Gypsy, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”
The strange thing about performing in the enormous Radio City Music Hall, where the Tony Awards have been held almost annually since 1997, is that solos or relatively small scenes—which can be photographed closely—tend to do better there than larger-scale production numbers, which frequently seem a little lost in the space. Of course, the ideal performance would be a solo by a performer whose presence and brilliance could fill the entire room as well as the camera. And Patti LuPone successfully achieves that in her classic 2008 performance of Gypsy's Act I closer.
Although “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” may appear uplifting and hopeful, the context of the show makes it more threatening: a woman's denial spasm determined not to let reality stand in her way. This smother-raw mother's rage takes center stage in LuPone's epic performance, sung with incredible power, as she tries to roar her helpless boyfriend, her trembling daughter, and the entire hostile world into the obedience her deep anger demands. Watch her rip that letter! This is one of Best Tony Awards Performances Of All Time.
Year: 2008
