Why hasn't Patti LuPone played Dolly?

LuPone has always been told she should play Dolly in Hello, Dolly! In 2010, she was in talks to star in a Jack O'Brien-helmed revival of the show that never got off the ground because Jerry Herman allegedly didn't like the direction the show was taking... In 2017 when LuPone was doing War Paint, she told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live that the latest she heard was that Herman thought she was "too ethnic" for the role. On her most recent WWHL appearance, Cohen asked again if she would ever play Dolly, and she said that people have told her she should, but she didn't "understand it" (whatever that means - a slight at Herman perhaps?) and that she would love to do "The Matchmaker" the original play. Side bar: LuPone got her place at Juilliard with Dolly Levi's money speech from Wilder's play.

Any thoughts on this whole Patti-as-Dolly situation? It seemed a no brainer... I wonder was she ever in talks to replace Bette after War Paint closed? Any other information on any of this? Ok bye.

Updated On: 1/1/23 at 07:32 PM

Idk, I think Donna Murphy and Bernadette found interesting things to do with the role vocally and I think Patti would too. I’d love to see Patti in the role.

Dolly Levi requires heart. Patti is just too cold and brassy to find the tenderness of the role.

pmensky said: "Bill Snibson said: "Dolly Levi requires heart. Patti is just too cold and brassy to find the tenderness of the role."

Oh yeah, she could never match the warmth and tenderness that poured from predecessors like Phyllis Diller, Ethel Merman or Martha Raye. They were such warm, tender, Teddy bears, those gals. Get a clue."

yeah notice none of them are ever remembered fondly in the role

Ebersole was inspired - I would’ve gone back to see her, too - but I can understand why LuPone wouldn’t feel the need to follow the others in the role. It’s neither a perfect fit nor a stretch.

She’d be more interesting in Dear World.

Bill Snibson said: "pmensky said: "Bill Snibson said: "Dolly Levi requires heart. Patti is just too cold and brassy to find the tenderness of the role."

Oh yeah, she could never match the warmth and tenderness that poured from predecessors like Phyllis Diller, Ethel Merman or Martha Raye. They were such warm, tender, Teddy bears, those gals. Get a clue."

With this comment and comparison you literally unknowingly concur with my statement. Haha"

Uh, no. Your point was that she is too cold and brassy for the role, and my point was that being cold and brassy is obviously not an obstacle in getting cast.

I wouldn’t say Bette was naturally known for warmth either…

I agree that Lupone just does not have the warmth to play the role. Dolly requires heart and tenderness and vulnerability, qualities that Lupone simply does not have.

Betty registered touching warmth and tenderness as Dolly in the tour performance I saw.

Seems Patti is in that awkward position where she's not famous enough to open it, a la Bette Middler, but too famous to be willing to be a replacement. Sometimes even stars will replace if it's a role they love, but Patti's just not that passionate about it

Apparently, her name was bandied about in the aughts for a revival, but Jerry Herman thought she was “too ethnic.” Whatever that means. Too Italian? This is Patti’s story from an appearance on Andy Cohen’s show a few years ago.

Really, can anyone imagine Patti looking comfortable on Dolly's costumes?

I wish Mitzi Gaynor had played Dolly. The same with Goldie Hawn.