Our Broadway babe, Randie Levine-Miller has some truly entertaining finds, including concerts with Broadway legend, Patti LuPone; as well as Cabaret star, Karen Akers; an up close and personal and in her own words Playbill online episode with Tony award-winning star, Donna McKechnie; and historic footage from the historic Broadway, musical, “Gypsy”.

Donna McKechnie

Playbill has started an online series, “My Life in the Theatre” and this episode features the ageless, charming, and beautiful Tony award-winning star, Donna McKechnie. She is sitting at a desk reminiscing about her life and times in the theater, up close and personal. Her first Broadway show was “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and shares that she was cast in the show before she had ever seen a Broadway show! She is gracious, lovely, and humble, talking about her legendary career. She looks phenomenal and is currently appearing in “Wicked” on Broadway at age 81! And folks, this is what 81 looks like!

2023 photo of Uber-talented Donna McKechnie after a run-through of her Sondheim cabaret show which she performed at 54 Below. Photo with Broadway producer Ken Waissman, Randie and Nick Adler.

Gypsy Rehearsal Footage

This is a very rare find —rehearsal footage of the original Broadway musical,” Gypsy”, circa 1959. It’s in black-and-white and silent, (Sort of like old home movies) but it has Ethel Merman singing several of the songs from the show as its narration. This is from the American Musical theater archives and runs 12 1/2 minutes. You’ll see Merman, Jack Klugman, Sandra Church, and Lane Bradbury; as well as the creative team: Jule Styne, a very young Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins and Arthur Laurents.

“Karen Akers: On Stage at Wolf Trap”

This aired on PBS-TV in 1987. Though recorded in a large venue, it feels like an intimate cabaret performance by this much lauded cabaret and Tony Award nominated star. She is mesmerizing to watch and hear. She’s been called her generation’s Cabaret goddess and after watching her performance, I can understand why. Her interpretations are awesome and every word that comes out of her mouth is meaningful, plus she is regal, elegant, and beautiful.

Karen Akers after her sold out show this summer at the Hamptons songbook series, surrounded by producer, Donna Rubin, Randie and Ellyn Seifert

“An Evening with Patti Lupone”

This is a totally delightful concert from 1997 which aired on PBS-TV with Patti singing the songs she sang In many of the shows she starred in, including songs from “ Evita”, “Anything Goes”, “ Les Miz”,and “Sunset Boulevard”.  Whether singing or sharing amusing anecdotes, she is in top form. She was a star then and she’s still a star. At 75, she’s Broadway royalty. There is no one like her which adds to her being the megastar that she is.

Sidebar: This summer, I ran into Patti at Bay Street Theater In Sag Harbor, when we were both standing on line. Though she blended into the crowd, I recognized her immediately and we got into conversation. She was so warm and authentic.  I shared with her that towards the end of my mother‘s life, we spoke about the things that she had missed. I told her that I said to my mother (who had taken me to the Actor’s Fund performance of the original “Gypsy” starring Ethel Merman) that the only thing she missed was seeing Patti Lupone as Mama Rose! I could see that she was quite touched and she gave me a big warm hug.