Patricia Richardson, known to millions as mom Jill Taylor in the long-running sitcom Home Improvement, is currently showing off her singing chops in Cruel Intentions: The Musical Off-Broadway. The four-time Emmy nominee plays Mrs. Caldwell in the immersive production at (le) Poisson Rouge.
Though Richardson made her Broadway debut in the 1974 production of Gypsy, the actor says it’s been a long time since she had to sing in a show. Her last musical production was a 1980 Off-Off-Broadway revival of Company.
Richardson says she has been working with a voice coach to “find my voice again.” “I’m re-learning to sing, or, actually, learning to sing for the first time. When I sang before, I just belted,” she says. “I haven’t been singing in all this time—except to my children!”
Performances of Cruel Intentions: The Musical began November 17 at (le) Poisson Rouge, marking the show’s official return after a sold-out pop-up run at the venue earlier this year. A hybrid of a rock concert mixed with a musical, the show features immersive staging and many of the songs that made the film so iconic.
Completing the cast are Lauren Zakrin as Kathryn, Carrie St. Louis playing Annette, Constantine Rousouli as Sebastian, Jessie Shelton as Cecile, Alex Boniello as Blaine, Brian Muller as Greg, and Matthew Griffin as Ronald.
