She is the author of "Patti LuPone: A Memoir."
Early life
LuPone is of Italian (Sicilian [1]) descent. [2] She is a graduate of Northport High School. LuPone was part of the first graduating class of Juilliard’s Drama Division.
Theatre
In 1972 John Houseman took his beloved class and formed The Acting Company, making them America’s foremost nationally touring repertory theater company. Her stint with the Acting Company lasted from 1972 to 1976, and she was featured in such works as The School for Scandal, Women Beware Women, The Beggar’s Opera, The Time of Your Life, The Lower Depths, The Hostage, Next Time I’ll Sing to You, Measure for Measure, Scapin, Edward II, The Orchestra, Love’s Labours Lost, Arms and the Man, The Way of the World, and The Robber Bridegroom, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. In 1986, alumni members of The Acting Company joined forces for a West End revival of The Cradle Will Rock in which LuPone played Moll, and for which she received an Olivier Award. Ms. LuPone is an important player in contemporary American musical theater. She made her Broadway debut in the play Three Sisters Her first leading role in a musical was The Baker’s Wife, which did not make it to NYC. She has performed on Broadway in works by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim and others. She won a Tony Award for Evita in 1980.
In 1987, LuPone landed the role of Reno Sweeney in the Broadway revival of Anything Goes, for which she won the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Musical. LuPone’s return to Broadway was supposed to be with the musical Sunset Boulevard, however Andrew Lloyd Webber breached LuPone’s contract by recasting her role for the New York production. LuPone subsequently sued Webber, but the two settled the dispute out of court with a hefty settlement in favor of LuPone. After this LuPone was so disappointed, it took her a year to return to the stage. In 1996, LuPone returned to Broadway in a triumphant fashion in a concert style celebration of her career called Patti LuPone on Broadway for which she received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Solo Performance. Also in 1996 LuPone was asked to replace Zoe Caldwell in the Terrance McNally play, Master Class for which she received rave reviews and later performed in the West End. In 2001 she starred along side Peter Gallagher in the Broadway revival of Noises Off. Other Broadway credits include Working (1978), Oliver! (1984), and Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1982).
LuPone has worked with David Mamet since 1977, acting in his plays, including The Woods (1977), All Men Are Whores (1977), The Blue Hour (1978) The Water Engine (1978), Edmund (1982), and The Old Neighborhood (1997)
Ms. LuPone has been a part of many semi-staged concerts of musicals in New York such as the Encores! production of Pal Joey (1994) opposite Peter Gallagher and Bebe Neuwirth; Sweeney Todd (2000) opposite George Hearn and Audra McDonald; Can-Can (2004) opposite Michael Nouri; Candide opposite Kristin Chenoweth; and Passion (2005) opposite Michael Cerveris and Audra McDonald.
LuPone’s triumphs in the opera world extend to Kennedy Center’s production of Regina, The world premier of Jake Heggie's To Hell and Back, and the Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny opposite long time friend Audra McDonald and directed by John Doyle with the Los Angeles Opera.
She has three one-woman shows that she performs across the country: Matters of the Heart, Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, and The Lady With the Torch, which sold out Carnegie Hall.
She originated the role of Fantine in the Royal Shakespeare production of the musical Les Misérables, becoming the first American actress to win the Olivier Award. LuPone returned to the London to portray Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard in the West End.
LuPone recently starred on Broadway as Mrs. Lovett in John Doyle’s new staging of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Ms. LuPone was nominated for a Tony Award for this role.
A regular star at the Ravinia Festival’s annual Sondheim concerts in Highland Park, IL, Ms. LuPone has had starring turns in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (2001), A Little Night Music (2002), Passion (2003), Sunday in the Park with George (2004), Anyone Can Whistle (2005), and Gypsy (2006).
With her unanimously rave reviews from the Ravinia production of Gypsy, LuPone was offered the opportunity to star in a new production of Gypsy, directed by Arthur Laurents, who had directed Tyne Daly and Angela Lansbury in previous Broadway revivals. This production launched a new Broadway performance series, Encores! Summer Stars, a spin-off of the popular Encores! series. The Encores! Summer Stars production of Gypsy is scheduled to open July 9, 2007.
Film
Among LuPone’s film credits are Witness, Just Looking, The Victim, Summer of Sam, Driving Miss Daisy, King of Gypsies, 1941, 'Wise Guys, 24 Hour Woman, Family Prayers, Bad Faith, and City By The Sea. She has also worked with legendary playwright David Mamet on several movies including , (The Water Engine, the critically acclaimed State and Main, and Heist).
Television
LuPone played Libby Thatcher on the television drama Life Goes On, which ran on ABC from 1989 to 1993. She has twice been nominated for an Emmy Award for the TV movie The Song Spinner, and her guest appearance on Frasier. LuPone’s further TV career includes a recurring spot on the last season of HBO’s hit series Oz. She had a cameo as herself in the episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Kelsey Grammer in 1998. She also played herself in an episode of Will and Grace entitled "BullyWoolley" 2005. She also appeared on the series "Ugly Betty" in 2007 as Mrs. Jean Wiener, the mother of Wilhelmina's secretary, Mark.
Known for her range and versatility, she once played Lady Bird Johnson opposite Randy Quaid’s Lyndon B. Johnson in the television movie, LBJ.
Recordings
LuPone recorded a duet with Seth MacFarlane (in character as Glenn Quagmire) on the 2005 album Family Guy: Live In Vegas.
LuPone released a new CD in 2006, of one of her shows The Lady with the Torch, on Sh-k-Boom Records. In December she released bonus tracks for that CD only on iTunes.
Selected recordings include:
The Baker’s Wife (Original cast recording)
Evita (Original Broadway cast recording)
The Cradle Will Rock (The Acting Company recording)
Les Miserables (Royal Shakespeare Company recording)
Anything Goes (Lincoln Center Theater recording)
Heat Wave (John Mauceri conducting the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra)
Patti LuPone Live (Solo Album)
Sunset Boulevard (World premiere/original London cast recording)
Matters of the Heart (Solo Album)
Sweeney Todd (New York Philharmonic recording)
Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Cast recording)
The Lady with the Torch (Solo Album)
The Lady With the Torch...Still Burning (Solo Album)
To Hell and Back (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra World Premier recording)
Personal life
Her first name, Patti, is not short for “Patricia”; it is her mother’s maiden name. LuPone’s great-grand-aunt was the celebrated 19th-century opera singer Adelina Patti. Her brother is actor, dancer, and director Robert LuPone, and her other brother William is a teacher. When they were young they performed on Long Island as the LuPone Trio.
She had a long-term relationship with fellow Juilliard classmate Kevin Kline.
She married Matthew Johnston in 1988 on the Vivian Beaumont Stage at Lincoln Center after filming the TV movie LBJ, they had one child on 21 November 1990, Joshua Luke Johnston.
She currently resides with her family in upstate Connecticut.
Source: Wikipedia
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
Patti LuPone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your newly elected President, Juan Peron
(Peron, Peron, Peron, Peron)
(Peron, Peron, Peron, Peron)
(Peron, Peron, Peron)
Argentinos, Argentinos
Fighting against our common enemies
Poverty, social injustice
Foreign domination of our industries
Reaching for our common goals
Our independence, our dignity, our pride
Let the world know that our great nation is awakening
And that its heart beats in the humble bodies
Of Juan Peron and his wife
The first lady of Argentina
Eva Duarte de Peron
As a mere observer of this tasteless phenomenon
One has to admire the stage management
There again perhaps I'm more than a mere observer
Listen to my enthusiasm gentlemen
Peron! Peron! Peron!
Look, if I take off my shirt, will you
(Evita, Evita, Evita, Evita)
(Evita, Evita, Evita, Evita)
It won't be easy, you'll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love after all that I've done
You won't believe me
All you will see is a girl you once knew
Although she's dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom
Running around trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to
Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
They are illusions
They're not the solutions they promised to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me
Don't cry for me, Argentina
Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
Have I said too much? There's nothing more
I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me to know
That every word is true
Just listen to that! The voice of Argentina!
We are adored! We are loved!
Statesmanship is more than entertaining peasants
We shall see, little man
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Evita Peron!
I am only a simple woman who lives to serve Peron
In his noble crusade to rescue his people!
I was once as you are now!
I have taken these riches from the oligarchs only for you
For all of you! One day you will inherit these treasures!
Descamisados! When they fire those cannons
when the crowds sing of glory, it is not just for Peron
But for all of us! All of us!
Things have reached a pretty pass
When someone pretty lower class
Can be accepted and admired
But your despicable class is dead!
Look who they are calling for now!
"Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is a song about the newly elected President of Argentina, Juan Peron, and his wife, Eva Peron. The song is sung by Eva, the First Lady of Argentina, who addresses the people of Argentina, telling them of the common goals they have and how they are fighting against poverty, social injustice and foreign domination of their industries. She talks about the awakening of their great nation and how it's headed by Juan Peron and his wife.
The song then transitions to Eva's personal life as she sings about how her newfound freedom has made her realize that she still needs the love of the people of Argentina, despite everything that she has done. She acknowledges that though she once desired fortune and fame, they were not the solutions that they promised to be. Eva then reassures the people of Argentina that she has never left them and kept her promises throughout her wild days and mad existence.
The song touches on themes of nationalism, identity, and the notion of individualism vs. society. It's a commentary on the changing landscape of Argentina and the role of the people in shaping it. The song also highlights the charisma and stage management of Juan and Eva Peron, and how they were able to generate mass adoration amongst the people of Argentina.
Line by Line Meaning
People of Argentina
Fellow citizens of Argentina
Your newly elected President, Juan Peron
Juan Peron has been elected as our new President
(Peron, Peron, Peron, Peron)
Chanting the name of our new President, Juan Peron
Argentinos, Argentinos
Citizens of Argentina
We are all workers now
We are all equal workers now
Fighting against our common enemies
Fighting against poverty, social injustice and foreign domination of our industries
Poverty, social injustice
Two of the common enemies we are fighting against
Foreign domination of our industries
Another common enemy we are fighting against
Reaching for our common goals
Working together to achieve our goals
Our independence, our dignity, our pride
Our goals are independence, dignity and pride
Let the world know that our great nation is awakening
Our nation is going through a renaissance and we want the world to know about it
And that its heart beats in the humble bodies
Our nation's soul lies in the ordinary people like Juan Peron and his wife
Of Juan Peron and his wife
Juan Peron and his wife, Eva Duarte de Peron are the embodiment of our nation's soul
The first lady of Argentina
Eva Duarte de Peron is the first lady of Argentina
As a mere observer of this tasteless phenomenon
As someone who is merely observing this spectacle
One has to admire the stage management
One can appreciate the skillful management of the event
There again perhaps I'm more than a mere observer
Perhaps I am more than a mere observer
Listen to my enthusiasm gentlemen
Listen to my excitement, gentlemen
Peron! Peron! Peron!
Chanting the name of our new President, Juan Peron
Look, if I take off my shirt, will you
A rhetorical question, implying that enthusiasm does not require the removal of clothing
(Evita, Evita, Evita, Evita)
Chanting the name of Eva Duarte de Peron, affectionately called 'Evita'
It won't be easy, you'll think it strange
I understand that what I am about to say may be difficult to accept
When I try to explain how I feel
When I attempt to articulate my emotions
That I still need your love after all that I've done
Despite what I have done, I still require your affection
You won't believe me
You may find it hard to believe
All you will see is a girl you once knew
All you will see is the person I used to be
Although she's dressed up to the nines
Despite my current attire
At sixes and sevens with you
Feeling uncertain and confused in your presence
I had to let it happen, I had to change
I had to let change happen in my life
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
I could not continue living in poverty
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
Hiding from the world and avoiding confrontation
So I chose freedom
I chose to become free and independent
Running around trying everything new
Experimenting with new experiences and activities
But nothing impressed me at all
None of these experiences left a lasting impression on me
I never expected it to
I didn't expect anything different
Don't cry for me, Argentina
Please don't shed tears for me, Argentina
The truth is I never left you
I have always been here with you
All through my wild days
Even in my most tumultuous moments
My mad existence
My chaotic life
I kept my promise
I remained true to my word
Don't keep your distance
Please don't keep your distance from me
And as for fortune, and as for fame
Regarding wealth and public approbation
I never invited them in
I didn't actively seek these things
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
Even though the world thought I wanted these things
They are illusions
These things are not real
They're not the solutions they promised to be
They don't solve the problems that they supposedly cure
The answer was here all the time
The solution was with me all along
I love you and hope you love me
I love you and hope that you love me too
Have I said too much? There's nothing more
Did I say too much? There's nothing more to say
I can think of to say to you
There's nothing else that comes to mind which I need to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me to know
Just look at me and you will understand
That every word is true
Everything I've said is true
Just listen to that! The voice of Argentina!
Hear that! The voice of Argentina cheering!
We are adored! We are loved!
We are revered and loved
Statesmanship is more than entertaining peasants
Being a statesman requires more than providing entertainment to the common people
We shall see, little man
We will see, small-minded person
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!
Eva Duarte de Peron! The Holy Peronist!
I am only a simple woman who lives to serve Peron
I am a humble woman whose purpose is to serve Peron
In his noble crusade to rescue his people!
In his virtuous mission to save his fellow people!
I was once as you are now!
I was once just like you!
I have taken these riches from the oligarchs only for you
I have taken wealth from the elite and distributed it to the people
For all of you! One day you will inherit these treasures!
For every one of you! One day you will be the owners of this treasure!
Descamisados! When they fire those cannons when the crowds sing of glory, it is not just for Peron
Descamisados! When those cannons are fired and the crowds celebrate, it is not just for Peron
But for all of us! All of us!
It is for every single one of us!
Things have reached a pretty pass
Things have reached a critical stage
When someone pretty lower class
When someone of lower social standing
Can be accepted and admired
Can be accepted and esteemed
But your despicable class is dead!
Your deplorable social class no longer exists!
Look who they are calling for now!
Look at who they are cheering for now!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TIM RICE, ANDREW WEBBER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@renatamainere6104
It won't be easy, you'll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love after all that I've done
You won't believe me, all you will see is a girl you once knew
Although she's dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom, running around trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to
Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is, I never left you
All through my wild days, my mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
They are illusions, they're not the solutions they promised to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you, and hope you love me
Don't cry for me, Argentina
Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is, I never left you
All through my wild days, my mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
Have I said too much?
There's nothing more I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me to know
That every word is true
@Meatorofu
she sings as if it is as natural and effortless as breathing
@lorihenrytaylor4438
There’s a lot of training and discipline behind that level of ease! Love Patti LuPone so much
@vylon1075
Mainstream artist could only dream getting at this level. Stage actresses made them sound like pedestrian singers. No offense intended.
@electra7329
As much as I love the big screen version with Madonna, Patti puts everything Evita Peron was going through at that moment in her life in perspective.
@Abaumanii
im here because of agatha harkness.
@Renren1776
lol same
@sjoo8
Same!
@jf683
Down down down the road down the witches road!!!! (Same)
@Jumbaride
So, do you all love our Queen Patti?
@MrJerks93
Same!