No collection of Especially Wonderful Songs would be complete without something from Stephen Sondheim. There could be dozens. I chose this one because there was an extra special "oomph". While all of these songs I am presenting in this series are on YouTube, it was the music that was the point, but with this one, and some others coming up, I am intending to include the visual, as well. So this time I have presented this as a video to watch.
This performance was one of the several that have been put on Broadway as celebrations of Stephen Sondheim and his works. This was on one of his birthdays. It is fun to see him in the audience, lapping it all up. In this section there was a row of gorgeous and highly talented ladies, all of whom had had major roles in Stephen's plays. All of them were wearing striking red gowns. I like all of those women, but among my favorites are Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch. I wasn't familiar with Patti LuPone...until I saw her in this. Now SHE is definitely on the map!
But I worried, or cooked up within me, a fear that there was an emotional battle going on behind the scenes, in that Patti LuPone was going to sing "The Ladies Who Lunch", which is Elaine Stritch's song. Elaine is especially known for it, and she was the one who struggled so hard to master it for the premier of Company, the play this song was in. Was there bad blood between these two singers? Was there the danger of screaming, hair-pulling backstage afterwards? What producer would have cast the line-up like this?
Well silly me, there certainly are other songs that Elaine could and would want to sing, she didn't drag this song around with her like a ball and chain. And I now think that the producer and the singers were will aware that some people in the audience might have the same thoughts that I had been having, so this added to the drama of the performance.
As it was, it was a love-fest! Elaine was so supportive of Patti, on her side every step of the way, and Patti was well aware that she was singing Elaine's song and she was going to sing it her way and everybody would love it, especially Elaine. There was some teasing going on, but much more love and support. I don't factually know it, but I think from seeing Elaine Stritch in other performances that she was like a god-mother to all the performers in the plays or at least the later revivals she was in. I may be very wrong, but I hope I am not. While Elaine Stretch was "rough" and had serious struggles in her life, I think she had a heart of gold.
As for Patti LuPone whom I am spotlighting here, she has the audience in the palm of her hand. She can get them laughing or tearing with just a change of expression on her face or even by how she stands. And she knocks this song out of the park. Listen, watch, and enjoy all that is going on here.
8. Song name: The Ladies Who Lunch (Video)
Artist: Patti LuPone
Lyrics and Music by Stephen Sondheim
