self entitlement/rude behaviour- Page 4

[temms]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 12:59pm

I got Standing Room at the Met for "Die Walküre" a few weeks back. If you've never done it, they actually have three rows worth of standing at the back of the Orchestra - three rows of the velvet lean-bars with Met Title displayers. My friend and I snagged the last two spots all the way house left in the first standing row, because otherwise you're looking over the backs of other people standing. You have to be quick on the draw online at 10AM when they go on sale if you want first row standing.

People of all ages do standing room at the opera, so it's not uncommon to see a broad range of people. But the woman directly behind me on the end of row 2 seemed particularly elderly and frail (and not so friendly), and had brought along a fold-up stool that she was sitting on.

As soon as the houselights dimmed and the conductor came out, she immediately walked out and placed her stool in the middle of the side aisle next to the last row of seats and plopped herself down. An usher quickly came up to her and quietly told her she couldn't put a stool in the middle of the aisle and sit there.

As the orchestra launched into the storm music, she loudly started protesting, "But I can't see anything from back there!!?! What, you expect me to just stand there behind people? I paid to see this opera!!!" while he was quietly saying "Ma'am, you bought a standing place, you'll have to remain there." "But how am I supposed to see!?! I can't believe this. You're gonna make me stand there the whole opera?" "Well, that's what standing room means, yes," by which point heads in the back of the orchestra were turning and the violent shushing of opera patrons began.

She took her place and was quiet for the rest of the evening but she was not happy. I don't recall if she stayed for all three acts. But she seemed genuinely shocked that they weren't just going to let her set up her own stool in the middle of the aisle. She was old, after all. She's entitled.

[Sugar78]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 1:37pm

I don't usually post, but just had to share my rude experience. I encountered a man who'd had one too many one evening at the Schoenfeld. I use a wheelchair & I was sitting in an aisle seat, my friend sitting next to me, while my chair had to be stored elsewhere in the theatre, disassembled (huge safety/fire evacuation threat, but I digress). When the man who was sitting next to my friend and I arrived before the show, I explained that I was sorry I couldn't stand for him to take his seat, but I tried as best I could to move my legs out of the way. He seemed fine with it, stepped over my legs, & took his seat with no problem. I'm all of 4'9", so I really don't take up that much real estate.

At intermission, he growled a little at me & looked a bit confused that I wasn't standing. So I explained once again that I couldn't stand, & I wouldn't be leaving my seat because there wasn't enough time at intermission for my friend to get my chair, put it together, bring it to me, wait in the bathroom line, & then take it back to the storage place. Again, he managed to get to his seat with no problem, but he grumbled about it.

After the show, my friend immediately went to fetch my wheelchair while I waited. The guy gets to me (reeking of booze at this point), stops, looks at me, & says, "Are you just going to SIT there or are you going to get up?" I actually pulled my legs up into the seat, giving him plenty of room to get by, & yet he still just stood there looking at me like I was an idiot for still sitting there. About that time, my friend arrived with my chair, so I guess he finally GOT it. Didn't apologize though.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 1:43pm

Jane2, you shouldn't make so many assumptions about the nature of a situation you weren't there to witness. Just a suggestion for future reference.

Perhaps you shouldn't have taken my post so personally.

[rjm516]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 1:57pm

I thought I had heard it all by now, all the horror stories about awful behavior in the theatre. But are you kidding me about the cocaine during the show? And the a-hole who couldn't accept that you use a wheelchair? I'm just so sad about the world.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 2:07pm

I was up in the mezzanine at Evita last month, and there was this couple in front of me who would not stop talking throughout the entire first act. When the show started one of them was leaning all the way forward and blocking my view of the stage, which I didn't think was necessary because he was sitting behind a little girl. I asked him to sit back a little and he told me I should just lean forward myself. Anyway, the talking continued until Another Suitcase in Another Hall, when the woman next to me issued a sharp, "SHUT. UP."

[dreaming]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 2:24pm

I won't sit rear mezz for Evita again. The audience is horrible up there. I had a family (appeared to be tourists) sitting in my row passing drinks between them, some candy that rattled in its box, and they kept talking in normal voices. The man's cell phone kept going off as well. He would get up every time it did and leave for a minute (I know, he didn't answer-that would have been worse), then come back. There was a lot of movement and chatter going on. There was another couple seated between me and that family and they said something at intermission. It got a little better after that, although I could have done without the running commentary and the food being passed around-which continued in act 2. (We're not at a ballpark or in the living room.)

[Jane2]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 2:24pm

",Jane2, you shouldn't make so many assumptions about the nature of a situation you weren't there to witness. Just a suggestion for future reference."

Oh, you did a fine job of describing the event. I think you made the situation and your attitude quite clear with every word you wrote.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have taken my post so personally."

Nah, I didn't.

[bobs3]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 2:58pm

"I thought I had heard it all by now, all the horror stories about awful behavior in the theatre. But are you kidding me about the cocaine during the show?"

Unfortunately, the COCAINE use was not a joke. I have no problem with things people do in the privacy of their homes, but a public place is not somewhere you should brag about your sense of entitlement by sticking a spoon up your nose. Hell, I smoke weed at home but I never even consider lighting up a joint in a theater (or in any public place for that matter).

[Kelly2]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 4:05pm

Bobs3, I dunno...I'm not a hard drug user but I'm just going to say I never quite understood Hair the way I did when I took a few puffs at intermission. But I did so away from the theatre and alone, and watched respectfully when I returned. :)

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 4:35pm

My biggest pet peeve is Late arrivals, not just those who show up to the show late but those who come in late from Intermission. They ring the Lobby bell for a reason.

[bobs3]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 5:43pm

Kelly2: I've watched the DVD of Milos Forman's film version of HAIR while high on weed and I must admit the film took on a whole new dynamic.

And that was the first time I realized the Asian girl singing "Walking in Space" was lip synching to Betty Buckley's vocals.

Updated On: 6/28/12 at 05:43 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 6:03pm

Thank you, ArtMan. I swear that when I finally get to Hell I will learn it consists of sitting in an airplane seat for all eternity.

But of course you are right: there are advantages to being tall. (Although in a standing crowd, I almost always go to the very back.) It's not exactly a social stigma.

For the record, however, I wasn't talking about a patron whispering to her friend that she couldn't see. I was talking about people who passive-aggressively make a big, loud, "friendly" fuss about my height when everyone knows perfectly well they really want to complain.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 9:00pm

That's the kind of situation I was referring to as well, Gaveston. Not sure why some posters chose to misinterpret my post, but there's a huge difference between quietly whispering to a friend, and loudly announcing the second after I sat down "Now I can't see anything!" and continuing on about it. The curtain was still down, I don't know what she thought she couldn't see. I can't imagine how this woman would have reacted if I were as tall as you.

[binau]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 9:47pm

When I saw the truly awful Wolftrap SWEENEY TODD last summer (we were seated near the front) this man aged 50-70 next to my friend kept playing with bandages on his leg and bumping my friend. And by playing I mean ripping/tearing them, folding them..it was so strange...my friend suggested that he might not want to come back after intermission and get medical attention (he clearly was very preoccupied with the bandages and didn't seem to be enjoying the show - even though it was difficult to because the production was so awful) - he was quite offended and said he "was going to die" and to "give him a break"..then decided to approach a random and point at us at intermission? idk. I think it was inappropriate for him to watch the musical in that state and to disturb others around him.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 10:47pm

I know what you mean, orange. There's no tone of voice or facial expressions here, so much confusion results.

In my case, it was a band (as in marching band) concert. The woman who was putting on a performance finally decided she could see the conductor so it would be alright.

I guess I'm lucky we weren't at the ballet...

In movie theaters or anywhere with general admission, I do my level best NOT to sit in front of anyone already seated. I realize it's annoying to get your seat early and then find your view blocked. But with assigned seats, there isn't much to be done. I've decided I love the mezzanine at the Ahmanson with its stadium seating.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 6/28/12 at 10:55pm

I'm 6'7 every time I sit down in the theatre I always feel bad for the person I'm sitting in front. So far no complaints.

[Bwaydide92]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 12:06am

Yes the Ahmanson is great. It's almost impossible to get a bad seat there. I saw NEXT TO NORMAL in the back of the balcony and had no problems. That is exactly how a theatre should be designed. It gets rid of height problems and you never feel very far from the stage.

Also, I think that Center Theatre Group has some of the most courteous and well-behaved patrons out there. I've never had an incident where another patron was really interfering with my experience, except maybe when an elderly patron's hearing aid was making a lot of noise during SPRING AWAKENING and he actually turned it off after a while because he realised how loud it was getting.

[aaronb]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 5:37pm

People who are the last in the theater to figure out a plot turn and still feel the need to announce it to the rest of the audience. For example, "Oh, their daughter is dead," or, "He's gay."

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 8:18pm

Tall people, please shut the f up. I just "saw" Newsies and Once this week and couldn't see much of the stage at either show because of tall people in front on me. If I wanted to merely listen to the shows, I'd have listened to the cast recordings. If you refuse to slouch in order for a fellow patron to see the stage, you should pay for their ticket. Yes, I'm completely serious.

[Bwaydide92]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 8:23pm

I hope you're not actually serious. The fact that you can't see because of someone's height is not their fault at all. If you'e going to blame someone, blame the theatre for not having raked seating that virtually eliminates height problems. There is no way for someone to know that they'll be blocking someone else's view beforehand and if they were required to buy the seat behind them, then that would be discrimination which is illegal in this country. They shouldn't have to slouch for the person behind them. When you buy a seat that isn't in the first row then you are taking the risk of being behind someone that might block your view. It's not their fault or problem.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 8:25pm

Broadway fan,

Entitled much?

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 8:28pm

Dear Broadwayfan12, and what, exactly, do you want us to do about it? I've already said I try to slouch a bit out of consideration for the person behind me and I don't sit down in front of another patron when the seats aren't assigned.

Since it seems 6 of one, a half dozen of the other whether your dwarfism or my giantism is the "deformity", I'm not sure why you assume this should be MY problem. But since you are the one affected negatively, perhaps you should take responsibility for doing more research as to the best places for little persons to sit.

Updated On: 6/29/12 at 08:28 PM

[Ghostfan2]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 8:38pm

I went to see Ghost the other night and the lady sitting next to me was on her facebook the entire time. She did not look up at the stage once. It amazes me. Then she was late after the intermission And the entire row had to stand up so she could get back to her seat. Then she made 3 phone calls.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 8:56pm

I'm not slouching for anybody. Get a booster seat!!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/29/12 at 9:27pm

Talking for all the short people (I'm only 5' 4") -- I do not expect the tall folks to slouch, ever. MIGHT I express disappointment to my companion? Perhaps.

But it not really that difficult to lean one way or another and be able to see the stage. I have NEVER only listened to a show.