Broadway legend Patti LuPone makes this Elsbeth Season 3 finale grand. She guest stars – and sings – as a diva cabaret vocalist, Ruby Lane, who becomes the titular sleuth’s (Carrie Preston) prime murder suspect in the slaying of a duke at a fictional classic New York City hotel, The Reilly.
“The episode presents an old-fashioned, elegant New York world that is holding on for dear life. People sometimes take extreme actions to hold onto what they’ve got,” says executive producer Jonathan Tolins, who based the locale on an iconic real-life spot, The Carlyle, home to Ludwig Bemelmans’ famous murals and plenty of colorful characters.
The Reilly’s most vibrant personality is Ruby, who for years has lived at the establishment and performed in the bar off the lobby. Casting Patti LuPone in the role was a bit of a holiday miracle for Tolins, who met the icon at a Christmas party last December, “I told her there was something coming up that might interest her. I planted the seed early. Suffice it to say there is a very short list of great actresses who can sing as incredibly as Patti can, so we were beyond thrilled when the character appealed to her.”
CBS
Another charismatic Manhattanite Elsbeth encounters at The Reilly is an art connoisseur, Monty Blakemont (Michael Urie). “I had the idea for Monty Blakemont based on some articles I’d read about a certain philanthropist in New York and confirmed with Michael that he was available and interested. So, I wrote the part with Michael already committed,” says Tolins, who’d worked with Urie on his play, Buyer & Cellar, and sitcom Partners. “I expect this will not be Monty’s last appearance.”
Happenings at the hotel hit home for Elsbeth. “There will be an event that changes Elsbeth’s sense of where she is in her own life story,” Tolins reveals. “She wonders if in Ruby Lane, she’s looking at her own future as a woman in New York, trying to stay relevant. It’s a very full hour for her, and nobody can play all those different levels better than Carrie Preston.”
One scene between Preston and LuPone at the cabaret bar during a Ruby Lane rehearsal will have you holding your breath. “When Ruby sings ‘What’ll I Do?’ to Elsbeth, giving voice to Elsbeth’s emotions about an uncertain future, there wasn’t a dry eye on set,” Tolins shares. LuPone was singing softly along to a recording she had made for the production in a studio.
“It was extremely quiet and focused, and so beautifully acted and sung, and Carrie Preston’s reaction was so genuine.” Tolins says.
LuPone performs two other numbers, “Taking a Chance on Love” and “Autumn in New York.” Both are by the songwriter Vernon Duke, who becomes a clue in the murder case.
And look for familiar faces! Tolins hints, “This is our 50th episode of Elsbeth. We love to call back to fun characters that have filled our world. In the finale, somebody very important shows up at the very beginning, and, if you listen closely, you’ll hear a reference early on to someone whose picture will appear on a poster at the end.”
Elsbeth, Season 3 Finale, Thursday, May 21, 10/9c, CBS
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