Bad Theater Behavior

[Miss Jezebel DuPree2]

JustAnotherNewYorker said: "Mister Matt said: "I get it that they have a job to do, but they don't have to go trudging up and down the aisles during the performance.

I couldn't agree with you more.  The theatres should just employ snipers with night vision scopes and laser sites.  

 

"

 

Laser pointer would not be the worse idea

 

 

"

or a TASER!!

[JayElle]

I DON'T GET IT...  Why do people bother paying tons of $ to see a show and then ignore it?

Wedesday, June 20, I went to Bronx Tale.  Thirty-five minutes into the first act, the usher brought a customer to our 5th row.  Aside from the seating being incredibly disruptive, she then took out her phone to read texts, not to mention she had on so much perfume, it would've gagged a maggot.  I chewed her out at intermission. 

I had a stage seat for Great Comet.  I finally understood how cel phones could be distracting to performers on stage.

 

[quizking101]

PatrickDC said: "This doesn't qualify for rude behavior but it can be annoying. At the CABARET tour in Seattle last Friday, I had a great view because the two seats in front of my friend and me were empty. Right at the start of intermission a tallish couple plop themselves down in the seats. She turns to him and says all giggly "Better view, huh?" I can't be too upset since it's the luck of the draw if someone tall sits in front of you, but it's a bummer that people don't stay in their assigned seats. 

 

"

I take some umbrage with this only because there is the possibility that they asked the usher to move their seats prior to taking them, especially with a "tallish" couple. I'm 6'7 and very few theatres are built to fit someone with my long legs and frame (including many regional theatres).

Sometimes the seats are considerably better than the ones I purchased. If that's the case, so be it. Many times they can't accommodate me so I have to suck it up.

[karissa3]

Phantom4ever said: "My only solutions to dealing with bad theater behavior are that I do my best to stay calm and ignore the distraction.  A few years ago, someone taking out their phone for ten seconds to see why it's vibrating would have sent me into a fit.  Now, I just let that kind of thing go.  I do my best to wait until intermission and then I ask an usher to confront the person. I also make a big deal out of finding the house manager when I see aggressive ushers to thank them for enforcing the rules.  The other thing I do is sit as far up as I can.  Sometimes I even sit too close because it seems that the fewer people who are around me, and the closer i sit, the fewer distractions I get.  

 

"

I totally agree with this! Also, is it not weird to talk to an usher? I felt nervous about doing that for some reason. I was at Miss Saigon last Friday and this group of 4 or 5 tourists showed up almost 5 minutes late. We had to stand up and miss a few minutes of the show because the lady had the nerve to just stand there in front of everyone and ask for a Playbill while we were all waiting for them to sit down. About five minutes after they had sat down they started talking quite loudly to each other.. and this didn't stop. The girl right next to me probably pulled her phone out 4 or 5 times to text, all before intermission!! I seriously was getting so boiled up inside that I finally just had to tell myself that ignoring was going to be the only thing that would help.. but even at intermission I wasn't sure what to do. I wasn't sure if they even spoke English, and I thought it might be weird to go track down an usher. But I love this thread because it's good to know I'm not the only one and that it's normal to be bothered by this kind of behavior!!

[LizzieCurry]

Why in the world would it be "weird" to go find an usher? You're helping them do their job if you alert them to terrible audience members. They can't be everywhere.

[godlessondheimite]

Saw Hello Dolly again and sat next to two people who had their phones out. The usher shone a light in their eyes and they got offended. Then in the second act they started singing along to Hello Dolly. I said "Are you f*cking singing?" And they smiled proudly and said "Yep!"

[yaoqian]

I saw wicked tonight and a lady (maybe college age?) behind me was SINGING ALONG with Popular and Defying Grafity. How old are you??? I know you know the songs well enough to sing it, chill, I did not pay for the ticket price to come listen to you karaoke. I tried turning around and giving her "the look", as you would call it, a couple of times but unfortunately it didn't work. Totally ruined my experience for those two songs! I just don't get why do people who know the songs well enough to obviously be a fan of the show still don't know basic theater behavior such as please do not sing along during the show makes me mad all the time

[godlessondheimite]

yaoqian said: "I saw wicked tonight and a lady (maybe college age?) behind me was SINGING ALONG with Popular and Defying Grafity. How old are you??? I know you know the songs well enough to sing it, chill, I did not pay for the ticket price to come listen to you karaoke. I tried turning around and giving her "the look", as you would call it, a couple of times but unfortunately it didn't work. Totally ruined my experience for those two songs! I just don't get why do people who know the songs well enough to obviously be a fan of the show still don't know basic theater behavior such as please do not sing along during the show makes me mad all the time

 

"

They want the experience to be all about them, how much fun THEY'RE having, how much THEY know the show. They get so indignant when people call them out on it. I can't fathom how they don't know they're in the wrong.

[Addipia94]

Wow, some people have had horrible experiences, which is such a shame considering how much shows cost these days!! I agree with what a few others have said, in that, now I prefer to sit fairly close to the stage. Not to be closer to the actors/action exactly, but because I find the music and everything is louder and it drowns out surrounding distractions. 

Despite this, I had my first bad theater experience last weekend when I saw Bandstand. I was sitting up in the mezzanine (first row), and this girl sitting next to me kept complaining during the whole show how much she hated it. She kept making noises out of disapproval, clapped at unnecessary times or even waved her arms as to show how upset she was with whatever was going on in the show she didn't like. At intermission I really wanted to say something, but her boyfriend beat me to it. He told her he was really enjoying the show and she needs to stop. She just wouldn't stop complaining. 

At that point, I wondered why she didn't just leave? Also, props to her boyfriend for dealing with that behavior and bringing someone to a show that clearly does not appreciate the experience. I get it, we don't have to like every show we go to. But if it's that bad you can't contain yourself, please leave and let the rest of us enjoy the show without your negative energy. 

[EM55]

Addipia94 said:

At that point, I wondered why she didn't just leave? Also, props to her boyfriend for dealing with that behavior and bringing someone to a show that clearly does not appreciate the experience. I get it, we don't have to like every show we go to. But if it's that bad you can't contain yourself, please leave and let the rest of us enjoy the show without your negative energy. 

 

"

Props to her boyfriend for saying something, that is when it is the worst, when YOU are with the person who is disruptive! I went to a couple of shows with a new friend, we didn't know each other well and hadn't spend much time out together and they were just awful in public! Laughing at inappropriate times, singing along, rustling in pockets, knocking over drinks on the floor (and no they weren't drunk and unfortunately neither was I). I kept turning to the people around us and mouthing sorry and called them out at intermission, they said I was being a drama queen. It was embarrassing. I was ready to put it down the first time to a lack of theater ettiquette but they were rude at the stage door, and then we went to dinner and they were crass and rude at the restaurant. Needless to say I started phasing out the friendship. We had really very little in common in general, and it just wasn't worth the embarrassment. I can't abide not knowing how to behave like a respectful adult in public when you are clearly an adult!

 

[Harriet Craig]

This is preaching to the choir, but still a gratifying read:

Please Just Shut the Hell Up at the Theater & the Cinema

[Margo319]

Wow, I would have told that horrible girl to get up and get the hell out of the theater.  That behavior is worthy of security literally throwing her out on her ass.  Wow.

Bad theater behavior.  The Panic at the Disco fans at Kinky Boots.  They are horrendous.

[deathofacatler]

This thread is an oldie but a goodie! I was at Miss Saigon a few weeks ago and this family of 4 came in the middle of the heat is on and then checked their phones constantly during the show, even during the very serious parts. The seats they were in weren't exactly cheap either! Right now, it's just a question of why would they pay to sit in the dark.

[SarahNYC2]

I honestly do not think they should allow late seating. I get that things happen to delay getting to the theater, but if you are paying all that money for tickets-figure out a way to get the theater on time. Unless the subway has a major breakdown that is broadcasted there is no excuse.

[schubox]

SarahNYC2 said: "I honestly do not think they should allow late seating. I get that things happen to delay getting to the theater, but if you are paying all that money for tickets-figure out a way to get the theater on time. Unless the subway has a major breakdown that is broadcasted there is no excuse.

 

"

I've noticed more and more shows are saying they don't seat late, but aren't following through. Saw DEH a few weeks ago, tickets said no late seating, sat 4 people in the second row two songs in. It was incredibly distracting 

[staticradar]

Went to see Great Comet a few weeks ago and sat in the Banquette's and was really enjoyed the show.  However, there was a lady next to me that was just extremely off putting.  From the moment the show began she took off her shoes and put them up on the banquette in front of her and I really don't understand people that would even think to do this.  This isn't your house, this is a theater and I doubt the people in front of her appreciated having her feet near their heads.  Not to mention I really didn't like her feet right next to me either.  What goes through people's head that think this is okay behavior in a Broadway theater?   

 

 

[Marianne2]

I agree about late seating when it's a huge crowd.  I saw Wicked at the Boston Opera House a couple of weeks ago.  Everything was fine until after intermission.  Once the first song for act 2 was done, the ushers let so many people come back in to reseat. There had to be at least 15-20, maybe more.  How is that fine?

[Itonlytakesajourney]

I was at Dolly the other day, and the man behind me+ his family and friends were incredibly rude. The man kept saying profanities whenever something funny happened, and his family also kept whispering and commenting on the show.

[B.JAMES]

Margo319 said: "Wow, I would have told that horrible girl to get up and get the hell out of the theater.  That behavior is worthy of security literally throwing her out on her ass.  Wow.

Bad theater behavior.  The Panic at the Disco fans at Kinky Boots.  They are horrendous.

"

I was SO worried about this when we went last week.  Surprisingly, it was the BEST audience I have been in for some time.  I don't know how I got so lucky! I was literally mentally preparing myself for how awful it could have been.

[LxGstv]

Marianne2 said: "I agree about late seating when it's a huge crowd.  I saw Wicked at the Boston Opera House a couple of weeks ago.  Everything was fine until after intermission.  Once the first song for act 2 was done, the ushers let so many people come back in to reseat. There had to be at least 15-20, maybe more.  How is that fine?

 

"

Maybe people were still in line for the bathroom when he second act started? I heard that's a common issue at the ladies bathroom in Waitress. There was even an article about it, not Waitress specifically, but about the bathrooms situation on Broadway.

[Nicole 10]

Last night I went to see The Great Comet and there was a girl seated on stage who was mouthing along every single line of the show. For those of you unfamiliar, during Natasha & the Bolkonskys Princess Mary and Natasha grab stools and sit at a table with audience seated onstage. The girl was sitting next to Mary and she was leaning in close to Mary and was making relentless eye contact while mouthing the song along. She continued this throughout the whole song! I get that some fans are very passionate but when there is a literal spotlight on you and you are seated onstage right next to the performers, PLEASE don't do this! It's not only distracting to the audience, but also to the performers! This girl leaned in to every single performer passing her, trying to sing together with Anatole, Helene, Sonya, everyone! 

 

I think someone must have talked to her during intermission because she wouldn't even pick her head up to watch the show in the second act. She seemed very deflated. But man oh man, someone really did needed to talk to her!

[Phantom4ever]

When I saw The Great Comet on Wednesday, at intermission the woman behind me was talking about the teenage boy sitting downstage center who sang along and sang in the faces of the cast who, according to her, loved his enthusiasm.  I actually didn't notice it during act one and I didn't see him do it during act two. The woman was like "oh it was so cute! The cast just loved it, you could tell!  He just sang right along with them!"   All of her friends in her row were like "wait a minute.  You thought it was cute that some kid sang along? You're kidding, right?"  And she started to back off her comments by saying that maybe he was just mouthing the lyrics and the cast just enjoyed his energy.  

[bisous3]

Nicole 10 said: "Last night I went to see The Great Comet and there was a girl seated on stage who was mouthing along every single line of the show. For those of you unfamiliar, during Natasha & the Bolkonskys Princess Mary and Natasha grab stools and sit at a table with audience seated onstage. The girl was sitting next to Mary and she was leaning in close to Mary and was making relentless eye contact while mouthing the song along. She continued this throughout the whole song! I get that some fans are very passionate but when there is a literal spotlight on you and you are seated onstage right next to the performers, PLEASE don't do this! It's not only distracting to the audience, but also to the performers! This girl leaned in to every single performer passing her, trying to sing together with Anatole, Helene, Sonya, everyone! 

 

I think someone must have talked to her during intermission because she wouldn't even pick her head up to watch the show in the second act. She seemed very deflated. But man oh man, someone really did needed to talk to her!

 

"

I was there too!! At intermission I was coming back from the ladies room and over heard two gentlemen complaining to someone who worked at the theater. Before Act 2 started I saw another person go over and have a chat with her. There was another girl sitting to that girl's left that wasn't lip synching like the girl you're referring to, but reacting to every burp and fart like she was part of the cast with these animated facial expressions and hand gestures. It was almost annoying as the lip syncher but not quite. I particularly appreciated how as soon as each cast member saw what the lip syncher was doing they proceeded to completely ignore her. But what a complete and utter distraction she was! I was FURIOUS!

[dramamama611]

Also at Comet....a woman sitting on stage (at a table stage right of Pierre's den) was dressed JUST LIKE Mary, down to the hairstyle!   

 

 

However, just yesterday I nearly hurt the man sitting behind me at the banquettes.  Druing the first 20 minutes he just coudn't shut up, talking to the rest of his party, cracking jokes and being obnoxious.  He finally stopped after the 3rd time (or so) of my sushing and glares.  Then it started up again at the begining of Act II....I turned around and asked, "really?".   His son (an adult, too) had to tell him to be quiet.  I was just waiting for him to talk again...but he didn't.   

[JayElle]

" I was just waiting for him to talk again...but he didn't.".....

Probably drunk...incredible how rude they can be that close to the performance...

 

[JayElle]

Well at least it wasn't as bad as Lucas Steele (Anatole) said when they were performing off-Broadway. He said one patron vomited into her purse.  Talk about a scene stealer.