Patti LuPone headlined Turtle Creek Chorale’s Rhapsody Gala at the Meyerson. (Photo courtesy Bryce Swinford)
The Turtle Creek Chorale hosted its third Rhapsody gala on Saturday night at the Meyerson. The black tie gala was not short of fabulous fashions and cocktail mingling. But the night’s centerpiece was certainly the name on everyone’s lips.
Patti LuPone headlined this year’s gala following in the footsteps of fellow Broadway legends Idina Menzel and Audra McDonald who headlined their own galas. But also, this was a-class-of-her-own Patti LuPone. When she stepped on that stage, the audience roared with enthusiastic applause – and maybe even some tears.
Before she came on, the Turtle Creek Chorale opened the night with a dramatic rendition of “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman. Members of the chorus had already filled the stands onstage while more members entered from the aisles. They performed a beautifully rich “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George.
After words by the emcees and the TCC video presentation, the diva then entered the stage.
Patti Lupone and the Turtle Creek Chorale at the Meyerson. (Rich Lopez/DV)
But the legend came on with a smile and what even seemed like a bounce in her step. There was no icon or diva onstage (I mean there was but…) – there was this famous Broadway singer and actor ready to perform with what felt like a genuine glee. I can’t say I knew what to expect from LuPone, but I could only imagine a certain grandness because she’s certainly earned that.
None of that.
When she performed “You Got Trouble, Sleep Man” and “Some Other Time” with the chorale, it was glorious magic between the two. There was a sweet connection between her and the chorale and she often blew them kisses and showed her appreciation of them all.
For her own performance with accompanist and music director Joseph Thalken, she engaged with the audience mostly through her top hat gimmick where audience members pick a song out of the hat. Upon her first selection, although I think about three songs in already, she said this was the song that made me a star and belted out “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.”
The show was a mix of songs that some very enthusiastic audience members picked out of the hat along with her and Thalken’s setlist of mostly Broadway tunes. LuPone was giddy with some of the hat selections exclaiming a couple of “oh shits” before singing. She sang selections from West Side Story, The Music Man and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown among others. She surprised with a charming cover of “Love Me Tender” after talking about growing up with her mother’s Broadway albums and rock ‘n’ roll.
Before “If I’d Been a Man,” a duet she had with Christine Ebersole in War Paint, LuPone quipped she liked it better as a solo. And there was the fabulous diva moment we were waiting for. Of course, she delivered a splash-worthy “Ladies who Lunch” from Company bringing down the house in its truest for really with a rousing ovation.
LuPone brought a solid set to the Meyerson that didn’t disappoint – even without songs from Sunset Boulevard or Sweeney Todd that one might expect. Her selections both with the Turtle Creek Chorale and her solos made up an illustrious revue of showtunes. Plus, she looked like she was having fun the entire night which gave not only her performance, but the gala as well that special touch.
–Rich Lopez
