Patti did some LuPwning of her own tonight — Page 5

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.

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.

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

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

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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.

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"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!

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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!

check this Out

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.

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

Adamgreer, what show was it?

That Dench story is priceless. Love that sass.

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