La LuPone. Loops. Actress. Singer. Mother. Patti. Diva. Bitch. Belter. Legend.
Ah – Ms. Patti Ann LuPone. It was bound to happen.
If you know anything about me (or have spent at least 30 seconds in my home), you know what a major LuPone fan I am. My respect for her work has led me on many journeys — from forging new friendships to countless trips to Ravinia to a memorable trip to NYC to see an even more memorable performance, topped by an even more memorable post-show experience that led to the ultimate LuPone experience, which even made its way into a book.
While my crazy fangirlness has dramatically cooled over the past year, I still think she’s the top. There simply is no other current musical theatre actress of her caliber. But let’s face it: Broadway stars are essentially extinct. (Well, there’s Bernadette Peters and Betty Buckley — but they haven’t been in a Broadway show for several years, for whatever bizarre reason.) And those actors who do bring in an audience are usually slumming it for a few months before they catch the next flight back to Hollywood. Those “born to the boards,” as they say, are simply working hands, living from job to job. Sure, a starring role may come along, but soon they are back in the audition pool, at square one. Somehow, LuPone has been able to achieve the unthinkable in this modern age: Sustain an uncompromising career as a musical theatre leading lady.
Rather than rehashing all I’ve said before about LuPone, just search my blog. Warning: There are over five years of posts here — and as I note in the disclaimer on my site, I take no responsibility for my younger, dumber self.
However, in case you don’t care to mine through all that mayhem, here are some notable posts:
- A recap of my experiences at the Ravinia Sondheim series — which starred LuPone
- Patti LuPone and Debbie Reynolds
- LuPone plays Naperville
- When divas fight (or who exactly owns that tired standard, “Meadowlark”?)
- The night I bought Patti LuPone a dirty martini
…and the journey continues. I’ll be seeing her and Mandy Patinkin (her former Evita co-star) perform their evening of song and scenes March 2 at the Cadillac Palace.
Read previous Diva Friday columns >
3 Comments
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
I will forever hate myself for missing her in Naperville. I remember visiting her website a few days after the concert and seeing that she had done it. Gah. It still makes me feel gross just thinking about it. But alas, I was young and stupid and didn’t understand how to use the internet apparently.
I’m excited to hear about her upcoming concert. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it, so I’ll have to live vicariously through your report.
The venue at Naperville is like a high school auditorium — really a unique place to see a true diva play.
[...] LuPone calls Andrew Lloyd Webber an ‘alcoholic’ Ah. Patti LuPone. We love (or hate!) her for her voice, her acting, and her trademark candor. And now: LuPone leaves [...]