LuPone, who drew much support from fellow actors when she snatched a cell phone from an audience member during a performance of the critically acclaimed Shows For Days earlier this summer, said in her statement…
"I'm in Ireland and have just heard about the incident with the AT&T tweet. Kudos to Marc Kudisch, Ann Harada, Max von Essen, Ruthie Ann Miles, Patti Murin, Andy Mientus, Julia Murney, et al for speaking out concerning AT&T's tweet for our theatre audience to stream live during a performance. Our theatres, ballet and symphony halls are not arenas. They are intimate spaces. We do not have venders selling beer, hot dogs, peanuts and cracker jacks during a performance. We have, for the most part, excellent acoustical houses. Everything can be heard including the tapping of your digits on a phone or the click of a camera. And from the stage, do not be fooled. We can see you. It's time we all in the theatre community put an end to the cell phone disruptions. Enforce the law and eject the individual who thinks they are exempt.
To the AT&T spokesperson: What altered reality do you live in? And why do you assume I live there, too?
As for AT&T as a communications provider, I dropped them years ago, not because of an arrogant and ignorant spokesperson, but because their service stunk. I made the right decision to go with Verizon.
Drop AT&T
PS I can just hear a Shakespearean aside, 'What's the score?'"
*
At 11 AM Sept. 14, the company tweeted an image that said, "Catch a winning play at the theater," with an audience member watching football from a cell phone. The post was deleted some time before 5 PM, but a screenshot of the tweet is below.
AT&T responded to the Playbill report after many in the theatrical community objected to the tweet.
@playbill We love and listen to the thespian community. The ad wasn’t to be taken literally and we meant no disrespect.
— AT&T (@ATT)
September 14, 2015
Don't let football get between you and your life. ��
@ATT
#GGLAM
pic.twitter.com/dZ97xF6QmX
— A Gentlemans Guide (@GentlemansGuide)
September 14, 2015
so glad
@JuliaMurney sent this to me. our industry should let
@ATT &
@DIRECTV know what we think of their marketing!
https://t.co/4h70BeHbFY
—
Kate Shindle (@AEAPresident)
September 14, 2015
Hey
@ATT, let's NOT try and disrupt theater. K? Thanks.
@PlaybillMichael: yes for this!
#WinningTheaterAtTheater
http://t.co/UxsBBUA1qE
— Broadway Buzz (@broadway_buzz)
September 14, 2015
.
@ATT
#NotMyService
pic.twitter.com/OFse3BHA3K
— Blessedterns (@Blessedterns)
September 14, 2015
If you love theatre, or are decent human being, tweet to
@ATT about how dangerous their marketing is with
#NotMyService.
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 14, 2015
Suck it
@ATT
@ATTCares
https://t.co/PhRktBpRxn
—
Betsy Wolfe (@BetsyWolfe)
September 14, 2015
.
@ATT it's do you hear the people SING, not ring.
#NotMyService
— Blessedterns (@Blessedterns)
September 14, 2015
Oh,
@AEAPresident...thought you might like to see this.
#notcool
https://t.co/6aW9xl1Frr
— Julia Murney (@JuliaMurney)
September 14, 2015
Hey,
@att-you forgot to add in the fine print how utterly obnoxious this behavior is.
#shameonyou
#hereicometmobile
https://t.co/6aW9xl1Frr
— Julia Murney (@JuliaMurney)
September 14, 2015
You cannot be serious
@ATT
https://t.co/nMdYL8I3jX
— Max von Essen (@MaxizPad)
September 14, 2015
Boycott
@ATT! This ignorant ad encourages rude, disruptive, against-the-rules behavior at the theatre.
https://t.co/bxSNwjTnpM
— Jennifer Tepper (@jenashtep)
September 14, 2015
Or stay home because this behavior is against the rules at the theater and totally rude to everyone in the building.
https://t.co/dRn29RS1Ha
— Andy Mientus (@andymientus)
September 14, 2015
OR DON'T
https://t.co/tvBlGzndAJ
— The A.R.T. (@americanrep)
September 14, 2015
Are you out of your mind!?!?!
https://t.co/TNpmqcmt4R
—
Kyle Scatliffe (@KyleScatliffe)
September 14, 2015
.
@ATT this is rude and encouraging really heinous behavior at the theater. Thank you for contributing to the collapse of culture in America
—
Sean Grandillo (@seangrandillo)
September 14, 2015
What an inconsiderate ad. Shame on you,
@ATT
@ATTCares
@attcenter
pic.twitter.com/GQuIn2OuIC
— Ruthie Ann Miles (@RuthieAnnMiles)
September 14, 2015
Click here to reply to the tweet.