It's the space that, until 2002, held the Academy Awards. On the last two days of 2001, however, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion will be home to Broadway's Mandy Patinkin, stopping off in Los Angeles with his "Mandy Patinkin in Concert" series.
A three-time Tony nominee, Patinkin starred in the musicals The Wild Party, Sunday in the Park With George, The Secret Garden and Falsettos. He won his Best Featured Actor (Musical) Tony playing Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Evita, in 1980. Prior to Party, his most recent Broadway appearance was in his concert of Yiddish songs titled Mamaloshen (the CD shares that title). He is also known for TV's "Chicago Hope," the film comedy, "The Princess Bride" and Barbra Streisand's "Yentl."
"Mandy Patinkin in Concert" is sponsored by Dodger Theatrical Productions, Inc. Paul Ford plays piano for the set, which includes selection from Patinkin's recently released "Kidults" CD, as well as traditional, classical and contemporary songs.
For tickets, call (213) 365-3500. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is located in the Music Center at 135 North Grand Avenue at First Street. *
Patinkin got in touch with his inner child Sept. 4 with the release of his sixth solo album of eclectic songs, "Kidults," which offers family-friendly songs from "The Wizard of Oz," Frank Loesser's "Hans Christian Andersen," Broadway and the pop world. On the disc, Patinkin is characteristically both delicate and extreme as he charts an emotional path that runs from innocence ("School Days," Maury Yeston's "New Words," "Getting to Know You") to experience (Sondheim's "Everybody Says Don't," "Nothing's Gonna Harm You") to playfulness ("Rhode Island Is Famous for You," "'A' You're Adorable," "Singin' in the Bathtub").
His frantic version of "A Tisket a Tasket," a favorite in his stage concerts, is preserved on CD. It's performed as a crime-scene interrogation.
The album is on the Nonsesuch label. Eric Stern conducts the orchestra. Musical arrangements are by Ford. Guest artist Kristin Chenoweth sings "Soon It's Gonna Rain," the "School Days" medley and "How Could You Believe Me?" (the classic song by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner, with a title that continues, "when I said I love you when you know I've been a liar all my life?"). Tommy Krasker is the album's producer.
The 16 tracks include "Inchworm," "Time in a Bottle," "Minute Waltz," "The Ugly Duckling," "Japanese Sandman," "April in Fairbanks," "Holiday for Strings," "The King's New Clothes," "Cat's in the Cradle," "Singin' in the Rain" and "If I Only Had a Brain." The CD liner notes offer this dedication from Patinkin: "For my grandchildren."
Following the Los Angeles dates, the tour will visit:
Jan. 2,2002: Marin Auditorium, San Rafael, CA
Jan. 4: Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
Jan. 6: Artemus Ham Concert Hall, Las Vegas, NV
Jan. 28: Weidner Center, Green Bay, WI
Jan. 30: Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa, FL
Jan. 14-20: Colonial Theater, Boston, MA
Feb. 1: Florida Theater, Jacksonville, FL
Feb. 3: Mann Performing Arts Center, Fort Meyers, FL
Feb. 5: Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, Sarasota, FL
Feb. 9-10: Lyric Opera House, Baltimore, MD
— By Christine Ehren
and Kenneth Jones
