What Gives You The Right To Turn On Your Phone During The Show- Page 3

[cjmclaughlin10]

Posted: 7/24/19 at 6:35pm

This whole work emergency excuse is erroneous

I always tell my co-workers ahead of time that I will be unavailable between 745-11 then turn off the phone but check at intermission

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 7/24/19 at 7:05pm

Hey all - thanks for your input. Sorry for ruffling everyone’s feathers.

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 7/24/19 at 8:02pm

theatregoer3, I just wanted to make it clear to you so that in the future you don't repeat your actions. It is illegal to use your cell phone (for any use) in any NYC theater. Moulin Rouge is currently playing in NYC.  Now you are aware of it, I trust you won't make that mistake again causing you to annoy the person next to you and distracting the cast. You don't seem to be a terrible person, just unaware of the laws. And the next emergency, just skip the theater. Thanks, have a good night. 

[getupngo]

Posted: 7/24/19 at 8:26pm

I can’t wait for all the theatres to start using those pouches that lock away your phones.

[rlj1010]

Posted: 7/24/19 at 8:38pm

Once upon a time, we didn't have cell phones. People still went to Broadway shows, and the world didn't come to an end.

[xoffender45]

Posted: 7/24/19 at 10:49pm

At the Into the Woods concert at The Town Hall recently, a woman a few rows in front of me was clearly very bored and kept playing with her phone. I never have a problem asking people to shut their phones off, and I’m always down for a good argument when they feel entitled and get defensive. But I was too far to say anything directly to her, so I decided I’d ask an usher at intermission to just keep an eye on her during the second

I spoke to the closest employee, who was a security guard who told me it wasn’t their job to ask people to turn off their phones. I insisted for him to find me an usher, and that usher luckily went to the woman and gave her a heads up that her phone was distracting.

At the end of the show, I found a house manager and told him about the incident with the security guard, and he confirmed to me that Town Hall has no policy about cellphone usage, and that it’s really “not that distracting.” I had to point out that I -a paying audience member- was distracted, and that this was definitely the first time I’ve heard of a theater space with no cellphone policy, but he disagreed.(!!?) I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone and just left. But if you’ve ever wished to call your mom or play Angry Birds on your phone during a show and get away with it, the historic Town Hall is the place to be!

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 7/25/19 at 7:27am

theatregoer3 said: "I think we can also try and be understanding. At Moulin Rouge the other night I had to look at my phone to quickly respond to emergency work texts. I was in the middle of the row and would have made a bigger fuss by leaving. The patron next to me was clearly perturbed. At intermission I apologized to him and explained the situation. He seemed to be grateful for the apology. We’re all human."

May i ask, not in a jerky way, but as more of an educational point. What was the emergency? Are you Doctor, consultant etc and it involved a patients safety? 

Mare you a law enforcement/legal professional and it involved the immediate incarceration of a person?

Or was it that something needed to be signed by the end of a period of time so as not to delay it? 

Thanks. 

[magictodo123]

Posted: 7/25/19 at 7:43am

rlj1010 said: "Once upon a time, we didn't have cell phones. People still went to Broadway shows, and the world didn't come to an end."

Exactly. Once upon a time people didn't have phones to use to record shows in any way. And you know what happened to people who couldn't come to a Broadway show? They survived. What a concept. I despise the entitled attitude so many people have displayed. No matter where in the world you are, it doesn't make recording a show okay in any way, through audio or visually.