Patti Lupone confiscates cell phone from theater goer who was texting during her Broadway show (and manages to stay in character)

Published: 17:47 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 20:56 EST, 9 July 2015

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Patti Lupone confiscated an audience member's phone during Wednesday night's performance of Shows For Days.

The 66-year-old Broadway legend acted out after catching a woman texting from her seat during her show at New York City's Lincoln Center.

Patti grabbed the phone out of the onlooker's hands and took it backstage, trying to promote proper theatre etiquette - which multiple eyewitnesses documented on social media.

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Not on her time! Patti Lupone confiscated an audience member's cell phone during a performance of Shows For Days on Broadway in New York City on Wednesday

'Without breaking character, Patti LuPone snatched a rude woman's phone and walked offstage at Shows for Days tonight. Will they never learn,' one viewer Diane Snyder wrote on Twitter.

The two-time Grammy Award winner and two-time Tony Award winner is in fact known for lashing out at inappropriate audience members - previously causing scenes in the past.

Following the show, Patti released a statement to Playbill about the incidence.

Patti Lupone shows dramatic range in Shows for Days teaser

Legend: The star is pictured here during Opening Night Photo Opportunity for The Lincoln Center Theatre Production of Shows For Days at The Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre in New York City on June 29

Classy: Pictured is the Lincoln Center in Manhattan

'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,' the star - who was inducted into the American Theater Hall Of Fame in 2006 - said.

'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 marshall the audience as well as perform.'

This incident came after at least three cell phones had rang during a matinee performance.

TV star: Patti is also known for her role as Joan Ramsey on FX's American Horror Story

During a revival of Gypsy in 2008, she stopped mid-song to scold an audience member for taking photographs.

In Shows For Days, Patti plays 'an indomitable force of nature whose life is dedicated to putting on productions she directs, designs and stars in.'

The cast also includes Ugly Bett" and Buyer and Cellar star Michael Urie as the play's narrator and Dale Soules, a veteran of Hands on a Hardbody, is featured as a member of the theatre troupe.

I saw Patti LuPone deliver her scene exit line tonight at Lincoln Center & SNATCH A CELL PHONE OUT OF AN AUDIENCE MEMBER'S HAND. #theatre
— CatsPolitics (@CatsPolitics) July 9, 2015

PATTI LUPONE TOOK SOMEONE'S PHONE MID-SHOW BECAUSE THEY WERE TEXTING
— Travis (@heytravistravis) July 9, 2015

Without breaking character, Patti LuPone snatched a rude woman's phone and walked offstage at Shows for Days tonight. Will they never learn.
— Diane Snyder (@DianeLSnyder) July 9, 2015