Twitter account Annoying Actor Friend (@Actor_Friend), who provides a satirical look at what it's like to survive as a working New York actor — and is followed by numerous members of the Broadway community — was among the first to react on the social media platform.
The account tweeted Sept. 8, "If you think @TheBwayLeague should reconsider their decision not to dim the lights for Joan Rivers, tweet to them with #Dim4Joan."
Soon thereafter, Broadway stars including six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, Once Tony winner Steve Kazee, Tony nominee and Les Miz star Keala Settle and many more followed suit and tweeted to #Dim4Joan.
Since then, The Helen Hayes Theatre (home to Rivers' Sally Marr...and Her Escorts), Jujamcyn Theaters' five Broadway houses and Disney Theatrical Productions' flagship venue, The New Amsterdam Theatre, have agreed to independently dim their lights Sept. 9.
Read "Can We Talk?": 12 Reasons Why Joan Rivers Was a Broadway Baby. Following the news, a petition was created asking the League to reverse its decision.
Read Playbill.com's obituary for Rivers here.
Click through for tweets from members of the Broadway community.
Annoying Actor Friend:
If you think
@TheBwayLeague should reconsider their decision not to dim the lights for Joan Rivers, tweet to them with
#Dim4Joan.
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 8, 2014
"If you don't go to Broadway, you're a fool." - Joan Rivers
#Dim4Joan
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 8, 2014
"On Broadway, off Broadway, above Broadway, below Broadway, go! Don't tell me there isn't something wonderful playing." J.R.
#Dim4Joan
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 8, 2014
"If I'm home in New York at night, I'm either at a Broadway or an Off Broadway show." - J.R.
#Dim4Joan
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 8, 2014
When
@AudraEqualityMc &
@RealHughJackman sing at the funeral you expect a
#Dim4Joan.
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 8, 2014
The general public may not associate Joan Rivers with Broadway, but the Broadway community does.
#Dim4Joan
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 9, 2014
Never assume your voice isn't being heard. Thank you, Jujamcyn and
@Jordan_Roth.
#Dim4Joan
— AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend)
September 9, 2014
Audra McDonald:
#Dim4Joan plain and simple. She deserves it.
— Audra McDonald (@AudraEqualityMc)
September 9, 2014
One of my producers posted this on Facebook yesterday. TRUTH
#Dim4Joan
pic.twitter.com/azMYYAmoGJ
— Audra McDonald (@AudraEqualityMc)
September 9, 2014
Donna Murphy:
No disrespect meant to
@TheBwayLeague- but
#Dim4Joan seems the respectful, honorable thing 2 do.
— Donna Murphy (@DMurphyOfficial)
September 9, 2014
Cyndi Lauper:
The lights on Broadway should be dimmed for
#joanRIVERS She supported the theater more than any other celeb and was a Tony nominee. Very sad
— Cyndi Lauper (@cyndilauper)
September 9, 2014
Daryl Roth:
It is not too late to right a wrong
#DimthelightsforJoan a Tony nominee and one of us!
— Daryl Roth (@Daryl_Roth)
September 9, 2014
Keala Settle:
#Dim4Joan
#figureitoutbway
— Keala Settle (@kealasettle)
September 8, 2014
.
@TheBwayLeague Please rethink your earlier decision.
#Dim4Joan
#rightthingtodo
— Keala Settle (@kealasettle)
September 9, 2014
.
@TheBwayLeague
#respect
#fellowthespian
#Dim4Joan
— Keala Settle (@kealasettle)
September 9, 2014
.
@TheBwayLeague Please do not make me pull out the Internet Broadway Database of ppl you HAVE deemed to have "met the criteria."
#Dim4Joan
— Keala Settle (@kealasettle)
September 9, 2014
@kealasettle
@Joan_Rivers remember when she invested in our show?
#Dim4Joan
— Nick Adams (@TheNickAdams)
September 9, 2014
Scott Alan:
So lovely to see Theatre owners making their own decisions.
@Jordan_Roth announces dimming lights of all Jujamcyn Marquees
#Dim4Joan
— Scott Alan (@ScottAlanNet)
September 9, 2014
Ellyn Marsh:
.
@TheBwayLeague! Name a show Joan Rivers didn't see/support/talk about/tweet about. Show some respect. Listen to your community!
#Dim4Joan
— ellyn marsh (@ellynmarsh)
September 9, 2014
Steve Kazee:
@TheBwayLeague
#Dim4Joan
— Steve Kazee (@SteveKazee)
September 8, 2014
#Dim4Joan
@TheBwayLeague photo from
@alexwyse
pic.twitter.com/3n28AERWoU
— Steve Kazee (@SteveKazee)
September 8, 2014
@TheBwayLeague not even a response to the calls to
#Dim4Joan? Public sentiment clearly not in your corner. I love you guys but seriously…
— Steve Kazee (@SteveKazee)
September 8, 2014
.
@Actor_Friend
@TheBwayLeague by these standards they also have to deny Julie Andrews (19 years since bway) & Barbra (48 years)
#Dim4Joan
— krysta rodriguez (@KRYSTAR0DRIGUEZ)
September 8, 2014
Steve Rosen:
.
@Actor_Friend
@SteveKazee
@TheBwayLeague
#JoanRivers was an indefatigable fan and champion of Broadway.
#Dim4Joan
— Steve Rosen (@sweetrosen)
September 8, 2014
Judy Gold:
Thank you to
@Daryl_Roth for
@Jordan_Roth. Like mother, like son.
http://t.co/igj1WzLxMH
#Dim4Joan
— Judy Gold (@JewdyGold)
September 9, 2014
Jared Gertner:
We don't have too many certifiable legends.
#JoanRivers was one. Come on,
@TheBwayLeague....
#Dim4Joan. Don't make me come back there.
— Jared Gertner (@JaredGertner)
September 8, 2014
I'm calling shenanigans on
@TheBwayLeague. Show the respect that was earned over 81 years. Don't shame our Broadway community.
#Dim4Joan
— josh lamon (@JoshLamon)
September 8, 2014
Jackie Hoffman:
Ok I just saw this
#dim4joan
— Jackie Hoffman (@JackieHoffman16)
September 8, 2014
Bonnie Milligan:
Super sad they aren't dimming the lights for
@Joan_Rivers ! She championed the theatre! She was Tony-nominated! Just a bummer.
#Dim4Joan
— Bonnie Milligan (@BeltingBonnie)
September 9, 2014
Katz PR, the company that represented Rivers:
We are doing what we can, Joan! We won't let you down!
#dim4joan
@jordan_roth jujamcyn…
http://t.co/LijkrHhH1O
— Katz PR (@Katz_PR)
September 9, 2014
Harvey Fierstein:
Hey Broadway! Time to dim the lights for Joan Rivers queen of comedy. She loved Broadway and we loved her
#joanrivers
— Harvey Fierstein (@HarveyFierstein)
September 8, 2014
