Question: Since we've never spoken before, I just want to go back a bit. Where were you born and raised? Hardin: I was born in Texas, and I was raised in Los Angeles. I went to college at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.
Question: When did you start performing? Hardin: I started acting professionally when I was six, and I really have worked all my life in film and television. I've done theatre in Los Angeles as well and San Diego at the Old Globe.
Question: Have you done much musical theatre before? Hardin: No, I really haven't. It just hasn't really come up in my life. There hasn't been time for it, but I'm specifically making time for it. It just feeds me so much and makes me so happy. I really love it, and I want to use everything I've got while I got it. [Laughs.]
Question: As you said, most of your work has been on screen. How does that compare for you with working onstage? Hardin: They both have their challenges, and they both have their rewards. They're different. I would say it's challenging to sit around a set — it's the "hurry up and wait" syndrome. . . . Even just as simple as having a 4 AM call in film and television and having a 7:30 PM half-hour call for theatre and then being done at 2 AM after you wind down. With television, the challenge is getting up at 3:30 in the morning and going to bed at 7 at night. Even just simple things like that sort of correlate, but they're exact, diametric opposites. And then just the immediate gratification of getting the audience's reaction [in theatre]. You know what they're thinking, how they're feeling, if they're with you, if they're not, whether they like it or don't, right in the moment. When you do film and television, you don't get to see it until later. Sometimes you like what the director and editor did, and sometimes you don't. You don't have much to do with that. You're kind of out of the driver's seat in a certain way, once you've done your thing. In theatre, you're kind of in the driver's seat from curtain to curtain. That's kind of exciting.
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Question: I know you also recently directed your first film. What was it like working on the other side of the camera? Hardin: That was amazing. Similar to what I'm talking about in terms of theatre. I feel like doing Roxie — especially when you're dancing, singing and acting, you feel, at the end, all used up in a really wonderful way. "I've given you everything I've got, and there it is!" It's sort of like being a marathon runner. You run the marathon, and you're just spent. It's such a great feeling. The way that we made our film — my husband and I produced it together. He wrote it, I directed it, and we both starred in it. We made it very low budget, and it was really fast. We shot it in 18 days. Because I was acting in it and I was also co-producing it and I was directing it, I felt — similarly, at the end of each day — spent. . . . Every gift that I have was required of me, demanded of me in every moment of every day. That's a great feeling. . . . Making that film, everything I had to give was asked of me all the time. So I guess in that way I'm kind of an athlete, and I desire that feeling of running the race and getting to the end knowing that I gave it everything that I had to give. That's a good feeling.
Question: When does the film come out? Hardin: We're releasing it on the internet at the end of March. People can find out about that by going to my website, which is melora.com. There will be a website for the film as well, but they can go to my website, and through my website they'll be able to find it on iTunes and Amazon and so forth. They'll be able to watch it, purchase it, download it, buy it, whatever they like!
Question: How long will you stay with Chicago? Hardin: I'm here until February 12.
Question: Do you think you'd like to do more Broadway? Hardin: My gosh, I absolutely would love to. I'd like to come back and originate a role. I'd like to find something that really excites me and stretches me and is meaty and wonderful. I think the next thing in life for me would be to originate a role. I would really, really enjoy that. That would be exciting!
[Chicago plays the Ambassador Theatre, located at 215 West 49th Street. Visit www.chicagothemusical.com for additional information.]
Patti LuPone in Gypsy
photo by Paul Kolnik
GYPSY
Two of the creators of Gypsy — Arthur Laurents, who penned the show's libretto and directed the current revival, and Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the lyrics to the late Jule Styne's melodies — were on hand for the final performance of the latest revival of their classic musical Jan. 11.
Following an emotional performance at the St. James Theatre that featured lengthy entrance applause for most every scene and principal performer — both co-stars Patti LuPone and Laura Benanti were visibly moved by the audience's volcanic reactions to their entrances — Laurents and Sondheim joined the cast onstage.
The sold-out afternoon performance — including dozens who stood in the back of the theatre to watch LuPone's last performance as Rose — was a give-and-take love affair between audience and cast. There were several times the audience erupted into thunderous applause, most notably after LuPone's dazzling "Rose's Turn." The applause lasted so long — with some in the crowd yelling, "We love you Patti" and "You're a national treasure" — that the Tony-winning actress finally gestured for the crowd to let her and Benanti finish the scene.
When LuPone took her final bow, dozens of single roses were tossed to the stage, and she proceeded to pick up the flowers and distribute a single rose to each and every member of the cast. After she brought out Laurents and Sondheim to much applause, LuPone said, "Two of the creative staff are no longer with us, and we must acknowledge them — Jule Styne and [choreographer] Jerome Robbins."
More applause followed, and LuPone offered a simple, brief speech, stating, "This experience in this theatre has been blessed by the theatre gods. . . . The crew, the front of house, and our wardrobe and everybody in this show . . . it's a rare experience that was led by Arthur with love, for which we are eternally grateful. I think I've never worked with a more dedicated, more committed, more lovely group of people who call themselves theatricals . . . and I am incredibly grateful … This is not goodbye, this is simply fare thee well."
Although there had been talk of recording the final performance, there were no cameras present. That said, anyone lucky enough to have attended the last performance will not soon forget the experience.
DIVA TIDBITS
Brandi Burkhardt
Brandi Burkhardt, who made her Broadway debut earlier this season as Lucie Manette in the short-lived A Tale of Two Cities, will join the New York cast of the international hit musical Mamma Mia! Jan. 27. Burkhardt will succeed Allison Case in the role of bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan. Case will play her final performance in the ABBA-scored musical Jan. 25. The Winter Garden Theatre is located in Manhattan at 1634 Broadway. For more information visit www.mamma-mia.com.
Tony Award winner Judy Kaye, who played vocally challenged soprano Florence Foster Jenkins Off-Broadway and subsequently on, will reprise her performance for San Francisco audiences next month. American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) in San Francisco will present Tony winner Kaye in Stephen Temperley's play with music, Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins. The production will play the California venue Feb. 13-March 15 with an official opening Feb. 18. Tickets for Souvenir can be purchased by visiting A.C.T. Ticket Services, located at 405 Geary Street, by calling (415) 749-2228 or by visiting www.act-sf.org.
Day One: An Evening of Celebration, presented by Lance Horne and Mary-Mitchell Campbell, will be held Jan. 20 at Joe's Pub. The 9:30 PM concert will feature songs of hope and change to help celebrate the inauguration of America's 44th President, Barack Obama. Proceeds will benefit Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP), the organization whose mission is to "to create positive change for young people in need across the globe." The performance will boast the talents of composer Horne and music director Campbell as well as Seth Rudetsky, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Debra Barsha, Nathan Lee Graham, Lauren Kennedy, Jenn Colella, Jenn Foote, Scott Sowinski, Lea DeLaria and Lauren Flanigan. Joe's Pub is located within the Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street. There is a $20 cover charge; for reservations call (212) 967-7555 or visit www.joespub.com.
Who's Worse Than People? And Other Songs of the Season
The Heartwarming Lyrics of Amanda Green is the lengthy title of a Feb. 2 evening at Birdland featuring the work of High Fidelity lyricist Green. Green will be joined onstage at the famed jazz club by actors Norm Lewis (The Little Mermaid), Jenn Colella (High Fidelity, Urban Cowboy), David Pittu (What's That Smell?, Is He Dead?, Lovemusik) and Jennifer Foote (A Chorus Line, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and composers Larry Grossman (Minnie's Boys, Grind, Goodtime Charley) and Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, Next to Normal). Show time is 7 PM. Matt Gallagher will be the evening's musical director. Birdland is located in Manhattan at 315 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues. There is a $30 (general admission) or $50 (orchestra) cover charge and a $10 food-drink minimum. For reservations call (212) 581-3080 or visit www.birdlandjazz.com.
Dreamlight Theatre Company's "Bright Lights" concert series will continue Jan. 26 with an evening entitled A Night with The Ladies. The 8 PM concert at Dillon's Lounge in Manhattan will feature the work of five women songwriters: Deborah Abramson and Amanda Yesnowitz, Katie Thompson, and Lindsay Baker and Amanda Jacobs. Billy Bustamante will host. Those currently scheduled to perform the songs of the aforementioned composers include Marc Kudisch (9 to 5, Assassins, Thoroughly Modern Millie), Chip Zien (Into the Woods, Falsettos), Laura Osnes (Grease), Liz Larsen (Hairspray, Damn Yankees), Megan McGinnis (Little Women, Les Miserables, Parade) and Charlie Brady (South Pacific). Dillon's Lounge is located in Manhatttan at 245 West 54th Street. There is a $15 cover charge and a two-drink minimum. To purchase tickets visit www.DreamlightTheatre.org.
Congregation Beth Simchat Torah will present the New York premiere of William Finn's Songs of Innocence and Experience Jan. 26 at the Merkin Concert Hall. The 8 PM concert will feature the talents of Broadway actors Malcolm Gets, Sally Wilfert, Ann Harada, Megan Lawrence and Sebastian Arcelus. Philip Himberg will direct with musical direction by Vadim Feichtner. Composed at Williams College, the new work contains lyrics and music by Finn in collaboration with his students. Songs of Innocence and Experience, according to press notes, "tells the stories of teachers and students, exploring the process of how learning is passed on." Composer Finn will narrate the evening. The Merkin Concert Hall is located in Manhattan at 129 West 67th Street. For tickets, priced $35, visit http://kaufman-center.org/merkin-concert-hall or call (212) 501-3330.
A concert performance of Zanna, Don't!, featuring several members of the original Off-Broadway cast, will be presented Feb. 3 at the Theatre at St. Peters Church. A benefit for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, the 7:30 PM concert will be co-directed by Jen Waldman and Steve Pacek with music direction by Rich Silverstein. Casting is now complete for the evening, which will feature recent Xanadu star Marty Thomas in the title role with several original Zanna Off-Broadway actors reprising their roles: Amanda Ryan Paige (Great American Trailer Park Musical) as Candy, Enrico Rodriguez (Rent, Big) as Mike, Robb Sapp (Wicked, Enter Laughing) as Tank and Shelley Thomas (Brooklyn) as Kate. The company will also include Michael Kadin Craig (Altar Boyz) as Steve, Katrina Rose Dideriksen (Jerry Springer the Opera) as Roberta and Troy Valjean Rucker (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Arvin. The Theatre at St. Peters Church is located in Manhattan at 619 Lexington Ave at 54th Street. Tickets, priced $50, are available by visiting www.glsenstore.orgl or by calling Solonje Burnett at (646) 388-6589.
Kristin Chenoweth
Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth has replaced the previously announced Marin Mazzie in the City Center Encores! upcoming production of Music in the Air, which will play the famed Manhattan venue Feb. 5-8. Mazzie has withdrawn from the production due to the recent death of her father. The cast will also feature "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" star Sally Ann Howes as Frau Direktor Kirschner, The Little Mermaid's Sierra Boggess as Sieglinde Lessing, Tony winner Dick Latessa as Herr Direktor Kirschner, theatre veteran Walter Charles as Cornelius, Anne L. Nathan as Marthe, Tom Alan Robbins as Dr. Walther Lessing, Tony nominee Douglas Sills as Bruno Mahler, Ryan Silverman as Karl Reder, David Schramm as Ernst Weber and Robert Sella as Uppman. Gary Griffin will direct with choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. Tickets for the 2008-2009 Encores! season are available by visiting the City Center box office (West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), by calling (212) 581-1212 or by visiting www.nycitycenter.org.
And, finally, Victor/Victoria's Rachel York is currently in the midst of a symphony concert tour. The former star of City of Angels's schedule includes performances with the Minnesota Orchestra (Jan. 17), the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (Feb. 7 and 8), the Long Bay Symphony (Feb. 28) and the Gulf Coast Symphony (April 5). For more details visit www.rachelyork.net.
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.
