Gay Broadway Day Episode #2!

Check out my two favorite men talking about their favorite belters...I'm honored to be included!

Gay Broadway Day with Matt and Zach Episode #1

Hello, my gorgeous fans! Two of my dearest friends, Matt and Zach, have made a fun video centered around the new Les Miserables movie. They discuss the performances in the movie and their favorites from other productions and recordings from this iconic show. Check it out and stay tuned for more webisodes!

Fierce Belting B*tches!

Hello, gorgeous fans. I just found this compilation video of some AMAZING belting. It's the most enjoyable 9:27 I've had in a WHILE! Highlights for me include Diana Kaarina (despite her thin, whatever voice) holding the C at the end of "On my Own" a really long time, Linda Eder singing "Someone Like You," Kate Shindle's Ab at the end of "Legally Blonde," Whitney Houston flawlessly singing "All at Once," Judy's "Hello Bluebird," Patti's PERFECT "Buenos Aires," Liza's best "New York, New York" ending, Linda Eder singing in whistle voice and then belting her face off, Stephanie Mills riffing her face off singing "Home,"etc. Obviously Shirley Bassey should have been in this too, but it's okay. Have fun!

Happy Birthday Patti LuPone!

Hello gorgeous ones! Today is one of the best days ever. It's the day where Patti LuPone was born...thank you Patti LuPone's parents for conceiving someone who has brought so much joy, drama and music to so many people! From Evita, to Sunset Boulevard, to Gypsy it's all just the best. Sending an enormous "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to La LuPone, may she entertain and inspire us for years to come!

Missed Opportunities

Hello, my gorgeous fans! One of my favorite things to do is to "dream cast" musicals, which means taking a musical, and casting it with your ideal, perfect cast. Most of the time I cast myself as the leading heroine when I play this game, but sometimes I ponder on things like: "What if Betty Buckley had replaced Patti LuPone in Evita?" "What if Judy Garland had starred in the movie version of Gypsy?" or "What if Shirley Bassey had done a stint as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard?" "Why wasn't Master Class written sooner so Anne Bancroft could have starred in it?" These questions spark glorious fantasies in my mind, but usually lead to depression since they never happened.

What is so maddening is that some beyond fantastical casting opportunities have been SO CLOSE to actually happening, but for some reason or another (schedules, artistic differences, drug use) they never came to fruition. Here are some from stage and screen...

1. Judy Garland as Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (there were some talks)

2. Betty Buckley as The Witch in Into The Woods (she was in the workshops, but had artistic differences)

3. Patti LuPone in Sunday in the Park with George (she auditioned, but it didn't work out)

4. Judy Garland in Valley of The Dolls (click here for video)

5. Elaine Stritch in Gypsy (she almost did it over Angela Lansbury in London in the 70s, but for some reason it didn't happen. Obviously I'm glad Angela said yes and did it, because it's an amazing performance. Check out clips!)

6. Liza Minelli in the Evita movie. (This didn't happen because Tim Rice was involved and wanted Elaine Paige, his then girlfriend, who had originated the role in London, to do the movie.)
7. Cher as the Witch in an Into The Woods movie. (The fact that this movie didn't happen makes me so upset. It was to be directed by Rob Reiner also starring Goldie Hawn as the Baker's Wife, Robyn Williams as the Baker, Elijah Woods as Jack, Roseanne Barr as Jack's mother, Steve Martin as the Woolf, etc. Major UGH!)
8. Meryl Street in Sunset Boulevard movie. (This project just never happened. Streep was battling Glenn Close and Barbra Streisand for the part. Hugh Jackman was supposed to play Joe.)
9. Britney Spears in Streetcar Named Desire. (She was offered to do it in London...I know what you're thinking, and I don't care. I would have enjoyed it if it was shockingly bad, and I would have enjoyed it if it was miraculously good. I would have been in heaven.)
10. Veronica Garland in everything. (I have been offered so many parts in so many different stage productions, movies, etc and for some reason or another I have had to decline. Truly sad.)

Another rare Patti LuPone performance!!!

Hello, gorgeous ones! Annie Get Your Gun, a musical I hope to do in the future, has amazing, catchy tunes, beautiful ballads and is just a good time for everything in the audience and everyone involved. Because it's such a fun show, I was THRILLED to find these videos of Patti LuPone performing the title role. Madame LuPone and I have had our issues in the past, but I can't help, but admire her artistry.

Some rare treats!

Hello, gorgeous ones! Besides acting, singing, cosmetics, etc, I also love getting lost in the world of youtube. One of my favorite finds on youtube is this sound recording of Patti LuPone in her FINAL performance of Sunset Boulevard in London. Even though I've always thought I would have been fabulous in the role, Madame LuPone really nails it. Also, on the initial cast recording with Patti, the ending that was used for Broadway wasn't included. Here we have it, LIVE!!!

Another video, from the same user, also caught my eye recently.  A video of Betty Buckley and Linzi Hateley performing "Eve Was Weak," a song I've immortalized, from Betty's Carnegie Hall concert. I'd always read that they reprised their roles in selections from Carrie during this concert, but no recordings existed, and I was out of town at the time! FINALLY, I found this and got to see two fabulous performers reunite to recreate a fabulous, musical theater moment.