Mama Lupone (with a side of Sarah Jessica Parker)

Only a few days remain to see Patti Lupone in Gypsy at the [NY City Center]. Maybe that's why sweet gal Sarah Jessica Parker queued up last night to get her orchestra seats. I know the young gals next to me in the balcony were just as thrilled to get a spotting of the sometimes blonde and giggled and gawked at her during intermission.

That's not to say that they, along with the rest of the packed house, weren't overjoyed to see Ms. Lupone belt it as Mama Rose. The last time I heard a sustained ovation like that for a star's first appearance was when Carol Channing reprised her role in Hello Dolly for a touring show more than a decade ago. No, I take that back. The Channing ovation was amazingly, sickingly long and this was just pure adulation. Not that Lupone doesn't deserve it. She struts her stuff like we haven't seen in a while (since she's now sans tuba) and at moments really does seem to be loving her part as the ultimate stage mom.

After the show closes on Sunday you'll have to catch her in London (what is going to become the new traveling show with Gypsy-heads traveling the world to see Lupone?), so try to get a seat (I even had to resort to an insider letting me tag along since press were severely limited) and check out the legend in a role that was practically made for her.