Was Streisand the first to sing the Sunset Blvd songs to the public? — Page 2

"Were Paige or Streisand unable/unwilling to open the show?"

Paige was unknown in NYC. Streisand wouldn't have done the show for any price. She wants control of everything she works on.

Patti was the logical choice because she was known both in London and Broadway. Of the other choices, Betty Buckley was a bit too "cray-cray" to create the role. Once the role was defined, then she could come in as a replacement.

Andrew Lloyd Weber had to tread carefully because he had already created a firestorm by bringing his wife in Phantom of the Opera and then using her as a replacement in Aspects of Love. The leading lady had to be someone Broadway approved of.

But he once again created a firestorm by opening the show in LA rather than Broadway. And surprised people by casting Glenn Close whose singing ability was always questionable.

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Castlestreet,

The reason why ALW has never said anything about Patti is because he had a gag order placed on him as a part of her settlement that he couldn't talk about her performance anymore.

And to be honest, if I was publicly humiliated for a year straight and told what a terrible performer I was, how someone else would be better in my part, and that I was going to be fired I would still be pretty bitter about it. Further more, she only brings him up when someone else (an interviewer) does.

AngelorPhantom,

I get that he had the gag order, but that applied to both sides, and she hasn't kept her end of the bargain.

Also, she goes after him over things not even related to Sunset, i.e. calling him a drunk, that he has a drug problem- which last I knew was deflamation...

Now again, I happen to enjoy a lot of what the guy has written, I also thinks he acts like an ass- all I'm saying is that the more she continues to run him into the ground each and every chance she gets, and he never says a bad word about her- just starts to make her look bad.

And this is coming from someone who, while she was far from my favorite Norma, I happen to adore Patti LuPone- but whats fair is fair.

Leadingplayer was right- the critics were awful to her, Webber mishandled the situation- but he never told her she was awful, or couldn't sing/act- he gave her part away because the fate of a $12 million musical on Broadway was in the balance- and the NY Critics already said- we don't like her in the part.