CRITICS RAVAGE BROADWAY AUDIENCES- Page 4

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:54pm

Oh, FOR! Now it makes sense. You had written that you were mortified BY me. You can understand the confusion, I'm sure.

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:56pm

There you go.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:13pm

DAME - Are you a fellow remora? I had no idea!

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:40pm

Don't be silly, Matt, Dame isn't a remora. The Dame may not agree with anything I say, but we were actually exchanging points of view, as opposed to you, who just follow my posts and nips at them like an arthritic and querulous Pomeranian.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:43pm

I feel stupid. I had to look it up.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:46pm

Remora?

[DAME]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:46pm

Yeah.

[brldisteach2]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:47pm

kdogg, while I understand your frustration with latecomers, not getting up for them only makes the situation worse. I am an usher at a theater, and each show has its rules for late seating. We seat people when we are told it is an acceptable time. Some shows have stricter policies than others. I guarantee you that not getting up for the person is not going to help get them there faster the next time, you are only going to frustrate the people sitting behind you as they will be blocked by the latecomers trying to get around you staying in your seat.

As an usher and a theatergoer, I can also say that I've definitely seen more rude behavior in theaters in NYC and the Midwest where I live. As for dealing with the rude folks, I think that is usher by usher, not even theater by theater. Some ushers will confront patrons about cell phones, talking, etc. while others unfortunately don't. Personally, I tell people to stop talking, put their phones/cameras away, etc.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:48pm

It's okay, dame. I was only speaking to you, anyway. Look up "querulous" and have a big huge laugh.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:59pm

Back to the OP....Ironically, as theater prices go higher, audiences are treating the medium with less respect, and so are the theater owners. YEs, they have to make money with booze and overpriced candy (and popcorn!), but that conveys to the audiences that there's not much difference tan going to the movies.

And, as stated people don't get dressed up. Again, lessening the "event" quality of going to theater. Personally, I dress up. It's fun, respectful and makes me feel good about going to theater.

On a matinee in New York City, I wish people would take a SHOWER before entering.

My two cents. Keep the change.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 9:01pm

"On a matinee in New York City, I wish people would take a SHOWER before entering."

Well I tell you. Last week just walking from tkts to the theater made me yucky and disgusting. I was all sweat. I did try to freshen up in the bathroom. BTW I am still disgusted by most bathrooms in the older broadway houses. Not even toilet seat paper covers .

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 2:30pm

The ushers at the Pantages where the tour of Ghost is now playing have not been happy campers. The rif raf going to this thing have been uncontrollable.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 3:36pm

Lea Salonga in response to this article on her FB:
"In one performance of Les Miz on Bway (I was Fantine), I spied a couple in the front row MAKING OUT FOR 3 HOURS"

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 3:59pm

My grandkids and I were at yesterday's CINDERELLA matinee which was filled with out-of-towners. There was a morbidly obese man in front of us dressed in gym shorts and a wife-beater. He, too, reeked of body odor. He was with a woman who was appropriately dressed so I don't know what his problem was.

The use of various "electronic devices" was rampant throughout the performance and when I asked the woman beside me to stop checking her I-phone every few minutes she because it was distracting me she said, "I'm just trying to find out why Fran Drescher isn't in the show today."

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 4:01pm

"They are talking about someone beeling so taken and enraptured that they leaped to their feet in joy and the audience loved it and was with her for it."

This was exactly the case. It came organically at a point where the authors and composer wanted it to happen. She, being in the moment, reacted with pure emotion. She stood for all of three or four seconds. As I said, she took our whole section with her. Is this NOT the goal of theatre? Everyone was right there with her.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 4:38pm

"The use of various "electronic devices" was rampant throughout the performance and when I asked the woman beside me to stop checking her I-phone every few minutes she because it was distracting me she said, "I'm just trying to find out why Fran Drescher isn't in the show today."

I just CAN'T with that story. OMFG.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 6:42pm

kdogg, while I understand your frustration with latecomers, not getting up for them only makes the situation worse. I am an usher at a theater, and each show has its rules for late seating. We seat people when we are told it is an acceptable time. Some shows have stricter policies than others. I guarantee you that not getting up for the person is not going to help get them there faster the next time, you are only going to frustrate the people sitting behind you as they will be blocked by the latecomers trying to get around you staying in your seat.

Well, I did only say I was considering it, so I'm open to dissuasion. :)

In my fantasy world, and I do recognize that's all I'm talking about here, the not-standing-up-for-latecomers thing would be like a protest movement, designed to provoke change in late seating policies. The purpose wouldn't be to mitigate the immediate situation, but to persuade management not to seat latecomers until intermission. It would be something like a strike, which also causes immediate inconvenience for many, in the hopes of pursuing a larger goal. I realize the stakes are not nearly as high in the case of theater latecomers, so you can trust that this idea is about 75 percent tongue-in-cheek.

[brldisteach2]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 11:09pm

Just noticed the tongue in cheek comment at the end of the post


but while I do understand the frustration, I don't think it's likely to happen that all theaters would take on a no late seating policy. There are too many reasons/excuses why people are late. Every show chooses when they are going to do late seating. To my knowledge the decision is made by the creative team and/or producers, not the managers of the theaters. Working at a theater that hosts many touring productions, we have to follow the rules of each show. Some only allow seating on applause after a song, some allow it during dialogue, some during scene changes, etc. We are given the rules for late seating at each show. (Les Mis in particular was very strict about no seating until "At the End of the Day.) There are some people who are late, because they don't care, but most of the time they are upset about being late and whatever/whoever made them late.

Personally, I struggle more with the talkers, cell phone users, and picture takers. We used to make people "check" their phones and cameras, but now that almost everyone has a cell phone it became impossible to check all of them.

Updated On: 7/3/14 at 11:09 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 3:46am

"Diva, those two people's conversation was probably more interesting than anything in Ghost."


It was the worst thing sI think I have ever seen.

I could go on, but you al saw it in New York and know already....

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 11:32am

When I played Seymour earlier this year, a pair of old woman in the front row started talking full volume about how great the cast was. My feelings were sooo conflicted. I wasn't sure if I should be flattered or annoyed.

Last month though I attended a very interesting production of sweeney todd in a 15 seat theatre where a rude girl yelled out "I want to kill myself" during a very intense scene.

[Jane2]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 11:41am

"The purpose wouldn't be to mitigate the immediate situation, but to persuade management not to seat latecomers until intermission."

Since management does not make the late seating decisions, your plan wouldn't work.

[Producer2]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 12:25pm

The candy wrappers are the worst! They make an announcement to unwrap all candy before the show yet after intermission they sell it for a fortune and people come back with tons of crap. You hear the package and plastic open, the skittles flow down the wrapper, etc. It is disgusting! You hear the ice in the beverage travel up and down the cup after each slurp. It is not a movie, it is disruptive to the live performers especially in a play where the music doesn't drown out any noise. It's bad enough people show up late and you need to stand in the middle of the show to let them into their seats, then they bring candy and make noise. I pay top price for my seats and I can't escape it no matter where I sit. Bottom line is some people are uncultured insensitive pigs!

[RSrichie]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 12:30pm

AMEN ITS ABOUT TIME! Now the theatre's have to take responsibility for their patrons behavior.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 12:44pm

^^^ But they won't

"It's bad enough people show up late and you need to stand in the middle of the show to let them into their seats, then they bring candy and make noise. I pay top price for my seats and I can't escape it no matter where I sit. Bottom line is some people are uncultured insensitive pigs!"

YES!

[DAME]

Posted: 7/5/14 at 12:43pm

Everything comes down to the lack of consideration for others.