Shut Up, Patti Lupone! Shut your brassy magnificent trap!

I'd say about once every few years I fall into a hard core Patti Lupone obsession. I spend the mornings listening to Blow, Gabriel, Blow and the afternoons dancing around my desk wondering What is new with Buenos Aires.

While scouring youtube for some Gypsy music I, of course, came across her 'shout out' to a certain picture flashing audience member on January 10th of this year. I'm sure we've all heard it (and if you haven't, hope on youtube and find it or check out my transcript below).

I actually saw Gypsy the week before and have this sort of sick sadness knowing that I could have gone exactly one week later and seen theatre history in the making. Honestly, the St. James ain't ever going to be the same! For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about; Patti Lupone, who has just finished playing Mama Rose in the last Gypsy revival, stopped the show, yelled at the photog and refused to go back on until the audience member was escorted from the building. She then provided an impromptu speech to the remaining audience about theatre etiquette.

Check out this video I found. Someone named therandyshow put this together and it is amazing! His new word is Lupwned!

LuPwn - Pronunciation: \lüˈpōn\ Function: verb Etymology: from the English "own" and the Italian "LuPone" 1. to give an untouchable theatrical performance. - from his youtube page.




After watching videos of her 'freak out' I still can't decide how I feel about the whole thing. On one hand it is completely unprofessional and ruins arguably the best number in the show. If anyone else in that cast had done the same thing, it would definitely have been a disaster. But Patti Lupone is not just a diva, she's an incredibly talented performer and it's an honor to see her on stage. She also has a point that, between photo taking, munching on snacks and bootlegging shows, audiences are loosing more respect for the hundred of people involved in these shows. Watching Patti belt out Rose's Turn the week prior gave me goose-bumps! Her glorious Juilliard trained voice put me in a trance. By the time Rose's Turn hits the stage, I've been on such a journey with these characters that the last things I want to do is be thrown out of it and back to reality. Rose's Turn was the best moment in the entire show! I'm sort of torn between a thrill of seeing such a, literally, 'show stopping' performance and the frustration of the fourth wall being ripped down.

I have also heard from a source that the flash of the camera caused her to stumble. I find this somewhat difficult to believe. Now, I had no clue where this camera happy audience member was sitting, however, with all the stage lights and the years of professionalism and experience, is one camera flash really going to cause Mz. Lupone to stumble? My source was confused and told me they wished video exists, because they could swear she stumbles before the flash actually went off. Perhaps Patti's anger was fueled by just a little more than a camera flash. I won't go too deep into this as it I wasn't there and it is only rumor. One thing I know for sure, however, is that if you listen to the recording of the incident, the audience is cheering and clapping along with her. In the lobby after though was a slightly different story. Clearly, after the drama had time to sink in, many people in the audience found themselves less that pleased that there $100 theatre experience has been ruined.


Transcript of Patti Lupone's show stopping performance:
(with audience reaction in brackets)

(singing)
Some people get it and make it pay, some people can't even give it away
this peoples got it and this people's spreading it around,
You either have it....
stop
stop
stop
stop taking pictures, right NOW!
You heard the announcement (claps)
Who do you think you are? (lots of claps)
How dare you? Who do you think you are? Get them out. I wont' continue if they're taking pictures Get 'em out! (more claps and whistles)
Turn it down and turn the lights on, they're right back there! Three times! Three times you took a picture! You heard the announcement in the beginning, you heard the announcement at intermission. Who do you think you ARE? (hoots)
This is the theatre!

Man who removed picture taker: Patti they're gone, they are gone.

Thank you. Alright, so you know what we're gonna do? (pauses for effect until audience cheers).
I have to say this. I have to say this: We have forgotten our public manners. And we have forgotten that we are in a community and this is the theatre and all of you, every single one of you except for that person, has respect. And I and the rest of this company O-preciate it. Thank you. (reallly long cheers).