♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY!
GIVE IT UP FOR JON BATISTE AND STAY HUMAN ONE MORE TIME!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW."
FOLKS, MY GUEST TONIGHT IS THE EMMY AND TONY AWARD-WINNING
ACTRESS YOU KNOW FROM "MAMMA MIA!," "INTO THE WOODS,"
AND "THE GOOD FIGHT."
>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
>> I'M GETTING PAID.
BUSINESS IS DOWN EXCEPT FOR EVERYTHING IN BANKRUPTCY.
AND COURT DOCKETS ARE BACKLOGGED INTO NEXT YEAR.
IF CLIENTS WANT TO PAY TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES IN
CRAZY COURT, WHAT'S THE DOWN SIDE?
>> YOU'RE TREATING THIS LIKE ARBITRATION?
>> IF WE AGREE TO BE BOUND BOY JUDGE WHACKO, THIS IS
ARBITRATION.
>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ANYMORE.
>> SURE, YOU DO.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS THROWING YOU.
WELCOME TO 2021.
>> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME CHRISTINE BARANSKI!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: OH, MY GOSH.
>> WOW.
>> Stephen: WOW!
>> A LIVE ODD YEPTS.
>> Stephen: YES.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
HERE, AND I'M SO GLAD, IN CASE WE LOSE POWER, YOU BROUGHT YOUR
OWN LIGHTING GRID.
I LOVE THIS.
IS IT NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DRESS UP FOR AGAIN?
>> I HAVEN'T BEEN THIS HIGH IN HEELS SINCE 1968.
>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK TO BROADWAY.
>> IT'S WONDERFUL!
YOU MAY WONDER WHY I'M ALL DRESSED UP LIKE THIS.
>> Stephen: WHY ARE YOU ALL DRESSED UP LIKE THIS?
>> BECAUSE I THOUGHT, OKAY, "THE COLBERT SHOW" HAS NOW GOT AN
AUDIENCE, AND THIS IS A HISTORIC THEATER, AND I HAVE NOT STEPPED
FOOT IN A THEATER SINCE THE LIGHTS WENT OUT ON BROADWAY
ON,s WHAT, OVER A YEAR AGO.
>> Stephen: GLAD YOU COULD BE HERE TO LIGHT IT UP AGAIN.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> THIS IS LIKE MY OPENING NIGHT,s MY OPENING 90.
IT'S GREAT.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU-- ARE YOU GOING TO SEE ANY BROADWAY SHOWS
COMING UP?
SPRINGSTEEN OPENS THIS-- >> I CAN'T WAIT.
>> Stephen: OPENS THIS SATURDAY, RIGHT?
>> I CAN'T WAIT.
THE ONE I REALLY WANT TO SEE, THOUGH, IS "COMPANY."
MY FRIEND, PATTY LAPONE, I WAS SUPPOSED TO SEE A PREVIEW AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN WE SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN.
AND YOU AND I WERE IN "COMPANY," NOT THE SAME PRODUCTION --
>> Stephen: NOT THE SAME PRODUCTION AND NOT THE SAME
PART.
( LAUGHTER )
HAVE PLAYED THE STEWARDESS APRIL.
>> THE STEWARDESS.
>> Stephen: ALTHOUGH I COULD HAVE DONE IT.
>> WE BOTH KNOW THAT SCORE,s AND DO YOU THINK YOUR WIFE WOULD
MIND IF I TOOK YOU THERE ONE NIGHT AS A DATE?
WE'D GO T SEE IT?
>> Stephen: I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY SHE'S FINE WITH
IT.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE ).
>> NO, HERE'S WHAT I THINK.
I SAID TO PATTI LAPONE, WHO I HAVE KNOWN FOR YEARS, I SAID,
PATTI, WHEN THE AUDIENCE FINALLY COMES, WHEN YOU FINALLY DO YOUR
FIRST PERFORMANCE, THAT AUDIENCE IS GOING TO STAND THERE AND
SCREAM AND CRY BEFORE YOU EVEN-- BEFORE THE ORCHESTRA EVEN PLAYS
THE OVERTOUR.
WE'LL BE SO HAPPY TO SEE LIVE PERFORMANCE.
I WANT TO BE THERE THE FIRST NIGHT.
PATTI SAID, "CHRISTINE, I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO GET
THROUGH A PERFORMANCE.
IT WILL BE SO EMOTIONAL."
THESE PERFORMERS HAVE BEEN HOME, DOING NOTHING, FOR OVER A YEAR.
IMAGINE BEING A PERFORMING ARTIST WHO CAN'T DO-- DANCE,
SING, DO THAT THING THAT THEY DO.
>> Stephen: AND NOT JUST YOUR PATTI LAPONES--
>> THE CHORUS, EVERYBODY HAS BEEN ON HOLD FOR SUCH A LONG
TIME.
SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SO EMOTIONAL, SO COME WITH ME.
>> Stephen: I WOULD LOVE TO.
I WOULD LOVE TO.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
>> I'M SURE YOUR WIFE WOULD LOVE TO GET YOU OUT OF THE HOUSE FOR
ONE NIGHT ANYWAY.
>> Stephen: SHE WAS HAPPY FOR ME TO GO TO THE THEATER.
SHE WAS-- SHE WAS MY ONLY AUDIENCE FOR 15 MONTHS.
>> GOD BLESS THAT WOMAN.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: YES, GOD BLESS-- GOD BLESS THAT WOMAN.
NOW, AS YOU SAID,s WE BOTH DID "COMPANY."
I DID IT FOR ONE WEEKEND.
YOU DID IT FOR YEARS.
EUF BEEN IN SEVEN-- SEVEN SONDHEIM SHOWS?
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE I'VE DONE SEVEN BROADWAY SHOWS.
I'VE NOT-- I ACTUALLY NEVER DID SONDHEIM ON BROADWAY, TO MY
GREAT REGRET.
BUT THE FIRST ROLE I EVER DID WAS APRIL IN "COMPANY," AND
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I MET THE GREAT STEPHEN SONDHEIM.
AND HE CAME BACKSTAGE AND ACTUALLY SAID SOMETHING NICE TO
ME.
AND WHEN I GOT HOME THAT NIGHT I KEPT THINKING, "s MY GOD, I'VE
MET STEPHEN SONDHEIM, AND HE SAID SOMETHING NICE TO ME."
AND I SAID TO MY THEN-BOYFRIEND, "STEPHEN SONDHEIM SAID SOMETHING
NICE TO ME."
AND HE SAID, "WHO'S STEPHEN SONDHEIM?"
AND I BROKE UP WITH HIM.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
HOW CAN YOU BE WITH A MAN WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHO STEPHEN
SONDHEIM IS?
>> Stephen: I GOT A LOVELY-- IpI GOT A LETTER FROM HIM SAYING--
THEY ASKED IF I WOULD DO A PARENT IN "COMPANY" AT LINCOLN
CENTER.
I SAID I CAN'T SING SONDHEIM.
I SAID, "NO, THANK YOU.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO LEARN IT,s" OR WHATEVER.
I GOT A LETTER FROM SONDHEIM, AND HE SAID, "I THINK YOU HAVE A
PERFECTLY LOVELY VOICE FOR THIS PART.
WOULD YOU PLEASE DO HARRY?" AND MY WIFE SAID NOBODY WILL
EVER ASK YOU TO SING SONDHEIM AGAIN LET ALONE ( BLEEP )."
I SAID I'LL DO IT.
WERE YOU TERRIFIED AT ALL?
>> I'M ALWAYS TERRIFIED TO DO SONDHEIM.
I SAW YOU IN THAT, AND CONCERT VERSION-- I'VE DONE MOSTLY
CONCERT VERSIONS OF SONDHEIM AND IT'S VERY LITTLE REHEARSAL, AND
DOING SONDHEIM IS A HIGH-WIRE ACT.
>> Stephen: IT'S COMPLEX.
>> YOU EITHER KNOW THE LYRICS OR YOU DON'T, AND THE MUSIC IS
COMPLEX.
DP YOU MASTER IS AND DO IT-- AM I RIGHT?
>> Stephen: MANY OF THE COURSES I'M GOING... I HAVE A TV
SHOW.
I DON'T HAVE BEEN TIME TO LEARN ALL THE-- BOBBY, BOBBY, BABY!
ROBO!
" NOPE.
>> S.>> IT'S A HARD SCORE BUT, B IS IT REWARDING WHEN YOU
SUCCESS.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING "SWEENEY TODD," AND "GOTHE
WOODS" AS A MOVIE, AND I DID TWO PRODUCTIONS OF "FOLLIES," KINCH
ROLES.
>> Stephen: DID YOU EVER DO "SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH
GEORGE"?
>> DID I DO "SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE?"
I WAS IN THE ORIGINAL WORKSHOP PRODUCTION OF "SUNDAY IN THE
PARK" WITH THE GREAT--
THIS WAS IN 1983.
AND WE PUT THIS TOGETHER-- WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
WE WERE JUST LEARNING THESE LYRICS AND LEARNING THE
INTERVALS, AND OH, MY GOD, THIS IS SO HARD.
AND JAMES LUPINE KEPT BLOCKING US INTO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
STAGE BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO CREATE THAT CEROT PAINTING.
IT WAS MANDY AND BERNADETTE PETERS, AND MANDY, HIS VOICE.
AND WE LEARNED IT.
WE LEARNED ALL THE MATERIAL.
AND WHILE WE WERE PERFORMING, WE DID, LIKE, THREE NIGHTS OF--
DURING THE DAY, WE LEARNED THE SECOND ACT.
STEVE HADN'T WRITTEN THE SECOND ACT YET.
>> Stephen: HE JUST SPRUNG A WHOLE OTHER ACT OF THE SHOW ON
YOU?
>> HE WROTE THE SECOND ACT OF ACT, AND THEN WE REHEARSED IT
DURING THE DAY, AND PERFORMED THE FIRST ACT AT NIGHT, AND THEN
THE FINAL NIGHT, LIKE, THE FOURTH NIGHT, WE PUT IN THIS
SECOND ACT.
AND, I I MEAN, MANDY KNEW THE MUSIC.
AND WE JUST DID IT.
IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT NIGHTS IN THE THEATER.
PEOPLE WERE, LIKE, "WHAT HAVE WE JUST WITNESSED?"
I MEAN, WE DIDN'T-- NOBODY KNEW IT WOULD WIN THE PULITZER PRIZE
AND THAT IT WOULD BE THE GREAT-- ONE OF THE GREAT MUSICALS EVER.
WE WERE JUST DOING IT.
AND THEN THIS MAN NAMED MIKE NICHOLS WAS IN THE AUDIENCE ON
THE FOURTH NIGHT AND HE SAW ME AND HE ASKED ME TO AUDITION FOR
"THE REAL THING" WHICH WAS MY FIRST REAL BROADWAY HIT.
IT WAS MARGE OF MAGICAL.
A MAGICAL TIME.
>> Stephen: WOW.
THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO SING--
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO DO THAT ONE WEEKEND OF "COMPANY."
AND THE FIRST TIME AND THE ONLY TIME I GOT TO REHEARSE WITH THE
PHILHARMONIC-- >> THE PHILHARMONIC!
>> Stephen: WE SANG WITH THE PHILHARMONIC BUT WE REHEARSED
WITH A PIANO-- >> AND THEN YOU HEARD THE
PHILHARMONIC.
>> Stephen: AND I NEVER GOT TO RUN WITH THEM, AND I DID "SORRY
GRATEFUL," JUST ME, AND I HAD NEVER SUNG WITH AN ORCHESTRA
BEFORE AND I HAD ONE CHANCE TO DO IT BEFORE THEY SHUT THEM
DOWN, ONE CHANCE TO DO IT.
RIGHT BEFORE I OPENED MY MOUTH, SONDHEIM WALKED IN AND SAT IN
THE FRONT ROW.
THERE'S NOBODY IN LINCOLN CENTER EXCEPT HIM IN THE FRONT ROW.
AND I'M GLAD I BROUGHT A SECOND PAIR OF PANTS WITH ME THAT
NIGHT.
( LAUGHTER )
THUNDERBIRDS,s AND THAT WAS WAY MORE TERRIFYING TO OPEN YOUR
MOUTH IN FRONT OF THE MAN.
>> I KNOW, AND HE HEARS EVERYTHING.
HE KNOWS JUST-- HE'S THE MOST EXACTING ARTIST, THE MOST
EXACTING MUSICIAN.
BUT WHEN HE'S PLEASED, YOU KNOW YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING RIGHT,
HUH?
>> Stephen: AH, I'M WAITING.
( LAUGHTER )
LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.
BUT DON'T GO ANYWHERE.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH CHRISTINE BARANSKI.
MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME SINGING?
MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME SINGING.
♪ ♪ ♪