Old Friends and Animal Adoption: Inside Bernadette Peters' London Adventure

Every so often, as Bernadette Peters speaks, an all-too-familiar chime rings out in the background. 鈥淵ou might have heard some dinging, as we were talking,鈥� Peters acknowledges with an endearing chuckle. 鈥淭here's a WhatsApp where we're all on it...Some of the people are pretty funny on there. It's a lovely company.鈥� She鈥檚 speaking about the star-studded cast of Old Friends, the Sondheim revue she is currently starring in the West End.

And while the desire to discuss her most-used emojis is overwhelming, the conversation returns to Stephen Sondheim and how his music, which nightly envelopes the company of Old Friends, is a tie that binds. 鈥淲e've bonded over this music and how beautiful this experience, how special this piece is,鈥� the Tony Award winner says with reverence. 鈥淏ecause we know you don't get a piece of material like that.鈥�

Old Friends, the piece in question, is a revue honoring the late Stephen Sondheim. Conceived by Sondheim and producer Cameron Mackintosh as a concert鈥攊n the spirit of the revues Side by Side by Sondheim and Putting it Together鈥�Old Friends was first performed as a one-night-only event in May 2022. The show鈥攚hich also stars Lea Salonga, Bonnie Langford, and Joanna Riding鈥攊s in the midst of a 16-week run at the Gielgud Theatre in London, set to conclude on January 6. The cast album will be released as a two-disk set December 8.

鈥淭his cast have been up and down the West End and they've lived life,鈥� Peters says. 鈥淭hey know when something special comes along. This piece is. We understand our career and life at this point. And we're just chill and fun and bonded and grateful.鈥�

Her gratitude also extends to very dear friends, to whom she entrusted the most precious members of her family. 鈥淭he only reason I came [to London] to do this show is because my friends came to live in my house and take care of my dogs," she says emphatically.

The timeless Peters is Sondheim's preeminent leading lady. Beginning in 1983 with Sunday in the Park with George, their work together is foundational, a gateway for many musical theatre fans. Originating two Sondheim roles, Dot from Sunday and The Witch from Into the Woods, Peters has gone on to embody three more Sondheim women on Broadway: Rose in Gypsy, Desiree in A Little Night Music, and Sally in Follies. With each partnership, Peters cemented her status as muse, supreme interpreter, and spellbinding chanteuse.

But despite her position in the Sondheim canon, she is humble about the extent of her contribution. 鈥淚 never say I created anything with him, because I don't feel I collaborated with him,鈥� she explains. 鈥淗e always said, 鈥楥ontent dictates form.鈥� It seems like Steve approached each show like an actor. I don鈥檛 think he wrote to people. I think he wrote to character.鈥�

When gently pressed as to whether or not she had any input on those characters鈥� personality, emotion, or journey, Peters answers: 鈥淥nly once. I spoke to him about something with Dot. Because she understands [George] so well, because she loves him so much, she needs to express her feelings about that. Then he wrote 鈥榃e Do Not Belong Together.鈥� [Dot] was smart enough to know when she had to leave.鈥�

Peters joined Into the Woods late in the process, saying she was the last person who was cast when the show transferred to Broadway. Encouraged by book writer James Lapine to revisit The Witch鈥檚 last song, Sondheim presented Peters with 鈥淭he Last Midnight鈥� at the 11th hour. 鈥淚 said, 鈥榃ell, you know, I鈥檒l put it in. I鈥檒l be ready in about four days,鈥欌€� she recalls, beginning to chuckle. 鈥淪teve said, 鈥楴o, no, no, you have to put it in tomorrow because the critics are coming!鈥欌€� She laughs, and her laugh is equal parts angelic and conspiratorial. 鈥淪o, I had to do it really fast! But it was good, it was fine. It was a better number.鈥�

Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, and company of *Old Friends* Danny Kaan

As much profound sentiment as she carries for Sondheim, Peters' other great passion is animals. She's been bringing out adoptable dogs and cats in West End Woofs (And Meows), the British branch of Peters鈥� annual adoption event Broadway Barks, now in its 25th year. Whereas Broadway Barks began as a way to support New York area shelters鈥攅ncouraging adoption, spaying and neutering鈥攖he inspiration for West End Woofs (And Meows) came to the singer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

鈥淚t seemed to be very important for people to have animals,鈥� Peters says of that period of isolation. 鈥淭hey realized the importance of these companion creatures. We really need them in our lives, our companions.鈥�

The adopt-a-thon began virtually, co-hosted with Elaine Paige. The two bonded during the 2011 Broadway revival of Follies. 鈥淚鈥檓 small, but she鈥檚 smaller,鈥� Peters said playfully. 鈥淓very night, before I鈥檇 go on stage, I鈥檇 pass her in the hall, and I鈥檇 give her this hug and say, 鈥楽he鈥檚 like my little doll.鈥� Elaine goes, 鈥業sn鈥檛 that the pot calling the kettle black?鈥欌€�

A great friendship developed, cemented by a shared love of animals. 鈥淪he had a little West Highland Terrier named Tum Tugger,鈥� Peters recalls, confirming cheekily that the West End鈥檚 original Grizabella did in fact give her dog a Cats name.

West End Woofs (And Meows) had its first live event from St. Paul鈥檚 Church in Covent Garden in November. Highlighting the work of UK-based rescues that offer a second chance to furry friends, from eastern European herding dogs to disabled cats, Peters feels passionately about helping animals find their forever home time. As Broadway Barks has become the annual event dog lovers and cat lovers (and Bernadette Peters lovers) await, Peters notes the 鈥渓oving鈥� shelter community in London has given her a warm welcome, one she 鈥渄early hopes鈥� will blossom into an enduring event.

鈥淭hese rescues, of these gorgeous creatures from a lot of places in the world, need to have their animals seen,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey need to be seen. That鈥檚 what this is about.鈥�

As Peters has come to learn from Sondheim鈥檚 music (more on that in a moment), in everything there is a deeper meaning. One thing is never about what she thought it might be when she set out to do it. This period in London, for example, has Peters working on not one, but two projects inspired by people who have passed. Broadway Barks came about in collaboration with Mary Tyler Moore. Yes, this is the music and the cause of which she鈥檚 never tired of. But it's also a way for her to remember Sondheim and Moore. Keep their memory alive.

鈥淲ell, it鈥檚 quite an honor on both counts,鈥� Peters says thoughtfully. 鈥淢ary鈥檚 legacy is her television show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and how she inspired young women who were on their own, trying to make it on their own, in a big city, and she was a great animal activist.鈥� Peters laughs as she remembers how fiercely Moore protected Pale Male, a hawk whose droppings drew the ire of Moore鈥檚 neighbors when he nested on top of her apartment building.

鈥淏ut Steve,鈥� Peters says, her voice softening. 鈥淭his is his legacy: His music.鈥�

Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, and James Lapine in rehearsal for *Sunday in the Park with George* Martha Swope/漏NYPL for the Performing Arts

Old Friends is Peters' West End debut. One would imagine there would be some adjustment from the boisterous Broadway audience Peters is accustomed to the more reserved Brits. But she shares she鈥檚 never witnessed such a display of emotion from an audience before, leaping to their feet 鈥渆n masse.鈥� She is also stunned by the diversity of audience members, noticing people of all ages and backgrounds laughing, crying, finding themselves completely arrested by the spectacle and range of emotion.

鈥淭hey are up and crying,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here are all kinds of people just connecting to what he writes about鈥攚hich is the human condition, in all forms, in many ways, and many emotions. And I鈥檓 so happy he鈥檚 being appreciated, just so happy for him.鈥�

As much as the convergence of West End Woofs (And Meows) and Old Friends is representative of a life well-lived, for Peters, these beautiful experiences also encapsulate the moving nature of being alive.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about life鈥ritten in many layers,鈥� says Peters. Over her decades of singing Sondheim's words, Peters finds her understanding of them, too, deepening鈥攁s if with each performance something inside of the song or inside of herself is unlocked.

鈥淚 never get tired of singing it,鈥� she says of Sondheim's music. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e bringing all of life鈥檚 experiences that you鈥檝e gone through. You think, 鈥極h, it鈥檚 about this.鈥� But then you go, 鈥極h, my God, no. It鈥檚 about this.鈥� An uplifting song can be more uplifting, a devastating song can be more devastating, an angry song can be more intense. You bring more information to it.鈥�

And though Peters strives to make everything 鈥渁s personal鈥� as she can鈥攊n each song, in each spoken word of performance鈥攕he holds the revelations of this music as something sacred and private. 鈥淓veryone in the audience has their meaning for it,鈥� she says when asked to contemplate the meaning of the phrase, 鈥渂eing alive.鈥�

鈥淚f you ask anyone, it will be different,鈥� Peters laughs. 鈥淪o, I don鈥檛 actually say I know what鈥檚 going on. As long as you feel something, I鈥檝e done my job.鈥�

Peters is doing her job very well. So well, in fact, that Broadway babies of all ages are hopeful Old Friends will come Stateside. When asked about the likelihood of a transfer, Peters practically says with a wink, 鈥淵ou never know!鈥�

At least in Manhattan, her dogs are only a cab ride away.

Below, see exclusive photos of Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, and some adorable animals at West End Woofs.