Patinkin, Mandy

MANDY PATINKIN

Born: Mandel Patinkin; Chicago, Illinois, 30 November 1952

Genre: Vocal

Best-selling album since 1990: Dress Casual (1990)

Singer/actor Mandy Patinkin thrives on artistic challenges. The result is a cross-media career that has seen Patinkin create over thirty diverse film roles; perform in a broad range of stage musicals, classics, and contemporary comedies; and portray a doctor on a popular primetime television series. Wedged within this wide array of work are several solo recordings displaying what many critics feel Patinkin does best: sing.

Patinkin grew up in Chicago, and started singing at eight years old in the choir of the synagogue that his parents attended. He acted in local theater productions before leaving Chicago to attend the University of Kansas. Against his parents' wishes that he return home to work in the family scrap metal business, Patinkin transferred to New York City's prestigious performing arts college, the Juilliard School, in 1972. He left after two-and-a-half years to pursue a professional acting career. Although he had not focused on musical endeavors for several years, Patinkin was cast in the Broadway production of the musical Evita in 1979. He portrayed Che Guevara, the play's narrator, and won a Tony Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.

This success led to a string of starring musical roles, and gained Patinkin a reputation as a showy, expressive performer whom some critics have lambasted for letting his song interpretations overshadow the music. His performances are memorable for their embellished physicality and stylized note phrasing. Patinkin has only had a few film roles that have utilized his singing, but his unique eccentricity informs all of his work whether he sings or not. His film portrayal of a Spanish swordsman on a revengeful quest in The Princess Bride (1987) proved unforgettable as millions of the film's viewers memorized Patinkin's phrasing of his characters' oft-repeated comic line, "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoyo. You killed my father, prepare to die." Moreover, vocally, he can be equally unforgettable. Patinkin contrasts a powerful yet tender tenor with a low baritone rumble, enabling him to cover a remarkable range of song styles. At times, he adds musical cries or yelps into his phrasing for interpretation.

His first solo recording, Mandy Patinkin (1989), displays an eclectic mix of music mostly from a concert repertoire titled Dress Casual, that later received a showing on Broadway. He followed with an ambitious thirty-one-song release, Dress Casual (1990), again displaying his voraciously daring musical approach. Yet, for all of Patinkin's panache, which recalls the style of singer Al Jolson, his concerts are marked by their simplicity. They include minimal staging, lighting or scenery and Patinkin is often casually clad in a sweater and sneakers.

Patinkin offers a more subtle side to his pure tenor in his next two recordings, Experiment (1994) and Oscar & Steve (1995). Experiment contains eighteen songs, including his rendition of Harry Chapin's, "Taxi," and the sky-high "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables, which Patinkin handles masterfully. Patinkin is considered the foremost male interpreter of Stephen Sondheim's music and he exhibits that talent on Oscar & Steve. His exuberant stylings of Oscar Hammerstein's songs comprise the rest of the album.

The Yiddish-language Mamaloshen (1998) marked a return to Patinkin's flamboyant side. Patinkin did not speak a word of Yiddish until 1990. He learned the language on a promise to legendary theater producer, Joe Papp, who had long encouraged Patinkin to record the album, whose title means "mother tongue." Mamaloshen contains classic Yiddish songs in addition to some other interesting musical finagling: Yiddish versions of "The Hokey Pokey," "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"—from the film Mary Poppins (1964).

Patinkin won an Emmy Award in 1996 for his portrayal of Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on the popular television series Chicago Hope, but left the show having worked on it for only two years. He chose, instead, to spend more time with his wife and two sons who were located in New York. Chicago Hope was shot in Los Angeles. Later, he rejoined the show on a guest basis to continue portraying the humanistic Dr. Geiger on and off until the show's end in 1999.

He released a sixth solo album, Kidults (2001), a compilation of music appropriate for both children and adults. One of Broadway's newest stars, Kristin Chenoweth, joins him for three songs on the compilation of Broadway and pop songs. Patinkin paid a tribute to Sondheim with a live thirty-four-song concert recording of Sondheim songs, with Sings Sondheim (2002).

Patinkin keeps a busy concert schedule and maintains his presence as one of New York's busiest stage and film actors, choosing to perform in roles that allow him to explore his creativity. While it is always difficult to predict what his next musical move might encompass, Patinkin never seems to stray too far from a Sondheim melody or lyric.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

Mandy Patinkin (Sony, 1989); Dress Casual (Sony, 1990); Experiment (Nonesuch, 1994); Oscar & Steve (Nonesuch, 1995); Mamaloshen (Nonesuch, 1998); Kidults (Nonesuch, 2001); Sings Sondheim (Nonesuch, 2002). Broadway Cast Recordings: Evita (MCA, 1979); Sunday in the Park with George (RCA, 1984).

SELECTIVE FILMOGRAPHY:

The Big Fix (1978); Yentl (1983); Daniel (1983); The Princess Bride (1987); Dick Tracy (1990); True Colors (1991); Music of Chance (1993); Men with Guns (1998); The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999).

donald lowe