Patti LuPone apologizes after controversial comments on Kecia Lewis, Audra McDonald
Broadway legend Patti Lupone apologized for controversial comments she made about Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald in a "New Yorker" magazine interview. NBC News' Yasmin Vassoughian reports how the comments led hundreds of performers to sign an open letter calling for Lupone's ban from the Tonys. June 3, 2025
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Time Out
3 hours ago
- Time Out
Sadie Sink on the vulnerability of her star turn on Broadway
At the tender age of 23, Sadie Sink is already a Broadway veteran. She made her Main Stem debut as a standby ragamuffin in the 2012 revival of Annie and later assumed the title role. A few years later, in 2015, she was a young version of Elizabeth II in The Audience. (The older version? Helen Mirren.) Since then, she has achieved nationwide fame for playing troubled teens on Netflix's Stranger Things and the Brendan Fraser drama The Whale. But none of those teens was quite as tormented as the one she currently plays at the Booth Theatre in John Proctor Is the Villain. Kimberly Belflower's suspenseful drama, directed by Danya Taymor, centers on a group of high school girls in rural Georgia who draw connections between Arthur Miller's The Crucible and sexual situations in their own lives; Sink is Shelby, a classmate who returns after a lengthy and mysterious absence. 'Shelby is one of the most meaningful characters I've ever played,' Sink says. 'It's been the thrill of my career so far.' Her star turn has earned her a Tony nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play. We spoke with her about the excitement of Tony season, the demands of her role and the songs that help her get into character every night. In advance of the Tony Awards on June 8, Time Out has conducted in-depth interviews with select nominees. We'll be rolling out those interviews every day this week; the full collection to date is here. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. How have you been processing the madness of Tony season? It's the biggest thing that's ever happened to me! One thing that keeps me focused is that I still have to do my job; we're still doing the show eight times a week. That's been a challenge, but also something I've been super appreciative of. And the part is challenging enough already! What do you think are Shelby's strongest qualities? Shelby is incredibly smart—that's not so obvious to other people—in a way that's beyond her years. What drew me to her was her honesty, which I think is something a lot of people struggle with. Personally, I could never be as honest and blunt as Shelby is. I was really drawn to how she can maintain that quality throughout the trauma she's suffered, and the way she carries that trauma in such a complex, beautiful, messy way. Digging into that and peeling back her layers was such a long process—and one that I feel like I didn't actually have a full grasp on until right before opening, to be honest. How has the role evolved for you over time? In rehearsal, we got into some of her wackier and nerdier sides, where she's a little bit more energetic and awkward. In previews, we stripped that back and brought back some of my initial instincts; we grounded her a bit and found places for her to relax so that the audience could see the many dimensions of who she is. I learned so much from exploring and pushing the boundaries of a character and then reeling it back in. That's all thanks to Danya; I saw her do that with every actor in this ensemble piece. What do you remember about her directing you for your big scene with Amalia Yoo's character? I think it's the most beautiful scene in the play, but I'm biased. You get to see a vulnerable side of Shelby. This scene went through many phases. It felt awkward at first; there's a wall for her in letting her vulnerability peek through, because until that point she doesn't let you see that anything is wrong. Letting that go, in a really honest way, took some time to unlock— especially when you add an audience, because we're sitting on the edge of the stage for that scene. There might be people in the audience that are just seeing Max from Stranger Things, so there's automatically a wall that I, as Sadie, am putting up. But Danya made me feel I had permission to let that down. She told me something that shifted how I approached the scene: That any choice I make, anything I say, has nothing to do with me. It's only Shelby. And if I can just be a vessel for her, then the vulnerability can open up and it can feel honest. That was so important to hear from a director—for her to call out the anxieties that I have in that area, and allow me to feel safe and protected. The play gets intense at some points. How do you get into character? There are 30 minutes in the play before I go on stage. So while everybody else is warming up, I'm not; I wait until everyone else is on stage, and that's my warm-up time. I have the space to get into character, because it's so quiet backstage. I have a few songs that are triggers, or that help me associate with Shelby. If I listen to one of those songs, then I'm good. I've been listening to 'Limp,' by Fiona Apple. I think Shelby would love Fiona Apple. Also, 'Liability (Reprise)' from Melodrama by Lorde. That's a huge one. It's weird how much muscle memory comes into play. We've done the show so many times at this point; each show feels different, but your body knows what to do and knows what you need to access at different points. That's been a huge learning curve. It doesn't get worse or less true the more you do it. It becomes second nature, and you find different things in the performance that stick out. Is there a line in the script that particularly speaks to you? This week's line was in the gas station scene. It's when Shelby says, 'I think I'm going to be super messed up for a really long time, but I don't know if I'm fully equipped to start that journey right now.' That was always my favorite in rehearsals, but it really came back around this week; it's such a mature thing for her to say but also so heartbreaking. I was emotional thinking about what the rest of Shelby's life looks like, carrying what happened to her. How do you wind down after a performance? At the end of the show, I'm so winded from that last dance. I've given all the energy I have left. I have 45 minutes in the car where I can listen to music. When I get home, I pretty much go to bed. I would be remiss to not ask you about Charles Strouse, the composer who wrote Annie and passed away recently. What do you remember of him? It was really heartbreaking to hear and made me appreciate my time in that show. I met him at the opening night party for Annie. What he did for Annie —that kind of raised me in a way. That's the legacy he created and I'm so appreciative of him. What do you remember about going on in the role of Annie for the first time, after Lilla Crawford had left the production? I'm still friends with Lilla—she's a good friend of mine. Once she left, me and another girl shared the role. I remember the first time I went on for Duffy, the first orphan I played, but I can't remember the first time I went on as Annie. I do remember a put-in that we did: I thought it was so bizarre that the casting directors showed up, and maybe [director] James Lapine and [choreographer] Andy Blankenbuehler. I later realized that that was my audition to step in as Annie. It felt very adult and very serious. I cannot believe someone trusted me to go on stage and do that. Mia Farrow, who is also nominated in your category, recently came to see your performance. How did that go? It was amazing. She did The Roommate at the Booth, so she knew a lot of the crew that worked there. She really loved the show. And I love her so much. She is so kind. I got to meet her at the Tony nominees luncheon. She was like, 'Who do you want to meet?' I said, 'Jonathan Groff.' So she introduced me—which was huge. I will never forget that. What did you say to him? I just said I was such a big fan. I think that's all I said. I hope I can meet him again soon, because I'm obsessed with him. Have you been able to see him yet in Just in Time? No, because we're on the same schedule. The weird thing is, even if you aren't on the same schedule as another show—if you have a night or an afternoon off—it's hard to get yourself to midtown to sit through another show. But I did get to see Oh, Mary!, which was awesome. Maybe you'll get to see him again at the Tonys. Who are you bringing as your date? My brother!
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Kate Spade and husband 'tried to work things out' before her suicide
Kate Spade's close friend has said the late fashion designer and her husband, Andy, had been attempting to work through their differences before her death A friend of Kate Spade has said the fashion designer and her widower attempted to work through their issues. Fashion designer Kate tragically died aged 55 in June 2018. A housekeeper found the designer dead at her apartment in Manhattan, New York. Local police found a note which was addressed to Kate's daughter following her death, which was ruled to be suicide. Now, a friend of the late icon has claimed that Kate and her husband Andy had been attempting to work through their differences in the lead-up to her death. Although they hadn't been legally separated, Kate and Andy had been living apart for ten months before she sadly died. Elyce Arons, a friend of the fashion designer, has now shed light on Kate's final few months. In her upcoming memoir, she said: "They were trying to work things out – and they were always in each other's lives every day." In the excerpt of We Might Just Make It After All: My Best Friendship With Kate Spade, Arons went on to add: "They loved each other." Kate and Andy were married for 24 years and welcomed daughter Frances Beatrice Valentine Spade, now 20, in 2005. But Arons has also claimed that the late fashion mogul was extremely private but often opened up to her about her struggles. Following Kate's death, Andy, who maintains a low public profile, issued a rare statement explaining that they had never discussed divorcing one another. He said: "We were not legally separated, and never even discussed divorce. We were best friends trying to work through our problems in the best way we knew how. "We were together for 35 years, we loved each other very much and simply needed a break." He also shed light on Kate's mental health, explaining she had suffered from depression and anxiety for "many years." He commented: "She was actively seeking help and working closely with doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives. We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy. "There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn't her. There were personal demons she was battling." Arons also claimed that while relatives of Kate had believed she had been suffering from bipolar disorder, this is something "Katy" had never discussed. In the abstract published by People Magazine, Arons said: "She never shared with me that she was diagnosed with anything. I think it's stigma-related. "And because she was private, she probably felt that even more so. She would just use the word sad." But while Kate's sister, Reta Saffo, had told the media she believed her sister had been living with bipolar disorder but other relatives, who have kept out of the spotlight, have disputed this. Speaking to NBC News, a source claimed that the family had been "disgusted and saddened" by Reta's comments. Meanwhile, her brother, Earl Brosnahan, stated that Kate was the only person in their family to still speak to Reta, but only "sporadically". He branded the comments "grossly inaccurate." Now, Arons, who co-founded the accessories and clothing line, Frances Valentine, alongside Kate, has announced a new tote bag in support of the Hope for Depression Research Foundation. She said: "I love the organisation because they are working on research and getting a diagnosis. "I think bringing it to light is helpful instead of hiding it." If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@ or visit their site to find your local branch.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
Will Ferrell to bring Eurovision musical to Broadway
Will Ferrell is set to turn his 2020 comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga into a Broadway musical. The actor starred in and co-wrote the Netflix film with Harper Steele and the pair will develop the show with Anthony King, whose Broadway credits include Beetlejuice and Gutenberg! The Musical!. There is no timeline yet to the production. 'We are more than excited to bring Eurovision to Broadway,' Ferrell said in a statement. 'The stage musical is a perfect place to continue our celebration of all the things we love about this amazing and unifying song competition.' The film was released on Netflix in June 2020 and followed a pair of Icelandic singers, played by Ferrell and Rachel McAdams, as they took part in Eurovision. It received an Oscar nomination for best original song. It received mixed reviews upon release with the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw calling it 'a strange, tonally misfiring movie'. 'This is a stellar team for what I am sure will be an equally stellar adaption of a film the world loved,' said Martin Green, CBE director of the Eurovision Song Contest. 'Our aim always is to bring the joy of the Eurovision Song Contest to more people globally – especially as we approach our 70th edition in 2026.' The show will be directed by Alex Timber who is currently behind the Tony-nominated Bobby Darin musical Just in Time. This year's Eurovision Song Contest was watched by 166 million people worldwide. Ferrell and Steele recently starred in the acclaimed documentary Will & Harper, a road trip documentary about their friendship. Ferrell also starred in comedy You're Cordially Invited earlier this year and is currently filming comedy Judgment Day with Zac Efron and Regina Hall.
