“Let’s find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn’t know what the fuck she’s talking about,” LuPone said. “She’s done s
“Let’s find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn’t know what the fuck she’s talking about,” LuPone said. “She’s done seven. I’ve done 31. Don’t call yourself a vet, bitch.” (In actuality, as Playbill notes, the 59-year-old Lewis has performed in 10 productions to the 76-year-old LuPone’s 28.)
When asked about fellow star Audra McDonald‘s support of Lewis’s message, LuPone said “And I thought, You should know better. That’s typical of Audra. She’s not a friend.”
The remarks spurred an open letter condemning LuPone that’s since been signed by hundreds of notable creatives, including Tony winners McDonald and Wendell Pierce, as well as less expected names such as Courtney Love. Addressed to the American Theatre Wing and Broadway League, and “the greater theatre community,” it calls on those groups “to take immediate action—not only in response to Patti LuPone’s comments, but in establishing a broader standard of accountability moving forward.”
“Individuals, including Patti Lupone, who use their platform to publicly demean, harass, or disparage fellow artists—particularly with racial, gendered, or otherwise violent language—should not be welcomed at industry events, including the Tony Awards, fundraisers, and public programs,” the letter continues.
The language LuPone used in her recent interview “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,” the letter reads, saying “This is about more than one person. It is about a culture. A pattern. A persistent failure to hold people accountable for violent, disrespectful, or harmful behavior—especially when they are powerful or well-known.”
Neither LuPone nor the recipients of the letter have yet to publicly respond to the message. The 2025 Tony Awards are scheduled for Sunday, June 8.
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