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
Downtown
Patti LuPone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can always go - downtown.
When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know. - down town.
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city,
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty.
How can you lose?
You can forget all your troubles,
Forget all your cares.
So go - down town
Things'll be great when you're - down town.
No finer place for sure - down town,
Ev'rything's waiting for you. - Down town.
Don't hang around and let your problems surround you,
There are movie shows - down town,
Maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close. - down town.
Just listen to the rythm of a gentle Bossa Nova,
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over.
Happy again.
The lights are much brighter there,
You can forget all your troubles,
Forget all your cares.
So go - down town
Where all the lights are bright - Down town,
Waiting for you, tonight - Down town,
You're gonna be all right now. - Down town.
And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you.
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand
To guide them along,
So, maybe I'll see you there,
We can forget all our troubles,
Forget all our cares.
So go - down town
Things'll be great when you're - down town,
Don't wait a minute more - down town,
Ev'rything's waiting for you.
Down town, down town,
Down town, down town
The lyrics to Patti LuPone’s rendition of “Downtown” describe how going to the city center can alleviate loneliness and worry by immersing oneself in the sights and sounds of the urban environment. The song encourages the listener to venture outside of their troubles and embrace the vibrant city life. The lyrics suggest that by going downtown, one can forget all their cares and find a place where everything is waiting for them. The song ends with the idea that going downtown could help one find someone who is similar to them and needs a gentle hand to guide them along.
The first verse suggests that the city center can be a comforting place when one is feeling alone. The lyrics “when you're alone and life is making you lonely, you can always go downtown” encourages the listener to go out and see the sights and sounds of the city. The idea is that being in the midst of the commotion of the city can help one forget their troubles. The second verse mentions the power of the music and lights to transport the listener out of their problems. The tone of the song is light and cheerful, giving the listener hope that everything will be okay.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're alone and life is making you lonely,
If you feel lonely or like no one is there for you,
You can always go - downtown.
Going downtown can help you escape and feel better.
When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry
When you have problems and life is moving too fast,
Seems to help, I know. - down town.
Going downtown can help ease those worries.
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city,
The sounds of the city can be soothing and help you relax.
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty.
The captivating visuals of downtown can distract you from your problems.
How can you lose?
There are so many things you can enjoy downtown, how can you not have fun?
The lights are much brighter there,
The brightness of the downtown lights can light up your mood.
You can forget all your troubles,
Being downtown can help you temporarily forget your problems.
Forget all your cares.
Downtown can help relieve some of the stresses of life.
So go - down town
Downtown is waiting for you to come and have fun.
Things'll be great when you're - down town.
Your mood will improve when you go downtown.
No finer place for sure - down town,
Downtown is the best place to go.
Ev'rything's waiting for you. - Down town.
Downtown has everything you need to have a good time.
Don't hang around and let your problems surround you,
Don't let your problems consume you, go downtown!
There are movie shows - down town,
Downtown has movie theaters to enjoy.
Maybe you know some little places to go to
There are hidden gems in downtown that you may know about.
where they never close. - down town.
Some places downtown are open all night for you to enjoy.
Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle Bossa Nova,
The soothing sounds of Bossa Nova can relax you and make you feel good.
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over.
Downtown has places where you can dance and enjoy yourself.
Happy again.
Downtown can help you regain your happiness.
Where all the lights are bright - Down town,
The vibrant lights of downtown can make you feel alive.
Waiting for you, tonight - Down town,
Downtown is waiting for you to come have fun tonight.
You're gonna be all right now. - Down town.
Downtown can help you feel safe, happy, and content.
And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you.
You might even meet someone who can help you through your problems.
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand
You might even find someone who understands what you're going through.
To guide them along,
To help them through their problems.
So, maybe I'll see you there,
Maybe we can both go to downtown and have fun together.
We can forget all our troubles,
We can both let go of our problems.
Forget all our cares.
We can both relax and have a good time together.
Don't wait a minute more - down town,
Don't hesitate, go downtown now and have fun.
Ev'rything's waiting for you.
Downtown has everything you need to have a great time.
Down town, down town,
Downtown is the place to be!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tony Hatch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind