What a genius that guy is. My sister and I always try to see him when he’s in town, and I always look forward to it but am still blown away when I see him live. What a voice, what a presence. And he’s funny, too! I highly recommend going to one of his shows if you get a chance.
It’s pretty much just him, a piano (always with the amazing Paul Ford as his accompanist), and a bare stage. But the magic he makes with that is really amazing.
I saw him in Chicago a number of years back. I think it was about the same time that Mamaloshen was released, because I remember him singing a few songs from it, including “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in Yiddish. I agree that he puts on an amazing show; not just his singing, but his conversation with the audience between songs. And I do mean “conversation”; it’s like you’re sitting in his living room and he’s chatting with you about his life and music.
He sang some stuff in Yiddish, including “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” I would love for him to do that for the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley. (Although I suppose he’s a Sox fan, being from the South Side! 
)
His stories are terrific…he actually introduced the Yiddish songs by talking about Irving Berlin and how he was from Eastern Europe, and his first language was Yiddish, but that he never wrote a song in the language, until they finally unearthed one… he starts singing, and it’s “White Christmas” in Yiddish! So funny. Then he did “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” “God Bless America,” and a couple others.
Speaking of his conversational style…I remember one time years ago he had a terrible cold/flu thing, and decided to go on anyway. He couldn’t sing a whole set, and needed a lot of time between songs, so he talked a lot. My sister and I have always thought that was the most enjoyable show of his we’ve ever been to.
Did he say, even just once, “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”? That would totally be worth the price of admission. swoon
He absolutely did! He says it at all his performances…this time, it was the last thing he said before he left the stage. It was great.
I think he often does that, or else comes out and just quotes that as an encore. I think it’s a nice touch- he’s going to forever be typecast in that role, so he revels in it rather than fighting it.
He loves the movie and the character; he often says it’s his favourite that he worked on.
My favorite part of Run Ronnie Run was his version of Ronnie’s song for the musical.
*He didn’t see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep
He thought that I was tucked up
In my bedroom fast asleep…
I saw Mandy Patinkin sing on Saturday
Underneath the mistletoe that night;
Oh what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mandy Patinkin sing on Saturday night.*
Sorry.
I have seen Patinkin perform many times, both in shows and solo performances. Of course my favorite was *Sunday in the Park with George, *with Bernadette Peters, which I saw four times. Watching those two talents on the same stage was like manna from heaven.
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
You… you saw Sunday In the Park with George. With Peters and Patinkin. Four freaking times.
I don’t know whether to applaud your good taste, congratulate you on your good fortune, or hate you and everything you represent.
I’m jealous, too. I love both of them…their recording of Evening Primrose is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard.
ETA: At this performance I just saw, Mandy sang “Bring Him Home” from Les Mis. Does anyone else here think he would make an incredible Jean Valjean?
Somehow I have heard not of this Evening Primrose collaboration you speak of. You will IMMEDIATELY review it for me, or I shall be forced to destroy Metropolis with my electro-ray.
Can’t tell from this if you know the Evening Primrose suite…I have only ever heard two recordings of it, this one I mentioned, which is on Mandy’s self-titled first album (which you MUST get). And a recent one with Neil Patrick Harris, which is nice, but not much if you’ve alread heard Mandy & Bernadette’s version. It is absolutely one of the most gorgeous things I’ve ever heard.
I love him. And he’s a great Jew. Maybe the best.
(ok, I stole that from a book, but hey…it works)