Open Letter Against Patti LuPone Asks She Be Banned from the Tony Awards

The backlash against Patti LuPone has taken a semi-official turn with the publication of an Open Letter condemning her comments in her recent New Yorker profile.

The letter has been signed by 500+ in the Broadway community. While it says it doesn't mean to "shame or isolate," one of its suggested plans of action is to tell LuPone she is not welcome "at industry events, including the Tony Awards, fundraisers, and public programs." With the Tony Awards next week, this creates a stand-off if LuPone, a three-time winner, had planned to attend in any capacity.

The theater world has been galvanized by the dispute that began when LuPone's comments on last fall's controversy regarding noise leakage between two Broadway theaters – one where LuPone was starring with Mia Farrow in "The Roommate," the other the adjacent home of the Alicia Keys musical "Hell's Kitchen." In short, LuPone complained that noise was leaking into her dressing room and the "Hell's Kitchen" sound team complied by lowering the volume. LuPone sent them flowers in gratitude. Then her actions went public when Kecia Lewis, the Tony-winning "Hell's Kitchen" performer, posted an Instagram seeking an apology from Lupone, writng that LuPone's comments were considered microaggressions–a subtle unintentional comment or action that conveys stereotypes, biases, or negative assumptions about someone based on their race.

"In our industry, language holds power and shapes perception, often in ways that we may not immediately realize," said Lewis. "Referring to a predominantly Black Broadway show as 'loud' can unintentionally reinforce harmful stereotypes, and it also feels dismissive of the artistry and the voices that are being celebrated on stage." Lewis then ended her video requesting an apology from LuPone," reported Playbill. They also reported that such sound leaks are common on Broadway, but this was not only affecting those backstage at the Booth Theatre, where "The Roommate" played, but also "onstage and into the audience."

LuPone's response to the controversy came in Michael Schulman's New Yorker profile in which she struck back at Lewis. "'Oh, my God," LuPone said, balking, when I brought up the incident. '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 Googled. 'She's done seven. I've done thirty-one. Don't call yourself a vet, bitch.' (The correct numbers are actually ten and twenty-eight, but who's counting?) She explained, of the noise problem, 'This is not unusual on Broadway. This happens all the time when walls are shared.'"

Asked about Audra McDonald (18 Broadway shows, but who's counting?) having given Lewis's IG supportive emojis, LuPone said: 'Exactly. And I thought, You should know better. That's typical of Audra. She's not a friend'–hard 'D.' The two singers had some long-ago rift, LuPone said, but she didn't want to elaborate. When I asked what she had thought of McDonald's current production of 'Gypsy,' she stared at me, in silence, for fifteen seconds. Then she turned to the window and sighed, 'What a beautiful day.'"

McDonald could break the record for an actor winning the most Tony Awards on June 6 if she takes the Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her "Gypsy" performance. It would mark her second win in that category amongst her six wins in the four acting categories. If she does, she will triumph what is being considered the tightest Tony category in history with her biggest competition being Nicole Scherzinger for "Sunset Blvd."

The backlash against LuPone has been fierce and furious with many condemning her comments and few defending them. But they have hit a semi-officious status with the publication of an Open Letter to the Broadway community by actor Carl Woodward that has been signed by 500+ members of the NYC theater community. Calling his letter "a collective call-in to our community," Woodward writes that the intent isn't "to shame or isolate, but to speak with honesty, clarity, and care. This is a call for accountability, justice, and respect – rooted in love for the art form and for the people who make it possible. We believe our community can do better."

From here he calls out LuPone for her "deeply inappropriate and unacceptable public comments about two of Broadway's most respected and beloved artists: Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald. In a published interview with The New Yorker, she referred to Kecia Lewis – a Black woman and a 40-year veteran of the American stage – as a "b***." This language is not only degrading and misogynistic – it is a blatant act of racialized disrespect. It constitutes bullying. It constitutes harassment. It is emblematic of the microaggressions and abuse that people in this industry have endured for far too long, too often without consequence.

"To publicly attack a woman who has contributed to this art form with such excellence, leadership, and grace – and to discredit the legacy of Audra McDonald, the most nominated and awarded performer in Tony Award history – is not simply a personal offense. It is a public affront to the values of collaboration, equity, and mutual respect that our theater community claims to uphold."

Woodward goes on to blame a culture has persistently failed "to hold people accountable for violent, disrespectful, or harmful behavior – especially when they are powerful or well-known. This is not about differing opinions. It is about public actions that demean, intimidate, or perpetuate violence against fellow artists. It is about the normalization of harm in an industry that too often protects prestige over people."

He then compares LuPone to producer Scott Rudin and director Walter Bobbie, two Broadway heavyweights who were called out for their abusive behavior. "No more free passes. If our industry is truly committed to equity, justice, and respect, then those values must be applied consistently, even when it's uncomfortable. Especially when it's uncomfortable."

He continues: "No artist, producer, director, or leader – regardless of legacy or celebrity – should be allowed to weaponize their platform to belittle, threaten, or devalue others without consequence. Period."

He calls on the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League to take immediate action. One of his bullet points is to have LuPone "not be welcomed at industry events, including the Tony Awards, fundraisers, and public programs." The American Theatre Wing produces the Tony Awards. A spokesperson for the awards did not immediately respond to Variety's request for comment, nor did a spokesperson for LuPone. It is not known if LuPone was being considered as a Tony presenter at the awards, or if she was going to attend them.

According to Variety, amongst the 500+ signees are Tony winners James Monroe Iglehart, J. Harrison Ghee and Maleah Joi Moon, as well as stage and screen veterans like Ephraim Sykes, Wendell Pierce, and Jaquel Spivey. Courtney Love is also among the signatories.

Click here to read the full letter and see the list of those who have signed it as of May 31.

While LuPone hasn't received much support this week, the responses on X to Woodward's letter skew in her direction. Here is a sample: