In light of the recent controversy surrounding Patti LuPone’s comments toward Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald, more than 600 Broadway professionals—ranging from performers, stage managers, directors, and designers to casting agents and arts administrators—have signed an open letter calling for accountability within the Broadway community. This letter was not a petition, but rather a collective “call-in” to the industry, urging accountability and respect, especially in light of LuPone’s actions.
The letter, initiated and organized collaboratively, speaks with clarity, care, and a commitment to justice. It emphasizes that the harmful behavior exhibited by LuPone is not an isolated incident but a part of a pervasive culture that has tolerated microaggressions and abuse for far too long. According to the letter:
“Patti LuPone’s recent comments, calling Kecia Lewis—a Black woman and 40-year veteran of the American stage—a ‘b**,’ were not just inappropriate; they were a racialized act of disrespect. The language used is degrading, misogynistic, and a form of bullying that has far too often been excused within the theater community.”*
The letter calls for a broader industry-wide reckoning, one that holds individuals accountable, regardless of their fame or legacy. It points out how Broadway has, in the past, taken swift action when others in the industry—such as Scott Rudin—faced public scrutiny for mistreatment and misconduct. However, the letter stresses that accountability should not be the exception but the rule.
The signatories urge the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League to establish a standard of conduct, ensuring that no artist or leader—regardless of their stature—can use their platform to degrade or threaten fellow artists without consequence. In particular, the letter advocates for:
- Immediate action in response to LuPone’s comments, including not allowing such individuals to participate in high-profile industry events like the Tony Awards unless they’ve completed anti-bias or restorative justice programs.
- Clear, transparent policies for addressing harmful behavior, regardless of an individual’s fame or tenure.
- Consistent application of values such as equity, justice, and respect.
The letter closes with a call to honor the Kecia Lewises and Audra McDonalds of Broadway—artists who not only embody excellence but also deserve protection and respect, not just from the audience but from their peers and the industry as a whole. This letter is a reminder that a stronger, more equitable Broadway is possible—one where all artists are treated with dignity, safety, and respect.
Read the full letter and see the names of the artists who have signed it here:
Below is a plain-text version of the letter above:
OPEN LETTER FROM THE BROADWAY THEATER COMMUNITY
MAY ЗОТН
To the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, and the greater theater community,
This is not a petition. It is an open letter — a collective call-in to our community. We write not 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. We believe it must do better — especially when harm is done to those who have given so much to this industry.
Recently, Patti LuPone made 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.
Let us be clear: 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. 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.
We’ve seen what happens when abusive behavior is finally brought to light. Scott Rudin and Walter Bobbie both faced public backlash, professional consequences, and ostracization after repeated reports of mistreatment and misconduct. These moments proved that the theater community can act when it chooses to. But accountability should not be the exception it must be the rule. We cannot continue to welcome back those who harm others simply because of their fame or perceived value. This must stop. We will no longer tolerate violence verbal, emotional, or physical against artists within our own community. 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.
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.
The American Theatre Wing-the very institution that presents the Tony Awards states that its mission is to “champion brave creative voices, support excellence and artistry, and celebrate theatre that impacts American culture.” Among its core values are:
Validate Diversity: Celebrating stories as diverse as the American people.
Champion Creative Expression: Advocating for artists’ right to speak through their work.
Support Growth and Create Connections: Nurturing and respecting artists at every stage of their careers.
Make Excellence Known and Inspire Artistic Greatness: Honoring and uplifting extraordinary contributions to the artform
When artists use their platforms to degrade or demean others especially those who embody excellence and leadership they violate every one of these values. That behavior disrupts community, undermines mentorship, and erodes trust. If these values are more than empty statements, then this moment demands a meaningful and visible response.
We call on the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League 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.
Participation, recognition, and attendance at high-profile events must be contingent on conduct that reflects community values. This includes completion of comprehensive anti-bias or restorative justice programs before re-entry into public-facing spaces.
Theater institutions must adopt and enforce clear, transparent policies for addressing harmful behavior—regardless of an individual’s fame or tenure in the industry.
This would not be tolerated in other industries. In 2021, the NFL fined the Washington Commanders $10 million and removed Dan Snyder from day-to-day operations after a toxic workplace culture came to light. Will Smith was banned from the Oscars for ten years after slapping a fellow artist during a live broadcast. These organizations acted swiftly to preserve their values and the integrity of their communities. Why should Broadway hold itself to a lower standard?
This is not about “canceling” anyone or condemning them — it is about care. Care for our artists, our values, and the future of our shared craft. We write because we want this community to thrive — not just in box office numbers or critical acclaim, but in integrity, safety, and mutual respect. We envision a theater industry where all artists – including Black women — are protected, valued, and celebrated. Where excellence is met with recognition, not hostility. Where harm is addressed, not ignored. Where no one is forced to choose between their artistry and their dignity.
Our industry is under threat. The arts are being defunded, theater programs are disappearing, and artists are being pushed to the margins. We need each other now more than ever. We need community. We need leadership. And we need accountability.
To the Kecias and the Audras of our past, present, and future: You are the soul of this community. We honor your brilliance, your resilience, and your impact. You deserve more than applause. You deserve protection. You deserve respect.
To the leaders of our industry: A belief in justice, equity, and inclusion must mean something — not just in statements, not just in programming, but in how we act when those values are tested. Accountability is not an attack; it is an act of care.
We are calling for action – not to punish, but to protect. Not to divide, but to strengthen. A stronger, healthier, more equitable Broadway is possible – one where all artists are treated with dignity, safety, and respect.
This is a call grounded in commitment. Commitment to the community we claim to be. To the values we profess to uphold.
And to the future we have the power to shape — one rooted in equity, accountability, and collective care.
Let us move forward together, not in silence or avoidance, but with courage and clarity — so that our community can truly succeed and thrive, without inflicting violence or harm.
Sincerely members of our Broadway theater community.
