The great Broadway diva Patti LuPone ("Evita," "Sweeney Todd," "Master Class" and the London production of "Sunset Boulevard") occasionally makes forays into film ("Driving Miss Daisy") and television ("Life Goes On"). The multi-talented star, whose "Patti LuPone on Broadway" show was a major triumph in the mid-90s, will appear this Thursday night on "Ugly Betty." The Tony Award-winning LuPone will play the mother of Marc St. James (Michael Urie), the gay personal assistant of evil Wihelmina (Vanessa Williams). The mother does not know her son is gay and he wants to keep it that way. He enlists Betty to play his girlfriend to keep mom in the dark.
I love "Ugly Betty" and can't wait to see LuPone on it. But there is even bigger news concerning this great star: LuPone will be starring in a concert version of "Gypsy" (as, who else? Mama Rose!) in "Encores! Summer Stars" from July 9 to July 29th with Gypsy starring Patti LuPone. Author Laurents, who wrote the book and directed two of the shows previous Broadway incarnations will direct. LuPose previously took on Gypsy in the towering role of Rose at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago this past summer. 
I consider LuPone to be in the league with Ethel Merman who originated the role of Mama Rose so it's fitting that she would finally tackle this classic part that has previously been played on Broadway by not only Merman, but also Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters in wildly successful revivals. There was also the feature film that starred Rosalind Russell and an acclaimed television production headlined by Bette Midler.
Since I'm not planning to be in New York during this time, I'm really hoping a CD of the show is released. I would buy in a heartbeat and add it to the soundtracks I already own of the Merman, Lansbury, Daly, Midler and Peters versions.