CRITICS RAVAGE BROADWAY AUDIENCES- Page 2

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 5:35pm

The LM cast seems to be doing a better job on twitter than the ushers are doing in the actual Imperial.

[romain2]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 5:53pm

I was at a show (CSC's Passion) last year and the gentleman three seats down from me kept whispering loudly during the performance to his companion. Both were shifting about in a distracting fashion, griping and at one point even making fun of the show. Then they got up and left in a quiet but still noticeable fashion around the halfway point.

The man doing all this was Scott Rudin. I recognized him. So when you have Broadway producers misbehaving, how do you expect Broadway audiences to behave?



Updated On: 7/1/14 at 05:53 PM

[SweetLips]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 6:36pm

OK--cat amongst the pidgeons here. Is this mainly a Broadway problem or is it a problem in regional America as well? As an Australian, audiences here are 'relatively' polite and don't seem to have the need[yet] to be more important than the artists on stage. How are theatre manners in Europe/West End?
I don't know if it started in America but all those ridiculous guest talk shows ENCOURAGES audiences to scream and yell before anyone has done anything-please scream if a singer is going for a high note-please make a spectacle/idiot of yourself-it's your 2 seconds of fame so go for it,sort of thing.
Manners/respect/consideration are not taught-life is becoming a selfish, all about me society.
The word 'sorry' doesn't exist anymore and if said,it's like the confessional,I'll just say sorry and it will be all right/forgotten, it has no real meaning.
A friend who owns a theatre says most audiences in his theatre have never been inside a theatre before but it is the only place to see a certain act/performer so they have no idea how to behave. They are unsure, so bravado takes places so as not to appear intimadated by the surrounds.
Signs,notices at the theatre will have no effect nor ushers trying to act as 'polite police'.
Good behaviour and consideration of others starts at home.
Can you just imagine if you walked in front of/talked/disrupted one of these annoying people in their own home as they were watching TV? Love to see their reaction to that.
That's my rant on a chilly Brisbane morning.

[Jane2]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 6:51pm

"The man doing all this was Scott Rudin. I recognized him. So when you have Broadway producers misbehaving, how do you expect Broadway audiences to behave? "

Scott Rudin is a "special" case, if you get my drift.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 7:14pm

I share the irritation at people displaying all sorts of rude and distracting manners during a show, but I'm not really understanding why there are those that have a problem with audience members cheering during applause or something like that. So what- how in the world does that affect your experience? Unless it's during dialogue or something like that, who cares? And from a performer's perspective, I have zero problem with audience members like that- I would prefer that any day of the week to people who are on their phones and not even bothering to pay attention to the performance.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 7:28pm

wonderful; I see your point. The insincere and phony woooooooooooooooooo's and woooooohooooooo's are just annoying to me. The real and sincere audience reaction is always magical. But yes.. I will take that any day over cells, conversation and loud eating in the theater. I would never say anything to someone for their woooohoo's. But I will tear a bitch down for the other stuff.

Updated On: 7/1/14 at 07:28 PM

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 7:35pm

I don't make it to Broadway very often, but at a recent local show, the lady beside me was using her cellphone a lot - she seemed to think it was okay because she had it dimmed so there was no glow. (I've seen others try to conceal the glow by hiding it in their purse.) Hard to believe, but at other points in the show a man a few rows ahead of me was inexpplicably waving a Canadian flag.

I know there are tonnes of posts like this thread, but it feels good to vent. A pox on their houses.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 7:57pm

In addition to Dame's comment, performers appreciate a sincere seated applause more than an obligatory standing ovation. Many times, these people standing are just trying to get out of the theater ASAP without showing true appreciation for the effort the actors have given them.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 7:58pm

"Is this mainly a Broadway problem or is it a problem in regional America as well?"

Sh!theads exist everywhere so it would make sense that it would be happening everywhere in America.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 8:53pm

^^^^ I can't say such things NEVER happen in the provinces, but I am not the first to report I don't find behavior nearly as bad in Los Angeles. (The exception is texting during the show, though even there people do try to hold the phone between their knees to block the light.)

I think the difference is that theater in LA only draws from the regular theater-going audience. It doesn't bring anywhere near the number of people for whom a trip to the theater is a new experience.

ETA the problem of people humming/singing along is an old one. I did a production of THE MUSIC MAN in high school (1972) and members of the audience not only sang along, they even recited well-known lines of dialogue along with the actors. (I just shrugged and figured it was evidence of how well-loved the show is or was. And, hey, at least they were paying attention!)


Updated On: 7/1/14 at 08:53 PM

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 9:38pm

"I can't say such things NEVER happen in the provinces, but I am not the first to report I don't find behavior nearly as bad in Los Angeles."

^^^ I've had a few instances in L.A. (including a cellphone that went off 3 different times during AMERICAN BUFFALO at the Geffen -- without the ushers doing a single damn thing) but, on the whole, it's not as bad as what I've experienced in NY or London. And you may be right: Since you're likely to have more *regular* theater-goers in an L.A. audience, you're getting people who have some sense of etiquette.

(The Pre-show Selfie seems to happen quite a bit, however -- which is another thing I don't understand. "Oh look, here's a picture of ME IN MY SEAT at fill_in_the_blank!" How did people in the past ever survive without documenting every single thing in their lives?)

Now, concerts are another matter entirely. The use of cellphones for tweets/texts/photos/videos/etc. at most concerts is completely out of control. I don't know why people even bother to spend the $$$ to go. Just wait until there are 3000 videos posted on YouTube the next day....

[mufish]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 11:36pm

I've generally been pretty lucky when attending shows, but part of that can probably be attributed to the fact that I've seen only a dozen Broadway shows and maybe five tours at our local theater.

At Holler if You Hear Me last week, someone nearby was taking their sweet time putting their phone away when the show started. The usher shined her flashlight right on her and scolded her to put it away - seems that perhaps someone was reading the Previews thread on this board! In Act 2, a younger (16ish?) person had his phone on his leg and periodically checked and returned messages - despite letting it be just fine in Act 1.

When I was at Motown the night before that, the woman next to me was doing who knows what exactly on her phone throughout the show. She kept it in her purse, but in a dark theater that doesn't matter, the light is pretty obvious. I'd like to think she was texting, but I honestly think she was just checking the time, which was strange because at intermission she called someone and was telling them how great the show was and how it was taking her back.

I do absolutely agree with the posters who've said the worst thing is latecomers. At All The Way, they held people for the first 20 or so minutes, which is nice until that time is up and the stampede comes down the aisle to be seated. Luckily I didn't get put in a position where I had to move so a tardy patron could be seated, but it's still just as distracting to have it going on around you.

I think I've seen this posted in one of the other threads about poor behavior, but a small part of the issue could be the way shows try to deliver the no cell phone/pictures/etc. pre-show announcement in the cutest way possible. It's difficult for people to take the announcement seriously when it seems the show itself doesn't either.

[After Eight]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 7:13am

"I was at a show (CSC's Passion) last year and the gentleman three seats down from me kept whispering loudly during the performance to his companion. Both were shifting about in a distracting fashion, griping and at one point even making fun of the show."

The same thing happened at the first preview on Broadway. I guess the passage of time hasn't done anything to make this miserable opus any more palatable. This is one instance in which the show is to blame.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 7:27am

I don't think it's as bad elsewhere, having seen many shows in L.A. and the Midwest. It's the same problems, sure, but to a lesser degree.

People pay one month's rent to see a Broadway show now, so they feel oddly entitled to act as if they were at home while they watch it.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 7:40am

"The real and sincere audience reaction is always magical."

This is so true. I took my Housekeeper and her husband to WICKED as a treat. Got them house seats. During Defying Gravity, as soon as Elphaba sings. "It's me !" and begins to rise, Joy was on her feet cheering with tears in her eyes. It was so genuine and heartfelt that our entire section broke out into applause. It was the first time after seeing that show numerous times, I was truly moved. Yes, sometimes audience responses really do enrich a show!

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 8:56am

I think once they started allowing food and drink in the theater things started going downhill IMO. It made the atmosphere more like going to the movies and then you noticed the audience started dressing much more casually. Personally, I still wear jacket and tie to shows and probably stick out like a sore thumb compared to most of the audience - lol. In a perfect world, it would be great if people could not bring in cell phones but that is not realistic. Finally, I just think people are more crass today and that is reflected in the behavior at some shows.

[Hest882]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 11:30am

I attend quite a bit of regional theater and I do think the problems aren't as pronounced. I suspect it's exact as others as said--you're drawing mainly from a subscriber and experienced/committed theater-going base. When you do get the occasional rude person (which does happen often enough), they're easily shushable.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 11:41am

I've definitely had less of a problem in regional houses in regards to food and social media. Talking/singing along -- seems the same as on Broadway.

[oh-bwayhereicome]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 11:44am

Yes, I have to agree that audiences are getting more atrocious everyday. Incidents such as filming, taking pictures, and being overall unruly during a performance is unforgivable. I remember two years ago when the revival of Godspell announced special Twitter user seats, which is just ridiculous. However, I must say that photos before the show or during intermission isn't that bad in this day and age. As long as flash isn't being used, it really is like free publicity for shows. So many people post photos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter... it just gives struggling Broadway shows the advertisements it needs. But then again, this photo-taking may then leak into the performance, cause audiences are full of idiots.

[oh-bwayhereicome]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 11:49am

Also, PLEASE KEEP PDA'S DOWN TO A MINIMUM IN A THEATER. When I went to see If/Then, a couple next to me was making out for half of Act 2, which is full of very dramatic points. So annoying and inconsiderate to have to hear that while Idina or any of the cast members were performing.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 11:56am

"I can't be the only one noticing the CONSTANT issue of people a) reading their playbills during the show"

That's generally bored audience members at musicals who are desperately counting how many more songs they have to get through before they are finally sprung from the theater.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 11:56am

"During Defying Gravity, as soon as Elphaba sings. "It's me !" and begins to rise, Joy was on her feet cheering with tears in her eyes."

And blocking the view of the person behind her?

[DAME]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 12:34pm

Let's not get anal. Doesn't serve anyone in this instance.

[Jack Hughes]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 12:46pm

I prefer a quiet audience to a loud one, and in fact, I used to fight the good fight to keep those around me from talking, singing or otherwise acting like dopes during a show. Alas, I think its time to acknowledge that standards have changed and if you see a mass appeal show (particularly well into its run) people are going to talk, take pictures and sing (sometimes even if its not a musical) and you either need to Zen out (I find a couple of drinks help) or select shows that are more likely to attract a quieter, more attentive crowd.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 12:47pm

Who's getting anal? This is the exact problem being discussed. Joy leaps to her feet in sheer joy, totally ignoring the fact that there are people behind her who won't be able to see the show while she's indulging herself.

The people everyone here is castigating operate from the same place. They don't care about the effect their actions have on others, because all that matters is how they feel and what they want.