This is the New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC Studios and the New Yorker.

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. The phrase Broadway legend is no

hyperbole when it comes to Patty LuPone. She's been a force on the stage for more than half a century.

In her career seems somehow to be picking up steam even now.

Listing LuPone's accomplishments is an almost absurd and daunting task.

So I'm going to pass that off to my colleague,

Staff writer Michael Schulman, who covers entertainment for the New Yorker.

Patty LuPone has been everywhere recently. I grew up watching her on life

goes on as the mom, but of course there's much more to discover with her. She's a

great Broadway singer and actor and I have since seen her gosh at least a

dozen times on stage and things like gypsy her Tony Award winning performance

Sweeney Todd,

where she played Mrs. Lovett and accompanied herself

on the tuba.

A customer!

Oh, wait, what you rush, what you hurry?

You gave me such a fright, I thought you was a ghost,

Stop a minute, can't you sit, sit you down sit?

All I meant is that I haven't seen a customer for weeks.

Did you come here for a pie, sir?

Do forgive me if my heads a little vague.

What is that, but you think we had the plague?

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