What I'm Reading Now - Patti Lupone: A Memoir

I was lucky enough to get to see Patti LuPone play Evita on Broadway when I was in high school, and to see her play Mrs. Lovitt in Sweeney Todd as well as Rose in Gypsy, and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, so of course when her autobiograpy came out this month from Random House I had to buy it (It didn't hurt that Barnes and Noble had it for 30% off. What? I'm unemployed!). But I knew who Patti LuPone was before I ever saw her onstage thanks to the Theatre World yearbooks that I pored over obsessively. What can I tell you I was a theatre geek!

So far, I'm loving this book.  LuPone pulls no punches, she admits that she's been known as a trouble-maker, sometimes justified, sometimes not.  She's incredibly kind to Kevin Kline, her ex, even though he cheated on her repeatedly during their 7 year relationship.  But the best parts of the book are the stories that she tells about creating Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, Evita on Broadway (apparently she didn't think much of the music or the character) and Fantine in Les Miserables.  She even got me liking David Mamet briefly (although I still don't think he either likes women or writes good roles for them).

Hearing about her adventures with the Acting Company in its infancy are thrilling.  Despite the fact that I no longer act, I will always be an actor deep in my soul, and reading this book made me nostalgic for the comraderie of the theater.  Not enough to actually go out an audition mind you! (Although if someone wants to offer me a role I'll think about it!)