LEGENDS #9 PATTI LUPONE
In 2016 Broadway Cares honored Patti LuPone for her portrayal of Eva Peron in "Evita"
This show had its roots, beginning in 1976 as a rock opera "concept album" in the UK with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. A copy of the album was sent to Hal Prince with an invitation to become involved with the eventual staging, which owing to the success of the album became a reality in 1978 with Elaine Page in the title role and Prince directing. It won the Olivier Award (Britain's equivalent to the Tony) for Ms. Page as well as Best Musical. There were rumors of a film to be directed by Ken Russell with either Barbra Streisand or Liza Minelli as Eva and Elton John or Barry Gibb as Che but they soon were dismissed.
The following year, it moved "across the pond " to Broadway with a new cast, Patti LuPone as Eva Peron and Mandy Patinkin as Che (who was a kind of "Greek chorus" for the production, commenting on the action as it happened.)
It became the first British production to win a Tony for Best Musical and was nominated for twelve others, winning for Best Actress (LuPone) Best Supporting Actor (Patinkin) Best Score, and Best Director (Prince).
It follows that a movie must be made and in 1996 with Alan Parker directing, Madonna assumed the role she had been lobbying for since 1986, and Antonio Banderas became Che. The movie garnered five Oscar nominations but won only Best Song ("You Must Love Me" written especially for the film)
The Christmas "Legends" ornament (below) is one of the largest in the collection. The photo from the Broadway Production shows Ms. LuPone, no doubt singing "Don't Cry for me Argentina."
This show had its roots, beginning in 1976 as a rock opera "concept album" in the UK with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. A copy of the album was sent to Hal Prince with an invitation to become involved with the eventual staging, which owing to the success of the album became a reality in 1978 with Elaine Page in the title role and Prince directing. It won the Olivier Award (Britain's equivalent to the Tony) for Ms. Page as well as Best Musical. There were rumors of a film to be directed by Ken Russell with either Barbra Streisand or Liza Minelli as Eva and Elton John or Barry Gibb as Che but they soon were dismissed.
The following year, it moved "across the pond " to Broadway with a new cast, Patti LuPone as Eva Peron and Mandy Patinkin as Che (who was a kind of "Greek chorus" for the production, commenting on the action as it happened.)
It became the first British production to win a Tony for Best Musical and was nominated for twelve others, winning for Best Actress (LuPone) Best Supporting Actor (Patinkin) Best Score, and Best Director (Prince).
It follows that a movie must be made and in 1996 with Alan Parker directing, Madonna assumed the role she had been lobbying for since 1986, and Antonio Banderas became Che. The movie garnered five Oscar nominations but won only Best Song ("You Must Love Me" written especially for the film)
The Christmas "Legends" ornament (below) is one of the largest in the collection. The photo from the Broadway Production shows Ms. LuPone, no doubt singing "Don't Cry for me Argentina."
Comments
Post a Comment