Patti LuPone Releases Statement Regarding Taking Audience Member's Phone

During last night's performance of Douglas Carter Beane's Shows for Days at Lincoln Center, Patti LuPone, the show's star, took a phone out of the hands of a texting audience member. This morning, news of the event went viral, with many of the diva's fans speaking up to support her actions.

Now, LuPone has released the following statement regarding the incident:

"We work hard on stage to create a world that is being totally destroyed by a few, rude, self-absorbed and inconsiderate audience members who are controlled by their phones. They cannot put them down. When a phone goes off or when a LED screen can be seen in the dark it ruins the experience for everyone else – the majority of the audience at that performance and the actors on stage. I am so defeated by this issue that I seriously question whether I want to work on stage anymore. Now I’m putting battle gear on over my costume to marshal the audience as well as perform."

Shows for Days, incidentally, is described as Douglas Carter Beane's "fond remembrance of his immersion into a life in the theater." The production is directed by Jerry Zaks and also stars Dale Soules and Michael Urie.

For tickets to Shows for Days, click here.