Threaded Order Chronological Order
| Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: sonata10 04:26 pm EDT 07/25/22 | |
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| To the horrible person (for lack of a printable word) who refused to mask up at The Nosebleed on Sunday afternoon. After two requests by the usher this person finally did what was requested. At the most important point in the show, this same person's cell phone rang. And rang. And rang. If you do not know how to operate and silence your equipment then please, do not leave your house! DO NOT ATTEND the theatre and ruin a performance for everyone else. Thank you. | |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: Mrwedmatinee 10:32 am EDT 07/27/22 | |
| In reply to: Awful audience behavior - sonata10 04:26 pm EDT 07/25/22 | |
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| On the topic of audience misbehavior, can we add excessive drinking? At a Sat matinee of Book of Mormon this spring, I sat next to a woman who had two pre-show cocktails and another two at intermission. Sometime in the second act, after she obliviously spilled the remains of her last drink on me, she decided the time was right to engage me in conversation. Apparently, she was concerned that I wasn't laughing hard enough (She was right; I wasn't - BoM has its moments, but it's time has passed, IMO). After every joke, she'd turn to me and try to ask why I didn't think it was the funniest thing ever. Finally, I said something to her along the lines of "I'm sorry, but I am trying to watch the show !". This offended her greatly, and she actually elbowed and kicked me off and on for the rest of the act, and slurred something about how I must be racist to not find the show uproarious. What?!? | |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 02:19 pm EDT 07/27/22 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 02:07 pm EDT 07/27/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - Mrwedmatinee 10:32 am EDT 07/27/22 | |
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| Unfortunately it's not just the audience. I was music directing a regional production of Hello, Dolly, back in 2000. Small orchestra, visible at the back of the stage. One performance, I had a sub violinist coming in. Someone I had worked with before once, but didn't know particularly well, but trusted his playing. But, when places call was given he hadn't arrived yet. We held for a few minutes but then decided we had to go without. Then, halfway through the overture, he comes bounding in (remember, the audience can see all this), awkwardly makes his way to his chair, and joins in with us. I was at least glad he was finally there, even if he probably should have waited to take his place. But his playing was a little erratic (not bad but not always "on" either), and he was being a little fidgety and joke-y during dialogue scenes, poking me with his bow a lot and things like that. When I finally was able to confront him about this during intermission, that's when I noticed the smell of liquor on his breath. At that point, as professionally as I could muster, I told him he needed to go home. He refused. Luckily, this wonderful big/tall guy who was on the crew was overhearing this, and he stepped in and asked if I needed any help. He gladly escorted my drunk violinist out of the theatre. Act II may have been missing an important orchestral part, but at least it was much smoother. And no, I have no idea what happened to the violinist. Never worked with him again. It's also the only time I've ever had to fire a musician. Still makes me sad. And angry. But mostly sad. |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: kdbhwd 04:54 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: Awful audience behavior - sonata10 04:26 pm EDT 07/25/22 | |
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| I saw MOULIN ROUGE about two weeks ago. The couple in front of me came in late and the woman quickly took out her phone to film the show. I told her " to put her phone away, she had missed the announcement and she wasn't allowed to her phone." She told me "Fuck You. If I want to use my phone I will." The guy next to me got up to get an usher, who never came. I hate to admit this, but during one of the black-outs during the second act I tossed my gum at her and saw it firmly planted on the back of her dress when leaving. I don't like being cursed at. | |
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| Awful usher behavior | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 07:39 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 07:37 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - kdbhwd 04:54 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| On the other hand, I saw the tour of Fiddler in December in Boston. Just as the show was starting - violin solo and all - the usher in our section started admonishing people who hadn't quite been able to put their phones away yet. (Someone sitting near me was clearly in the process of turning it off, but he didn't escape the wrath of the usher.) The problem is, he had a loud, high-pitched piercing voice (the same one he used with me when I was checking my seat number with him), and while he was berating people who were late in getting their phones taken care of, NONE OF US were able to enjoy the music. Because of the usher, not the audience. I was more angry about this than I tend to be with the usual audience "offense" (though I just dealt with it and was grateful when he stopped), because if there's going to be a disruption, it definitely should not be coming from the house staff. I also think he could have dealt with things in a less obnoxious manner. But - as level headed as I try to be with "audience misbehavior" stuff, I was so wanting to tell the usher to shut the F up, because HE was interrupting the show. But I didn't. |
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| re: Awful usher behavior | |
| Posted by: lanky 07:03 am EDT 07/27/22 | |
| In reply to: Awful usher behavior - Chromolume 07:37 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| You were in what I call a "lose-lose" predicament. The situation itself is annoying, or worse. But doing anything about it makes it worse. Happens often. | |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: NeoAdamite 03:29 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: Awful audience behavior - sonata10 04:26 pm EDT 07/25/22 | |
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| And that production makes a BIG point about this at the top of the show - the author standing center stage and telling us to take out our cell phones and turn them off. | |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Last Edit: IvyLeagueDropout 12:19 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| Posted by: IvyLeagueDropout 12:18 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: Awful audience behavior - sonata10 04:26 pm EDT 07/25/22 | |
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| So sorry to hear this. I've had my share of bad behavior at shows I've attended. I myself disagree with current mask mandates, but: I ACCEPT THAT IF I AM GOING TO GO TO SONEONE ELSE'S HOME OR PLACE OF WORK, I NEED TO OBEY THEIR RULES. As for the phone, I think house management should have the right to confiscate it, to be returned when the offender has reimbursed everyone's ticket price. I hope your next show has a peerless, well-behaved crowd! |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: mikem 10:59 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - IvyLeagueDropout 12:18 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| For me, this is the part that bothers me the most. If you don't want to wear a mask, fine, but then don't buy a ticket for a production that tells you that you have to wear a mask. There is a too-large segment of the public that is itching for a fight where none should exist. | |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 12:39 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 12:38 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - IvyLeagueDropout 12:18 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| I think, really, the thing we have to keep in mind is that THIS STUFF IS GOING TO HAPPEN. Masks, phones, food, talking, hooting and hollering, etc, etc, etc. We can get totally bent out of shape about it, or we can shrug it off and not let anyone ruin the show for us. I propose the latter. The more upset we get, the more THEY WIN. |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: den 12:30 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - Chromolume 12:38 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| I think I disagree. Very difficult for me to stay focused when the audience is behaving badly. If we just shrug off bad behavior, it’s going to continue and get worse. Current American politics and social issues offer numerous examples. | |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 12:45 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 12:40 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - den 12:30 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| What I think I'm trying to say is that often we LOOK for trouble that we could easily ignore. It's akin to the story of the actor (I've heard this story told in different ways) who couldn't remember his lines because he was being distracted by a piece of fluff on the stage floor. I think most of us have more self control than to have to get riled up at every little thing someone in the seat next to us does. (And I'm not saying it's all "little things" by far - but still.) I'm not excusing their behavior, I'm saying we could try to go into a show not waiting for distractions. I think some of us are on the lookout for trouble from the second we sit down. And then it's easy to come out here and play a round of "I told you so." No, phones should not go off. No, people shouldn't be talking through the show. No, don't bring a meal to slobber down noisily in the theatre seats. Etc. But I'd rather find ways to double down on the show than to make the offender become the performance, and to let them win. |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Last Edit: SQ 12:53 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| Posted by: SQ 12:52 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - Chromolume 12:40 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| No one goes into something LOOKing for trouble. Unfortunately, trouble tends to present itself. It is one thing to ignore someone with too strong of a perfume but quite another thing to ignore someone who continues to use a smartphone in a darken theater. |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 01:09 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - SQ 12:52 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| It is one thing to ignore someone with too strong of a perfume But many people will complain about exactly that. And some of those people, who may be allergic to certain scents, have an absolutely legit argument. Some, though, as I said, will just decide to be distracted by it so they can have something to complain about. |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 08:52 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - Chromolume 01:09 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| I think you’d get a point across better if you just spoke for yourself and not for everybody else. | |
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| re: disagree | |
| Posted by: SQ 03:00 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - Chromolume 01:09 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| Smartphone usage is distracting. I don't "decide" to be distracted by it. Some things are what they are. |
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| re: disagree | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 03:05 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: disagree - SQ 03:00 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| I thought we were talking about too much perfume. ;-) I don't disagree with you about cellphones. But when one goes off, there still has to be a way to say "I'm not going to let this ruin the show for me." |
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| re: disagree | |
| Posted by: SQ 03:15 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: disagree - Chromolume 03:05 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| Apparently the cell phone rang and rang and rang. To me, a factor which determines how much is ruined is in direct proportion to how much I spent on the ticket. A $20 movie ticket vs a $100 Broadway show ticket. Ruined is ruined. I still remember each of the shows where the person next to me insisted on using a smartphone. I still remember the meal eating family at The Full Monty in London. . |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 05:57 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - Chromolume 12:38 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| Shrug it off? I went to ALNM revival and when BP was singing “Send in the Clowns,” a boy started screaming “I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go!” Who knows why? But it RUINED THE SONG. I came to hear her sing that song. How do I shrug it off? If I’m upset, the boy (who wanted to stay) somehow wins? I understand not wanting to nitpick to the point that it’s not enjoyable but BP’s “Send in the Clowns” was enjoyed by no one. I think should’ve stopped, waited for the situation to be settled, and then started over. |
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| re: Awful audience behavior - little night music | |
| Posted by: standingO 10:08 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - KingSpeed 05:57 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| Omg I was there too! It was the worst! I think I was in the orchestra and the crying was from the mezz. And it just … wouldn’t … stop. I complained and got a ticket to come back and I’m so glad I did. It allowed me to see that production, with those performances (Peters and Stritch) again. I’m not sure I would have gone back if it wasn’t for that crying kid so maybe a silver lining? |
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| re: Awful audience behavior - little night music | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 02:35 pm EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - little night music - standingO 10:08 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| That’s awesome you got to go again. I wish I had complained too. | |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: IvyLeagueDropout 12:48 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - Chromolume 12:38 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| Good points, Chromolume. After Company closes, Patti should be hired as an "enforcer" who randomly visits shows and punishes bad behavior. |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: comedywest 11:42 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Awful audience behavior - IvyLeagueDropout 12:48 am EDT 07/26/22 | |
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| That would be a special pre-show announcement: "Please take this time to silence your cellphones and turn off all electronic devices. Patti LuPone is in the house, and she will snap your neck." |
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| re: Awful audience behavior | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 07:32 pm EDT 07/25/22 | |
| In reply to: Awful audience behavior - sonata10 04:26 pm EDT 07/25/22 | |
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| I think we can assume that this person is not the type to read ATC. ;-) | |
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