Taking pictures of the set before the show starts

[brdway411]

Am at Les Mis and people are taking photos of the set. When I asked someone to stop the usher informed me that it was perfectly fine to take pictures.. is this something new? Is the set not copyrighted?

[Jane2]

Different theaters, different rules. Where I worked, we practically attacked any picture being taken whatsoever. I noticed in certain Bway houses, no one seems to care.

[Matt Rogers]

Better proceed with caution. I've seen ushers swoop down on people like hawks and stand there and watch while the offending patron deletes the photo from his or her phone, with threats of ejection from the theatre if they don't comply. For some reason, they are particularly strict about this at the Delacorte in Central Park. Go figure.

[Jane2]

nah, if the usher told you it was perfectly ok, then it is.

[AntV]

Why would you as an audience member tell someone to not take a picture before the show has begun? It can't possibly be ruining your enjoyment of the show as it hasn't started yet and I would be pretty annoyed if some other audience member told me what I can or cannot do before the show thinking they work for the production. I'm glad the usher made you look like a fool by saying the people taking pictures are totally fine.

[brldisteach2]

General rule of thumb though is that it is not allowed. Usually each show decides how strict they want to be.

[blaxx]

Doesn't the Playbill specify that taking pictures at any time is forbidden? Or maybe it says it is all to the discretion of the oldest usher.

[Matt Rogers]

^
This. The curtain is part of the set. It is intellectual property, not allowed to be photographed but that doesn't stop most people and if ushers aren't enforcing things then what the hell.

[Jane2]

It is my understanding that such rules are passed from the production to the house manager, who then instructs the ushers. That's that.

[GavestonPS]

If you want photos of the set, buy the damn souvenir program. Your cell-phone pics aren't going to be that great anyway.

[uncageg]

It can also be up to the production. Some will alllow it so the ushers won't bother you. I was in one theater that will let you take pictures pre-show as long as the set is not in the pic.

[Jane2]

Why am I saying it's my understanding, lol. I experienced it as house manager for years.

[Wildcard]

I've complained to theaters before and I got the same response… it was perfectly fine. I think that in today's world where everyone has a camera in their pockets, the theaters have to evolve in what they would allow. So while taking pictures before the show are allowed, they still have to be strict regarding photos during the performance. They know that these pre-show photos will end up in social media and serve as free advertising.

[Matt Rogers]

Unless the photo looks like crap. Then, bad free advertising.

[brdway411]

It is not fine and the usher was repremanded. The usher basically got reemed by the house manager. They bought my a drink during intermission for the misunderstanding which was nice of them.

[brdway411]

double post

[morosco]

The usher basically got reemed by the house manager.

sounds hot

[theatergoer3]

It depends on the show.

[blaxx]

I wasn't aware that the House Manager was a spokesperson for the designer. My bad.

[Jane2]

"It is not fine and the usher was repremanded. The usher basically got reemed by the house manager."

So it's exactly what we are saying- ushers get their orders from the HM. That particular usher effed up.

[Fosse76]

Some theaters are allowing photographs as long as the set isn't photographed. Also, some shows allow the set to be photographed. I find it difficult to believe that an usher was "reemed" by the house manager and that it would be done in front of audience members. And I find it hard to believe that a free drink would be offered for this "misunderstanding". The most that would have happened is the usher be told "no, they can't take photos.". It is nowhere near an offense that would require a "reeming",

[veronicamae]

How unprofessional for a patron to know the extent that an usher was reprimanded. The HM should have simply apologized for the misunderstanding and dealt with the usher privately. And it certainly wasn't worth a drink being purchased to make up for - even more unprofessional.

[NewPhilosophy]

I have to ask the OP: what the heck?! so, after asking the usher about it, did you not only run to post this on BWW but also run to the house manager to tell on the usher? sheesh.

I, too, find it unlikely that a "reeming" took place in front of the OP or that he was rewarded with a drink. I feel like it would have been more like a "shut up and we'll take care of our business and you mind your own" drink.

[Amalia3]

Whether the rules are enforced properly or not by some random house manager or usher, the fact remains: Sets (and costumes, and music, and dialogue, etc.) are intellectual property. You cannot reproduce them in any way shape or form without permission of the set designer (or costume designer, composer, librettist, etc.)

[WJR2]

That's so bizarre... I was at the first preview of Les Mis and the ushers were LITERALLY yelling at people to stop taking pictures. She threatened that if anyone in my section took another photo that she would get security and have us escorted out of the building... no joke. Everyone in my section pretty much thought she was nuts. The rudest usher I've every seen (from handing out playbills by jamming them in peoples hands, to the yelling... c-r-a-z-y)