Theatre Do and Don'ts Petition!

[Mindfreak1400]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 11:00am

Broadway is a work of art. It has also become a hot tourist spot for visitors to NYC.

An audience can make or break a Broadway performance. Having a disrespectful patron near by can really hinder one's expiernce when watching a show.

Actors can hear and see every move that is made in the audience during a performance. And sometimes it can be really distracting to them.

At every show a Playbill is given out. It would be smart for Playbill to include a page of DO's and DON'Ts for a Broadway audience. Yes, this won't completely stop and seize everyone, but stopping a handful of patrons can create a better expierence in the long run.

Sign my petition so I can send this to Playbill so they can start to include a page in Playbill's and create a better theatre experience for everyone!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/theatre-going-dos-and-donts

Updated On: 5/6/16 at 11:00 AM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 11:55am

You can put it in Playbill from now until doomsday but it will not change this type of behavior from happening. The same people will do it over and over again if you tell them a million times.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 11:58am

This will not work.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 12:05pm

The very first thing audiences hear in many shows after the lights go down is an announcement to silence phones. And yet...

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 12:20pm

the futility of this petition is exceeded only by the futility of what it proposes. 

if you seriously want to effect change, you would seek legal changes and/or new technology: cell phone jamming, signal detection equipment, a prohibition of cell phones in theatres at any time it is open to the public and not limited to "during performance." 

I have no idea what other behavior you are seeking to prevent but most of it is a lost cause because most of the people doing things around theatres other than having their cell phone ring during a show are doing it because they think they are entitled to, whether it is texting, eating, talking, photographing or filming or stagedooring. 

[Demitri2]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 12:21pm

Unfortunately there's a feeling of entitlement in the theater today. I'm not sure whether it's the high price of tickets or a loss of etiquette but people now dress like they're going to a barbeque, put their feet on the stage when possible and use their phones as if they're at home. The overall response being "if I'm spending over a hundred dollars for my ticket, I'll act and dress as I damn well please." As others noted, if the pre show announcement is ineffectual then I highly doubt anything printed in the Playbill regarding behavior is going to make a difference. Plus the people who most need to read it are probably texting on their phones.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 12:23pm

Exactly.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 12:24pm

I just took a group of theater-obsessed students to see a professional regional musical production. We reviewed the rules before. We talked about what to do and not to do. All through Act 1, a bunch of kids talked, commented, questioned, and could not sit still. These were 8th graders by the way. I was too seated too far from this particular group to stop them during the show without causing a major disturbance of my own. 

At intermission, I gave them a stern lecture and reminded them to not talk and to sit still. So they were good through Act 2. Then, the next day at school, one of them informs me that they are all protesting MY rudeness by not being part of the school musical production next fall. They understand that phones are bad, but they vigorously defended their right to quietly talk and make comments in live theater if only the people who are talking can actually hear them. 

Normally students that I take to theater are perfectly behaved. But the world seems to be moving closer and closer to a place where we just have to give up and try our best to hear and see the show over the distractions.  I know I am ready to give up. 

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 12:30pm

The theatres themselves are the cause of some of the biggest distractions because they sell concessions like Broadway is a Disney on Ice show. I don't mind the wine or candy as much, but anything crunchy like chips is a huge distractions and drinks with ice are even worse. When I was at the Jacobs last month it seemed like every other person was shaking ice and eating Pringles. But......the theatres are clearly making profits off of the concessions and money talks.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 1:25pm

When we saw AP, a guy in front of us had one of those overpriced soda cups. He raised the cup all the way right in front of us. He than proceeded to keep the cup inverted for what seemed like an eternity insuring he had made sure every possible drop of liquid was gone from that cup. 

Updated On: 5/6/16 at 01:25 PM

[10086sunset]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 1:26pm

It's amazing to me how rude and clueless the theater going public has become...One could easily blame it on tourists not knowing any better but it's beyond that...

The lack of any sort of a dress code simply pains me...Recently at The Father, I sat next to someone wearing a bandana...Really? How does anyone convince themselves this is acceptable?

[Corey38]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 1:37pm

Rude people usually know that they're being rude. Everyone knows not to talk during a live show, and not to whip your phone out in the middle of it. It's not a matter of letting people know the rules, it's a matter of getting them to obey.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 1:38pm

Hope springs eternal.

[morosco]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 2:02pm

I agree with what Patti Lupone said when she said,  "we have forgotten our public manners".

Some people don't give a sh*t about other people.  It's all about them.  If you politely ask someone to stop many will respond with a "f*ck you" attitude and continue their offensive behavior.

Many people fell that rules don't apply to them.

It's the main reason I go to theater or movies less and less.

One thing I would like to suggest is to make announcements about turning off all technology BEFORE the lights go down at the start of the show.  Maybe at 15 minutes and 5 minutes before the houselights go down.  Give people some more time to fumble with their devices and get them turned off.

I'm all for legalizing theatre cell jamming technology and to post signage to make people firmly aware that, "In an effort to avoid performance distruptions, cell phone jamming technology is being deployed inside this theater.  This technology will render your mobile device completely inoperable and it will not be able to send or receive any calls or texts during the performance.  The taking of photographs or recordings of any kind are also not allowed.  Please completely turn off your phone or mobile device now.  If you do not agree with this policy please do not enter the theater and proceed to the box office for a refund".

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 2:19pm

These people perfectly mirror our society with their"I do not give a **** about anyone but myself"attitude.

 

Did extending starting time 10 minutes after the stated starting time stop latecomers.? You could give some people an hour before and it would make no difference. More and more, I see people not turning off the phone but merely putting a lit cell phone in their bag or pocket. They feel their life will end if they have it completely off for a few hours.

[Petralicious]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 3:04pm

I think patrons should have a do or dont petition for theaters.

Like not selling candy with noisy wrappers, not selling soda with ice, not having waiters going up and down the asles selling candy during intermission and before show like it is a hockey game. Its probably just a manner of time before they start selling popcorn and hot dogs and nacho

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 3:13pm

How about throwing bags of peanuts and crackerjack across the aisle & the money can be passed along?

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 3:14pm

Maybe Sondheim could update the lyrics to "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" and it could be played just prior to curtain? Nah, it still wouldn't help...

Updated On: 5/6/16 at 03:14 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 3:43pm

Nope

Waste of effort

[kdogg36]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 8:53pm

Demitri2 said: "The overall response being "if I'm spending over a hundred dollars for my ticket, I'll act and dress as I damn well please." "

For the record, I will dress as I damn well please - specifically, with comfort as the main deciding factor - within obvious limits. I don't see how this could possibly affect anyone else's enjoyment of the show. I will not act in any way that disrupts other audience members - including asking to climb over them if I arrive late, which is my main pet peeve. 

 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 9:12pm

That is all we can ask for

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 9:18pm

At my local theatre they actually do have a Do and Don't's list in the back of the playbill. 

[ARTc3]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 9:29pm

Part of the cell phone issue isn't that the announcement isn't effective, its that latecomers don't hear the announcement. Latecomers should all be personally be instructed to turn off their phones before being allowed into the house.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 9:50pm

ARTc3 said: "Part of the cell phone issue isn't that the announcement isn't effective, its that latecomers don't hear the announcement. Latecomers should all be personally be instructed to turn off their phones before being allowed into the house."

It's not just the latecomers. The truth is, people just don't have the patience to listen without additional stimulation to grab their attention in this day and age of instant gratification. After all, there's a reason why overtures are going by the wayside. 

[Marianne2]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 10:07pm

When I saw South Pacific, there was a slip in there about no cell phones and videos. I remember people looked at it and were laughing. So this will definitely do nothing.