Tony, Emmy Award Winner Mandy Patinkin Takes Strathmore Stage

Though he's maybe most known for his roles in "Princess Bride" and "Criminal Minds," Mandy Patinkin is happiest when he's singing. Luckily, for the greater Washinton, D.C. area, Patinkin will be doing what he loves most Thursday and Friday June 9 and 10 at the .

Patinkin said he first remembers singing in the boys choir in synagogue when he was about seven years old.

"I don't know if I knew I could sing," Patinkin joked.

The boys practiced daily and sang every Friday and Sunday. He had fun doing it, but said he wasn't sure if he joined because everyone else did.

Either way, he knew he wanted to be a performer. He studied to be a classical actor at Juliard and was auditioning for public theatre performances when he was asked to audition for Evita. He was cast to play Che Guevara during the 1978 and '79 performances, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.

Performing on Broadway was not in the game plan for Patinkin, but he said it just happened that way. The same went for his transition to the big screen and television.

"Rob Reiner called me up, was familiar with my work. He sent me my script [for "Princess Bride"] and said take a look and tell me what part interests you," Patinkin commented. "I said, 'I'd love to play Inigo Montoya and he said, "OK. It's yours."

"All of these things were accidents, and I loved every one of the accidents."

Patinkin knew that he wanted to be a performer from a young age. Singing in the synagogue until he was 14 played a part in his passion, but he credits his favorite childhood show as a major part of his inspiration.

"I religiously watched 'The Three Stooges.' Whenever I was a bad boy, my mother would punish me by not letting me watch," Patinkin said. "I loved their silliness. I wanted to make people happy too."

Now Patinkin finds inspiration and comfort in Tom Waits—his favorite musician—Harry Nillson, and Satchmo. He also enjoys classical music and loves listening to his son Gideon, who is a musician and writer.

Though singing may be one his lesser-known talents (with "Criminal Minds" repeats on several different channels reminding us of his acting career), Patinkin has constantly been on tour, doing at least 40 or 50 shows a year, in between his acting gigs.

"I've never not been on tour," Patinkin said.

Originally, Patinkin's agents wanted him to perform on Broadway backed by an orchestra, but he wanted to do something on a smaller, more personal scale.

"I wasn't comfortable with that," he remarked. "I said, 'You know, I work in my studio with my piano player Paul Ford. Can I try that? ' "

After giving the idea a few chances, he knew he felt most comfortable performing in that simple manner, and that's how he's done it ever since. At the Strathmore there will be a bare stage, an upright piano with Fords back to the audience and Patinkin singing, he explained. The night will be full of continuous music with no intermission.

"Once I start I don't like to stop," he said.

And if he has something to say to the audience, he will, if not, the singing will continue. He doesn't usually plan out that part of the performance. Patinkin's goal is to sing selections from some of his favorite classic artists.

"I'm the mail man for wonderful people who wrote wonderful songs," he said.

There's even going to be a "nice surprise" at the Strathmore, but Patinkin wouldn't reveal the secret. He suggests that everyone takes a break to "get away from the world and come to the Strathmore" to enjoy his renditions of selections from Irving Berlin, Harry Chapin, Cole Porter and Stephen Sondheim to name a few—and to find out about the surprise.

The two shows start at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $35 - $78 or $31.50 - $70.20 for Stars members.