- Patti Lupone has already been criticized for interview comments on Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis.
- Rifle has published an open letter signed by more than 500 Broadway artists calling Lupone.
- The letter called Lupone’s remarks “inappropriate and unacceptable” and “racialized disrespective”.
More than 500 Broadway artists call for “responsibility, justice and respect” after the legend of the theater Patti Lupone received a general decline on recent comments She made colleagues stage icons Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis in a recent New York profile.
Theater publication Rifle Friday, the news of the circulation of the letter in the community. The document is sent to the American Theater Wing and the Broadway League, with signatories including Tony Winners Maleah Joi Moon (Hell’s Kitchen), James Monroe Iglehart (Alladdin), And Wendell Pierce (Golf radio).
THE letter Mentions the recent comments of Lupone, who saw the 76 -year -old woman refer to Lewis as a “slut” when he questioned her status as an industry veteran, and also observe McDonald by calling her “not a friend” despite the pair that works before.
“Recently, Patti Lupone made deeply inappropriate and unacceptable public comments on two of the most respected and appreciated artists in Broadway,” said the letter. “This language is not only degrading and misogynistic – it is a blatant act of racialized lack of respect. It constitutes intimidation. It constitutes harassment. It is emblematic of micro -aggressions and abuses that the people of this industry have endured for too long, too often without consequences.”
Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times via Getty
The letter continues: “It is a public affront to the values of collaboration, equity and mutual respect that our theatrical community claims to defend. Let’s be clear: it is more than one person. It is a culture. Violence against other artists.
This adds that the community cannot “continue to welcome those who harm others simply because of their fame or their perceived value” and calls for the end of this type of behavior.
“We will no longer tolerate violence – verbal, emotional or physical – against artists from our own community,” adds the letter. “More free passes. If our industry is really attached to equity, justice and respect, then these values must be applied in a coherent manner, even when it is uncomfortable. Especially when it is uncomfortable. No artist, producer, director or leader – impeccable of inheritance or celebrity – should be authorized to tear their platform to depreciate, to threaten, or to others without consequences.
The letter also asks the American Theater Wing and the Broadway League to take immediate measures, in particular by ensuring that people who make derogatory remarks against other community artists are excluded from tones and to ensure that “the participation, recognition and attendance of high -level events must be dependent on the conduct of the community”.
It ends with a note that the intention behind the letter is “not to punish, but to protect” people like McDonald and Lewis.
Weekly entertainment Contacted representatives of Lupone, the American Theater Wing, the Broadway League, Moon, Iglehart, Pierce and several people listed as signatories on the letter to comment.
After Lupone’s comments courted the controversy, McDonald addressed the incident in an interview Thursday with CBS Mornings‘Gayle King.
King asked McDonald if she was “surprised” by Lupone’s words, McDonald responding to say that she was not clear about the reason for which Lupone said what she had done.
“I mean, if there is a gap between us, I don’t know what it is. This is something you should ask for Patti,” said McDonald, adding that it has not been around Lupone for more than a decade.
“I haven’t seen her for about 11 years because I was busy with life and all that,” said McDonald. “So, I don’t know what Rift she is talking about. You should ask her.”
Bruce Glikas / FilmMagic
THE New York A play also struck on an incident in 2024 which saw Lewis publicly publish a video calling for Lupone to apologize for “racial micro-aggressions” after the latter, which worked on a program inside a neighboring theater in Manhattan, would have asked “to change some of our sound signals because you had found them too strong”, according to Lewis. (A representative of Lupone did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comments at the time.)
When the writer interviewing Lupone noted that McDonald reacted to Lewis’ video with “support emojis”, Lupone replied: “exactly”.
Register Weekly entertainmentFree daily newsletter To get television news, the first looks, summary, criticism, exclusive interviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
She continued: “And I thought, You should know better. It’s typical of Audra. He’s not a friend.
Lupone also aroused criticism of his comments on Lewis, saying “Oh my God” In response to a question on the 2024 incident, as part of the profile.
“Here’s the problem. Does she call herself as a veteran? Find out how many Broadway Kecia Lewis shows did because she doesn’t know what the F — she is talking about. (A Lewis representative did not respond to the request for comments from EW.)
Watch McDonald react to Lupone’s comments about him in the clip above.
