<\/p>\n
\n\tPatti LuPone<\/a> is apologizing for the recent comments she made in a New Yorker<\/a><\/em> profile about Audra McDonald<\/a> and Kecia Lewis<\/a> that\u2019s had the theater world buzzing. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cFor as long as I have worked in the theatre, I have spoken my mind and never apologized. That is changing today. I am deeply sorry for the words I used during\u00a0The New Yorker<\/em>\u00a0interview, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful,\u201d she wrote on Instagram<\/a> on Saturday. \u201cI regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community. I hope to have the chance to speak to Audra and Kecia personally to offer my sincere apologies.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI wholeheartedly agree with everything that was written in the open letter shared yesterday. From middle school drama clubs to professional stages, theatre has always been about lifting each other up and welcoming those who feel they don\u2019t belong anywhere else,\u201d LuPone continued. \u201cI made a mistake, I take full responsibility for it, and I am committed to making this right. Our entire theatre community deserves better.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\tThe Hollywood Reporter <\/em>has reached out to Lewis and McDonald\u2019s reps for comment. <\/p>\n \n\tOn Friday, Playbill<\/a> <\/em>reported that there was a letter that over 500 Broadway performers signed reprimanding LuPone\u2019s behavior. The letter, in part, read that her comments were a \u201cpersistent failure to hold people accountable for violent, disrespectful, or harmful behavior \u2014 especially when they are powerful or well-known.\u201d Tony winners Wendell Pierce, James Monroe Iglehart and Maleah Joi Moon signed it as well as Courtney Love.<\/p>\n \n\tLast fall, while LuPone was starring in The Roommate<\/em>, she filed a noise complaint about the musical next door, Hell\u2019s Kitchen<\/em>, which Lewis was in. Lewis then took to Instagram to say that LuPone was \u201cbullying,\u201d \u201cracially microaggressive\u201d and \u201crooted in privilege.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\tIn the New Yorker<\/em> interview, LuPone responded by saying, \u201cHere\u2019s the problem. She calls herself a veteran? Let\u2019s find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn\u2019t know what the fuck she\u2019s talking about,\u201d she said. \u201cDon\u2019t call yourself a vet, bitch.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tLuPone also said that McDonald was \u201cnot a friend\u201d and that they had a rift years ago. However, on Thursday, McDonald appeared on CBS Mornings<\/em><\/a> to promote Gypsy<\/em> and her 11th Tony nomination, and said she was surprised by LuPone\u2019s comments. \u201cIf there\u2019s a rift between us, I don\u2019t know what it is. That\u2019s something you\u2019d have to ask Patti about,\u201d she said. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen her in about 11 years because I\u2019ve been busy with life and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n