Pop singer Cyndi Lauper has criticised Broadway officials for deciding against staging a tribute in memory of late comedienne Joan Rivers.

Rivers died on Thursday (04Sep14) at the age of 81, and bosses at the Broadway League chose not to honour her by dimming the lights of theatres on the Great White Way because she is not "synonymous with Broadway".

Fans were outraged by the ruling and set up a petition in a bid to overturn the decision, noting that Rivers had been on the New York stage three times and was even nominated for a Tony Award in 1994.

Eighties singer Lauper, who is the brains behind hit Broadway show Kinky Boots, has also backed the social media campaign, writing on Twitter.com on Monday (08Sep14), "The lights on Broadway should be dimmed for #joanrivers (sic). She supported the theatre more than any other celeb (celebrity) and was a Tony nominee. Very sad... Dim the lights for #JoanRivers on Broadway. #dimthelightforJoan (sic)."

Modern Family actor Eric Stonestreet adds, "Broadway execs (sic) won't dim lights for Joan Rivers. Aww aren't they so cute with their little meetings on their light dimming power and such (sic)."

President of the Jujamcyn Theatre group, Jordan Roth, has chosen to overlook the ruling and plans to dim the lights of the company's four theatres on Tuesday evening (09Sep14).