Thoughts On Patti LuPone Revival Of Little Night Music

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 3:16am

Wouldn't that be amazing with her as Desire? What do you think? Opinions cast Ideas

Updated On: 1/5/07 at 03:16 AM

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 3:27am

That would be good, real good!

I'm praying ALNM gets a second wind on Broadway! I would LOVE for it to be revived. Patti would be a key choice, and she'd tear the roooooof off (insert theatre here) with "Send in the Clowns" -- I would LOVE to see Michael Cerveris as Fredrik 'cause honestly, that pairing will and forever shall be GOLDEN in my eyes! OR maybe, maybe, maybe Mr. Patinkin? Your thoughts?
Updated On: 1/5/07 at 03:27 AM

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 4:46am

I don't know if I could see him as Fredick especially since he is suppose to be so much older the Henrick and Anne, I don't think Michael is at that age yet. I believe she did this show on the Festival awhile back she would be amazing with this show. Though I just want to see this show revived period

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:14am

Patti LuPone has already done the role in concert: at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. She wouldn't be right for a major revival. The role is not a good fit for her.

[madbrian]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:26am

I know this will rub the Pattiphiles the wrong way, but I'm tired of seeing her in revivals. I think she desperately needs to find an original role, even if it's not something as grand as Evita.

[Jon]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:31am

Isn't Desiree supposed to be beautiful???

Cerveris plauyed Count Carl Magnus a couple of years ago at Chicago Shakespeare.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:41am

Though I understand she was good in this show at Ravinia, I agree with Bennet that it is not an ideal fit. I think if it does make a return, it will probably be with Glenn Close (as it has been rumored for several seasons).
Though I'd love to see this on Bway again, wouldn't you think they'd cut the orchestra WAY back (like the Follies revival)? I can't imagine hearing that score with just a smattering of strings and with synthesizer. Just keep bringing it back to NYCO where it can get a nice full treatment (it was gorgeous there a couple seasons back).

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:49am

Well Desire is really just suppose to have this quality about her that men can't resist and she is the essential diva just like Patti, but now thinking about it more I would like to see her in an original role as well...

[madbrian]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:00am

Although I love Beth Leavel in the role, imagine if Ms. Lupone had gotten the role of the Drowsy Chaperone...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:01am

Desiree is a sophisticated European actress and should have a bit of world-weary quality about her. There should even be a fragility to her. LuPone would blast through the role ignoring the nuances of the role. LuPone should stick to the Ethel Merman catalog and do a revival of Call Me Madam.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:03am

But what the role requires is a glamourous, somewhat warm, earthy presence and as one of the original creative team put it: someone with a flair for "light comedy."

Whenever the discussion comes up on BWW - 90 percent of the suggestions wouldn't be right for the role. There is a reason Glynis Johns is considered by most to be the only person completely successful in the part - the role requires a delicate balance that is very rare and hard to find in a leading lady.

And Close isn't going to do it. She's too old at this point (she was first mentioned for a revival over ten years ago).
Updated On: 1/5/07 at 09:03 AM

[D2]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:06am

Michael Cerveris is, at this point, 12 years older than Len Cariou was when he opened in "A Little Night Music" in 1973. He is old enough to have a 21 year old son. He'd be a very good Frederick.

Patti LuPone as Desiree? No.

Patti LuPone as Sally Adams? Brilliant suggestion.

Updated On: 1/5/07 at 09:06 AM

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:05am

But, MB, being too old didn't stop Close when she played Blanche du Bois in London. She'd be closer to an appopriate age for Desiree than she was to an appropriate age for Blanche.

That having been said, I don't think she's ever going to play Desiree, though she's twice been rumored for it.

And thank God, or someone, for that.

I'm told that LuPone did a creditable job, but she is basically wrong for the role. And she's too old as well.

Really, Desiree should read as no more than 45. Unfortunately, we've had a number of 60ish Desirees, and that's just wrong for the character. It's reached the point that people seem to think the character should be 60. No.

[D2]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:34am

At the risk of sounding like Addison DeWitt, (and threadjacking) it seems like all "grandes dames" of musical theater are appropriated by women too old to play the parts. Dolly, Mame, Mama Rose, Desiree - people forget that Channing was only in her early 40's when she first played Dolly, Lansbury barely 40 when she played Mame. Merman, at 51, was too old even then for Rose but who's going to quibble with that.

But the ages notwithstanding, these roles are written for characters who are in early middle age - Rose starts the show with two small children, Mame as written starts in her mid-thirties and ages to early fifties. Dolly is in her forties, as is Desiree, another woman with a relatively young (13) child.

As strange as it may seem, of the current leading ladies of the stage it is Kristen Chenowith, Idina Menzel, Brooke Shields, Donna Murphy, Sarah Jessica Parker, etc, who are closing in on being the right age for these parts. All of them hovering around 40.

And IMHO I think Brooke Shields would make a ravishing Desiree. An odd choice perhaps, but she has proven she can handle a major musical.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:44am

Frankly, having seen Shields in CHICAGO, I'd much rather listen to her sing than Close.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 2:33pm

I think both Donna Murphy and Audra McDonald would make good Desirees if they don't "over-sing" the role.
Marc Kudisch as Fredrick, Steven Sutcliffe as Henrik (or is he too old for the role at this point? ), and Marin Mazzie as Charlotte would make a great ensemble. I've always wanted to see Laura Benanti playing Anne (which she has done at least twice, I believe) but at this point the role is too small for her and she is too old for it. Who would make a good Anne?

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 2:46pm

Elena Shaddow, perhaps? But she should probably do it soon if she's going to do it.

Marin Mazzie seems to me a bit old for Charlotte at this point, but she might be a good choice for Desiree.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 3:23pm

I would love to see Bernadette Peters as Desiree, I really don't know who else is right for the role. Laura Benanti would be my first choice as Anne also, and I don't think she is too old to do it. And I know this would NEVER happen, but I would love to see Kristin Chenoweth as Petra (I really want to hear her sing The Miller's Son).

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 6:08pm

I agree with earlier sentiments that Ms. LuPone should originate a new role. I know that she was lauded for really re-inventing Mrs. Lovett, but I would love to see her be the first one to tacke a certain role on Broadway.

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 6:13pm

Cynthia Nixon. She has the sophistication and irony, along with a touch of earthiness that would be perfect. And she's the right age and would look great. And Peter Gallagher as Frederick.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 6:28pm

Sutton Foster for Petra.

Ann Crumb for Desiree.

Mary Louise Wilson for Madame Armfeldt

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 6:47pm

I still want Vicki Clark as Desiree, with Angela Freaking Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 6:53pm

I wanna hear Lansbury sing Liasons, it'd be divine.

As for Desiree? Lord knows I love Patti LuPone, but I'll echo the other opinions on this board that she's not right for the role (though I think she should have originated Petra in 73, that would have been amazing) and I'd love to see her in something new. Clark would be good, oh... I don't know, someone new.

[ChanceWayne]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:12pm

Patti as Desiree? Oh come on folks! DESIREe....key word here. Patti physically desirable? Can we say anteater. A woman whose physical beauty has wives holding on tightly to their husband's sleeves. I believe when Glynis was being troublesome in previews they threatened to replace her with Tammy Grimes. Now THAT would have been a perfect fit. As for the earlier statement.. "Wouldn't she tear the roof off with her "Send in the Clowns"? Tear the roof off?? Can we say "subtlety" here? Since when does one equate the delivery of that song as a tearing the roof off the theatre number? It's a quiet bittersweet tender moment in the musical...not a "Everything's Coming Up Desireeee's". Patti as Desiree is about as close a fit as Elaine Stritch playing the role in her youth.

[roquat]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:28pm

Patti Lupone is way too strong for Desiree, and I couldn't see her pining away for years after a man. She's much more right for Charlot, but she would never take a supporting role.

How about Christine Ebersole, who is finally starting to come into her own as a Broadway musical diva? She would bring just the right mix of anger and heartbreak to "Send in the Clowns."