Tuesday, February 17, 2009

glad to live in a world with Patti LuPone in it

I am listening to the Original London Cast of Les Misérables (not the Broadway!) and it makes me happy. It was my first big show. Eighth grade school trip to the East coast, towards the end of the trip, my first visit to a big fancy theatre. Oh the voices and the music and the cannons. I was so tired on that trip, but the music! I came back and haunted the cassette section of the library, devouring the musicals section. My second favorite show was Evita. Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin... There was Pippin, but I only liked a few of those songs, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, the Andrew Lloyd Webber sampler, Chess, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard. The time the radio station flirted with musicals and I sat by the radio and recorded tape after tape so I could listen later...

It led to years of voice lessons in the back of a music shop, in a closet with a flamboyant teacher, a mirror on one wall and a piano. I was terrible. Very bad.

Les Mis, you started me on the path... Um and just now? I realized a thing listening to "Lovely Ladies." I looked up who played Fantine because she sounded awful familiar, and OF COURSE, it was Patti LuPone. So maybe it is not musicals? Maybe I am just obsessed with Patti LuPone. Sometimes I am slow.

3 comments:

Lily said...

Your voice is very nice. I've seen Les Mis a couple of times and have fond memories of Dorothy practicing Master of the House on the piano when she was about 10 years old.

Lily said...

"An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin" is at the Ahmanson June 23-28 if you want to see your families.

Folly Blaine said...

Thanks, Lily, but I think you might be high.

As for the Ahmanson, OMG I KNOW! I'm not sure I can justify that but hot damn. Why not Seattle? WHY.