When it comes to Broadway legends, Patti LuPone is the definition of a living one. But she did a profile with The New Yorker that allowed LuPone’s more unfiltered thoughts out and it is not a great look into the singer and actress.
Recently, LuPone started a fight against Broadway when she left the union and yet returned to Broadway shortly after for her play, The Roommate. Her reasoning for leaving Broadway? She was mad at the traffic on her way to work. Most New York performers take the subway but LuPone shared that she would use a bullhorn to yell at pedestrians on her way through the busy Times Square area.
But even with LuPone sharing stories that feel a little bit out of my own understanding (I would never take a car into Times Square), what LuPone said about some other Broadway legends is what fans are taking umbrage with. During the run of The Roommate, LuPone fought with the musical Hell’s Kitchen. She said the production, which has a primarily POC cast, was “too loud” for the show next door.
In her profile with The New Yorker, the journalist in question asked her about the fight which had star Kecia Lewis posting on social media about LuPone’s anger. In the video, Lewis said that LuPone’s complaints were “bullying,” “racially microaggressive,” and “rooted in privilege.” The situation which was, seemingly, over since The Roommate had closed was brought up again by The New Yorker journalist.
In talking about it, LuPone insulted Lewis, threw how many shows she’s done in her face, and claimed that Lewis was not a Broadway veteran. A good reporter would have pointed out that LuPone’s 28 Broadway shows come with the privilege of being a white woman on Broadway and Lewis’ 10 shows are still impressive even though Lewis deserved to have just as many shows as LuPone.
“Oh, my God,” LuPone said. “Here’s the problem. She calls herself a veteran? Let’s find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn’t know what the fuck she’s talking about.” She went on to incorrectly google how many shows both she and Lewis had been in. “She’s done seven. I’ve done thirty-one. Don’t call yourself a vet, bitch.” She then went on to talk about how this is not a “rare” occurance on Broadway. “This is not unusual on Broadway. This happens all the time when walls are shared.”
The issue here is that Hell’s Kitchen was there FIRST. Meaning that theater was, at the time, fine with the sound from the show. So if anyone should have had a conversation about this, it should have been the stage managers of both productions, not LuPone. But then, to be messy, the interviewer in question brought up Audra McDonald who LuPone was once friends with. The journalist in question, Michael Schulman, pointed out that McDonald responded positively to Lewis’ video.
“Exactly,” LuPone said. “And I thought, You should know better. That’s typical of Audra. She’s not a friend.” When asked about her thoughts on McDonald’s role as Mama Rose in the revival of Gypsy, a role LuPone once played, she responded “What a beautiful day.” McDonald has won 6 Tony Awards to LuPone’s 3.
This is what happens when you don’t check a Broadway diva
I am a theatre kid. I have love and respect for LuPone and her talent and she is one of my favorite performers. But there is a level of privilege to being able to yell at other productions, still being on Broadway after quitting the union, and saying whatever she wants about other performers. Whether or not LuPone meant it to be a racially charged statement, she attacked two Black women who are, in their own right, legends.
So whatever “sassy” persona LuPone thought she was putting on, it came across as gross and unprofessional. But it also wasn’t all on LuPone. Schulman knew what he was doing when he began this line of questioning but also LuPone could have shut it down. Instead, she leaned into it.
We praise women like LuPone for their lack of filter but then when they allow their opinions out in the world which are harmful, no one wants to hold her accountable. This isn’t okay and the fact that LuPone did not shut it down says a lot. But it is also important to put some of that blame on Schulman as well who knew exactly what he was doing.
(featured image: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
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