From the moment in Act I where she raises her arms into a “V” and the house lighting moves from the front to the back thus re-creating her iconic and Tony-Award winning pose from Evita, Patti LuPone wraps the audience around her finger for unforgettable evening of the songs she coulda, woulda, shoulda and did sing.
“Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda” is a evening of song and story where Ms. LuPone uses humor and heartbreak to talk about her career in the theater while singing some of her greatest hits. Obviously best known for being the first actress to play the iconic role of Eva Peron on Broadway, Ms. LuPone’s biggest applause break came after singing the shows anthem “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” shortly before the intermission on Friday night. Using quips about her diva reputation too introduce the song saying, “This was the role I wanted to play, but NO! I had to play this,” extending her arms into the role’s signature pose she easily got a two-minute applause break before being able to actually start the song. By the time she finished, half the audience were on their feet and the other half still amazed that thirty years later she can still define the role that brought fortune and fame.
From then on out the evening was hers and she leads the audience through her history as an actress and her love through the theatre performing such hits as, “How to Handle a Woman” from Camelot, the title track from Anyone Can Whistle and “A Wonderful Guy” from South Pacific.
Ultimately what makes Ms. LuPone such a great actress is that while her history in the American theatre is extensive, the stories behind each of her roles seem like the plot of a Broadway musical itself. She maybe most famous for Evita but she has made not secret that she herself hated the role. This however doesn’t stop her from flawlessly performing the shows anthem because she understands what her fans want and that as long as she performs for them they will never leave her side. In the end this trait only benefits Ms. LuPone because it allows her to takes risks that other actresses would only dream about.
“Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda” is a evening of song and story where Ms. LuPone uses humor and heartbreak to talk about her career in the theater while singing some of her greatest hits. Obviously best known for being the first actress to play the iconic role of Eva Peron on Broadway, Ms. LuPone’s biggest applause break came after singing the shows anthem “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” shortly before the intermission on Friday night. Using quips about her diva reputation too introduce the song saying, “This was the role I wanted to play, but NO! I had to play this,” extending her arms into the role’s signature pose she easily got a two-minute applause break before being able to actually start the song. By the time she finished, half the audience were on their feet and the other half still amazed that thirty years later she can still define the role that brought fortune and fame.
From then on out the evening was hers and she leads the audience through her history as an actress and her love through the theatre performing such hits as, “How to Handle a Woman” from Camelot, the title track from Anyone Can Whistle and “A Wonderful Guy” from South Pacific.
Ultimately what makes Ms. LuPone such a great actress is that while her history in the American theatre is extensive, the stories behind each of her roles seem like the plot of a Broadway musical itself. She maybe most famous for Evita but she has made not secret that she herself hated the role. This however doesn’t stop her from flawlessly performing the shows anthem because she understands what her fans want and that as long as she performs for them they will never leave her side. In the end this trait only benefits Ms. LuPone because it allows her to takes risks that other actresses would only dream about.
Ms. LuPone's no risk attitude was most apparent during her second encore rendition of “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Stephen Sondheim’s Company. "The Ladies Who Lunch",most famously associated with Elaine Strictch, is rarely done because many fear the comparison between themselves and Ms. Stritch. This does not seem bother Ms. LuPone and as for the audience, well they I don’t think that they minded seeing as to how they rose to their feet for the countless time.
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda is based off another LuPone show, Patt LuPone: Live on Broadway which played the Walter Kerr theatre in New York during the spring of 1995. During this time Ms. LuPone was coming off a major blow after being famously dropped from her contract by Andrew Lloyd Weber and replaced by Glen Close for the lead the musical Sunset Boulevard. In order to once again prove her courage as an actress she compiled this show to show that no one should cry for her.
In their review of this show The New York Times said, “Clearly, Ms. LuPone's personal wounds from having been dumped from "Sunset Boulevard" after its London production, in favor of Glenn Close, have not all healed. But just as clearly, she has found a way to make effective use of them in spinning her own Broadway legend: the legend of the jittery, vulnerable diva from Northport, L.I., who wears her insecurities on her sleeve.”
While time has healed, Ms. LuPone still endears and after her most recent concert, she is sure to forever solidify herself a place in theatre history.
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda is based off another LuPone show, Patt LuPone: Live on Broadway which played the Walter Kerr theatre in New York during the spring of 1995. During this time Ms. LuPone was coming off a major blow after being famously dropped from her contract by Andrew Lloyd Weber and replaced by Glen Close for the lead the musical Sunset Boulevard. In order to once again prove her courage as an actress she compiled this show to show that no one should cry for her.
In their review of this show The New York Times said, “Clearly, Ms. LuPone's personal wounds from having been dumped from "Sunset Boulevard" after its London production, in favor of Glenn Close, have not all healed. But just as clearly, she has found a way to make effective use of them in spinning her own Broadway legend: the legend of the jittery, vulnerable diva from Northport, L.I., who wears her insecurities on her sleeve.”
While time has healed, Ms. LuPone still endears and after her most recent concert, she is sure to forever solidify herself a place in theatre history.
Patti LuPone in Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
Friday October 5, 2007
Strathmore Music Hall
The link for The New York Times review for Patti LuPone: Live on Broadway can be found below:
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