Broderick pulls a Lupone?- Page 2

[madbrian]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 10:38am

Though I'd prefer that an actor handle the problem otherwise, such as notifying theater staff while he or she is offstage, I can't fault Broderick or anyone else. And irrespective of how or if an actor addresses the problem, let's not lose focus on the fact that the problem lies with the moron using his or her phone. Once the actor has been distracted, we've all already suffered, no matter how or if the situation is addressed.

[sparrman]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 10:43am

Seems to me to be two different issues. A cellphone going off disrupts the show for everyone in the theatre, actors and audience alike. The mood is already broken, so an actor might as well go ahead and say something about it.

But someone can videotape a show with almost no one being aware of it, the possible glow from the little screen notwithstanding. Thus, the actor calling the audience member out is the one who is breaking the mood. Part of an actor's job is to deal with myriad distractions, both onstage and off, including the little red light in the front row. I don't think what Broderick did was proper. He should have talked to stage management, who can then deal with house management.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 10:50am

I'd ask for my money back if an actor did that.

And you'd be laughed at by the house manager, the box office, etc.

But someone can videotape a show with almost no one being aware of it, the possible glow from the little screen notwithstanding.

Having previously witnessed someone brazenly bootlegging a show with an iPhone, I can tell you that it is distracting and noticeable. Not to mention, as many other already have on this thread, illegal.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:06am

While I feel bad for the rest of the audience, I think it is great. Maybe a star performer embarrassing the person in front of the entire audience may have more of a effect than a house usher telling them to stop. IMO - you catch a person doing this they should be thrown out of theatre not just told to stop.

Updated On: 2/21/13 at 11:06 AM

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:06am

"But someone can videotape a show with almost no one being aware of it, the possible glow from the little screen notwithstanding. Thus, the actor calling the audience member out is the one who is breaking the mood."

First of all, as AC126748 said, this is nonsense. As someone else said, the actor is himself distracted as well, and the performance suffers.

"Part of an actor's job is to deal with myriad distractions, both onstage and off, including the little red light in the front row. I don't think what Broderick did was proper. He should have talked to stage management, who can then deal with house management."

Who often can't or won't do a damn thing, and often cause a much greater disturbance when they do try. When an actor calls out the miscreant, right then and right there, the problem is SOLVED. No trying to figure out who it is, trying to quietly get to them as they try to hide equipment and deny their wrong-doing. The problem is over, the law-breaker busted on the spot.

If you don't have the capacity to get yourself back into the performance after that, maybe live theater simply isn't for you.

Updated On: 2/21/13 at 11:06 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:19am

What's that thing they teach you in actressing school about dealing with distracting things on stage and still going on with the performance? You know, where they teach you that no matter what happens, the show must go on?

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:24am

Jordon Catalano - Understand what you are saying, my daughters have danced their whole lives and were taught that early on also. That being said, I think a Broadway star calling out a audience member will definitely put a stop to it quicker than a House usher. I have seen examples where audience member was told to stop and started doing the same thing minutes later. I feel bad for the rest of the audience but maybe if this happened more often the jerks would stop.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:28am

Didn't nobody pay $100 to see no damn Ferris Bueller yell at somebody. (But on the bright side, it was probably nice to see him actually looking like he was awake for 2 minutes onstage).

[winston89]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:52am

The reason why I feel that it is unprofessional is because the part of the actor is to be able to take a moment, regroup and continue with the show when these things happen. I am not at all saying it's easy. But, that's why they are on the other side of the footlights.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:58am

It sounds like that's what he did do--only first, he dealt directly with the problem.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 12:03pm

"Didn't nobody pay $100 to see no damn Ferris Bueller yell at somebody. (But on the bright side, it was probably nice to see him actually looking like he was awake for 2 minutes onstage)."

Your parenthetical tells me you're probably trolling more than being serious, but I have been to a lot of performances where actors have stopped shows for badly behaving audience members, and the response from the rest of the audience has always been overwhelmingly positive.

"The reason why I feel that it is unprofessional is because the part of the actor is to be able to take a moment, regroup and continue with the show when these things happen. "

Problem is, Winston, is that often these things often don't stop happening, so it's a constant distraction - and, it's STILL illegal! Why are the actors getting blamed for stopping an illegal action? The front of house can't always handle this. They haven't seen the true disrupter, the law-breaker, but the actor can, and can stop the action instantly.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 12:09pm

The reason why actors yelling at the audience bugs me, is because legal or not, it is a minor infraction. In a technical sense, jaywalking in NYC is against the law but no one enforces it. Should I yell at someone the next time I see them jaywalking when I'm out and about in NYC?

[mc1227]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 12:11pm

I would be curious to see how the audience that night reacted to that. They may not have even realized it wasn't part of the show until minutes later? I'm a bit surprised at the staff at the Imperial who normally don't miss too much. They are constantly telling people they can't take pics of the curtain prior to the start of the show, which never ceases to amaze me.

I think Broderick did the right thing calling out the person. For those who feel that broke the mood or distracted them from the story, I think that it may take a couple of minutes to rebound from that, but it shouldn't be that hard in this show since it's a comedy musical. If the other actors recovered from it, the audience should be able to as well.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 12:11pm

^^^

This. If the actor can get back into the scene, why can't the audience? The actor has a hell of a lot more invested than the audience does. When I've seen actors stop shows like this, I have never seen an audience react in any other way but cheers and applause.

As to Winston's bizarre jaywalking example, I'd say, sure, go ahead and yell at them, if their actions are inhibiting your work.

Updated On: 2/21/13 at 12:11 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 2:52pm

If I spend my hard earned money and see a show, and this happens, I'd talk to the house manager and either try for a refund or to get my ticket past dated. Reason being is that I didn't pay to see an actor yell at the audience. I paid to see the show, and clearly yelling at one audience member isn't in the script or part of the show.

The thing is that there are many people who go to the theatre, hate the usage of cell phones, yet use it themselves. For example, I remember being at a performance of Time Stands Still. It was there that a guy sitting next to me got a little annoyed (rightfully so and not over the top in any way) about a someone's phone going off. However, this is the same person, that took out his phone to text during the middle of the second act.

And, Ghostlight, the whole "yelling at someone if what they are doing is bothering you/getting in your way" is just plain silly. It's about maturity and being the grown up in the situation. Sure, the person filming is in the wrong, no doubt about it. But, acting like a child when you're a grown man doing a show is sad and pathetic .

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:01pm

I could rant forever about the lack of theatre etiquette these days, but what Broderick, LuPone, etc. have done is equally bad, IMO. It's the actor's job not to break the fourth wall unless the show calls for it. Calling out bad behavior by behaving badly yourself is hypocritical, like parents who spank their children for hitting their siblings. The ushers need to be more alert and proactive, and the audiences need to learn to behave themselves. If an actor must say something, I think they should wait until curtain call. I know most will disagree with me, but it's just my two cents.

Updated On: 2/21/13 at 03:01 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:02pm

But, Winston, clearly not everyone agrees with you that Broderick's stopping the show was "acting like a child." You're welcome to that interpretation, but it's not the only valid one.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:05pm

"Ghostlight, the whole "yelling at someone if what they are doing is bothering you/getting in your way" is just plain silly. It's about maturity and being the grown up in the situation. Sure, the person filming is in the wrong, no doubt about it. But, acting like a child when you're a grown man doing a show is sad and pathetic ."

Winston, you don't get it. It's not about "bothering you/getting in your way", it's about interfering with your job - and it's still about breaking the law. The actor is not the only person affected by these selfish people who film and photograph. The people near the photographer are affected. The entire audience is affected by the way the actor is affected. In cases of flash photography, it can be downright dangerous,

You say you never have been in an audience when this has happened. I have, many times. The audience has always overwhelmingly been in favor of the the actor's actions. Until you've actually experienced it, it's perhaps best you wait until you have to express how you feel.

eta: "Calling out bad behavior by being badly [sic] yourself is hypocritical, like parents who spank their children for hitting their siblings. The ushers need to be more alert and proactive, and the audiences need to learn to behave themselves. If an actor must say something, I think they should wait until curtain call. I know most will disagree with me, but it's just my two cents."

The ushers cannot always see what the actors can. The actors can stop bad behavior and have the law-breakers thrown out on the spot. The idea of an actor saying something at the curtain call after the fact is simply absurd. What purpose would that possibly serve?

Otherwise - what Reg said.



Updated On: 2/21/13 at 03:05 PM

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:25pm

It could serve as a warning to others. Public humiliation does that. In any case I doubt we'll change each other's minds, so I'll agree to disagree.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:35pm

I mean, they're both really just pulling a Katharine Hepburn, since she called out someone taking pictures in the audience during one of her performances ages ago (West Side Waltz, I think? I remember reading about it an old old Playbill, but I can't find any info online).

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:40pm

And if Stritch is to be believed, the Great Kate was pulling a Merman.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:41pm

" If the front of house staff isn't doing their job, someone has to. "

Um, just for your future reference, Ghostlight - Broderick addressing the issue does NOT mean the front of house isn't doing their job. For how many years have you been working front of house?

If you knew anything about foh, you might realize that approaching a patron in the front row involves making your way to the front row, already disturbing many patrons, then either trying to get the patron's attention by standing and motioning, and here you are standing right in front of the stage for all to see, or god forbid shining a flashlight on them, and asking them to stop, is more disturbing than the guy taking pictures.And this can all take place IF the patron is still taking pictures. They have uncanny speed in hiding cameras these days.

It was Broderick's decision to do what he did.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:56pm

Might be best to read all of the posts before you go on the attack, Jane. I don't work front of house the way you do, but I know many who do, and I don't envy them their position.

I accidently left out the word "able" in my first post, Jane (which I thank you for pointing out and will now edit), but if you go back and read the rest of my posts, I've said EVERYTHING that you've just said, many times over.

It's easier and less disruptive for an actor to stop this behavior than it is for the staff to do. Re-read my posts. I'm on your side, darlin'. I know your job isn't an easy one.





Updated On: 2/21/13 at 03:56 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 7:33pm

And if an usher did try to stop it, I'm sure we'd get a new post on BWW about how DARE an usher distract from the performance.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 10:59pm

First, I can't imagine why anyone would want to record another of Matthews horrible performances.

Second, if Matthew hadn't called the audience member out for taping the show, would anyone know they were doing it? He should have told an usher not stopped the show. But hey, he needs the publicity. His wife brings home the real money now. His only appeal is he once did Ferris Bueller. .