yesterday or today.
Hmmmm...

Posted: 5/22/07 at 11:05pm

Honestly? I'd be a bit disappointed if Patti didn't act like a diva at times. I'm normally the last person to condone such behavior, but come on. It's Patti F*CKing LuPone.

[Luvinbroadway]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 11:20pm

The real story from the theater's website:
Dear Patrons and Friends:
The Zeiterion Theater extends their apologies to all premium
ticketholders who attended the Meet and Greet which was announced to be
held following Patti LuPone's performance on May 19, 2007. Due to a
lack of information and communication with Ms. LuPone regarding this
event, she was unaware of what was to occur post-performance for premium
ticket holders, thus causing a severe scheduling conflict. Ms. LuPone
is always more than happy to dedicate her time to meeting with fans, and
regrets that they had to be subject to such miscommunication. The
Zeiterion Theater apologizes to Ms. LuPone and audience members for any
distress and confusion this may have caused.

Many thanks for your support of her wonderful concert and
the Zeiterion Theater.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 11:25pm

And here's the link.

lc
apology

[Maileh]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 11:27pm

Well, that's an appropriate response. Obviously it was just a mixup and many people got a little pissed, including her.

So just to explain regarding the above "Anyone else find it strange that those "who were there" and those who are complaining just joined the board yesterday or today.
Hmmmm... "

I know not of the others but my explanation is that it was weird that night and I knew people there were upset so I googled Lupone and Zeiterion reception to see if anyone was talking about it and this is what came up. Having been there, I just wanted to, like I said, add my 2 cents. So I signed up to do that. Big LuPone fan and all, it was a subject of interest to me.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 11:30pm

Welcome to the boards, Maileh. It's never dull here.

lc

[stevie-Y2]

Posted: 5/23/07 at 12:15am

Wow. I mean wow. This was my first post of all time and almost 2000 folks have read it?? And I only joined so I could vent a little bit about Patti blowing my mind with that "this is not a question and answer session."

And then someone compared me, Stevie-Y (not Stevie-Y2 (that was a typo because my cats were in my face!)), to Bernadette Peters, as if that's an insult, hah! it's so not, as if there's a rivalry between Bernadette and Patti.

Btw, you guys play rough! I kinda like that...

So, the responses ranged from Patti's the bitchiest, most arrogant person in the world and I love her specifically for that reason to...

There must have been some sort of miscommunication... (that's an interesting one, the Z theater is saying as much now on their website. I call it damage control and bunch of sh** because I was there and as Jim-Bob, operator 12 would say, "I find that very difficult to believe, sir."

And finally, there was the - Yes, Patti is a bitch, inconsiderate and mean, and wake up and smell the coffee. This is news to you, Stevie-Y??

Well, I prefer for my stars to be nice as well as talented, like Barry Manilow, or Yo-yo Ma.

But let me say this about that, and all your comments have validity, Patti is not a nice person. Even if there was a communication error, which I don't believe for a second, couldn't she take fifteen, f-ing minutes to answer a few mundane questions? Patti, who was your inspiration? Pattie, which was your favorite song? Patti, have you and ALW made up yet? Stupid questions to mollify the simpletons. These people she was so rude to are the people who love her, really love her, and have lifted her to the heights of glory and celebrity she enjoys. I'm an old guy who really doesn't care, I really don't; I didn't go to meet her but was excited to do just that. I'm sort of glad it turned out the way it did b/c it was great theater, of course and a better story than if I'd gotten to shake her hand while her eyes glazed over at the boredom of having to meet me. But I now know she sucks as a person. Oh god, I just realize -- that makes me love her even more!

And yes, I was also in Portsmouth and heard that dreaded cell phone go off - what a moron. And yes, Patti, on this ocassion, was very restrained and even funny.

And now that I've read all your various views, some of them absurd, some of them quite insightful, all of them entertaining, I feel like I've had therapy and I've gotten over this. I'm even a little embarrassed I whined about it to begin with.

Patti, you suck. You're mean, you're thoughtless, you're selfish, and godammit, you sing like no one else and I'll be there to watch you the very next chance I get.

Stevie-Y, aka Bernadette Peters, out.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/23/07 at 12:23am

Stevie, you do know is is possible she had a bad day, or was tired, or wasn't informed about this whole thing. Unless you were backstage with her, you don't know what happened. She is human, and you don't really know the circumstances. You have a right to be dissapointed, but things happen.


And, I don't think asking her about her relationship with Andrew Lloyd Webber is a good idea.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 5/23/07 at 7:30am

Jesus Christ, you're gonna say all that after one bad experience with her?

She's a wonderful woman who had a bad day. Am I saying that what she did was okay? No. Could she have handled it better? Yes. But she didn't, and it doesn't make me adore her any less, as a person and a performer.