DIVA TALK: Divas in Concert
BETTY BUCKLEY
Just a reminder that BB will perform this Sunday, May 19 at the Directors Company 1996 benefit, which is a celebration of the music of Stephen Schwartz. Most likely Betty will treat the audience to her soaring version of "Meadowlark" from Schwartz's The Baker's Wife. For more information, call (212) 246-5877.
And don't forget to get your tickets to Betty's Carnegie Hall solo debut on June 10. Buckley has promised to sing songs from Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Carrie, plus a variety of old and new material. Tickets to the concert, which will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, range from $25-$1,000. For $25, $35 or $55 tickets, contact Carnegie Hall Box Office. For tickets ranging from $100-$1,000 contact BC/EFA at 212-840-0770, ext. 268.
PATTI LuPONE:
As I reported in the last column, Patti has many concert dates lined up. Now add two more to that list. In fact, the first one is tonight (Friday, May 17) and tomorrow night (May 18) at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Then, on Saturday June 8 LuPone will take part in the Civic Light Opera's Birthday Bash in Pittsburgh, PA. This evening, which will be held in Point State Park, is a free event created in partnership with the Three River Arts Festival. The night will conclude with a fireworks display.
As you all know, La LuPone will be taking over the lead role in Terrence McNally's Master Class on July 2, and LuPone is scheduled to begin rehearsals for the show June 3. I recently saw some photos taken of Patti to aid the designers of the new Master Class poster. LuPone, while not in the exact wig/costume she will wear in the show, looked wonderful in the part, and is further confirmation how great she will be in the role. I hope to interview our Evita gal for an article for Playbill about her newest role. I'll keep you posted.
BERNADETTE PETERS:
Add another concert performance for Bernadette, too. Peters will perform August 18 and 19 with the San Diego Symphony. The evenings are billed as "a song and dance spectacular" and will be conducted by Jung-Ho Pak. The number in San Francisco for tickets is 200-TIXS. I had also forgotten to give you a list of the songs that BP sang in her Vancouver concert in the beginning of April. A dedicated Peters fan who attended the concert graciously sent me a rundown of the evening. Bernadette has added a lot of new material to her act since I last saw her, some of which will probably be on her new album. So, here's the list:
Opening: "We're in the Money"/"Pennies from Heaven"
"Wonderful Thing"
"Broadway Baby"
"No One Is Alone"
"Sooner or Later"
"Unexpected Song"
"Making Love Alone"
"My Romance"
"Just the Way You Look Tonight"
"Not a Day Goes By"
"Like a River Flows"
"Don't Advertise Your Man"
"Harold Arlen Medley"
"Encore: I'll Be Seeing You"
NORMA FOR THE ROAD:
Last week I attended a party to launch the website of the Sunset Boulevard tour. Also in attendance were Linda Balgord and Ron Bohmer, who will be portraying Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis in the road tour of Sunset Boulevard. A three-song promotional CD was handed out as a "party favor," and the CD contained Balgord's renditions of "With One Look" and "As If We Never Said Goodbye" plus Bohmer's Sunset Boulevard.
Hopefully, we will be treated to another CD once the tour begins. But, for now, it's a welcome addition to the ever-growing "Sunset" recordings. . .Patti, Glenn, Betty, Elaine, Diahann, Petula, Helen, Linda . . .not to mention those who have recorded the songs independently: Barbra Streisand, Shirley Bassey, Laurie Beechman . . .
That's all for now. Happy diva-watching!
