I Couldn't Resist. . .

Anything is possible.

Post Mortem: Patti LuPone in Gypsy

I talked Elizabeth into buying a balcony ticket for the final performance of Gypsy. I had a passing vision of myself there in the St. James. I don't like to go against my visions. As the day drew closer I regretted it the entire day leading up to the event. How was I supposed to sit through three more hours of a show I'd already seen 3 1/4 times before?!

Seeing Patti LuPone take the stage, I knew how I could spend another three hours watching Gypsy. The same way I could dedicate two hours listening to Evita over and over again. I will never have a relationship so dedicated as the one I have with Patti LuPone.

The overture to Gypsy is another reason I can sit through it repeatedly. After it ended I jokingly whispered to Elizabeth, "And may I never hear that overture again!" I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. The old man next to me whispered, "I saw this show fifty years ago! You'll hear this music again!" I proceeded to squeal like a little school girl! More on him in a moment. . .

Patti LuPone is a perfect performer because she is so human. When you see her LIVE you know you're getting just that! I have seen Gypsy with Patti three times in less than a year. I can definitely tell you every time I've seen it has always been different. That's what I enjoy, I like that she keeps it's fresh and alert every time it's viewed. Yet, she still manages to keep the same powerful performance and gusto in every show.

She started Rose's Turn off in a whisper! A whisper!!! It was nuts, she knows she was doing something different and all you can do is sit back and let Patti drive! And we loved her for it, the song ended and we rose as one. Shouting and cheering. We didn't stop and at times I wanted to stop. I sat back down, but felt myself constantly shouting to her. Then she would bow more and we cheered more! As if the Ghost of the Great White Way was in my chair, I would jump up and continue cheering. Elizabeth told me to stop being stupid. *Note to self: Next Raul Esparza show. . .*

I know Elizabeth cannot understand the fascination I have with this lady. I made her a pillow for Christ's Sake! I sat down and with my limited knowledge of sewing and love for this woman. I made her a pillow!
[EDIT: I actually made her two pillows since I lost the first one on the D train. That's two pillows!]

So I screamed out to her, the surge of my cheers leaving my body left me feeling alleviated of sorrow! At one point I raised up my arms and she responded by doing the same and for a third time I felt myself lift from my chair. Screaming in Rapture!

During intermission I spoke with the old man next to me. He was a slice of history that I adore! He saw all the Broadway productions of Gypsy and West Side Story. He has a thing for Sondheim, but don't we all?

I am thoroughly glad that this is going to be my memory. That Patti LuPone will be interwoven with memories of my life. She's a woman I take the time to make pillows and wait at stage doors for. I have history with Patti and her development in my life, but those are memories and nothing more. There is a woman who can make me smile and enjoy myself in the darkest of times. As you said yourself, "Fare-thee-well Ms. LuPone."

One More Semester

Who managed to get all As this semester and securing a 3.9 GPA? I did. Yet, don't cheer for me, it was nothing. I'm just going through the motions until I graduate, which shall be happening in June of 2009. I've secured all my classes, now I need to file for graduation and it shall almost be done.

Oh. My. It's almost done. Excuse me while I reflect for a moment. . .

I saw Hedda Gabler the other night. Starring my favorite lady: Mary Louise Parker. She was solid, but the production was not a memorable one.

On Sunday, it's coming three-fold as I will be seeing Patti LuPone's final Gypsy performance. I have never seen a show live as many times as I have seen Patti LuPone in Gypsy. I suppose she will be that memory, like so many other gay men since 1980, who have the one show they remember Patti in. Evita, Les Miserable, Anything Goes, Sweeney Todd. The list goes on and on. I love her in Gypsy! Hearing her sing three of best power house numbers in musical history. Playing the role she was born to play. People may say she's hammy and awful, but I will always respect her!

Harring travels. He goes on trips all the time. I met him right as he arrived in from France and yesterday he flew off to Mexico for two weeks. Interesting twist, barely home and he leaves again. It gives me time to balance out and enjoy myself. I have been, spending time with good friends and keeping it local [in Brooklyn yo!]. Doing a little work in the warehouse, the possibilities it may lead to, but I dare not speak of it now.

I have recently fallen in love with Jacque Brel and his Belgian gurgle. He's not exactly like Edith Piaf, but. . .

If that mug looked at you and started singing in a different language. You would swoon a little, I am sure.

Checking in with Patti Lu

Posted the other day, in her own blog...

Can we talk about Times Square and the Pedi-cabs? Can we talk about the amount of people in Times Square? Sometimes I feel like I'm in Bangkok. Don't get me wrong, I love Bangkok, but what the hell are they doing to Times Square? Who are all those people?

--Patti LuPone

I ask the same thing whenever I walk down Time Square. I may not have been here in the 80s, but I know it's not the same. It's why I can't eat right outside of my office during lunch. It makes me dizzy.

For Those of You Who Missed Her...

Fear her.

I cannot wait to read Post-Tony Articles about Patti. I mean what else can you write? I think she should end Act I of Gypsy now by breaking Louise's neck. Cause in the Tony's it seemed as though she just may. Which I loved mind you.

Patti is the Winner and Don't You EVER forget it.

People will disagree, but she won anyway. Here she is boys.

In Memorial

Patti LuPone deserves the Tony. End of story. A friend sent me Rose's Turn sung by La LuPone and I'm determined that Kelli O'Hara can't wash enough men out of her hair to win this award over the Goddess that is LuPone! Sure it's a little insane, but she took Madame Rose to her final breakdown. Whatever, if you hate her. That's your prerogative

Yes Ms. Merman, it's not just singing on the down beat that makes Rose's Turn work.

In real news. I have been reading Paula Vogel. And Baby Makes Seven is a production my theater company will do.

Oh, yes I've forgotten to mention that some friends and I will be creating an all gay theater company! Our tentative title is: The Sausage Factory. We will be gay men creating theater. Women will be allowed, but their title will be as HAGS.

Meaning they can participate, but have no artistic say in the process. We're not doing this as a statement, we're doing is cause we're gay! Okay, so the official statement is in the works, but we're hoping that will be included.

Wow, this entry has gone to a different place than I intended, see what Patti does to me. I've started reading Sarah Kane. This shall be a summer of plays I am sure. Along those lines, William Inge is brilliant. A true friend of Tennessee Williams at best! Come Back Little Sheba was sadly missed near the end of February. If you know the circumstances you'll understand why. Yet, when I read the play I missed it much more, because it was brilliance at best. I need to buy the movie, I need Shirley Booth in my life.

In short, I cherish my friends. Feeling loved is nice. Feeling enjoyed is better. Feeling needed is terrific. There is a moment upon leaving them that the loneliness returns quickly. I take a few deep breathes and go back to it all.

I tried for happiness, but I did return to depression.

Internship starts tomorrow. Oh life did shift, how?

Tony Nominations

The Tony Nominations came out yesterday and here's my view on it all:

So the top four this year are: Cry Baby, In The Heights, Xanadu and Passing Strange. I've seen three of the four and I know that as justified as it would be that Xanadu would win. A year ago to this day people were laughing at how it would close before it opened. Tsk, tsk on you Broadway.

My pick for Best Musical will be:

In The Heights

Then there is Best Play. I don't even need to begin to say August: Osage County will win for sure. It's between Amy Morton and Deanna Dunagan for best Lead Actress.

My vote goes to:

Deanna Dunagan

Best Musical Revival is a tough one this year. Commercially it will go to either South Pacific or Grease. But if the Tony Committee were made up of one person, and that person was I. It would go to the stunning:

Sunday in the Park With George

As for best actor. I have seen several of them and if we were voting by cuteness. Daniel Evans will win. But since that's not the primary judging criteria. They will vote on talent and another sexy man will win: Paulo Szot

I will end these predictions with the final and hottest category. Best Actress in a Musical. This year is difficult. You have the legendary, against the ingenue, against the dark horse, against the boring, against the British. Of course I know who I want to win:

Patti LuPone.

Or as she's now known:

Madame Rose

Have To Believe It's Getting Better.

Yesterday should be classified in what I wanted to be another horrible day. Yet, life seems to be forgiving me. As much as I wanted to stay unhappy about issues. I mean I skipped the gym, I didn't want to go to school and I was sleepy the first half of the afternoon.

Yet, I got an email telling me I received an Email telling me I got an A- in my Costume Costume construction class. That means, today the Saga of the Patti LuPone Pillow is finished! It's done, the stress of that is through. And I did it. By myself, determined and stoned.

Then I got my short story back from my teacher and she absolutely loved it. She told me it still needs some working (which I knew of), but she encouraged me to continue on with my writing career. To this I was elated and cautious. I mean it is a Intro to Creative Writing Class, but I know she's a well rounded Teacher. So I was happy by that, and yes I am going to continue my writing career. I will continue it indeed. Perhaps I'll email the story to anyone, if they're interested? So of the four of you who read this. Send a comment and I'll email it to you.

Then I had a doctor's appointment. I'm still trying to figure out how exactly I can sign up for ADAP and APIC. It's the governments way of saying, "We're going to help you through this ordeal." Yet, figuring out how to fill out this form is like solving and ancient puzzle. So I guess I'm up to the game of it.

As for the doctor's visit. He doesn't seem to want me to leave the office. Nor do I wish to leave it either. And it logically seems like I won't have to if APIC works and starts paying for my health insurance for me. Yet, to become part of APIC, I need to sign up for ADAP and that means I must sign up for Medicaid. Meaning lose my current insurance. Meaning I would lose my doctor, right? right?! Among that, my doctor seems to have a grudge against Callen-Lorde.

Now, for some great...if not terrific news. My doctor sat down and told me about my blood tests. Though my tests still come back positive. My T-Cell Count is inhumanly high, higher than most people he said it was at 1000. This doesn't mean in the next couple of years it could drop or fall. I doubt my crazy weekend depleted anything to much.

He also informed me that my Viral Load was so low that it didn't even read on the test. They test for a count of 400 and I didn't come up, negative. Now for the rest of my life you cannot say negative to me without my ears perking up and my eyes growing wide. I had to make sure I heard him correctly. So he's retesting my blood for a count of 52 and he says if I'm not on that, then I will have to go to an institute for tests because I'm 1 in a 1000s.

That would be wild. My legacy right there. I know it won't be that way. My friend tells me that it jumps the first year, so who knows. In short I have a good chance of going my entire life being undetectable and never having to go on Medication. That is written in the stars and if I quit smoking.

Which brings me to my next point: I'm quitting smoking. After this last pack. When he told me I had four left in my pack. And I thought, "What a bum deal? I'll buy one more pack and then I'll do it." I know I should be all like, "Let's start now!" Forgive me, but allow me one more pack before I say goodbye for good.

In short, I'm Typhoid Mary.

Lastly, and I will not put a big stress on it until it really happens, but an internship I applied for setup and interview with me for Tuesday. I'm going to discuss it anymore. Perhaps this is the "good" thing that could possibly be happening to me? Perhaps is the keyword. If not, I'll know that my life isn't ready to be good yet. It's nice to have a little hope. Don't wish me luck, don't offer prayers. Well you can, just don't tell me about it until AFTER I give any good news.

Picture-A-Day #028

True there was no picture yesterday, but Patti made a killing in her revival of Gypsy! Brava La LuPone!!!

The Night I Met Patti LuPone

Where do I go from here? Really. I've achieved a goal that I've always wanted. Do I have to stop discussing Patti LuPone? Obviously not, I suppose I should just tell the story.

To be honest of the three versions of Gypsy starring Patti I have seen (yes, I have seen three...it's a lonely life I live). This was my least favorite. At City Center you could forgive small things like poor sets and costume choices. They only had so much time. Yet, with a Broadway production, spend the extra money and just make a new set. The show was going for the idea that Vaudeville is dead. I understand that, but the hand painted backgrounds were not so amusing this time.

My friend hated the costumes, but I didn't mind so much. They used a lot of patterns on Patti and then for Rose's Turn, it was just a simple dress. It was sort of odd. I know, it's so as to not distract from her moment. Dainty June was amazing. I loved the spin she took on it, making June just plain angry at her life. She was unhappy every moment and it worked. Louise was great too, as was Herbie. Yet, I feel none of these roles changes much from City Center. Patti changed a little.

The energy of the show felt much lower than City Center. This is obvious since they went from just playing weekends, to eight shows a week. Obviously they're not going to give it their all on a Tuesday night during the second preview. Since I saw it closing night, I was a little let down. Patti cut down on the hamming. I'm sorry, but I love the hamming. Keep the hamming Patti. I know why you're not. You want that Tony Nomination (it would be wild if she won! Her chances are good. I will tell you more though when I see A Catered Affair and South Pacific).

I also met Allison Fraiser last night too. I should give it up for the original Trina who has guided me in my life for years. She was terrific as Tessie Tura. Actually the entire Gotta Get A Gimmick number is amazing! Marilyn Caskey, who plays Electra, for only have like 5 minutes in the show. Stands out amazingly! She reinvents an otherwise lifeless character and totally bitch slaps Jerome Robbin's Choreography. Which I laugh at, very much so.

Lastly, they are trying a different ending to the show. It just doesn't work. Yet, I am thrilled that I got to finally see a different take on Gypsy. Even if it fell a little flat. Yet again when it's been the same for years, new things always seem odd. Patti's Rose's Turn was a little nutty, but I still loved it. She played it as Rose was having a complete breakdown and it was interesting. I like the idea of Rose losing her mind, because Rose says herself, she never had the talent. Why suddenly would she have this great talent. She's battling off her demons while trying to believe that she is talented.

Now meeting Patti. It took a long while and I had my pillow all ready. I had Camino Real all set on camera mode. It was 11 pm when the show ended. Patti didn't come out until 12:30. While we waited, my friend and I spent time making lewd comments. Yes, we are that kind of people. Comments about how Patti sleeps upside down in the theater hanging off the Rose Sign. I love Patti, true, but anyone who keeps me waiting for that long gets made fun of.

Yes, I know that's enough to make me hate anyone. It was how she appeared that was grand. Around 12:29 everyone goes silent (the had always turned off the marquee lights) and we hear voices coming down the hall singing, Give My Regards to Broadway and out emerges Patti and several of her friends.

Patti announces that she's been drinking. Be it a joke or serious was everything I pictured! She started signing autographs and treating everyone equally, making small talk. She then lead us in another chorus of Give My Regards and when she found some people who had a birthday she lead us in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.

My moment to connect with Patti was ruined when the woman before me took Patti and whispered some deep dark secret into her ear. She was shaking! I believe she was telling Patti she had Cervical Cancer and hearing Rose's Turn put her Cancer into remission. So when Patti came to me I was going to tell her a dark secret to keep the theme, but I figured my pillow was enough.

She admired the pillow and I had a starstruck moment where I don't remember much, except she asked what should she write. My mind went blank and all I could say was, "Don't Cry For Me Craig." Oh Jesus. We live and learn don't we? Well it's a clever little message because during these trying times, I haven't been crying much. So it was just restating my life. She then gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Thus a dream has been completed and I now own a pillow. I made. That Patti LuPone has signed. Yes, I am officially one of those PEOPLE.

Time for a game:



Watch the following Youtube video this kid took last night and see if you can: A. Spot me holding my pillow (watch carefully) and B. Spot how drunk Patti may or may not be...Good luck!

Picture-A-Day #004

This is what I look like when I just wake up and I am all bug-eyed.

Bonus:
This is Patti LuPone spelling out my name. Yea, that's right.

300 Posts and this one is for Judy...

She gets me through most any time of my life. Without her I'd be lost I feel. So odd, right? However, much in the vein of mixing Patti LuPone with Final Fantasy X. I have never associated Judy Garland with The Lord of the Rings. Yet, someone did...




Click here for a really amazing Judy Garland clip. It's long, but it's WELL worth it!

Pushing off stress...

I feel like I have 10,000,000 things I should stress about. Yet, I can't remember most of them. Which isn't necessarily bad. I just need to stay motivated. Nothing really new in the last few days. I spent the night with The Tall Man again. It's developing, believe it or not. It's developing, true it is. We had a serious conversation last night, something that I'd like to believe, tells someone they are intimate with. More than just previous relationships I've had. Step by step, little by little.

See I have nothing to talk about tonight...School is school, I am me. We are all the same as we were yesterday. I was listening to Evita today with Patti Lu and I was once again captivated with her brilliance. I wonder what would happen if she ran for president? President of Broadway of course.

Okay, stupidity over.

Back to School...again

I'm sitting before I go to school enjoy my last moments of having absolutely nothing to worry about. As we know, these feelings will all be gone in a couple of days. Not that I am not completely without worry, but it only gets worse from here on in. Worse is the wrong choice of words, intense is a more appropriate way of putting it. From here on in it only gets more intense.

That works.

In China I have learned several things:
First being that I don't need to wear product in my hair everyday or ever again for that matter. Anyone who has seen my photos from China will notice that. This was also put to the test when I went out to a gay bar/club on Saturday. I immediately felt naked as I noticed all the other gay men who has places wax, glue or gel on their heads. Then I realized, do you even need to try that hard? It's just hair, your hair looks fine without molding as it did with it! So I think without gel it shall be.

Second, that I can get anywhere if I put my mind to it. I got to China and that means I can also get internships and new theatrical jobs. I swallow, for I know it will be exhausting, but I can surely do it. Once again, correction. I WILL do it. I just need to keep my spirits up and push, push, push.

I will not be that girl stuck at home in the burbs.

Third, I will FINISH the God Damned Patti LuPone Pillow because a procrastinator I am not! In China, I was the only one who really ever was ahead of their workload. I spent to many nights walking from room to room watching people freak out. While I could: drink wine or watch a DVD. It was one of the only times I felt utterly relaxed. Imagine that, being trapped in a foreign country with nothing familiar to you. And I feel relaxed. Strange bedfellows, strange bedfellows.

Because even in China...

My love for Patti doesn't cease. I may be 13 hours ahead, but it only means I'll get the information sooner...

Sometimes I wonder...

A gray and rainy day in China and I'm in room finishing up all my homework. Taking a small mental break and catching up on my musicals...

In 1981 a show called Merrily We Roll Along ran for two weeks and then closed to scathing reviews. The book, it was the books fault. It was too confusing. The music is brilliant of course because it's by Sondheim, and to this I agree! I couldn't agree anymore. It's weird because it's about Franklin Shepard, so for all the years I have been listening to it I always kept in my mind, "This is Franklin's music."

Not until this moment, when I finally got to see the bootleg of Merrily, that I'll admit DOES skip the opening Act II number. I find this show absolutely fascinating. I remember when I was 15, using the Elliptical machine and listening to this recording and trying to figure out what happened in between each song. The CD was so short. As I got older I read how the fault was the book. So I expected it to be horrendous, but it hardly was. I know over the years they have revamped the show, but so say that the show is too confusing is just plain stupid. It's like saying Days Of Our Lives is too confusing because there's too much going on.

The story moves backwards, starts from the end and movies to the beginning. Showing how a good thing can go so wrong. How refreshing to see. Why are shows like this not embraced? I am going to watch the Kennedy Center performance to see how it's changed from it's premiere in 1981 to the 2000s.

It's probably one of my favorite Sondheim scores. That's a lie, but it's one of my top picks. Surprisingly, though my favorite song from the show is Bobby and Jackie and Jack. It's so clever, the words he rhymes are so intense. True, it's a charm song, yet that's the point. It's Franklin and Charlie's first show. A Musical Revue. Showing the brilliant music and lyrics, but the simplicity of the talent. Stunning.

Now for the bad. I admit the costumes are a strange idea. Why did they choose the sweaters with the titles? Did they not trust the audience? They took that bit of advice, didn't they? Moving backwards is too difficult for a Broadway tourist audience to understand. They need shirts with titles. Yet, Gussies top in act two...no title. Why not? Why does Mary have to wear a Best Friend Sweater the entire show, granted she's in almost every scene. Never changing.

Hal Prince is also recycling. Which is normal of directors. I see the group movement that I saw from Evita, that I watched last night. By the way, while we are on the subject. It may not have been a great recording, but WOW. That was a show to remember.

Seeing it just blew me away. Patti is amazing. Let's get that out of the way, shall we? Patti is amazing, I'll say for a second time. My favorite non-Patti moment was probably The Art of the Possible, where the Commanders of Argentina took each other out in a rousing version of musical chairs. I never pictured it that way, but the simplicity of it, though it may sound stupid was brilliant.

Some of my favorite moments that involved Patti were in no particular order:

• Goodnight and Thank You. Where Eva works her way up to the top and the scene is played out with a revolving door. Every time Patti is shown, she gets more and more glamorous.
• I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You. Where Eva meets Peron and she says, "I don't normally rush in this way...fifteen minutes after saying hello." She looks directly at the audience and they eat it up!
• A New Argentina. "I'll...You'll be handed power on a plate..."
  
• Don't Cry For Me Argentina. All of that song is amazing. Her dress, her voice, her acting. In watching it I could see the Tony Committee shaking hands on a job well done.
  
• Rainbow High/Rainbow Tour. She looks fabulous, even in shitty VHS recording.
  

That's enough, back to homework and perhaps a little discovering of the city...shall we?

Growing up is hard to do

I just made my first payment on my credit card! This means I'm turning into an adult...right? It's exciting because that means I'll be building a credit line and that someday I will qualify for a lease! Baby steps, baby steps. It makes wanting to leave my job difficult because well you can't make credit card payments when you have no income...well you can...can you?

Today was a Christmas party at my job, speaking of work. I drank as much wine as I could possibly and I did financial printing while slightly drunk. Yes BlackRock, I am making edits and typesetting your 497 forms...drunk. Take that! It was fun, except for the fact that I can't really stand most of the people I work with. It's all older middle aged men whom I have nothing to discuss. I don't talk about sports, tits or anything of that subject matter.

If I mentioned something like Patti LuPone Live at Les Mouches, they might have lynched me right there in the office. By the way I finally obtained that recording. I appreciate Leslie Kritzer's performance of it now cause she really captured a young Patti debuting in the city we call New York. I also find it funny that the Leslie version of the CD will not be coming out because Ms. LuPone promptly said, "Tell Ms. Kritzer to get her OWN act!" No one can really perform Heaven Is A Disco like Patti can though.

Friday can't come fast enough, but I know it will come soon. I will be done with the semester (save for the incomplete) and heading home to NYC. Not before having one last goodbye to the Tall Man. I enjoy his company and his body. We have this fun flirt-y thing going on, but I dare not take it another step because that would mean fucking it up...once again.

My dear friend, Britt, has finally revealed her whereabouts, as she hadn't returned any calls to me for the last month or so. Finals at Pratt for I.D. majors is difficult so I understand. I miss her though. More than I can possibly say. Needless to say we are meeting tomorrow to be ladies who lunch.

You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me. Come rain or come shine.

If you ever lose a child...watch out

In reference to my pillow:

12:31:59 PM E.Iguana: haha I know, but it's like I lost a child

12:32:25 PM Friend: right, someone somewhere out there is using to masturbate

12:32:58 PM E.Iguana: Wait people use children to masturbate on them?!

12:33:04 PM E.Iguana: I meant that they've been kidnapped

12:33:10 PM Friend: lol, right

Patti LuPone's Storytime

She's in costume GETTING Angela's signature. I love it!

Patti Speaks:

Thank you...I'm not the only performer in my family. I come from a long line of Thespians. Another currently employed THESPIAN is my brother, Robert LuPone...*claps* Robert will be so PLEASED!

When we were growing up, we had as all children have: Active imaginations. And to exercise them, all the neighborhood kids would congregate in a pine grove. This was our place. Our parents didn't know where we were going...where we WENT. This was OUR place.

There was a little tiny path, for little tiny people to walk into. And when we were in there we would sit on the floor. We could see out but nobody could see in. We used to sit on the floor...and we would plot and dream and tell stories.

And we would prick our fingers and mix our blood and become blood-brothers and blood-sisters. Do you remember that? Do you REMEMBER that? *laughs* I still remember my blood-sisters...There was so much RESPONSIBILITY having a blood sista...

In honor of the pillow that never was...

Thank you to Robbie for this...