Gypsy soul

We caught up with legendary stage star Patti LuPone minutes after she finished a matinee of Sweeney Todd, John Doyle’s mind-blowing staging of Stephen Sondheim’s bloodthirsty-barber tale. From her Broadway dressing room, LuPone—who won a Tony for Evita before anyone had ever heard of Madonna—told us about the time she was forced to take off her shirt for an airport-security pat-down and why she’s returning to Ravinia for the sixth summer in a row—this time for Jule Styne and Sondheim’s Gypsy.

Not too many musical-theater divas keep blogs, but yours is pretty entertaining, especially when you go off on audience members sleeping, popping peanuts, drinking beer.
I don’t know what’s happened to audiences and their behavior in the theater. But I call them on it as much as I can. It’s bizarre what they do instead of watching the show.

Some actors have taken to stopping the show when cell phones go off. Have you done that yet?
No, that has not happened yet. I’m sure some day it will. I don’t know whether I would be clever enough to stop the show and make my point or stop the show and really alienate a bunch of people—’cause that would be nasty.

On your website, one person asked if you’d had the career you’d wanted. You replied, “Kind of.”
I don’t know of any actors that are totally satisfied with their career. There are things that I would like to have done that I didn’t; there are ways I would rather have been received that I wasn’t.

Ways you were received?
I have a funny critical relationship. My history with the critics is controversial. You want people to go, This is the best they’ve ever seen—or at least see it. But I’m not the only actor that feels that way. Maybe I’m the only actor that says it.

After a year, Sweeney Todd closes in September. What’s it been like?
This company is a blessing. It’s an egoless, supportive, creative environment. It’s an experience I never had. It’s incredible. What’s it like? It’s a joy to walk through the stage door.

And you’ve never had that before?
No. No. It’s a musical. By its very nature it’s a vicious beast. I’ve always said, and it’s true, hits go south faster than flops. You can’t kill a flop, but a hit can turn into a flop so fast unless you’re careful. And more often than not, people take advantage of the hit, like it’s going to be there for ten years, and it isn’t. Someone came into my dressing room two nights ago and said, “This feels as fresh as the day you opened it.”

What keeps you coming back to Ravinia?
Well, the Sondheim tribute does. But also, I said to my son—he’s not coming this year ’cause there’s nothing in Gypsy [for him to play], he had been there five years in a row [in small roles]—you see families on the lawn enjoying each other’s company and having fine wine and delicious food and Bach is playing in the background or Tony Bennett is on the pavilion stage.…[Pauses] Novid, you know how to spell my name, right? P-a-t-t-i capital-L-small-u-capital-P-small-o-small-n-small-e?

Yes, I do. Why? Do people get that wrong?
All the time.

I definitely won’t, then. So how has airport security been for you since that flap in ’04?
Oh, my God. Well, apparently they’re doing the pat-downs again.

What would you do if they tried that on you again?
Like I said to them initially, you tell me what you’re doing, and I’ll cooperate. But don’t think that you can run your hands all over my body without telling me what you’re doing—and why you’re doing it. The dignity that they rob you of by assuming you’re a terrorist! And then having their way with your body!

You never got an apology?
No, not an apology. Are you kidding?

Why should we see your play?
I have no idea. I can’t answer that question. I wouldn’t tell anybody why they should see anything. They’ve gotta make up their own minds.

Gypsy sings out (Louise) for three shows at Ravinia starting Friday 11.