Patti LuPone confirms she missed two performances of Broadway’s Company after contracting a ‘rotavirus’… not COVID-19 as has been rumored
Patti LuPone is clearing the air and clarifying rumors about two performances she missed of her Broadway revival Company.
The 72-year-old actress plays Joanne in the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s original 1970 musical, taking to Twitter to confirm why she missed the recent performances.
Unlike rumors that she had contracted COVID-19, LuPone revealed on Twitter that she actually contracted a ‘rotavirus.’
Clarifying: Patti LuPone is clearing the air and clarifying rumors about two performances she missed of her Broadway revival Company.
Confirm: The 72-year-old actress plays Joanne in the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s original 1970 musical, taking to Twitter to confirm why she missed the recent performances
‘Hi Dolls. I don’t normally do this but since there are a few little s***s out there writing false things about Company, here’s the truth: I missed 2 shows with a rotavirus,’ LuPone began.
‘My toilet can confirm this. Two other actors contracted the same rotavirus. Poor Claybourne and his puke-stained flight attendant uniform can confirm, too,’ she added, referring to co-star Claybourne Elder.
Elder has since tested positive for COVID-19, and is out of the production for that reason, with LuPone confirming they have had a few production members contract the virus.
Rotavirus: ‘Hi Dolls. I don’t normally do this but since there are a few little s***s out there writing false things about Company, here’s the truth: I missed 2 shows with a rotavirus,’ LuPone began
Co-star: ‘My toilet can confirm this. Two other actors contracted the same rotavirus. Poor Claybourne and his puke-stained flight attendant uniform can confirm, too,’ she added, referring to co-star Claybourne Elder
‘While we’ve had a couple cases of Covid in the company, we’ve had exemplary understudies covering those roles, so the show was able to go on,’ she added.
‘You should all know that the Jacobs and the production of Company is one of the best tested on Broadway. We’re all getting PCR probed every night,’ she confirmed.
LuPone added that they, ‘currently cannot field a crew of stagehands to run the show safely.’
Covid cases: ‘While we’ve had a couple cases of Covid in the company, we’ve had exemplary understudies covering those roles, so the show was able to go on,’ she added
‘Our backstage crew is among the best I have ever worked with and I hope they return to us soon,’ she said.
‘These people are putting their health at just as much risk as we are onstage, and we ask that you please be patient while everyone gets better, so we can continue our run of Company,’ LuPone concluded.
Company canceled its 2:30 PM and 7 PM performances on Sunday, December 26, though they announced on Monday that their 7 PM performance is happening as scheduled.
Crew: ‘Our backstage crew is among the best I have ever worked with and I hope they return to us soon,’ she said
The musical is scheduled to run at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre through June 26.
The original 1970 musical was nominated for a then-record 14 Tony Awards, which was among the first book musicals to deal with contemporary dating, marriage and divorce.
LuPone played Joanne in a filmed performance of the play at the New York Philharmonic Concert back in 2011.
Musical: The musical is scheduled to run at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre through June 26
Concert: LuPone played Joanne in a filmed performance of the play at the New York Philharmonic Concert back in 2011