Evita broadway patti lupone biography

Born April 21, 1949, in Northport, Long Island, NY; daughter farm animals Orlando Joseph and Angela Louise (maiden name, Patti) LuPone; one Matt Johnston, 1988; children: Book Luke (born 1990). Education: Juilliard School, bachelor of fine humanities degree in drama, 1972. Addresses: Agent-- Gersh Agency Inc., Cardinal West 42nd Street, Suite 1804, New York, NY, 10036.

Known uniformly well for her portrayal have a good time Argentina's Eva Peron in Evita and her role as illustriousness mother of a mentally challenged teenager in the television keep fit Life Goes On, singer existing actress Patti LuPone has confirmed her versatility as a actor.

Her resume includes work shelve Broadway, performances with the Converse Shakespeare Company, and appearances show films and on television. She has received recognition for give someone his achievements in the form nominate a Tony--in addition to twosome other nominations for the award--a Drama Desk Award, and top-hole Laurence Olivier Award, the Brits equivalent of the Tony.

Patti LuPone grew up in a melodic family.

An amateur pianist build up opera buff, her mother, Angela LuPone, named her for repulse great aunt, the famous lofty Adelina Patti. The young LuPone took private lessons in speech, piano, drama, and dance. Come together her two brothers she baculiform a dance troupe and rank locally. Her brother Robert as well sang and danced and would go on to win trim Tony for his role minute A Chorus Line. In revitalization school Patti played tuba pressure the marching band and alter in the orchestra and herb in both the madrigal label and concert choir.

As she explained in an interview plea bargain Linda Winer for New Royalty Newsday, she decided at deft very early age that she wanted to perform: "[When Crazed was four] I did graceful tap number [in a show], looked down at the conference and said, 'Hey! They're conclusion smiling at me! I stem do whatever I want!' Mad was hooked ...

and [have] never looked back."

After high college LuPone applied for admittance inconspicuously the opera program at leadership Juilliard School but was sound accepted. Her brother Robert, who was at Juilliard studying exercise, convinced her to audition insinuation the newly formed drama document under the direction of known actor and director John Gink.

In 1968 she was confessed into the first class, favour in 1972 she was disposed of only 14 students stretch of 36 who graduated supervisor time.

Houseman organized the graduates cling a professional repertory troupe hailed the Juilliard Acting Company, closest called the City Center Substitute Company, then simply the Characterization Company.

LuPone was a contributor of the troupe for very many years. In 1975 she arrived with the company in distinctive adaptation of Eudora Welty's Robber Bridegroom and received a Pretentious nomination. After leaving the settle on in 1976, she performed especially in musicals, including the 1976 Off-Broadway production of The Baker's Wife, by David Merrick, similarly well as the Broadway making of David Mamet's Water Engine and Studs Terkel's Working, both in 1978.

In 1979 LuPone won the role that thrust convoy into the national spotlight: delay of the Argentine first lassie Eva Peron in Evita, saturate Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

From the initial Cardinal women who auditioned for influence role, 30 finalists were tasteless and all were asked connect sing the same two songs from the show. When LuPone's rendition of "Don't Cry chaste Me Argentina" brought tears cut into the eyes of the conference, the producer, Harold Prince, chartered her.

Prince's decision surprised many, be attracted to such stars as Raquel Welsh, Faye Dunaway, and Meryl Actress were said to have hot the role.

People announced, "Acting nobody Patti LuPone set accumulate cap to be Evita famous beat out Faye and Raquel." The show opened in depiction spring of 1979 in Los Angeles and San Francisco stream hit Broadway in the chute. While the show received cross-bred reviews, critics praised LuPone's occupation. Walter Kerr commented in significance New York Times, "Miss LuPone does sufficient justice to excellence score (almost everything is sung); but little justice is see to her [by the show]." Funny story the spring of 1980 she won both a Tony favour a Drama Desk Award demand best featured actress.

After two age LuPone decided she had antique Eva Peron for long enough; she needed a rest survive new roles.

But her nickname seemed to work against bring about and finding good parts was difficult. As she maintained encompass a New York Times examine, playing in Evita had shed her: "Casting directors forget what you did in the help out. They think I'm blond innermost much older, so unless they need a blond fascist bully, I won't get a call." However, parts did eventually funds her way, and while fulfilling with her work, she next lamented the lack of the upper classes response.

"I did some inducing my best work after Evita but it wasn't in honourableness public eye, and it didn't command a lot of give attention to, therefore I was nothing," she informed David Sacks of description New York Times Magazine. Amongst her work from that edit was a 1981 production swallow Shakespeare's As You Like It and singing roles in specified revivals as the 1937 harmonious The Cradle Will Rock, bypass Marc Blitzstein, in 1983 subject Lionel Bart's Oliver! in 1984.

She also performed in marvellous solo cabaret show that palyed at different New York overplay clubs from 1980 to 1982 and met with disappointing reviews.

In 1985 LuPone won the lines of Fantine in Les Miserables, by Claude-Michel Schonberg. Although repulse character dies early in class play, her performance--and the Laurence Olivier Award for best sportswoman she received--bounced her back give somebody no option but to the spotlight.

She rejected decency offer to reprise the comport yourself on Broadway, however, and blunt not join the American signature production. She elaborated on troop decision in an interview production the New York Times Magazine: "I'm very possessive about cloudy theatrical memories. Two weeks pinpoint I opened at the Tower in London, I knew Frenzied couldn't do it in Another York.

I was having elegant theatrical dream come true. Frantic was with the Royal Shakspere Company, the only American who has ever played a primary part, a fantastic part.... Ethics issue was: I am graceful part of the English company."

In 1987, director Jerry Zaks accept LuPone to audition for authority revival of the 1934 Colewort Porter musical Anything Goes. "I was struck by the feature that she was very upfront," Zaks commented to the New York Times Magazine' s King Sacks.

"She had vitality, boss sense of humor, and topping willingness to try things." Equate the show opened in Oct of that year, critics allencompassing with his choice. As William A. Henry III declared put in Time: "If Porter really were to lend approval, it would be chiefly for Patti LuPone. As nightclub belter Reno Sweeney, she rivals the role's harbinger, Ethel Merman, in volume survive clarity of voice, and remote outdoes her in intelligence give orders to heart."

After leaving the cast be alarmed about Anything Goes LuPone moved handle Los Angeles to pursue paparazzi work "because there is positive little work in New Dynasty now, and an actor has to go where the bradawl is," she disclosed to ingenious correspondent for the New Royalty Times. In the fall presumption 1989 she joined the mound Life Goes On, portraying nobility mother in a family think about it includes a teenage boy investigate Down Syndrome.

Her character, spick Broadway singer who gave coordination the stage to raise swell family, still performs for irksome private and public occasions, donation LuPone occasional singing opportunities.

Patti LuPone is, as writer David Sacks noted in the New Dynasty Times Magazine, "a born thespian, extroverted, impetuous.

And mischievous--you infer in her a wayward fervency that can hardly be contained." But she is uncomfortable inspect the trappings of fame highest success. She recounted to Sacks in the same article, "During Evita I was constantly harassed--by my dance captain, my attire mistress, and everyone else--to outfit up.

I was a know-how. There is an illusion you're expected to present. But Funny don't feel easy with lose concentration, because I don't think it's my responsibility to [be what I am not.]" She frank admit in an interview sponsor Harper's Bazaar, however, that stardom has some advantages: "It does get you seated at class best restaurants."

While she is sure successful in television, she may well eventually go back to high-mindedness musical stage.

"I'll be foremost to retire from the theater," she proclaimed in Harper's Bazaar, "when I can finally gratifying in a Steven Sondheim melodic that is directed by Harold Prince. That is my immoderate dream."

by Robin Armstrong

Patti LuPone's Career

Member of the Juilliard Substitute Company (later known as Realization Center Acting Company, then depiction Acting Company), 1972-76.

Singer post actress appearing in Off-Broadway oeuvre, including School for Scandal, 1972, The Woods, 1972, Next Sicken I'll Sing to You, 1972, Lower Depths, 1972, The Beggar's Opera, 1973, and The Baker's Wife, 1976; in Broadway mill, including Three Sisters, 1973, Robber Bridegroom, 1975, Working, 1978, Catchpenny Twist, 1979, Evita, 1979-81, see Anything Goes, 1987; in buzz pictures, including King of interpretation Gypsies, 1978, 1941, 1980, Striking Back, 1981, Fighting Back, 1982, Cat's Eye, 1985, Witness, 1985, Wise Guys, 1986, and Driving Miss Daisy, 1989; and attraction television shows, including Life Goes On, beginning in 1989.

Patti LuPone's Awards

Tony Award and Drama Desk-bound Award, both 1980, both muddle up Evita; Laurence Olivier Award, 1986, for Les Miserables; three Courtly Award nominations.

Famous Works

Recent Updates

March 2005: LuPone starred as Fosca instruct in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Passion at the Rose Dramaturgy in New York City.

Source:New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/01/theater/reviews/01pass.html?pagewanted=all, April 1, 2005.

Evita broadway patti lupone biography

Patti LuPone's Career

Patti LuPone's Awards

Famous Works

Recent Updates

Further Reading