Robert LuPone, MCC Theater co-founder, dies at 76

Robert LuPone, who grew up in Northport and went on to achieve success as a Broadway performer in "A Chorus Line" and as co-founder of the MCC Theater in Manhattan, died Saturday after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 76.

“The MCC Theater community mourns the loss of our much loved and uniquely inspiring partner, colleague, and dear friend, Bob LuPone, who lived fearlessly and with great curiosity, good humor, a boundless passion for connection, and a whole lot of heart," MCC Theater said in a statement.

LuPone, who was the older brother of actor Patti LuPone, was born in Brooklyn in 1946, a couple of years before his family moved to Northport. His lifelong love of theater began when he was a sixth-grader at Ocean Avenue Elementary School and saw his sister perform in a hula skirt at a PTA dance recital.

When Robert LuPone told his mother how badly he wanted to dance, she told him to take lessons. He started by taking tap-dance classes after school, and at 15 enrolled in the Martha Graham Studio, where he studied for three years and received training from Graham herself.

He spent two semesters at Adelphi University in Garden City but left after getting accepted to The Juilliard School in Manhattan, where he graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in dance in 1968.

His first professional job was in 1966 as part of the ensemble in "The Pajama Game" starring Liza Minnelli at Westbury Music Fair. He made his Broadway debut two years later in the Noël Coward comedy "Sweet Potato," which closed after only 44 performances. Other Broadway shows followed, including "Minnie’s Boys" about the Marx Brothers, "The Rothschilds" and "The Magic Show."

His breakout came in 1975 when he landed the role of Zach, the demanding director auditioning dancers, in "A Chorus Line." LuPone was originally cast as Al, one of the auditioners, but when the actor playing Zach departed, LuPone went to director Michael Bennett and said, "I can do that. I can play Zach." Critics agreed and LuPone received a Tony Award nomination.

After enduring several dance injuries over the next 10 years, LuPone decided he wanted to hone his dramatic skills and joined The Actors Studio. Unhappy with the studio's approach to acting, he left after a fellow member told him "If you don’t like it, go start your own theater.”

He followed that advice and in 1986, founded Manhattan Class Company, now known as MCC Theater, with co-artistic director Bernie Telsey. Among the works produced by MCC have been "Reasons to Be Pretty," "Wit," "The Snow Geese" and "Hand to God."

Despite his involvement with MCC, LuPone never abandoned his acting career with roles on Broadway in "A View From the Bridge," "True West" and "A Thousand Clowns." He also was a familiar face on television, making appearances in “The Sopranos" and “Sex and the City" as well as the daytime soaps "Guiding Light" and "All My Children, the latter for which he received a Daytime Emmy nomination.

In addition to his sister, Robert LuPone is survived by his wife, Virginia; his son, Orlando; and his brother, William.