Question: You're one of the rare actors who has gotten to re-create a role on film that you played onstage in Six Degrees. What did that role mean to you? Channing: It meant everything to me. It ended up being four years of my life. Two cities, four different leading men, all of whom were vastly different from each other but divine. It was an extraordinary journey. The good news was I loved the piece so much. It would sort of be terrible to have your biggest artistic experience with something you didn't really respect. But I loved it. [Playwright] John [Guare] is one of my closest friends, and to take that trip with him and [theatre director] Jerry [Zaks] and [film director] Fred Schepisi. It was great. There was no downside to it. It was really a perfect wave.
Question: By the time you got to do the film, did your idea of Ouisa change at all? Channing: No, not really. I think the relationship with the husband would adjust and the relationship with the young man would always adjust having to do with the person I'm playing opposite. But I was already used to that from having done it in London with a totally different company. It gave me good practice in being flexible about it. But I think the thing about Ouisa Kittredge — someone said this to me, I didn't make this up, early on at a preview of the first production. She's a truth teller in spite of herself, in spite of her silliness and her giddiness, and that remained the same through all of those productions.
Question: You seem so comfortable onstage, almost like you were born to be there. Was that always the case? Did you ever have stage fright? Channing: I have stage fright when I'm not on top of my material. I just hate not being — I'm not great trying to improvise or wing things. I'm a bit of a grind. I learn my words really slowly. Once I'm in open water, I feel great. It's a total study in contrasts. Up to that point I'm sort of not eating and sleeping, and then it's like sailing. It's really fabulous, and I have to say I'm really happy to be back. I was onstage in London the summer before last, and that was fun. It's really been a long time since I've been in New York and back onstage in America, so it's great to know that I can do it! [Laughs.] It's nice to be back on the bike.
Question: Do you know what's next for you? Channing: No, I have no idea. They're gonna have to take me out and shoot me. [Laughs.] I have no idea. I'm just here until March.
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Question: Would you like to do more theatre after this? Channing: Yeah, I would, but something this good comes along very rarely. The part is great, and the production is great. We'll see what happens. You never know. That's what I said at the beginning of the conversation. When someone said to me two years ago, "They want you to do Pal Joey," I said, "Oh, yeah right!" [Laughs.] And here I am!
[Pal Joey plays Studio 54, located in Manhattan at 254 West 54th Street. For tickets call (212) 719-1300 or visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.]
Patti LuPone
DIVA TIDBITS
Olivier and two-time Tony winner Patti LuPone, who recently concluded her award-winning, acclaimed run in the Broadway revival of Gypsy, has landed a guest-starring role on an upcoming episode of the Emmy-winning "30 Rock." Entertainment Weekly reported earlier this week that the former Evita star will play the mother of Frank (Judah Friedlander), the wise-cracking writer on the hit series that was created by Tina Fey, who also stars. An air date for LuPone's appearance has yet to be announced. For more information about "30 Rock," visit www.nbc.com.
3 Mo' Divas!, which is described as a "musical celebration of class, sass and style," will be broadcast on PBS stations around the country in March. Created, directed and choreographed by Marion J. Caffey, 3 Mo' Divas! was filmed July 1-2, 2008, at the Denver Center Theater Company in Denver, CO. The filmed version stars Nova Payton (Effie White in the Prince Music Theater's Dreamgirls), Laurice Lanier (Broadway's La Bohème) and Jamet Pittman (NYCO's Porgy and Bess). PBS will broadcast 3 Mo' Divas! March 1-10 and June 1-15; check local listings. In celebration of the PBS special, 3 Mo' Divas will release their debut CD, "Smashing Musical Barriers," March 1 and a Hi-Def and Blu-Ray DVD recording of the PBS special May 12. Upcoming performance dates include June 27 at the Apollo Theater (253 W. 125th Street in NYC), April 10-11 at The Cerritos Center (Cerritos, CA), July 7-Aug. 9 at The Geva Theater (Rochester, NY) and Oct. 2 at The Lyric Theater (Baltimore, MD). For more information visit www.3modivas.com.
Maureen McGovern
photo by Gideon Lewin
The annual Broadway Backwards concert — featuring male singers performing songs traditionally sung by women and women singing tunes written for men — will be presented Feb. 9 at the American Airlines Theatre. A benefit for New York's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Community Center, the starry evening will boast the talents of the previously reported Tony Award winner Alan Cumming, Tony and Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg, current Shrek star Christopher Sieber, Assassins' Mario Cantone, stage and screen actress Megan Mullally (Young Frankenstein, "Will & Grace"), Jai Rodriguez ("Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," Rent), Gina Gershon (Boeing-Boeing), Aaron Lazar (A Tale of Two Cities), John Tartaglia (Shrek the Musical), Marty Thomas (Xanadu), "Ugly Betty" stars Becki Newton and Michael Urie, Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu, All Shook Up), Tony Award nominee Sally Mayes (She Loves Me), Kate Reinders (Good Vibrations, Gypsy; one-half of TASTiSKANK) and Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy, A Chorus Line). Newly announced for the one-night-only event are Sandra Bernhard (I'm Still Here… Damn It!, "Rosanne"), Florence Henderson (Fanny, "The Brady Bunch"), Maureen McGovern (Little Women, Nine) and Ron Palillo (Hot L. Baltimore, "Welcome Back, Kotter"). Jim Caruso will host. Robert Bartley will again direct the 8 PM benefit concert. Tickets are available by calling (212) 352-3101. The American Airlines Theatre is located in Manhattan at 227 West 42nd Street.
Vocalists have been announced for It Started With a Dream: David Zippel — Lyrics He Wrote, Lyrics He Wishes He Wrote, which will be presented at the 92nd Street Y in February. Part of the Y's acclaimed Lyrics & Lyricists series, show times at the East Side venue are Feb. 21 at 8 PM, Feb. 22 at 3 and 8 PM and Feb. 23 at 2 and 8 PM. Zippel, who is artistic director, will host the evenings with musical direction by Christopher Marlowe. The starry list of vocalists includes Broadway actors Kate Baldwin, Kevin Earley, Tony winner Debbie Gravitte, Danny Gurwin and Tony winner Lillias White. Individual tickets are priced $60 and $50. There is also a special under-35 ticket price of $25 for the Saturday and Sunday evening shows. To purchase tickets visit www.92y.org.
Daphne Rubin-Vega
Additional participants have been announced for the Drama League's annual all-star gala, A Musical Celebration of Broadway, which will be presented Feb. 2 at New York's famed Rainbow Room. The evening — which will honor producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley as well as the 25th anniversary of The Drama League Directors Project — will feature the previously announced Chita Rivera, Donna Murphy, Cheyenne Jackson, Kerry Butler, Nancy Opel, Cady Huffman, Keith Carradine, Julie Halston, Bailey Hanks, Lee Roy Reams, the original "Cagelles" from the 1983 Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles and the original Broadway cast of The Will Rogers Follies. Newly announced for the starry celebration are Tony Award winner Julie White, Equus' Kate Mulgrew, Spring Awakening's Lauren Pritchard and Skylar Astin and original Renter Daphne Rubin-Vega. One of the evening's highlights promises to be a performance of Gypsy's "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" featuring Julie Halston as Electra (the role she played in the 2003 Gypsy revival), Cady Huffman as Mazeppa and Daphne Rubin-Vega as Tessie Tura. Tickets, priced $900-$2,500, are available by calling Roger Calderon at (212) 244-9494, ext. 5. For more information visit www.dramaleague.org.
Details have been announced for the New York Pops' 2009-2010 season at Carnegie Hall. The upcoming season, featuring new music director Steven Reineke, will kick off Oct. 9 with Wayne Brady's Sammy and Sam: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke. Brady, the Emmy-winning TV star seen on Broadway in Chicago, will perform at 8 PM. Too Marvelous for Words: A Johnny Mercer Centennial Concert will be presented Nov. 20 at 8 PM. Guest artists will include Anne Hampton Callaway (Swing! Tony nominee) and N'Kenge. Expect such Mercer classics as "Laura," "Dream," "Blues in the Night," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "One for My Baby," "Hooray for Hollywood" and "Moon River." The New York Pops will celebrate the holidays with vocalist Sandi Patty Dec. 18 and 19 at 8 PM. On March 12 the Pops will offer Celtic Music: A Saint Patrick's Day Celebration. The 8 PM concert will feature Ronan Tynan, Méav, Liz Knowles and Kieran O'Hare. The season will conclude April 16 with The Best of Lerner and Loewe. The 8 PM concert will feature South Pacific co-stars Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot as well as The Clurman Singers. For ticket information visit www.carnegiehall.org.
Shelly Burch
photo by Rebecca Douglas
A host of theatre favorites will take to the intimate stage of Manhattan's Metropolitan Room in February. Amanda McBroom, the composer of "The Rose," Heartbeats and A Woman of Will, will celebrate both the release of her new CD, "CHANSON . . .Amanda McBroom Sings Jacques Brel," and Valentine's Day with a weekend of concerts at the New York City nightspot. Show times are Feb. 11-14 at 7:30 PM. Natalie Toro, who was most recently on Broadway as Madame DeFarge in A Tale of Two Cities, will celebrate the release of her self-titled debut CD with two concerts at the Metropolitan Room: Feb. 21 and 27 at 9:45 PM. Broadway favorite Judy Blazer, whose numerous stage credits include Me and My Girl, Titanic and Lovemusik, is scheduled to perform Feb. 23 at 7 PM. February will also welcome the return of actress Shelly Burch, who left New York City in 1989, after triumphs in Annie and Nine. Burch's show, which is titled Second Coming, will feature musical direction by Keith Levenson and arrangements, lyrics and direction by Tony winner Martin Charnin. Burch's show, according to press notes, is a "celebration of life, love, hope, courage, and optimism." Show times are Feb. 25-28 at 7:30 PM. The Metropolitan Room is located at 34 West 22nd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues). For reservations call (212) 206-0440 or visit www.metropolitanroom.com.
And, finally, tickets are still available for the Actors Fund of America's benefit performance of Billy Elliot — The Musical Jan. 25 at 8 PM. Tickets, priced $41.50-$126.50 (with premium seats at $301.50), are available by calling (212) 221-7300, ext. 133. For more information visit www.actorsfund.org.
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.
