Broadway legend Patti LuPone is making headlines following a wide-ranging and unfiltered interview with The New Yorker, published May 26, in which she distanced herself from longtime colleague Audra McDonald and addressed accusations of racial microaggressions in the theater community.
When asked about McDonald, with whom she has co-starred in productions such as Sweeney Todd (2000) and Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (2007), LuPone revealed bluntly, “She’s not a friend.” Though she declined to elaborate on the nature of their falling out, she did comment on McDonald’s past support for a social media post accusing LuPone of racially charged behavior: “That’s typical of Audra.”
McDonald is currently starring in Gypsy as Rose—a role for which LuPone won a Tony Award in 2008. When asked about McDonald’s performance, LuPone reportedly paused in silence for 15 seconds before turning to the window and sighing, “What a beautiful day,” according to writer Michael Schulman.
The tension with McDonald is just one of several disputes LuPone discussed, adding to the article’s pointed title: “Patti LuPone Is Done with Broadway.”
The three-time Tony winner also recalled backstage tension during her 2023 performance in The Roommate, which co-starred Mia Farrow. LuPone said the experience left her wanting to sever ties with certain people in the industry: “I washed my hands of a couple of people.”
During the same run, LuPone had a dispute with the neighboring production of Hell’s Kitchen, claiming their sound bled into her performance space. Though she sent flowers to the crew after addressing the issue, a video later circulated showing LuPone refusing to sign a Hell’s Kitchen playbill, stating, “They’re too loud.”
In response, Hell’s Kitchen cast member Kecia Lewis called LuPone out in a widely shared Instagram video, labeling her comments “racially microaggressive” and “offensive.”
“These actions, in my opinion, are bullying,” Lewis said. “Referring to a predominantly Black Broadway show as ‘loud’ can unintentionally reinforce harmful stereotypes.”
LuPone dismissed Lewis’s criticism in her New Yorker interview and questioned the legitimacy of her career status. “She calls herself a veteran? Let’s find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn’t know what the f— she’s talking about,” said LuPone, noting the disparity between her own 28 Broadway credits and Lewis’s 10.
While LuPone remains an iconic figure in American theater, her latest remarks have reignited debates about privilege, accountability, and race within Broadway’s tight-knit community. Whether or not she truly walks away from the stage, her presence—and her controversies—continue to command attention.
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