Ask Patti

Here's the complete archive of Patti's previous Q& A sessions.

 

 

Dear Patti...

Jenna asks: Have you ever experienced discrimination in your career because you were a woman?

Patti Answers: I don't know if it was because I was a woman, or if it was because I was me. Love, Patti

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Hi! I'm Heather and I was wondering if you would answer a few questions for the group? We have some new members who want to participate in "Ask Patti."

Jody asks: 1. Just how many wigs DO you have?

Patti Answers: I have 15 wigs from 15 various shows I have done.

2. What is your typical specialty coffee order? Do you like a good basic latte - maybe with a shot of hazelnut or vanilla? Are you more of a chai person? Are you into soy?

Patti Answers: I drink old fashioned coffee. No Starbucks here, thank you.

Jayson asks: What are your guilty pleasures?

Patti Answers: I'm a Catholic, I have guilt all the time.

Eva asks: 1. After performing and re-inventing so many characters in Sondheim musicals, which Sondheim musical would you like to attempt next? I would love to see you in "Into the Woods" as the witch.

Patti Answers: OK... perhaps it will happen at Ravinia.

2. How excited are you to be making your Los Angeles Opera in a Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht opera, with John Doyle as your director again? I personally cannot wait to see you in February!

Patti Answers: I am extremely excited and I just hope I can sing it.

3. This past year with Sweeney Todd must have been a whirlwind experience. Are there things that you learned that you plan on using again in other productions? What kind of an experience was it to work with John Doyle, who took this beloved musical in a new direction?

Patti Answers: I learned a great deal about acting from John's direction. I haven't felt this creative since I started to act at Juilliard. I plan on taking as much of the technique as possible to the next production. Lucky for me, it's with John.

Skye asks: I was lucky enough to see Sweeney Todd at the end of August and you and your tuba-playing was fantastic (it was definitely the best night of my life)! I was wondering if you ever named your tuba, in high school or during the show, or any other time?

Patti Answers: Yes, my tuba's name is Irene. Every night at the end of the show she went back into the dressing room closet. I'd open it and say, "Good Night, Irene."

Heather and Stacey ask: We were looking to see if there was a copy of The Robber Bridegroom available to watch at the Lincoln Center library, thinking that since you had been nominated for the Tony for your role on Broadway they might have one. Then we remembered that you are not on the OBC recording, and in interviews you've stated you weren't in the Broadway cast because Houseman wanted you to re-audition and you didn't want to (besides the fact that you had been offered Genevieve in The Baker's Wife, correct?). I suppose the question would be, what exactly happened with Robber Bridegroom? Did you do it on Broadway and if so, why weren't you on the recording and what's up with the re-auditioning?

Patti Answers: I did not do "The Robber Bridegroom" on Broadway, I did "The Baker's Wife" instead. I really never understood why I was asked to re-audition with a Tony nomination.

Stacey asks: What are your favorite flowers?

Patti Answers: Oh, I don't know... gardenias and orchids.

Heather asks: 1. What are your favorite wines to drink?

Patti Answers: Anything that doesn't come in a box.

2. There is a lot of hype surrounding the upcoming "Leslie Kritzer is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches." Many of us diehard LuPone fans never got to see you, the original, in this now legendary night club act, but we sure wish we could have! Would you ever consider either: a) reviving this act yourself as a one-night only special or benefit? Or: b) releasing a copy of the video to be broadcast on a premium TV channel and released on DVD? (Similar to what happened with "Liza with a Z") Believe me, there's a lot of us who would LOVE to see this show!

Patti Answers: There is a pirated version of a very bad video. I watched it and was horrified, as I usually am when I watch me. There is also talk of a vocal recording of it. We'll see what happens.

And we ALL were wondering: When are you starting up the auctions again?

Patti Answers: Hmmmm? When KatPat can take some pictures.

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