Mandy Patinkin is famous for his iconic roles on stage and screen. From his classic lines as Inigo Montoya in “The Princess Bride” to his work on Broadway in “Evita” and “Sunday in the Park with George,” Patinkin’s performances are unforgettable.
He’s coming to the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord on Saturday, Jan. 21 for his concert tour “Being Alive.” He joined NHPR’s Morning Edition host Rick Ganley to talk about returning to the stage, his new TikTok fame, and why the White Mountains are a good place for romance. Below is a transcript of their conversation.
Transcript
Rick Ganley: Have you spent time in New Hampshire before?
Mandy Patinkin: Oh, yeah. Lots of time. My wife and I were naked in the White Mountains.
Rick Ganley: Okay. All right.
Mandy Patinkin: [We thought] wouldn't it be great if we took off our clothes and swam in the stream? It was right when we first met in 1978. And the next thing I know, I was naked in the stream, and she was chickening out until I dunked her.
Rick Ganley: And you've been together ever since?
Mandy Patinkin: Ever since.
Rick Ganley: Well, that's the beauty of the White Mountains, I guess. It'll bring people together.
Mandy Patinkin: If you're having marital problems, go to the White Mountains, find a stream, take off your clothes and good luck.
Rick Ganley: That sounds like something for the New Hampshire tourism board right there.
Mandy Patinkin: Actually, I work for the New Hampshire tourism board, and this was a paid political announcement.
Rick Ganley: By the way, you and your wife, you're well known now as TikTok stars.
Mandy Patinkin: I know. If you're intimidated to talk to me because of that, don't worry, I understand.
Rick Ganley: I'm not. I'm over 50. Believe me, I'm not.
Mandy Patinkin: Oh, good. As am I. I don't even know how to get on TikTok. If it wasn't for my son Gideon there'd be no uploading or downloading. But I will say this, we just answer my son Gideon's questions, and nothing goes out there without us okaying it. So we are in charge of the green light, but we don't know how to do it.
Rick Ganley: Tell me a little bit, Mandy, about this concert.
Mandy Patinkin: I had a previous concert before the pandemic called ‘Diaries.’ I loved it very much. It was a wonderful compilation of songs I was very proud of. And I acknowledged to friends that, yes, I understand it's a dark concert, but I just was speaking to the moment and how I felt.
And then the pandemic hit, [and] we're all locked up for forever. And the moment came when we all started saying, ‘Should we get back on the road and get out there?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, okay, I'm up for it, but I need to make a different concert.’ I want to make a happy concert. I don't want any darkness. I want it to be a real celebration of being born again, being alive again. I mean, it's not like a Christian sort of being born again, although I'm all for that, too. But it's really about getting out of the pandemic, getting out of the house, having fun, feeling alive again. And so that's what I'm going to be doing.
Rick Ganley: Do you really need to be on stage to feel that kind of energy and happiness, to be in front of that live audience as opposed to doing TV or movie work?
Mandy Patinkin: Oh, there's nothing better. I mean, if you said I had to choose between film and TV and recording – you're not with the audience. You have your orchestra with you or your piano player, but you're not with the audience. You're not experiencing the evening in the moment, as they say. And I love it. I'm a complete addict for it. And there's no question it's night and day compared to anything else.
Rick Ganley: Mandy Patinkin is going to be at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord on Saturday performing a solo concert. It's called ‘Being Alive.’ Thanks again for being here, Mandy. I really appreciate it.
Mandy Patinkin: Thank you. I encourage you to come on down to the theater. I guarantee I made this concert to give a good time to myself. I promise you I'm going to have a good time. Even if you hate it, come on down.
Rick Ganley: And then you can go get naked in the White Mountains.
Mandy Patinkin: And I'll go get naked in the White Mountains [and] find something to eat.
Rick Ganley: Between you and me, I've done that a few times, too.
Mandy Patinkin: Yeah. You can find good mushrooms, right?
Rick Ganley: That’s right.
