I was there as well and this is ABSOLUTELY true!!!
The Patti Lupone DIVA FITT at "Gypsy" last night!!!
Current mood: shocked
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
OMG - there have only been two times when I have seen a star stop a Broadway show.
The first time was when Raul Julia forgot his lyrics during a performance of "Nine" and told the orchestra to "stop" and "take it from the top." It was kind of scary and awkward but it passed and everything was fine.
The second time was when a rat ran over someone's foot at the 46th St. Theatre during a performance of "Fences." The person screamed and jumped up and there was sheer pandemonium in the theatre. People started yelling "What happened? Does somebody have a gun?" Then the next person would say "OMG somebody has a gun!!!" Everyone started running for the exit doors and James Earl Jones just stopped and told everyone to calm down, that everything was okay and we would start again when people were seated. He knew, as did the rest of us, that there were tons of huge-ass rats in the theatre due to the construction next door of the Marriott Marquis hotel. Also a scary, but funny incident but nothing really to worry about.
LAST NIGHT Patti Lupone clearly lost her sh*t!!! It was a DIVA FIT like no other. Right before she started singing her big number "Rose's Turn" there is a very quiet scene. I could hear these dumb-*ss kids outside the theatre talking sh*t so loudly that you could actually hear what they were saying inside the theatre. I think THAT'S actually what set her off because I was really annoyed and wondered why the House Manager didn't run outside and tell the kids to get away from the Exit doors where their voices were bleeding into the theatre and disturbing Patti's performance.
The moment and quiet scene past and she started "Rose's Turn." She gets about 8 bars into the song and starts screaming, "stop!, STOP!, STOOOOOP!!! Who's taking pictures??? That is the THIRD TIME!!! Who do YOU THINK YOU ARE??? You HEARD the announcement at the beginning of the show!!! GET HIM OUT OF HERE!!! I WILL NOT GO ON UNTIL YOU GET HIM OUT OF HERE!!!"
I was sh*tting in my pants and sweating bullets because she was looking right in my direction and although I wasn't taking pictures I was in the standing room spot I bought for $27 bucks and she thought it was coming from where I was standing.
EVERYONE in the orchestra turns around to where I'm standing. There was House Management standing directly behind me policing the area. I assume this is a big pet peeve for Patti and they bounce people out of the theatre or confiscate their cameras or both.
Just to appease Patti the House Manager screams up to the stage, "It's okay Patti, they're gone." It was total bullsh*t -- nobody was found, bounced or gone. He was just kissing her Diva-*ss so she would shut the f*ck up and finish the show!!! She said "thank you" to the House Manager and then proceeded to give a lecture about how people have forgotten that they are in a public place and that "This is a THEAAATRE." I started rolling my eyes and thought about the line one of the strippers in the show says, "Where have you been workin' honey the V A T I C A N?" I mean Patti was absolutely correct BUT I really think she choose a poor forum to express that opinion.
Speaking of opinions, I have heard many people say things about Patti being a Diva or a bitch or belting out high notes totally flat. I have a friend that worked with her that likes her very much and he introduced me to her at one point. HOWEVER, I have now changed my opinion of Patti personally. I think she is talented - yes, no doubt. BUT that stunt she pulled was completely unprofessional, uncalled for and INAPPROPRIATE!!! People snap pictures. People talk. People put their feet on the stage. GET OVER IT!!! Have the House management do their job and police the theatre as best they can during a performance.
If you want to address the audience at LEAST wait until the Curtain Call and break character THEN if YOU MUST!!! Or if you're a big Diva like she is then record a message for the Stage Manager to play at the top of the show that says "This is Patti Lupone and I play Mama Rose. The taking of photographers is NOT allowed by Me by Me by MEEEEEE. And if we catch one person taking pictures during the show you will be bounced."
Having said all that, last night was the first time that I actually saw the Patti Lupone that a lot of people have told me about. She was a C U Next Tuesday!!! And she not only seemed to be "phoning it in" (believe it or not on the 2nd to last performance of the run) but she was ****ing FLAT when she was belting high notes and you don't need perfect pitch to hear that!
The whole ordeal was VERY disappointing to say the least. There were so many other things that bugged me about this production too. It pissed me off that they had the orchestra on stage and kept talking to an imaginary conductor in a non-existent orchestra pit.
With the EXCEPTION of Laura Benanti, Boyd Gaines AND my personal favorites, the 3 Strippers the show was a total yawn!!! Glad Patti had the Diva fit - at least that woke my *ss up for a moment:)
Updated On: 1/11/09 at 07:20 PM
