Who was LuPones original alternate in Evita?

[Londonskyguy]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:32pm

If you google patti lupone you will find an interesting interview with Ms. LuPone and Mr. Patinkin. In the interview Ms. LuPone, ( whom I adore by the way ) , mentions that her alernate was a real " Eve Harrington",, Thats new dirt to me! Any info on this?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:33pm

Wasn't it Nancy Opel?

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:33pm

Terry Klausner.

EDIT: Nancy was the original understudy, but Terry did the matinees. Then, when Terry left to do Sophisticated Ladies, Nancy took over as alternate.

Updated On: 10/21/07 at 08:33 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:38pm

Beat me to it, Besty

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:39pm

And I will say this on Terry's behalf...

This was one of the first times that an "alternate" had been used for a leading role on Broadway. Terry was confused by the "job," and thought she would be "sharing" the responsibilities of being Eva Peron in this show.

Not so.

She was a glorified understudy, and ultimately it devastated her. She got none of the glory, even though she was simultaneously "creating" the role of Evita for American audiences.

I can't say I blame her for going through an identity crisis.

Even today, as rare as it is, "alternates" understand what they are getting into... Terry did not.

Wait... Is it "Terri?"

Forgive my spelling, if it is.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:41pm

Here's a link to the full article:
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/10667617.html

It's a very interesting interview, I hadn't realized Patti and Mandy were so close.

[Londonskyguy]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:41pm

Well thats what I thought to as to whom the players were,, but any info on what went down that was so "Eve Harrington esque",, about the situation?

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:41pm

It's "Terri", best12bars.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:42pm

It is Terri.

Also, Patti speaks of how scared she was throughout the entire situation. And I've heard stories of how the cast hated Patti and whenever Terri got a positive review, they would put it up on the wall and tear down Patti's. I can see how Patti would confuse these actions as somehow being Terri's fault.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:42pm

Mea culpa.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 10:23pm

My God, this woman needs a bio-pic. It's like "Mommie Dearest" without wire hangers.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 10:24am

Terri did do something that was smart.

She was cast to do the matinees and the producers thought she would show up Wednesdays and Saturdays, sing the role, take the money and that would be it. Terri said to them, "Hey, the cast won't get to know me. Put me into the show in the ensemble in a role that can be cut for matinees." They did and she was in the theatre 8 shows a week.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 10:32am

As Patti's blog shows us, she's someone who always acts with the utmost logic and reason.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 11:28am

Terri is from my home town, and I'm sorry I never got to see her in Evita or Sophisticated Ladies (she was already gone when I saw those two shows). I did, however, see her perform at our former Pink Tent Festival (arts festival) where she sang a few songs, including, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina". She was wonderful.

Ironically, Patti Lupone was out the night I saw Evita for the first time. I paid $30 for a front row seat (which when you're 16 like I was, that was a lot of money). I enjoyed Nancy Opel's performance, but I was really there to see Patti. What a disappointment.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 11:42am

I missed Terri and Patti in Evita (saw Derin Altay the first time) but I did see Terri in "Goblin Market" with Ann Morrison a few times and it was magical.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:23pm

Mandy doing "Franklin Shepard, Inc." I think I'd kill to see him do that.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:33pm

Really? I'd kill to avoid seeing him do that.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:34pm

In 1980, The New York Times did a short review of alternates and standbys in current shows and they reviewed Terri Klausner's Eva.

Great praise and they compared her dancing to Patti's. Terri's was picked over Patti's.

I think I still have this clipping in my souvenir program of EVITA. Gonna check this out.

NOTE: to Wanna Be A Foster -- yes, there are a few souvenir programs I've kept; this being one of them.

[peterjoshua]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:25pm

Wow... very interesting article! You don't think much about either of them being all that vulnerable, so it's interesting to hear about their fears -- especially amid the craziness of EVITA.

Terri Klausner's coming here to Austin for two nights in April. Now I'm looking forward to it even more than I already was!! :)

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:35pm

Both LuPone and Patinkin love victimizing themselves in interviews. It gets old.
By this point, Patinkin has become such a caricature of himself, I would hate to see how he would ruin "Franklin Shepard, Inc."

[Buck]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:10pm

>In 1980, The New York Times did a short review of alternates and standbys in current shows and they reviewed Terri Klausner's Eva.<

Hey, I remember that article! It was written by Frank Rich before he became the lead NYT drama critic.

And the Prince version of "Evita" was incredibly dance heavy....not. LOL. Too bad his review didn't make Terri a Broadway star. She was fine in the role but lacked charisma (though she did strangely enough look like Lucille Ball at times) and Patti left her in the dust in the acting department. LuPone found equal parts humor and pathos for a very risky performance while Klausner danced and sang nicely. Does any know why Terri never played "Evita" again? I'm surprised she didn't take over the role at some point. Could it possibly be that she was just ok in the role?
Updated On: 10/22/07 at 03:10 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:18pm

God, it's like the entire world craps on them.

I've never seen anything like it...they really need to gain some perspective.

[Effie]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 4:16pm

If they had perspective, they wouldn't be actors.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 5:08pm

Now I am sure I saw Terri play Evita in San Francisco and she really did an amazing job in the role. I'm sorry I missed Patti but I remember being amazed by an understudy. She was so wonderful. I was surprised she wasn't the lead. I don't remember much dancing though at all. It was though a very powerful performance compared to many of the shows I saw during that time period.

[ThankstoPhantom]

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

If they had perspective, they wouldn't be actors.

I'm sorry...what?!

I think it's ridiculous how people indulge "The Patti" and her crew in their self-victimizing statements.

It urks me to see how she always throws her misfortunes on others. "No one told me how to sing it!" "No one told me you can mark a sitz-probe!" Give me a break! I'm sure she's been a victim of circumstance, but damn, grow up...not everything is others' faults!

Updated On: 10/22/07 at 05:22 PM