Patti did some LuPwning of her own tonight- Page 5

[Patash]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:18pm

I didn't read all the responses, so forgive me if this was mentioned, but a couple weeks ago at one show, in the curtain speech they said that if anyone had a cell phone out at all, they would ASSUME that it was being used to take a picture and it would be confiscated and the person would be removed from the theatre. Can't remember which show that was -- Naked Boys Singing, maybe? I thought it was a great idea.

Why on earth would anyone post on this thread suggesting Patty Lupone needs to get over herself for this action. Are some of you saying it is fine to sit in the front row and text during a show? You've got to be kidding.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:25pm

To those commenting on Patti LuPone's "craft" and where her attention should be, I understand the impulse, but let's put this in perspective:


No offense to actors who have stopped the show by breaking character and chastizing an audience member (if that's what they feel is best, then I'm not going to judge them), but compare such an action to what Ms. LuPone did. She noticed the distraction (how could she not?), eyed it again to make sure it hadn't stopped, and then contacted stage management who contacted front of house management to correct the problem.

In my opinion, that's a much more professional approach for an actor to take. Ms. LuPone did not stop the show or break character and the moment to blow up at a rude patron. While we may find that entertaining to some extent, it does indeed interrupt and negatively affect the show and emotional journey for the hundreds of other patrons who are behaving themselves and that's not really fair.

Patti avoided such actions, so I think it's unfair to insult her integrity as an actor. She continued to honor her character and play her scenes.

I say kudos to her for taking the professional route to solve the problem/her frustration.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:33pm

Hear hear, H.H.!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:41pm

I have never witnessed an actor breaking character to confront an audience member, but honestly I wouldn't mind really mind it. Actors have pet peeves too, and some people deserve to feel embarrassed and humiliated.

jeniferrenepatricia's story about Anne Bancroft (page 2) is brilliant.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:00pm

Before I enter a theatre to see any show I remove the battery from my cell phone completely. I don't take any chances.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:00pm

Patash, that was indeed NAKED BOYS SINGING!

Here's my post from October 2007 where an actor stopped the show because a cell phone was out.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=946011

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:00pm

I was at one of Rosemary Clooney's late cabaret appearances at Rainbow & Stars here in New York. There was a dunk man at a good table, whose wife kept shushing him because his over-loud utterances were clearly disturbing Ms. Clooney, who was known for not suffering fools.

Finally, Rosemary called over the maitre d', whispered in his ear and then announced to the drunk, "That's it. You're outta here. I just paid your check and you're leaving. NOW."

The drunk started to talk back to her but she had a microphone. She just said, "I don't wanna hear another word outta you. You've said too much already. I want to keep singing, and I don't want to do it with you here."

Then she turned to the drunk man's embarrassed wife and said, "Get your husband outta here. I paid your check. The tip too. Just GO."

After a lot of applause, Rosemary Clooney finished her set in peace.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:01pm

She couldn't have used the 15 minutes of intermission to figure out how to turn the ****er off?

[carnimiriel]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:03pm

Last Sat, a cellphone rang out during a quiet scene between Laura Linney & Ben Daniels. It kept ringing and when it finally stopped, Ben, in character, asked Laura to repeat herself since he didn't hear her and turned and looked straight at the person whose phone had been ringing. There was a lot of applause for that.

[88cents]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:57pm

Yup, Patti managed to LuPwn twice in one night, once in the front of the orchestra and once in the front of the balcony. I wonder how much thought the actors really have to give things like phones and cameras. From the number of stories posted, it seems like a great deal, unfortunately.

The balcony person posted this on that Wicked board:

Sorry, yeah that was me. i should have clarified I was in the FRONT of the balcony, not the front row (i wish!). I read what they wrote on broadwayworld and it was pretty crude, but that story WAS different. I couldn't really see much of anything anyway because of that silly bar on the edge. And tell them i never thought the show was boring....the lights, sets, and costumes were a little underwhelming, but what i saw of the people, everyone was doing great. My mom wants to write them a letter, but i said not unless i get to include what i want in it. Hope everything's worked out now. Bur Staci, that was still real uncalled for...my original post was deleted for my own benefit, and i didn't want it to get taken the wrong way. If i could go back in time, i would, but oh....that is not possible. Hopefully this is what i needed to fix everything up.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 3:00pm

Oy.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 3:03pm

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 3:25pm

I agree about her handling it wisely. I was not an advocate of her actions in shutting a Sweeney performance down briefly to scold a patron with a cellphone. I don't find cellphones conducive to a theater going experience and they should be turned off well before the show starts, but it doesn't help the behaved patrons to have further reason to groan after having paid the money for a performance, not a lecture to one moron.

What she did had no negative affect on the performance itself and utilized the stage management to track down the offender and remove them. Mission accomplished, kudos to her.

[mikem]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 5:18pm

"I just got a brand new phone the day before, so I really didn't know what it could do."

I didn't know what my phone could do. . . like RING? Who would have guessed a phone could do that!

[BroadwayDivaaa]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 6:29pm

The girl had it coming. She should know better then to even have her phone on during a show. If it's one of those phones that won't turn off put it on silent, and keep it in your bag durring the show! It is so disrespectful to be messing with your phone durring a show! And if she was front row, Patti couldn't help but notice, she has a lot of audenice interaction. Patti is amazing!

[jv92]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 9:43pm

PATTY? The bitch spells it PATTY? P-A-T-T-Y? Are you f'ing joking, biatch? It's PATTI! With an "I"!
And Hanna, I love your Simpson image. I can't remember what episode that's from! Ah! I know it's from something! "Cape Fear?" No, that's when Bart writes WIDE LOAD on Homer's ass. Ahh!

[SpellingBeeFan4Ever]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 9:48pm

My Best Friend was texting during Avenue Q and I said "DUDE, it's rude to txt during a show." He said, "So are fireworks in Il. But you do them."

[gypsy4]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 1:19am

check this Out

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 1:20am

Cool?

[wphsmusic]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 4:40am

If I was sitting in the front row and Patti was glaring through a curtain at me, I would have most likely burst into flames. Perhaps I would have just vanished into thin air.

[levitatingcow11]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 2:25am

God damn, the bottom line in theater etiquette is to KEEP YOUR PHONE OFF. FOR REAL. Kudos to Patti.

In my own experience, at the show one week ago after Rose's Turn, naturally I came to my feet in order to give Patti her properly deserved ovation (I mean, HELL). Most of the audience was standing as well, I think. About 10 seconds before everyone began sitting down, the woman seated behind me viciously snapped, "SIT. DOWN." It was just awful, and made me feel nervous like I did something wrong. I still stood again for curtain call.

After the show my mom told the woman something like, "You have a hard edge. I wouldn't want to be on your bad side." I was wondering, WAS it wrong to stand? I was seated front row mezzanine on the right.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 9:26am

Most of the audience was standing as well, I think. About 10 seconds before everyone began sitting down, the woman seated behind me viciously snapped, "SIT. DOWN." It was just awful, and made me feel nervous like I did something wrong. I still stood again for curtain call.

The other night at a show (not Gypsy), I was seated in front of this very whiny man who was complaining the entire time (both acts) about how much he disliked the show and how the people who liked it had no taste. His wife kept saying to him, "Oh, Ira, enough! I'm enjoying it," and he kept insisting that musicals are supposed to be emotional and touching and this one wasn't. I didn't say anything, but the minute the curtain call began, I stood up immediately (something I don't normally do), just to annoy him. He gave me the dirtiest look as we were walking out, and I just smiled and said, "Great show, huh?"
Updated On: 7/13/08 at 09:26 AM

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 9:49am

I was in the audience at a performance by Dame Judi Dench when she stopped the show and asked for the person on his mobile to 'conclude the call and when your done I'll conclude my award winning performance for the other 1000 here who paid hard earned money to see it'- apart from the time Rita Moreno forgot her words in 'Sunset Blvd'- that was the most embarrassing time i can remember in the theatre! General word later was that the Dame went too far!!

[NuggetMonkeys]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 10:24am

Adamgreer, what show was it?

That Dench story is priceless. Love that sass.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 11:27am

Bet anything it
was Spring Awakening!