Oh, Elaine Stritch.
When I first heard about Elaine Stritch, I was terrified. I was terrified and slightly confused. I was terrified, slightly confused and, all the while, enamored. Here was a woman who for all it was worth, spent the majority of her life struggling with alcoholism, but became a matriarch, if you will, of the Broadway stage. Commanding the scores of Stephen Sondheim with a vehement delicacy, Stritch became one of my favorite veteran actresses once I was introduced to Sondheim’s 1970 musical “Company,” a loose collection of vignettes centered on 35-year old Bobby, a bachelor looking for a reason to love and marry.
In “Company,” Stritch originated the role of the classy, brassy Joanne, a wine glass-wielding 50-something who is basically my personal hero. And after sporadic returns to the stage, she is yet again back to performing in New York City.
Not on Broadway this time, though.
Her one-woman biographical show “Elaine at Liberty” was a huge success in the early 2000s, incorporating Sondheim’s music into her personal story of struggle and success. Her newest endeavor puts her back in the realm of Sondheim as she is performing some of his most beloved numbers at the Café Carlyle on the Upper East Side through next week.
Oh, and lest we forget her stints on “30 Rock” as mommy dearest to Jack (Alec Baldwin). These scenes are like heaven to me. The magic begins at 1:38.
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[...] White has always held a special place in my heart. As a juxtaposition to Elaine Stritch, another matriarch of the stage and screen that i love, White is a sweet, hilarious bundle of [...]