Seeing La LuPone tonight in Bev Hills- Page 2

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 12:03am

Could you post the Grammy story again? I'd love to read it. 

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 12:35am

I just don't know if it was deleted, or if I messed up while posting it. They should tell you when something gets deleted. Almost all of this was already known, so I don't understand. But, Ok, here goes:

Patti was on Theater Talk in October, and said some negative stuff about ALW. Bertram Fields, ALW's lawyer, sent Patti a cease and desist letter, and threatened that if she kept saying those things about ALW, she would get sued.

Then ALW sent Patti a letter saying he had no intention of suing, which for some reason was followed by yet another letter from Bert Fields restating his intention to sue. This takes us to December.

In January, Patti gets a call from the Grammys asking if she would sing in a tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber. She replied "Does HE know about this?" and they said that yes, he'd approved it. Patti was shocked. Patti agrees to do it. She didn't say why, but it seemed to me that she thought that if ALW was extending this olive branch, there was no reason for her not to take it.

She told the story of the rehearsal, and his coming in and her declaring "detente" And she said "and we got to work" Goddamn I admire her.

There was a little weirdness with Seth bringing up an aspect of the Grammys that Patti may not have been privy to that I told in my last story, so I will leave that out this time in hopes that the story stays up.

Patti said that while she was singing on the show, she'd decided to look at Lorde and Bruno Mars. She said that Lorde looked very bored. So she said it gave her an "edge" in the second half of the song.

Patti said that ALW was effusive in his praise to her face, and he sent her a nice thank you letter.

At some point Patti said "Detente on Sunday, over on Monday!" She was joking, I think. I would not say that she and Andrew Lloyd Webber are friends, or that she's even ok with him, but I think she can more easily co-exist with him, and accept his role in her career.


 

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 2/16/18 at 12:35 AM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 12:51am

Some other random tidbits.

At some point, she accidentally used the pronoun "she" when talking about Stephen Sondheim. People laughed, and so did Patti and Seth. This was very odd to me because Elaine Stritch did the EXACT same thing. I can't remember where I saw it. But in Elaine's case she said it, and the audience laughed, and Elaine scolded the audience for laughing.

Patti said she doesn't think Sondheim likes her. Partly due to her not being cast as a replacement for Sunday in the Park with George. Again, I think Elaine Stritch had the same feeling about Sondheim. Which prompts the question, "who DOES he like?"

She made some interesting comments about Madonna. Seth said something about Speed the Plow being bad and Patti corrected him "NO! It's a great play!" And she talked about Madonna in the role, and that she ruined the play. Not because she was bad, Patti said. But because she was so stunningly beautiful, and had such a great body, you couldn't take your eyes off her. She was distracting. You couldn't hear the play while she was on stage. She wasn't being sarcastic either.

There was a discussion about David Merrick. Seth brought him up as a villain and Patti goes "I thought he was great. She was a Showman. Showmen don't EXIST anymore" So talked about how she admired this guy who she had such a bad experience with. He cut Meadowlark for God sake. That's one of the reasons I admire Patti. She can eventually see things like that.

The discussion parts were really enlightening. Not the same old stories.

 

 

 

 

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 12:59am

I just posted the whole Grammys story, with one small part left out in hopes that it stays up. And also posted some tid bits from the discussion.

If they're not there as you read this, I've saved them. PM me and I'll forward them..

 

[binau]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 1:09am

Was the comment RE: Sondheim not liking her said in jest or completely deadpan serious? That's an interesting perception. 

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 2:17am

I'd love to hear the story about her meeting La Merm if it's worth telling

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 11:11am

It’s crazy how similar Patti can be to Elaine at times. Elaine often expressed insecurity about her relationship with Sondheim and it sounds like Patti feels similar. Clearly he likes Patti and has allowed her to take on several roles when it’s right. He also looked full of joy when she was performing Ladies and Priest at the Birthday concert.
I think it was the same with Elaine, I still wish he commented on her death at the time, but I understand he’s a very private person.

Updated On: 2/16/18 at 11:11 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 11:24am

I love how refreshingly honest and full of candor she always is. Her responses to these questions always seem genuine, as opposed to some others whose answers feel like they’ve been run through the publicist and lack any realness.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 11:26am

qolbinau It was said as serious as you can imagine. Kind of resigned. "I don't think he likes me" Seth tried to resist that idea, and Patti kept pushing back. Until finally Patti said "Ok, fine, Seth. He LOVES me" and Seth moved on. haha.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 11:29am

NOWaWarning I will tell it a bit later. The story of them meeting is kinda nothing, but Patti had a funny anecdote involving her. One that I'd never ever heard before. It's really amazing the woman is an endless font of interesting.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 11:31am

adamgreer yeah. She's always been pretty open, but I think now she speaks in an interview like she's speaking to her friends. Really very little filter. It's quite fun to be a part of. Seth does a great job with bringing it out of her too.

Updated On: 2/16/18 at 11:31 AM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 12:53pm

She met Merman because Ann Miller loved being on Broadway ("No, you don't understand, she LOVED being on Broadway" Patti added) And Ann would regularly host these soirees with everyone on Broadway, and Ann's friends. She imitated Ann "Patti! Come oveah heaah and meet Ethel!"

Patti also spoke about protesting the Vietnam war while at Juilliard. A bunch of performing arts students got together, and were asking the people starring in shows at the time to stop in the middle and protest some event or person related to the war (Patti said exactly what it was. She has an amazing memory)

She talked about all the people that were approached. They were each assigned to somehow get backstage and talk to the star. I guess that was much more possible then than it would be now. Patti was assigned Lauren Bacall (who was doing Applause, I believe) and said she was sympathetic to her cause. But whoever got Ethel heard Ethel scream "GET THESE COMMIES OUTTA HERE!"

BTW as a side note- you can hear a tape of opening night of Evita somewhere. During Rainbow High, Patti looks directly at Lauren Bacall and sings the "Lauren Bacall" line with gusto. The audience laughs and cheers. Then at the DRESSED UP, SOMEWHERE TO GO line, where they slap the mink stole on her the audience goes nuts. I've seen many, many other women do that, no one else gets applause at that point. It is thrilling. My God, I am as gay as it gets.

I still think Patti's performance in Evita was supernatural. I always ponder this question- If I could either see Streisand in Funny Girl, or Patti in Evita, which would I pick? I still have no idea. I'm glad I'll never have to make that decision!

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 2/16/18 at 12:53 PM

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 3:31pm

Great observations about the show.

And it's nice that Seth was mentioned so little.  He's truly one of the most annoying individuals in the community and I can't stand to hear him speak for more than a sentence or two at a time.

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 3:56pm

BenjaminNicholas2 said: "Great observations about the show.

And it's nice that Seth was mentioned so little. He's truly one of the most annoying individuals in the community and I can't stand to hear him speak for more than a sentence or two at a time."

You're not the only one...

[smidge]

Posted: 2/16/18 at 6:40pm

For those have seen Patti's Don't Monkey with Broadway does she stick to the same set list of the CD? Or does she ever mix it up?

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/17/18 at 1:20pm

smidge I haven't seen that one yet. But I would bet that, as with her other concert shows, it's pretty much the same show to show.

qolbinau I wanted to say that you have been, over the years, my favorite poster here. I only show up and post once a year or so, but you are consistently the most thoughtful, smart, and insightful person on the site. I'm so glad you got your Bernadette in Dolly.

I always wanted to mention, Patti went into the whole story of her and Arthur Laurents, and Jolson Sings Again- she told it in really a spellbinding way. At some point, Arthur calls her, and screams "YOU SUNK MY PLAY!" Patti said she was crying at the time, but now she answered. She said "No, no, no. You (and she pointed into the air) sunk your play" And she talked about how ridiculous the notion of an actor turning down a part harming a play is. Again 100% correct.

I just wanted to say, that as these two shows have sunk in, and, again, it may be the last time I get to see Patti, that I feel so lucky to have been able to spend hour after hour over the years watching her perform. In Anything Goes, at Carnegie Hall, at the Westwood Playhouse, at the Hollywood Bowl, in Orange County, in Sweeney Todd, in Gypsy, in Santa Monica and in Beverly Hills. Each time I saw her live was an absolute thrill. She will never know I felt this way, and I doubt she'd really care. But for me, she is a real role model in persevering through tough times.

And thanks to Seth for bringing her to me. I can't get to NY much anymore, so it was great to have this show here.

 

 

 

Updated On: 2/17/18 at 01:20 PM

[David10086]

Posted: 2/17/18 at 4:28pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Whenever an artist does 2 shows, always go to 2nd show. Not only are they in a better mood having tested the material in that venue but 1st shows have a set end time to allow a break between shows and emptying venue for 2nd show audience. 2nd show can run as long as they want so extra material is always performed."

Thank You for that info! I learn something new all the time when I visit this board. It seems obvious now, but before I read your advice, I would have never realized how much sense it makes.

lovebwy - Thank you so much for sharing all your stories about LuPone the other night. Very enjoyable! 

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 2/17/18 at 7:10pm

lovebwy said: "Patti also spoke about protesting the Vietnam war while atJuilliard. A bunch of performing arts students got together, and were asking the people starring in shows at the time to stop in the middle and protest some event or person related to the war (Patti said exactly what it was. She has an amazing memory"

An "amazing memory" is hardly required in this case. She said they were protesting Kent State, which is a reference to the shooting of unarmed college students by the Ohio National Guard in 1970.  For those of us alive back then, it is easily recalled as one of the most horrible and significant events of the 70s.



 

 

 

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/17/18 at 7:13pm

Of course, yes. I'm sorry, I should've remembered that detail.

[AMWB]

Posted: 2/19/18 at 1:15pm

Well THIS won’t drive me crazy for all eternity.....
??????????????

“There was a little weirdness with Seth bringing up an aspect of the Grammys that Patti may not have been privy to that I told in my last story, so I will leave that out this time in hopes that the story stays up”

[AMWB]

Posted: 2/19/18 at 1:17pm

LoveBWY:

Thank you so much for sharing all the details!! Sounds like an amazing night. And yes, it’s quite incredible how full of stories she is and how many people she knows and stories she is wrapped up in.

And then there’s that VOICE. !!

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/20/18 at 1:22am

AMWB What the hell. I'll tell it.

So while he was setting up Don't Cry For Me Argentina, Seth made the comment to the audience "Now, I don't want you guys to be like the Grammys audience." Seth was referring to the crowd shot right after the song that showed a row of people remaining seated and not clapping for Patti. It became a meme, and lots of people talked about it on social media. Seth assumed Patti was aware of it.

She wasn't. Seth makes the joke, the audience laughs, and Patti goes "what do you mean by that?" The look on Seth's face was PRICELESS. He clearly realized he'd stepped in it. And he clearly did NOT want to be the one to bring it to Patti's attention. "It was a joke" he replied. But Patti insisted "no, but what did it MEAN?"

I was mortified for Seth. Seth just barely escaped and said "Just that they didn't do the audience response part of the song at the end" which doesn't even really make sense, but whatever. He QUICKLY moved on to another topic.

I think Seth may have thought that telling her that would upset her, and maybe ruin her mood.

 

 

 

 

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/20/18 at 1:28am

AMWB- you are very welcome. It was a great evening, and both audiences got their money's worth, for sure.

I know years and years ago Patti did a one woman Broadway show and it flopped. She really needs to do something more along the lines of At Liberty. Get a first rate playwright to help her craft the story of her life. It might be cool if she got into the seedier side of the story. The hockey player, if there was any drug use at all, ect.

 

[AMWB]

Posted: 2/20/18 at 10:10am

lovebwy said: "AMWBWhat the hell. I'll tell it.

So while he was setting up Don't Cry For Me Argentina, Seth made the comment to the audience "Now, I don't want you guys to be like the Grammys audience." Seth was referring to the crowd shot right after the song that showed a row of people remaining seated and not clapping for Patti. It became a meme, and lots of people talked about it on social media. Seth assumed Patti was aware of it.

She wasn't. Seth makes the joke, the audience laughs, and Patti goes "what do you mean by that?" The look on Seth's face was PRICELESS. He clearly realized he'd stepped in it. And he clearly did NOT want to be the one to bring it to Patti's attention. "It was a joke" he replied. But Patti insisted "no, but what did it MEAN?"
"

Oh WOW.  Ouch.  I can only imagine Seth died a few little deaths inside when that happened.  Patti is not one to go watch recordings of her performances and she isn’t on social media, so for her the stadium was cheering and she was rightly proud in her moment, and moved on.  

Oh ouch.  

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 2/20/18 at 10:17am

I think the audience response at the Grammy's thing was blown a little out of proportion. There is usually a slight delay, particularly on live broadcasts in the editing sync, and the audience reaction shots are usually in relationship to something a few seconds before the moment they are supposedly reacting to and so I think sometimes are not really an accurate read.  That may be why from LuPone's perspective she didn't see what we on television saw.