Patti did some LuPwning of her own tonight — Page 7

I completely support Patti. I personally feel that while there are many ways that we benefited from having technology at our fingertips in the form of Cell phones and PDA's that we have also become very inconsiderate about when and how we use them. It infuriates me to see people sitting down with their family for dinner and then tapping away on their phones... or to see people trying to check out in a shopping line and they are gabbing away on their phone whiles the sales person is trying to check them out. Also just because someone calls you on your cell phone that does not mean that you have to drop everything and take the call that moment.. That is why we have voice mail on our phones. Leave a message and I will call you back when it is convenient for me to respond to you.
If you are spending the money to go out to see a show, especially in New York, than take that 2 and half hours of "me time" and shut off the phone and enjoy the entertainment that you paid for. If you are expecting a call that is so important that you really can not be out of contact for a couple hours than perhaps that is not the best night to go to the theater.

It is so incredibly rude and unfair. When I was in Carousel at NJ PAC, nobody would dare take out there phones. The people seeing our show knew to be respectful. Maybe it was a certain knowledge of and respect for the theater, and the relationship between audience and performer. At broadway shows, so many rude, uncultured people will behave so disrespectfully that it blows my mind!

Making demands and actually doing it are two different things. I don't think that Patti wouldn't get back on stage- she was just making a point to get her way. If it came down to it, I'm sure she would've continued the show if the girl left or not. Patti and the entire cast of "Gypsy" have earned the right to a respectful, mature, quiet, audience that pays attention to the rules of the theater.

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ko74612, I think we should just agree to disagree.

I personally might consider stopping the show and berating an audience member to be unprofessional (though I might not); asking house management to remove someone deliberately creating a disturbance--and I'm sorry, I simply don't buy the "I don't know how my phone works" line--is not.

But we all have our own standards of what behavior is unacceptable and what response is within reason. By my lights, Patti's response was appropriate.

But I can certainly understand your drawing the line elsewhere.

RT

P.S. Don't ever take a call when we're out to lunch together, unless you want to be dealing with the business end of a hissy fit.

Well said, uncageg.

I also have to wonder: if this were any performer other than LuPone, would we be having this conversation?

If, oh, I don't know, Angela Lansbury has done the same thing, I bet there'd be fewer cries of "unprofessional." I bet we'd be hearing "Class act! You don't see standards and professionalism like that anymore."

One of my favorite things about theater is that you can escape into a show for a good 2-3 hours. There would be no point in that if I always had to check my phone every few minutes. I don't know why people do that. That thing should go OFF.

I remember reading about accounts where actors have shouted at audience members for talking and stuff. So I think it was good that Patti remained off-stage until she was ready.

I am disgusted with some of the behavior I've heard about in theaters. And even if they're not intentionally being rude, some people forget that the actors can see/hear them from the stage. I've witnessed the occasional talker, snorer, and cell phone opener, but luckily I've never be in an audience THAT bad.

The show should have patti record the Pre show.

"Hello this is Patii Lupone. If I see you texting I'll blast your f***ing head off."

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Yeah, they should totally change it to that!

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Last night ( Thurs) there was an audible gasp in the theater when the announcer stated "Ms Lupone has injured her foot" - yikes to be robbed of such a performance - but no the announcer continued "Ms Lupone will perform in Isotoners". There should be a running gag on the announcements "Ms Lupone has a migraine, she will perform tonight thanks to Excedrin PM" or something like that!!
She was great - knocked the pie pans into someone in the front row, but it was perfect how Patti and Boyd ad libbed through it.
Thanks for perfect Luponage on last night

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