Why hasn't Patti LuPone played Dolly?

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 7:32pm

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

[pmensky]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 7:38pm

Dolly is such a vocally boring and unchallenging role. Her voice would be wasted on it. I’d also rather see her do The Matchmaker.

[binau]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 7:48pm

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. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 7:53pm

Her costar, Christine Ebersole, was supposedly going to do a stint on Broadway and then open the tour. But that obviously didn’t happen.

She’d be a great Dolly. There are many people who would be great in that part. But it just didn’t happen. She would have sold very few tickets if she replaced Bette (fewer than Bernadette), and you’ll recall that she left War Paint to get a hip replacement and then “retire” from musicals (ha).

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 8:05pm

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

[pmensky]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 9:14pm

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.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 9:17pm

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

[BJR]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 9:52pm

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

Cold? She's fire!

Agree she may not be a cuddly presence onstage but I think she'd play it with tons of sentiment. I can just see her welling up during the Parade speech to Ephraim.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 11:06pm

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]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 11:18pm

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 

[pmensky]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 11:26pm

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.

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 1/1/23 at 11:37pm

Ummmm what? 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/2/23 at 12:37am

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

[David10086]

Posted: 1/2/23 at 2:18am

Betty Buckley isn’t known for her warmth and tenderness either, but she’s the one who toured with it. 

[mikey2573]

Posted: 1/2/23 at 9:50pm

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. 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/2/23 at 10:09pm

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."

Both Raye and Diller were quite touching in their monologues with Ephraim. And they sang well. Merman, on the other hand, sang well but was an ice box of emotion.

[KODALY]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 1:10am

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

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 1:30am

KODALY said: "Betty registered touching warmth and tenderness as Dolly in the tour performance I saw.

You're lucky you got to see her. From what I gather she missed over 30 performances, including the entire San Diego run.

 

[Rainah]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 8:51am

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

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 9:49am

Rainah said: "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"

 

Patti replaced in MASTER CLASS and was downright brilliant

 

 

[jv92]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 9:57am

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. 

[Strange Lupone]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 10:41am

Ever notice how Patti is always the victim?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 10:42am

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

[jv92]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 10:47am

Strange Lupone said: "Ever notice how Patti is always the victim?"

Oh yes, and I roll my eyes in almost every case now, but I don’t see how “too ethnic” would be a concern. Too cold, too self-absorbed, not all that charming— yes.  

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/3/23 at 11:34am

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