Technical Difficulty at Sister Act

[Wishing Only Wounds]

The show was stopped at 8:40 and there was just an announcement saying it could be a while and to feel free to use the restrooms.

Does this happen a lot at Sister Act? I haven't heard things.

The set broke while going from the Church to the Police station.


Side note: Carolee Carmello. This woman. Love.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Patina and Carolee just came onstage: they're going to finish the performance without the "most important piece of the set." The wall.

Should be interesting.

[Ejm105989]

Aw that sucks :[ I haven't seen Sister Act yet but I'm going to assume this was just one of those nights of tech issues.

[Mattbrain]

I haven't heard about anything like that. Didn't happen when I saw the show.

*waits for goldenboy's inevitable bashing*

[Wishing Only Wounds]

After the 30 minute delay, they felt the need to still do a full intermission.

So, I've just about run through all my breaking the fourth wall jokes, but the stage definitely looks empty. You can see the (very poorly dressed) stage hands moving everything. Certainly something new, I'll give it that.

[ghostlight2]

"After the 30 minute delay, they felt the need to still do a full intermission."

I don't think you understand. Do you think people are just hanging around during intermission for fun? Intermission exists mostly in order to get things done. Even though they had an emergency of some sort (sounds like an automation computer failed rather than "the set broke"), those things still have to be done, and they need time to do it.

I've never heard of that happening at Sister Act before, but these things happen all the time all over Broadway - it's just that usually they get through it without it being obvious, much less stopping the show.

Kind of a cheap shot to take at the stagehands lack of sartorial splendor, no? Those guys are working hard to fix the problem. I can pretty much guarantee you they didn't plan on being on that stage.

[fingerlakessinger]

I don't think wishing only wounds was knocking the stagehands, just stating that perhaps their wearing less then stagehand like clothes (either their wearing something that is not black or dressed less then appropriately for the job)

[LegallyBroadway2]

Sister Act has quite the moving components, with a double turn table, and many travelers.

After the show, I'd love to hear a more detailed account of the missing set units.

[LegallyBroadway2]

(its this kind of performance, I'd love to see a documentary of. I bet this one night could fill a two hour film)

[shrekster224]

Do you mean the wall that has the police station on one side and Eddie's bedroom on the other, and has the back alley, as well? I would have guessed the turn tables before I opened the thread.

[ghostlight2]

I can't think of many ways to interpret "very poorly dressed" that isn't knocking them, but honestly, I just think it's a funny thing to remark upon. The only time a stagehand needs to wear blacks is if they are expected to be seen onstage - say, a prop person, or the rare occasion that a carpenter is making a set move. Since that doesn't happen much any more, many stagehands do not wear black, as the chance of their being seen is next to nil.

They came to work dressed for work, probably jeans, t-shirts, maybe flannel. I'm very curious as to what constitutes "poorly dressed" in WOW's mind. Were they perhaps in bikinis? That really would be inappropriate - and unsafe

All that said, again, this kind of thing happens all the time. The turntable at War Horse, for example, failed mid-show not long ago. Unless you'd seen the show, you wouldn't have noticed -- maybe not even then.

You usually just don't hear about it.

[bwayfan7000]

I'm not surprised to hear that the set ran into an issue at a point during the show's run; it looks fairly complicated, though that's also what makes the set, in my opinion, a standout part of the show.

In terms of the stagehands, give them some credit. If it was a bad enough difficulty with the tech, be glad the show went on at all. Those people are just magic. If you don't know the full extent of what they do, that's because they're doing such a good job of it that they're invisible to the audience.

[stevenycguy]

Oooh, that's painful when a show has an 8pm start and runs into difficulties. Another reason why 7pm should be the Broadway standard for Monday thru Thursday performances. There are going to be a lot of bleary-eyed theatergoers going to work tomorrow morning!

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Ghostlight, I'm not sure if I'm hit some sore spot with you, but you'll note I said "full." It does not take that much time to get the set into place. Before you went on your rant, maybe it would have helped you to know that during the delay, the ushers were telling people the show would continue with no intermission. Your assumptions are not welcomed or warranted.

I am not knocking stagehands, I respect what they do. But I think it's neccesary to state when I notice the emblem on a baseball cap over the song taking place down stage.

My phone battery is running very low, but I'll post more when I get home.

[bwayfan7000]

How do you know what the stagehands had to do over the intermission? Perhaps it does take them the full time to take care of things, and the ushers were the ones who didn't know what they're talking about? And just because there was a 30 minute delay doesn't mean the company got a 30 minute break. I don't know why you're surprised that there was a full intermission when it was already discussed why intermissions are necessary for shows. They may have needed even more time during this intermission to try to further fix what was going wrong, or decide what steps to take to make Act 2 go smoothly.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

I know what an intermisision is for, thank you very much. The ushers got that information from the house manager. I'd hope there isnt such a breakdown of communication in the theatre.
Judging from the act two opening set, what you could hear during intermission, and how long you heard it, in addition to what you saw...they did not need the full fifteen minutes.

I'm not too sure why this has turned into a stagehand vendetta. I'm not criticizing their performance; I'm just commenting on a distraction that I have never noticed before, even with stagehands who were not meant to be on. It was something that could've been easily avoided.

[fingerlakessinger]

I kinda agree that stagehands, even if they are not really ON-stage, should always be in black and black. I've sat in the front row of many Broadway shows or tours, and if I'm sitting off to the side a bit, it's very common to see at least stagehand that is wearing a white shirt or some other color that stands out from the darkness of the wings. If you are backstage at all you should be in black because people CAN see into the wings and it's distracting to see colorful blurbs are always offstage.
AGAIN, I am by no means bashing the stagehands, but some do wear distracting things.

[bwayfan7000]

I obviously have no idea what exactly went on since I clearly was not there. But there are a variety of reasons to explain why they took the full fifteen minutes, beyond what you perceived in the audience. Perhaps the house manager told the ushers that the intermission would be truncated and then after the Act 1 finale, Patina said she wanted to take a full fifteen more to rest. Who knows. The point is, Wishing Only Wounds, you're coming down awfully hard on the company of Sister Act for what was probably a very unexpected and awful situation. Give them the benefit of the doubt, that's all. :)

[Wishing Only Wounds]

I'm not coming down hard on them at all. I wasn't aware I even wrote something that could be construed as that? I actually enjoyed the show a lot more than I expected to.

[adamgreer]

I know what an intermisision is for, thank you very much. The ushers got that information from the house manager. I'd hope there isnt such a breakdown of communication in the theatre.

Do you really think that, in the midst of what was obviously a backstage crisis, the stage manager had time to communicate to the house manager what sort of intermission there might be (or not be)?

Furthermore, act 1 ends with a major dance number, while act 2 starts with a VERY short scene followed by another major dance number. There's no way the cast could be expected to perform those two numbers back to back (with just the three minute break for the confessional scene) in between.

[ghostlight2]

"It does not take that much time to get the set into place."

I'm curious as to how you come by that information - or is it an assumption? Besides, many, many things happen during intermission, much involving the entire company. Honestly, I'm not at all upset, and don't know why you're using a word like "vendetta". I actually am very amused you think an emblem on a hat is an issue in what clearly was a very unusual and unexpected situation.

"Your assumptions are not welcomed or warranted."

Your assumptions, though wildly off-base, are welcome, but just what did you hear from what from the house that allowed you to ascertain that the full intermission wasn't necessary?.

It's good for people to know that theater isn't always easy, so I thank you for that.

Were your assumptions warranted? Maybe not so much. Rest assured that the stage managers wanted to get the show back on track as quickly as possible. If they could have shaved two minutes off of the intermission, it would have been done. There are other things to be considered. The actors, of course, and let's not forget concessions.

eta: cross-posted with adamgreer, who has seen enough theater to understand that things are often more complex than they seem. Also @ fingerlakes: you are aware there are others backstage other than stagehands, yes? Stage Managers, dressers?

"I'm not coming down hard on them at all. I wasn't aware I even wrote something that could be construed as that?"

Now you know. Education is a good thing. It also might help you to know that the ushers are usually the last to know anything, and the idea in going straight through without an intermission is really not an option in most cases.

You didn't hit a sore spot - I'm just setting you straight :)

[Ejm105989]

I heard the Sister Act is pretty intricate. How was the rest of show? Did some people leave due to the delay?

[Wishing Only Wounds]

adamgreer, it doesn't matter what I think. However, I was expecting an intermission until I, and the whole audience, heard otherwise.

Now, after 20 minutes of a delay (at which point Patina and Carolee came out), I definitely expect there to have been communication. Do you honestly feel otherwise?

Ghostlight, what is your reason for getting so heated about this? If a hat is noticeable during a number... I think it deserves to be mentioned, especially on a site like this. I'm not pushing the blame anywhere, I'm just noting something about the evening. If it was just the hat, I wouldn't have mentioned it, but that was just the most noticeable. I wouldn't have commented on it if it wasn't truly distracting.

And to clarify on your attempt to be witty, no it was not an assumption, it was an inference. You know, since I was basing it off of knowledge. If you read my other posts, which I'm inferring you did since you're attempting to twist my words, you'll notice I prefaced with "judging from..."

Once there was an announcement inviting patrons to use the restrooms and get refreshments, the ushers came around to tell us this would be taking the place of intermission. That's what I heard, along with the whole house.

Now you know. Education is a good thing. Now, what exactly is that suppose to mean?

Not only did you quote me out of context, but that was a response to something having nothing to do with you. What you just wrote has no merit; I'm not sure if it's suppose to be insulting or an attempt to be sassy.

Quite frankly, the question mark prevents it from being a declarative sentence. So, how are you aware what I do or do not know? And what I am now aware of?

You don't know me, my experiences, or my qualifications to form an opinion, you don't know a single thing about me, yet you're insinuating I have a substantially less amount of knowledge when it comes to theatre. (Now, that's an assumption.) You seem to be trying to pick an argument wherever you can.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

For those who want to know about the actual show:

-During the transition going into the "When I Find My Baby" scene, the church set leaves the stage, and the "wall" rises up onto the stage.

-Tonight, as the wall was coming up, there was a loud noise, and the wall fell sideways.

-The curtain came down and that is where we were told they were having technical difficulties... what happened next I feel I've posted about enough.

-From what I heard while chatting with the ushers, which is exactly what it looks like happened, the wall fell off the track of the platform that brings it above and below the stage.

-The show ran pretty smoothly once it got back up. "When I Find My Baby" was a little disjointed, that was the stagehand number, but the actual execution of the song was fine.

-shrekster224, I was not aware the bedroom set has a wall, so yes haha. That scene actually worked fine without the wall.

-With the exception of the Police Station, where there was a quite obvious void, I didn't feel like that much was missed.

-There was definitely a change in the energy (of both the cast and audience) after the delay, which was a lot of fun.

-Besides the late curtain call, it was still a very enjoyable night at the theatre. And like I posted earlier, I was pleasantly surprised with the show. I had low expectations, and I guess that wound up working in my favor.



I have to add, when Patina and Carolee came out, I found it so cute/funny. They were so friendly with each other... and this was at the point when Mother Superior is still very much against Deloris. I wasn't necessarily expecting them to still be in character, it just struck my funny bone.

[LegallyBroadway2]

Hey, Wishing Wounds, what was exactly missing? I'm curious as to the actual scenery used the evening.

Was the turn tables functioning? They play quite a vital part in the movement of the play.