LuPone Issues Response To Showstopping Vegas 'Texting' Incident — Page 5

I think the way actors should handle issues like this depends on what kind of show it is. Was Patti right? If I understand correctly, she stopped during the song. I know of many stories where actors stopped, reprimanded audience members for things such as coughing, talking and/or using their phones, and then restarted their performances. My favorite experience was during the cabaret convention about 6 years ago when the performer was playing "I Love a Piano" and while he was in the middle of an improv solo a phone rang. He looked into the audience and said, "Is that for me? Tell them I already like my long distance service." I also remember Nathan Lane admonishing late comers to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum by saying as they found their seats, "I was on time, where were you?"

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I see your point, Winston, but you're forgetting about the dozens(?) of people who ARE aware and distracted.

It's really not that distracting. More of annoying if you see it, but distracting? Not on your life, unless you are just an unprofessional actor looking to "put people in their place" because you are supreme in your fantasy world. Ushers should do THEIR job and actors should do THEIR job. They shouldn't mix into a bloated, self loving, marginally talented performer like Patti.

Updated On: 6/23/09 at 08:38 PM

I think Patti has every right to stop a performance. I am with Patti and many others on here don't decrespect the performers by having your cell phones go off during the performance, or video tape the performance. I always turn off my cell the minute I enter a theater.

^ None of that was EVER confirmed.

I have no idea, but she did get in big trouble for her outburst at GYPSY, and some of her other antics during the run. And no, I was not, nor were others, telling lies about Patti being in trouble for stopping a show for a tangent against someone who was given permission to take pictures.

is this like when her cast members in Anything Goes tried to get her in trouble with Equity because she had her wedding onstage?

/geek

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Seriously, everyone's welcome to their opinions--about this incident and about LuPone generally. Everyone's personal opinion is as valuable (and subjective) as anyone else's. Talent is immaterial if a performer simply doesn't appeal to you.

But to call a multi-Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle award winning actor "marginally talented" is just, forgive me, stupid.

Patti is a proud outspoken Italian woman with a STRONG personality, and a lot of people do not like women like that. I believe that is why her name causes so many heated arguments.

Updated On: 6/23/09 at 09:02 PM

At one time Patti was talented. But now her voice is not what it used to be, and she sounds horrible. Sad but true. I am all for strong women, but Patti is an immature brat, and those who have worked with her can confirm this.

And people texting on their phones is ANNOYING, but not DISTRACTING. At least from all my experiences and those I know who perform have said that they usually don't see much in the audience with all the lights on them, and when they do see people taking pictures or cell phone use it's just annoying and rude, but they are professional enough to get past it and expect some people to not obey theatre rules.

The reason for no pictures or cell phone usage is because the show is under copyright. The choreography is under copyright. The costumes are under copyright. You can't take your own video/still/audio recordings of something that is under copyright. Also, cell phones can interact negatively with the sound system, so that's why you need to turn them off. Even though it's rude to text, be on the phone, take pictures, the rules are more there because of copyright laws, not just because it's obnoxiously rude and annoying.

Updated On: 6/23/09 at 09:14 PM

I agree her voice is not what it was; she's 60 years old, so that's hardly surprising. Nor is Peters's, Buckley's, Holliday's, Ripley's, Minnelli's, Rivera's, Channing's . . . Well, you get my point. I find it, in some ways, a better voice, though not in all ways. Talent, in my experience, doesn't change.

As for your experiences about texting, etc., that's the exact opposite of everything I've heard from my Broadway performer friends.

I guess the experiences of actors differ as much as those of audience members.

Barbara Cook's voice is just as good as it always was. And she's 81.

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Gotham, Barbara Cook is magic. and I happen to think Patti sounds better now than she did when she was younger.

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Perfectly stated. Classy and true. Hooray, Patti!

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