As If MAMMA MIA Wasn't Already Horrible Enough

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 8:09pm

Updated On: 10/20/14 at 08:09 PM

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 8:23pm

what

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 8:34pm

????

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 8:37pm

Good Grief...

[The Josh]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 8:44pm

Maybe they can use this to send every phone in the theater a message saying "put your phone away, dumbass, the show is starting."

[DAME]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 8:53pm

This is such a dangerous new trend. At mice and men this summer there was a sign and program insert announcing free wifi. This to me is a clear sign from the producers that having your cell on inside the theater is ok. This to me is unacceptable. Why do you people stand for it?

Updated On: 10/20/14 at 08:53 PM

[wicked1492]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:17pm

Queen Audra weighs in...

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:20pm

A lack of free wi-fi doesn't thwart people from using their cell phones using cellular data at other shows, so I'm not sure what the fuss is about.

I mean, there are moments like before the show, during intermission, and after the show where this could be a good thing.

Not sure how free wifi translates to someone using their cellphone throughout a show?!

[Showface]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:24pm

^ It is upsetting because it is proof that theaters are encouraging this. Theater behavior is already going down

Now, theaters are encouraging this by providing free wi-fi?!? With this, now people may think "Oh...obviously it's okay to use my phone...so I'll tweet and surf the web during the show also now...I can also do that at intermission."

So, yes, by providing wi-fi now the little bit of "questioning and doubt" in audiences' minds is taken away...



Updated On: 10/20/14 at 09:24 PM

[starcatchers]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:25pm

I believe thisis at all Shubert houses. There is also free wifi at the Lyric. If someone is going to be disruptive and use their phone during the show, it's going to be with or without the free wifi.

[Showface]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:28pm

^I get that...but now people who may or may not have done it may start using wi-fi because they now know the theater is provding it

Also...the sign isn't even promoting Mamma Mia...it's promoting "FREE Wi-fi in EVERY SEAT- during Mamma Mia"...just a thought

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:32pm

That is a leap everyone seems comfortable making, but there is no evidence backing it up. Many theaters are encouraging Audience Rewards check-ins at shows, social media check-ins at shows, taking pictures at shows with special backgrounds/show elements (Lion King has costumed mannequins in the lobby, could pose with Mary Poppins, etc.), and uploading stage door pics with specific hashtags, all of which is behavior that wouldn't be done during the show itself. Plus, they want to encourage people to upload them to help word of mouth promotion...

If you have no manners about using your mobile phone during a show, free wi-fi hasn't been the barrier holding you back.

UPDATE: On their site, they say to tag your content a specific way to get it posted here: http://mammamianorthamerica.com/instagram/#/home Updated On: 10/20/14 at 09:32 PM

[Pootie2]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:33pm

On the same sign, I'd interpret:

Watch Mamma Mia while enjoying free wifi at the same time!

What's the point? Meh. I would just hope that the theater staff is trained up to snuff and capable of confronting people who constantly use their mobile devices during a show.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:35pm

What's the limit on phone usage? "Some" is ok but not "too much"?

[Showface]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:36pm

TBH, it looks like a sign for an Airline

FREE Wi-fi on Board in Every Seat



@Jordan...I imagine it will only be used during intermissions and at the beginning and end of the show


Updated On: 10/20/14 at 09:36 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:39pm

Perhaps. But the signage encourages wifi use during the show.

[DAME]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:39pm

"If you have no manners about using your mobile phone during a show, free wi-fi hasn't been the barrier holding you back. "

That is the wrong message to send. For what one pays to go to the theater there should be a better effort made by producers at discouraging bad behavior than counting on peoples manners. How absurd.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:40pm

I am not sure what the point of advertising like this is either? Does anyone think that people are going to buy more tickets to Mamma Mia because it has free Wi-Fi?? I mean who is walking around saying let me pay "$100" for a ticket to get "FREE" Wi-fi.

I am not saying I personally mind having free Wi-Fi anywhere if I want to check my messages before or after a show. But I certainly don't think I am going to pick Mamma Mia to see over other Broadway shows because I am unsure of the Wi-Fi situation in other theaters...so again, what is the point?

This defies logic to me..

[Showface]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:41pm

After some consideration...I realized I am fine with this

HOWEVER, what really urks me is how they are advertising it.

FREE Wi-fi...Come see this show...we have free Wi-fi

I wouldn't mind if like somewhere (not on the marquee) they mention "use this instagram tag", or "retweet to get a chance to..", or etc.


Not just... "we have Free Wi-fi, and we need you tourists to sit in our show and enjoy our internet"

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:42pm

Huh?

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:43pm

The theatre wants you to be engaged digitally during non-performance moments, as that's good business for the theatre and for the show. By giving you free wifi, they encourage that. Maybe they'll have to be more vigilant about shutting people down for phone use in performance.

On the other hand, can you imagine the outcry if a theatre banned devices entirely, and would not permit them in use ANYWHERE in the building? Granted, some anti-tech people would be happy, but between the negative publicity and the shutting down of any social media integration into the marketing, the backlash would outweigh the praise.

[Showface]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:43pm

Basically what KathyNYC2 said...she just worded it better...

[Everlast85]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:48pm

"That is the wrong message to send. For what one pays to go to the theater there should be a better effort made by producers at discouraging bad behavior than counting on peoples manners. How absurd."

Completely agree

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 9:52pm

Theaters are still not sure what to do with all of this stuff... the other day, when I saw "It's Only A Play," I was texting with a friend on my way into the theater and happened to mention it was a celebrity-filled cast. He said who's in it as I was passing the merch booth, so I figured it would be easier to snap a pic of the window card and just send it to him. The merch person freaked out, saying that was a copyrighted image and could not be photographed.

I said, it is the image you created specifically to spread the word about the show? The one you put everywhere around town, in subways, billboards, it is plastered on the wall outside the theater... I don't think this is meant to be a secret. But she said it was illegal.

So, I just went to their Facebook page, selected the same exact image, attached it to the text message, and sent it to my friend, while the merch person watched me.

I said, but that was totally fine? She said yes.

[faithzilla]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 10:00pm

Whether you want to play the "why did you spend tons of money on this ticket to sit on your phone" game or not, using phones is distracting to EVERYONE. At Matilda some girls in front of us were texting the whole time and the little screens were so annoying (thankfully the usher asked them to stop...multiple times...). If ANYONE interprets "free wifi in every seat" to mean they can spend the whole show on their phone, that can affect the show experience of those around them.