Bridget Everett & Patti LuPone: KNOCKOUTS @ Joe’s Pub

I was there last night! Yes, Yondr pouches are indeed used.

So this is actually a workshop of a new musical; Scott Witman spoke before and said new material was being integrated into the show that night (which resulted, hilariously, in Patti not having correct sheet music at one point).

The show itself is a post apocalyptic road show that is also a loose adaptation of Mother Courage. LuPone and Everett play heightened versions of themselves. The gist is, the world has ended and LuPone- who has been traveling with a cart full of ephemera from her career- and Everett- who has been traveling with 3 backup singer boys she found in a box- run into each other and decided to tour a cabaret act. It’s a pretty loose plot.


First and foremost, it is very funny. The book is packed with jokes about theater and the careers of these two women. LuPone is the subject of a lot of self-deprecating and pointed humor, which she really seems to relish being in on. Everett is in less risky territory, playing the sweetly raunchy version of herself she’s been doing for years in her shows, but that fortunately still works like gangbusters. These two fabulous ladies have such wonderful chemistry and clear love for one another and it’s just a joy to watch them together. Everett cracked LuPone up many times.


The music is unfortunately a little weaker; it’s a fully original score by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Everett, and LuPone. It’s a little derivative, a little pastiche, and often makes you wish they were singing the stronger songs these are reminiscent of. There’s a couple of bangers- LuPone has a really lovely, emotional solo about her regrets and loss, Everett’s entrance song is a big showstopper. Both ladies sound phenomenal and sound phenomenal together when they duet. They’re crying out for a big barn burner “I Will Never Leave You” type duet that doesn’t really come, though.

Overall, it’s a hilarious night and it is just wonderful to be in the presence of these two one of a kind divas. Watching them perform a work in progress also adds to the specialness of the evening. Judging by the creative team, this absolutely seems like a project that is going to be developed into a full production at some point in the not distant future.

Updated On: 8/2/26 at 10:58 AM