Patti LuPone opens up about why she left the Actors’ Equity Association

Just one day after revealing via tweet that she would be leaving the stage performers’ union Actors’ Equity Association, Patti LuPone opened up about her decision.

The 73-year-old three-time Tony Award winner tweeted Monday: “A whole week on Broadway when I saw my name being gossiped. I gave up my Equity card; no longer part of that circus. Figure it out.’

She clarified in a Deadline interview Monday that she resigned from AEA in July after finishing her run on Company, though she also added more in another interview with People where she called the AEA “the worst union.”

Worst union: She clarified in a Deadline interview Monday that she resigned from AEA in July after ending her run on Company, though she also added more in another interview with People, where she called the AEA “the worst union.” ‘ called

“They accepted my resignation and told me that if I ever wanted to go back to work, I had to be approved,” LuPone said.

“And it’s the perfect reason why I retired from Equity. Fifty years ago this year… I’m a card-carrying member of Equity and they don’t know who I really am,” the theater legend continued.

“They just said, ‘Fine, but if you want to join again, we need to approve you,’ added LuPone.

Approved: “They accepted my resignation and told me that if I ever wanted to join again, I had to be approved,” said LuPone

Seemingly leaving the union in July, she announced it publicly on Twitter Monday, after her name was mentioned online following an unfortunate incident on Broadway.

Hadestown star Lillias White interrupted the show to scold a viewer for what the actor said was an illegal recording device…

LuPone’s name was mentioned because she has twice interrupted Broadway performances to punish spectators for their use of cameras or telephones.

Online: While seemingly leaving the union in July, she publicly announced it on Twitter on Monday, after her name was mentioned online following an unfortunate incident on Broadway

In 2009, she stopped her performance at Gypsy to scold someone in the audience for using a camera flash while she was performing.

Six years later, in 2015, she paused a Shows For Days performance to confiscate an audience member’s phone.

“When a phone rings or when an LED screen is seen in the dark, it ruins the experience for everyone — the majority of the audience at that performance and the actors on stage,” she said in a statement following the incident.

Stopped: In 2009 she stopped her performance at Gypsy to chastise someone in the audience for using a camera flash while performing

“I am so defeated by this matter that I am seriously questioning whether I want to continue working on stage,” LuPone added at the time.

LuPone added that she left AEA because, “They’re just not good. And I just didn’t want to give them any more money.’

Reported: “I am so defeated by this matter that I am seriously questioning whether I still want to work on stage,” added LuPone at the time

“I just thought, this is ridiculous.” And I don’t know when I’ll be on stage again,” she adds.

“But then the best kept secret is that you can perform without being a member of Equity. Nobody knows that so I don’t use their services. So I’m no longer a member of Equity,” she clarified.

She will next be seen in The School For Good and Evil, which will be released on Netflix on October 19, and she will also star in the 11th season of FX’s New York City-themed American Horror Story, which also airs on October 19. .

Ridiculous: “I just thought: this is ridiculous.” And I don’t know when I’ll be on stage again,” she adds

Soon: “I just thought, ‘This is ridiculous.’ And I don’t know when I’ll be on stage again,” she adds