Bad Theater Behavior

[LuPita2]

Oh, and if someone is being a jerk and singing/talking/slurping/screaming/chomping it is ALWAYS okay to tell them to SHUT UP.  No one should be allowed to ruin your experience by being obnoxious.  

[YvanEhtNioj]

Even if you disagree with her POV, it was definitely not poorly written. You sound triggered. 

[LuPita2]

It was poorly written, that is my view. Feel free to have another one. 

[denali.fire]

Ive used the  "You probably dont realize how loud and distracting you are. Thanks."

It has worked the times Ive used it.  

Nevr gone to next step

Shut the **** up Please.

[YvanEhtNioj]

I feel like there's a big difference between singing along to Hadestown/Oklahoma, and lightly singing and dancing in your seat to shows like On Your Feet, Motown, Cher Show, Aint Too Proud.. many of the songs in those shows are meant to bring out joy and excitement. 

When I saw On Your Feet, the crowd felt dead and had 0 energy. It was awkward. During Cher, there were so many people humming along to "i've got you babe" and I could feel the love and energy in the room. Those are my favorite types of experiences, personally. Yeah there are certain moments where I dont wanna hear yo mama sing, but if shes loving "MyGirl" then do you. have a good time. 

[Phantom4ever]

YvanEhtNioj said: "



One of my favorite theatrical experiences was seeing Color Purple on broadway with a theater full of sassy black women. They said "amen" and "girrrl" and "UMHP!" whenever something moving happened and I didnt mind it at all because it felt so in the moment. It felt so good to have us all experiencing it together, During On Your Feet, someone shushed me for lightly singing "1,2,3" and I snapped back quickly with "Dont shush me." and I think I scared her."

Wow.  This is where we are now.  People who sing during Broadway shows are so emboldened in their rudeness and entitlement that they feel satisfied that they scared someone who asked them not to ruin the show for others. It is truly a wonder anyone attends live theater anymore. 

[LuPita2]

Strong people will always attend live theater because we are not scared to tell someone singing to shut up, and we certainly won't be afraid of them.  And if they ever retorted?  Hahahaha. Adorable.  

There are rules at a theater. Respect others and they'll be no problems.

[theaterlyfe19]

LuPita2 said: "Strong people will always attend live theater because we are not scared to tell someone singing to shut up, and we certainly won't be afraid of them. And if they ever retorted? Hahahaha. Adorable.

There are rules at a theater. Respect others and they'll be no problems."

 

THIS YES THANK YOU. 

 

[dumphim]

I won the Hamilton lottery last December and was in the second row orchestra. There was a family of five right behind me, two parents and three children. The eldest child was about 11-12 and started singing along during some songs. It was slightly annoying but I just ignored it because it was during all the large ensemble pieces so it wasn't too distracting. But when we got to Act 2, she started singing along during Burn. I turned my head around to look at her with a silent "I'm aware that you're singing during the quiet emotional song" look and she stopped for the rest of the show.

[BuddyStarr]

dramamama611 said: "There is a difference between "shush" and "shut up". A big difference. (Not saying I don't understand the annoyance.)"

I would agree and I thought about that for a split second, however, they were talking throughout the first Act and I didn't say anything except the turning around look that by the second Act I was just "Shut Up" and I refrained from saying "Shut the F*** Up" which is what I really wanted to say.

This thread is going to light up when "Moulin Rouge" opens. The people in the audience there sing out loud and talk back more like a concert than a theatrical production.  I thought last year when I saw it in Boston that serious theatre audiences will not take kindly to it.  But maybe that's what the creative team is going for, to create a more "Moulin Rouge" atmosphere?

[Lot666]

Phantom4ever said: "YvanEhtNioj said: "One of my favorite theatrical experiences was seeing Color Purple on broadway with a theater full of sassy black women. They said "amen" and "girrrl" and "UMHP!" whenever something moving happened and I didnt mind it at all because it felt so in the moment. It felt so good to have us all experiencing it together, During On Your Feet, someone shushed me for lightly singing "1,2,3" and I snapped back quickly with "Dont shush me." and I think I scared her."

Wow. This is where we are now. People who sing during Broadway shows are so emboldened in their rudeness and entitlement that they feel satisfied that they scared someone who asked them not to ruin the show for others. It is truly a wonder anyone attends live theater anymore."

I would definitely have "shushed" him, and if he replied "Don't shush me", I would've left and come back with the house manager. I don't pay hundreds of dollars to hear audience members sing.

[LxGstv]

Yeah, no, jukebox musicals don’t get a pass that makes it ok to turn into a sing along. The Root article is incredibly misguided. Unfortunately a quick look at the writers twitter and you’ll see it’s just legitimating this kind of behavior, people are comparing it to #ReclaimingMyTime.

Ain’t Too Proud is a tricky one, I haven’t seen it, but I heard from friends that have that audience participation is encouraged? Much like the Summer musical also invited people to “sing along if you know the words”?! In which case, it’s a bit trickier to ask someone to shush or shut up.

The Cher Show however does not encourage singing along. When I saw it recently there were people singing and the ushers actually asked them to stop. And if I’m not mistakes, someone mentioned that the Tina Turner musical explicitly asks people not to sing along.

The only time it might be ok to sing along at a jukebox musical is at the mega mix at the end of the ones that have it?! But that’s a different thing, it’s after the curtain bows and people are getting ready to leave. It’s not during the show.

[Mike Barrett]

When I saw A Bronx Tale tour when the show was over everyone got up to leave. Even during the curtain call it was clear more than half the audience wasn't applauding or paying attention. They have every right to leave, and that show did suck (Imo), but at the same time can you not applaud the actors who just performed for you for 2 hours? Idk that one just felt the most rude to me. Entire first row just left. Thats live theatre though, I guess. 

[AllThatJazz2]

BuddyStarr said: "dramamama611 said: "This thread is going to light up when "Moulin Rouge" opens. The people in the audience there sing out loud and talk back more like a concert than a theatrical production. I thought last year when I saw it in Boston that serious theatre audiences will not take kindly to it. But maybe that's what the creative team is going for, to create a more "Moulin Rouge" atmosphere?"

Oof, I'm sorry you had to deal with that for Moulin Rouge. Thankfully our audiences both times we went were much better behaved, and while we had quite a bit of cheering/applauding when well-known numbers began, we didn't have any sort of audience sing along or talking back (which would have driven me nuts). I hope that doesn't become the norm when it opens on Broadway. 

[Broadway Joe]

Mike Barrett said: "When I saw A Bronx Tale tour when the show was over everyone got up to leave. Even during the curtain call it was clear more than half the audience wasn't applauding or paying attention. They have every right to leave, and that show did suck (Imo), but at the same time can you not applaud the actors who just performed for you for 2 hours? Idk that one just felt the most rude to me. Entire first row just left. Thats live theatre though, I guess."

They aren't owed applause, especially if the paying customers don't think they deserved it. 

[dramamama611]

I saw MR 2x in Boston, I had no complaints about the audience.

Sorry that the first interaction i choose to have with someone gives the benefit of the doubt to another human.

[BenjaminNicholas2]

To people who think it's okay to have no theatre manners based on the 'blackness' of a show or because you feel ethnically entitled, you're part of the problem. Grow the **** up.

This isn't your living room, so stay quiet.  Clap if you appreciate your performance, but stop attempting to make it about yourself.  It's egocentric and sad when audience members consciously or subconsciously try to upstage what's happening with their overreactions. 

Control yourself.  You're not an animal.

 

 

[LxGstv]

BenjaminNicholas2 said: "To people who think it's okay to have no theatre manners based on the 'blackness' of a show or because you feel ethnically entitled, you're part of the problem.Grow the **** up.

This isn't your living room, so stay quiet. Clap if you appreciate your performance, but stop attempting to make it about yourself. It's egocentric and sad when audience members consciously or subconsciously try to upstage what's happening with their overreactions.

Control yourself. You're not an animal.



"

Yes to all of this! Preach Patsy!!!

[denali.fire]

I rarely clap during a performance.  It takes me out of the moment and the feeling  the show was instilling  in me .

I prefer to be in the feeling . 

 

[LuPita2]

BenjaminNicholas2 said: "To people who think it's okay to have no theatre manners based on the 'blackness' of a show or because you feel ethnically entitled, you're part of the problem.Grow the **** up.

This isn't your living room, so stay quiet. Clap if you appreciate your performance, but stop attempting to make it about yourself. It's egocentric and sad when audience members consciously or subconsciously try to upstage what's happening with their overreactions.

Control yourself. You're not an animal.

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS 



"

 

[bigjoec2]

LxGstv said:

"...The Root article is incredibly misguided.

...Ain’t Too Proud is a tricky one, I haven’t seen it, but I heard from friends that have that audience participation is encouraged?

...In which case, it’s a bit trickier to ask someone to shush or shut up."

So you haven't seen the show, you have heard people say that the show actually encourages people to act as the author of the Root article described... but you still have the audacity to call the article "incredibly misguided"?

You're a real piece of work.

[bigjoec2]

BenjaminNicholas2 said: "To people who think it's okay to have no theatre manners based on the 'blackness' of a show or because you feel ethnically entitled, you're part of the problem.Grow the **** up.

This isn't your living room, so stay quiet. Clap if you appreciate your performance, but stop attempting to make it about yourself. It's egocentric and sad when audience members consciously or subconsciously try to upstage what's happening with their overreactions.

Control yourself. You're not an animal.

"

It's a black show with black singers and a black writer. I suggest you open yourself up to new experiences -- just because it's not what you're used to doesn't mean it's wrong.

Seriously, if you want an exciting new cultural experience, try going to see a Tyler Perry movie at the Magic Johnson in Harlem, a mere handful of miles north of the Great White Way. Then compare and contrast that with, say, a Woody Allen movie out in the burbs. The norms are completely different -- opposed even. At the black theater with the black crowd, the culturally appropriate and expected approach is to engage in dialogue and even chorus with the film. It can be a hell of a lot more fun than sitting quietly and laughing politely at the white movie.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with bringing that same culture to a Broadway show, especially this one. It can make for a very different experience, and potentially way more fun. Just because it's new to you, don't fear. And just because you've been to the Imperial before, you certainly shouldn't delude yourself into thinking you own the theater.

[LxGstv]

bigjoec2 said: "LxGstv said:

"...The Root article is incredibly misguided.

...Ain’t Too Proud is a tricky one, I haven’t seen it, but I heard from friends that have that audience participation is encouraged?

...In which case, it’s a bit trickier to ask someone to shush or shut up."

So you haven't seen the show, you have heard people say that the show actually encourages people to act as the author of the Root article described... but you still have the audacity to call the article "incredibly misguided"?

You're a real piece of work."

It is misguided in my opinion. Look at what she writes about Hamilton, just because you can engage to a material in another level than another audience member, doesn’t mean you are allowed to act differently.

The person in the Ain’t Too Proud story stated they didn’t pay to hear other audience members singing and she takes it as an insult to her mother? When it’s actually just respect for the performers.

Also, she casually mentions how the “Latinx folks” all giggled in agreement with her. I’m Latin and I don’t agree with any of it.

[VintageSnarker]

Jesus Christ, why won't people stop talking during shows? And if they must talk, why do they always sit next to ME? I feel like I never get the people who want to make a comment or two, which is still not great but, you know, sometimes you're carried away. No, I get the people who think it's appropriate to pick up the conversation all throughout the show. Thankfully the couple last night stopped when they were shushed but then they'd just do it again a few minutes later so my attention was split between the show and having to police their talking. For some baffling reason, they mainly chose book scenes and quiet moments in songs... you know, the times when the talking would be the most audible and distracting. And in between the talking there was sighing and yawning like they were resentful that I had interrupted their conversation. Go somewhere else to talk! It'll probably be cheaper and it'll definitely be less annoying to everyone else.

I always inevitably regret buying full price tickets... 

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

What is up with the responses in this thread not displaying correctly? I can't view pages 40 or 41 at all, it just takes me back to the main board.