Bad Theater Behavior

[PThespian]

Phantom4ever said: "PThespian said: "
You really lucked out at Phantom. 
I work there quite a bit, and it is one of the hardest shows to work because of the constant cellphones and cameras. This is especially true up in the mezzanine. 
The vast majority of audience members up there either don't speak English (making it hard to explain to them that phones and cameras are not allowed) or kids in school groups who don't really want to be there and can't live without their phones. 
It is a constant battle there. 

That was my 61st time seeing Phantom at the Majestic (I know I know that's against the mean-girl vibe of this board but who cares), so I've seen it all. Any time I sit in the front mezz, I get annoyed by foreign tourists who won't shut up and who won't stop translating. And in the rear mezz, it's even worse because of the school groups, who carry on conversations like they're in a lunchroom. Many times I've gotten up at intermission and cursed out an entire group of kids, their chaperones, and the ushers. So I won't be sitting in the mezz of Phantom for a while.  I do take issue with you claiming that the foreign tourists don't speak English.......just because they speak another language does not mean they can't understand English.  I think that's a decidedly American view of bilingualism that is seen far too much on this board. 

I am fully cognizant of the fact that just because one is a foreigner doesn't mean that you don't speak English. 

However the Majestic used to be my theater  I worked Phantom for over two years and still fill in there two or three times a month  

I promise you I have seen it more than 61 times and interacted with its audiences more than you have.  

I love it when there is a foreign audience member who speaks English. It makes my life much easier.  

However more often than not I am left with completely blank stares that contain a mix of terror and confusion in the eyes when I do something as simple as trying to explain where there seat is, not to put programs on the ledge, where the bathrooms are, not to take pictures, etc  

Most of the time their response is "Spanish?", "Italian?", etc or they start trying to figure out together what I just said.  Why? Because they are foreign tourists who don't speak English  

There is an usher who works there who is from China. I explained to this Chinese patron one night where the woman's room is. She went up to the usher and told her I said she couldn't use the bathroom. She didn't understand me. Why? Because she's a foreign tourist who doesn't speak English.

On numerous occasions I have had to step in front of people's cameras to stop them from taking pictures after security makes the "No more photos" announcent at the end of the show. Many people don't undrrstand it. Why? Because they are foreigners who don't speak English.

When I work there it is a struggle to communicate with patrons about simple things. Many think the show is over at intermission. Many want to know how long the show is. Many of them struggle to ask coherent questions about these things (so I can understand what they are asking) and struggle to understand my response. Why?  Because they are foreigners who don't speak English.  

 

I am bilingual English-French (I lived in France when I was in high school). You cannot imagine how grateful French speaking patrons are to be able to communicate with me in French, and I am happy to do so with them.

i wish I spoke more languages, but I don't. I have to struggle with everyone else.

I certainly didn't mean to imply that all foreign tourists don't speak English. I did mean to imply that that is the case with the vast majority of them that come to see Phantom. Trust me on that.  

 

 

 

 


 

 


 

 

"

 

[schubox]

PThespian said: "There was a bus from Martha's Vineyard that came late to SOR on Saturday. 

They knew it was a 730 curtain, but they got stuck in traffic. 

 

"

Ah okay. It was really distracting. It seemed like after every song at the beginning a huge crowd of people rushed in

[VintageSnarker]

I went to see a concert last night and had the misfortune of being seated next to someone who would not put away his phone. He mostly used it to check his program when a new performer would come out but also just to browse the web and send texts. I know because I started looking over in the hopes that it would shame him, but it didn't. My trouble last night was that we were in the back row in the corner, so aside from his seatmate, I was the only one really being bothered. 

[Phantom4ever]

People not understanding and/or ignoring ushers happens all the time regardless of the language barrier. Once again, just because they didn't understand YOU or ignored YOU does not mean they don't understand English. There are plenty of Americans at every show I go to who sit in the wrong seats, don't understand what the usher said about where to sit, etc. Why? Because they are clueless people and sometimes ushers rattle off the directions too fast.

 

[PThespian]

Thank you for informing me of how people behave and interact with ushers. 

After 26 years of ushering on Broadway, and dealing with natives and foreigners alike, it is about time that someone explains to me what goes on at the theater. 

[Phantom4ever]

After 26 years you should be able to have a discussion about it still without getting passive aggressive and sarcastic.  

[mailhandler777]

Saturday night at If/Then in Philly. Young couple aside of me dressed super nice on their phones the whole show. Hers was dim but his was bright. Also talked after every song began. I knee'd him a few times to get him to shut up and at least flip his phone with the screen down while it was on his lap. About 30 minutes left in the show they are still talking and on their phones. I finally look over at his to see what he was doing. Here he was googling the plot of the show. I know it's a confusing show but just maybe they would have followed along better had they not been texting(or whatever they were doing) and talking the whole freaking show.

[Anakela]

I also blame the social media for shows, for RT and encouraging stuff like this, for some of this behavior that we encounter at shows:

https://twitter.com/alrisa/status/748641357690855424

(I saw this tweet because Shuffle Along's official Twitter account RT it.)

[sharilynj]

Anakela said: "I also blame the social media for shows, for RT and encouraging stuff like this, for some of this behavior that we encounter at shows:

https://twitter.com/alrisa/status/748641357690855424

(I saw this tweet because Shuffle Along's official Twitter account RT it.)

 

"

Wow, that broad's a piece of work. She claims to be a megafan of Audra but is proud to ruin other people's opportunity to hear her sing. Good job, honey. Also, guess the show's social media person doesn't GAF now that they're closing. "Screw it, RT all the things."

[quizking101]

My father sat on his laptop through the ENTIRE She Loves Me livestream tonight...

Seriously.

The nerve.

[hes16]

Someone brought pizza into Hamilton 3 days ago. David Korins responded to the person on Instagram and said that it's funny that she brought it in, but I just think that's rude to be honest. 

[Jane2]

^ I'm wondering how she got in the door, let alone shown to her seat, with pizza.