When I attended An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin at the Ahmanson Theatre, I was naïve to the impact these two performers have had on musical theatre. Let’s face it; my first memory of Patinkin was not his Tony Award winning performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, but his portrayal of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. I only discovered Yentl last year when I became obsessed with watching Barbara Streisand movies, although I did buy his self titled album and knew him to be a strong vocal talent. As for LuPone, well when my roommate attempted to describe who she is the only pop culture reference I knew was playing Harrison Ford’s sister in Witness. Now, since I have been so honest in my failures as a musical theatre historian, let me remind my readers that I was not born when LuPone played Evita Peron or originated Fantine in Les Miserables. I do however remember her Tony win for Rose in the 2008 revival of Gypsy, as I had visited New York earlier that year and cursed myself for not buying a ticket. I also have in my possession the original cast recording of Evita, which I have been listening to for years. That being said, I have three words to describe this show: AMAZING, AMAZING AMAZING! Mandy Patinkin’s voice is 20 times better than it is on his album, and his handling of the Sondheim... Wow! They sparkle together, know each other like the back of their hands, and their energy is illuminating. When LuPone sang “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” I had chills running up my spine, and when they rolled out in office chairs to grace us with an original dance I almost gave them a standing ovation before the show had concluded. My roommate and I talked about it all the way home, well at least until we got off the freeway in Long Beach and started belting out “Buenos Aires” with Patti.
Friday, June 26, 2009
My name is Inigo Montoya so don't cry for me Argentina
When I attended An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin at the Ahmanson Theatre, I was naïve to the impact these two performers have had on musical theatre. Let’s face it; my first memory of Patinkin was not his Tony Award winning performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, but his portrayal of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. I only discovered Yentl last year when I became obsessed with watching Barbara Streisand movies, although I did buy his self titled album and knew him to be a strong vocal talent. As for LuPone, well when my roommate attempted to describe who she is the only pop culture reference I knew was playing Harrison Ford’s sister in Witness. Now, since I have been so honest in my failures as a musical theatre historian, let me remind my readers that I was not born when LuPone played Evita Peron or originated Fantine in Les Miserables. I do however remember her Tony win for Rose in the 2008 revival of Gypsy, as I had visited New York earlier that year and cursed myself for not buying a ticket. I also have in my possession the original cast recording of Evita, which I have been listening to for years. That being said, I have three words to describe this show: AMAZING, AMAZING AMAZING! Mandy Patinkin’s voice is 20 times better than it is on his album, and his handling of the Sondheim... Wow! They sparkle together, know each other like the back of their hands, and their energy is illuminating. When LuPone sang “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” I had chills running up my spine, and when they rolled out in office chairs to grace us with an original dance I almost gave them a standing ovation before the show had concluded. My roommate and I talked about it all the way home, well at least until we got off the freeway in Long Beach and started belting out “Buenos Aires” with Patti.
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