Betty Buckley at Joe’s Pub

by Liz Smith & Denis Ferrara
New York Social Diary
August 10, 2016

On September 22nd, Broadway’s legendary Betty Buckley returns to NYC’s Joe’s Pub for a seven-show stint (425 Lafayette Street, between E. 4th and Astor Place.)  Titled “Story Songs” Miss Buckley will offer an eclectic mix of music from Stephen Schwartz to Radiohead!  She’ll be accompanied by Christian Jacob on piano, Tony Marino on bass and Ben Perowsky, drums and percussion. Call 212-967-7555.

Miss Buckley is, at the moment, starring in a much-acclaimed production of the musical “Grey Gardens” in L.A. She is an astonishing artist, always.

I’ll never forget her as Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard” on Broadway (after Glenn Close had moved on.)  I’ve seen a lot of Normas, all of them splendid — that includes Patti LuPone in London, before Andrew Lloyd Webber changed his mind!

But Betty brought a certain delicacy and vulnerability to the deluded movie star that nobody else quite captured, in my opinion.

She had a moment in the show, very brief, standing at the foot of the famous staircase, and she made a slight gesture, almost accidental, but it wasn’t; conveying so much about the character that it took my breath away.

I went back to see her again, perhaps for that one moment, which she did repeat, and it was just as powerful. In the theater, little things can mean a lot.