If Your Children are talking and restless-take them out

[SarahNYC2]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 5:18pm

Hi,

So I need to vent in a community I am pretty sure will understand. My daughter who is 11, myself and my boyfriend were at Aladdin in Orlando. The couple in front of us had two children about 3 and 4-the whole first act they were being passed back and forth between the parents, chatting/whining and crying. During intermission I asked them to keep the kids quiet during the 2nd act. Then 2nd act starts and its worse. I went to an usher and they came to oversee and then asked the parents to take the kids out. The mom says thanks for ruining our experience. I am just in shock by the whole incident. 

[sparksatmidnight]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 5:53pm

Unfortunately common sense seems to be overlooked these days. If only we could have an app for that

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 6:17pm

SarahNYC2 said: "I am just in shock by the whole incident."

 

In a 2018 thread, you also complained about parents bringing babies and toddlers to the theater.  You will survive.  Get over it.

 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 6:55pm

<<edited by BWW staff>>

Sarah, it’s not just you, I promise. And it’s not just parents of young children. Even the other night at MEDEA, I had to tell the people in front of me to stop filming the show four times. It was 80 minutes long. Audience behavior is only getting worse.

Updated On: 1/27/20 at 06:55 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 6:57pm

Highland Guy said: "SarahNYC2 said: "I am just in shock by the whole incident."



In a 2018 thread, you also complained about parents bringing babies andtoddlers to the theater. You will survive. Get over it.

"

Are you implying she has no right to have been annoyed? Or just  no right to take a minute and vent.  You'd  be wrong in either case, but just  wanted to know.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 7:31pm

Highland Guy said: "SarahNYC2 said: "I am just in shock by the whole incident."



In a 2018 thread, you also complained about parents bringing babies andtoddlers to the theater. You will survive. Get over it.

"

No customer should get over anything that prevents them to fully enjoy the experience they paid for. As a mother of two teens,  who used to be toddlers, I would have said something too. I started bringing the kids to the theater when they turned 7-8. I had to take out my daughter from the Nutcraker (she was 5 I think) because she got bored during the second act, so we both don't disrupt the performance for people around us who paid an arm and a leg for the mid orchestra tickets. If I go to a theater,  even a family musical like Aladdin,  I expect no constant disruption either. Theater isn't a Disneyworld.

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 9:18pm

I feel very fortunate not to have had any problems with my grandkids during theatrical presentations. I started taking them when they were 5 and they were always fully attentive.
My grandson, on the other hand, caused major problems at a Boston Pops concert--running ip and down the aisles and trying to get on stage.

As Keith Lockhart is a friend of mine, he suggested, "Next time bring reinforcements"

[magictodo123]

Posted: 1/26/20 at 10:03pm

iluvtheatertrash said: "Highland, you are insufferable. Do you have nothing better to do than go into every thread and insult people? Get a hobby,

Sarah, it’s not just you, I promise. And it’s not just parents of young children. Even the other night at MEDEA, I had to tell the people in front of me to stop filming the show four times. It was 80 minutes long. Audience behavior is only getting worse."

They don't even bother to hide it anymore. I see blatant bootlegs of shows like Moulin Rouge! on social media all the time. Audiences respecting performers seems to have gone WAY downhill. 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 12:07am

I agree with the OP.  Don't inflict your luddite children on me in quiet spaces and I won't feel the need to loudly call you out.

Parents often times lose all sense of reality being in that bubble, but that's not an excuse.  The moment you take your toddlers to a place where they could ruin a whole audience's night, that's on you.  It's selfish.  

If they're too restless to sit through a show, don't take them.  Simple.

[Ladylusiphur]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 7:51am

I've seen a general slide in behavior at theaters over the past few years, and in cinemas/movie theaters too. (I don't think i've seen a movie recently where people haven't talked throughout.)

The thing is, I can kind of understand that when you're watching a film it's a reasonably cheap night out so there will be a range of people in the audience. Theater though? Who can afford to pay $100+ for a ticket and then miss most of the show by talking through it?! Aside from spoiling everyone else's night, you're just wasting your money. 

Children I suppose it's a bit different, as some will be having their first experience of the theater and the parents won't know if they'll be quiet/well behaved or not, but it's still their responsibility to take reasonable steps to either encourage good behavior or take them out. Disney shows must be the worst for that, people often seem to assume that because it's family orientated that it's solely for kids and therefore they can behave how they like. The first time I saw Lion King was like a school assembly with them all taking really loudly between each scene, it was dreadful. (Thankfully second time was must better, proving that well behaved kids do exist too!) 

Seeing Hadestown last year was amazing. We were at the back of one of the boxes, and the 4 people in front left at the intermission. There was nobody in the immediate vicinity to distract me at all, I was so happy! 

[Lot666]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 9:26am

BenjaminNicholas2 said: "I agree with the OP. Don't inflict your luddite children on me in quiet spaces and I won't feel the need to loudly call you out.

Parents often times lose all sense of reality being in that bubble, but that's not an excuse. The moment you take your toddlers to a place where they could ruin a whole audience's night, that's on you. It's selfish.

If they're too restless to sit through a show, don't take them. Simple."

Updated On: 1/27/20 at 09:26 AM

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 10:37am

I did not know children that young could go to a show. 

[Impossible2]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 1:13pm

Well well theres a surprise...

[SarahNYC2]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 1:25pm

Highland Guy said: "SarahNYC2 said: "I am just in shock by the whole incident."



In a 2018 thread, you also complained about parents bringing babies andtoddlers to the theater. You will survive. Get over it.

I might have posted that-I think it was about Frozen and a crying baby. This annoys the heck out of me, and I think it should be addressed by theaters all over. I have an 11 year old daughter. She has been going to shows since age 3. At 3 I took her to Mary Poppins-the 2nd half she began to get restless. I took her to the room where they had a video where we could watch. I waited another year before taking her to the theater. The next time no issue. I find out OUTRAGEOUS that a parent/caretaker would think it was ok to allow their child(ten) to get up/sit down/whine/cry. I have season tickets to Orlando's Broadway shows-it's less expensive than seeing shows in NYC, however it still costs money-these 3 seats were almost 200 dollars and I went to brunch as we made a day out of it. I do not want it ruined by something like this.  So I am not going to just get over it.

Now I have made the decision that I am no longer going to Disney musicals. I know this can happen at any show, but I think it happens more at Disney Broadway theater. I suspect Frozen may be touring next year and I plan to not go see it because I know I'll be aggravated. I also plan to email the theater as I did not feel the usher addressed this situation.
"

 

[ModernMillie3]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 1:35pm

I completely agree with you Sarah. The audacity she had to blame YOU for her despicable behavior and poor parenting is beyond my comprehension. I would have laughed at her and threw a drink in her face, honestly. 

Disney shows are lovely, but not worth my sanity regarding the parents who let their kids do whatever they want. A lot of kids are well behaved and pay attention. But, it all comes down to the few entitled parents out there ruining it for everyone else. You can vent here whenever you want, regardless of the people telling you to get over it. They are wrong. I hope your next experience is much better!

Updated On: 1/27/20 at 01:35 PM

[Marianne2]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 2:26pm

I find it hilarious that the mother decided that their experience was ruined because someone didn't like their kids whining. If that was my kids or nephew, the evening would ruined because clearly something is bothering them to act that way. And it would be my responsibility to try to make it better and not annoy others.

[bdn223]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 2:57pm

Marianne2 said: "I find it hilarious that the mother decided that their experience was ruined because someone didn't like their kids whining. If that was my kids or nephew, the evening would ruined because clearly something is bothering them to act that way. And it would be my responsibility to try to make it better and not annoy others.

"
I remember about 10 years ago for my Birthday I went with a couple friends to see The Lion King. We had a family with two children under the age of 6 sitting in front of us,  they were a little restless, but nothing two distracting. The issue though was the mother. During intermission my friends and I were discussing some changes from the film and what we thought of how the production staged certain plot points thus far. Out of no where the mother turns around and screams at my friends and I saying, “I paid $600 for tickets and My children have never seen it so thanks for ruining the experience for them!” My friends and I were taken aback and confused, as the production itself had just celebrated its 15th anniversary and the film a cultural mile stone had been out for nearly 20 years. Meanwhile our discussion was basically summed up as “awww I wish they were able to do this? I really liked how they did that. Wait did they remove this part, as I could of swore Simba did this?” It was not as if we said “I can’t wait for Samba to kill Scar!” The mother then made another comment after the show ended, “Thanks for ruining my kids first show!” 
The level of entitlement of parents at shows is frustrating to say the least. My friends literally had to talk me down afterwards as I was just distraught thinking I was totally as fault. 

 

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 3:51pm

SarahNYC2 said: "Highland Guy said: "SarahNYC2 said: "I am just in shock by the whole incident."

In a 2018 thread, you also complained about parents bringing babies andtoddlers to the theater. You will survive. Get over it.

I might have posted that-I think it was about Frozen and a crying baby. This annoys the heck out of me, and I think it should be addressed by theaters all over. I have an 11 year old daughter. She has been going to shows since age 3. At 3 I took her to Mary Poppins-the 2nd half she began to get restless. I took her to the room where they had a video where we could watch. I waited another year before taking her to the theater. The next time no issue. I find out OUTRAGEOUS that a parent/caretaker would think it was ok to allow their child(ten) to get up/sit down/whine/cry. I have season tickets to Orlando's Broadway shows-it's less expensive than seeing shows in NYC, however it still costs money-these 3 seats were almost 200 dollars and I went to brunch as we made a day out of it. I do not want it ruined by something like this. So I am not going to just get over it.

Now I have made the decision that I am no longer going to Disney musicals. I know this can happen at any show, but I think it happens more at Disney Broadway theater. I suspect Frozen may be touring next year and I plan to not go see it because I know I'll be aggravated. I also plan to email the theater as I did not feel the usher addressed this situation.
""

I completely agree with you and will now only go see Disney shows on weeknights. I also had a situation with a crying infant in the theater the 1st time I saw Frozen. There were also a lot of little kids making noise throughout the show. The St. James doesn't seem to honor the posted policy about the show being for ages 4 and above. Though I don't think this is limited to Disney shows. In one of the Tina threads, a poster recently posted about someone at the box office trying buy a ticket for their infant.

It's too bad that the Disney touring shows don't have the monitor and video feeds in the lobby the way their Broadway counterparts do. I get why it's hard to do on the road but I do think it's helpful.

 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 4:04pm

Highland Guy said: "SarahNYC2 said: "I am just in shock by the whole incident."



In a 2018 thread, you also complained about parents bringing babies andtoddlers to the theater. You will survive. Get over it.

You are the one who is not living in reality.  Why should someone pay good money to see a live performance, only to have that enjoyment shot in the head by bad behavior.  I have to admit that I tend to deal with it immediately and decisively.  Examples: when the people in front of me at one show insisted on using their cell phone, after asking politely, I started kicking their seat until they got the message that I was not going to stop; they were quiet the rest of the show, 90% of which remained.  At Frozen, I was luckily on an aisle.  I got up 15 minutes into the show, after again politely asking the people in front of me to stop talking in a regular voice in an ongoing conversation (they didn't).  The usher came and told them that they would be asked leave if they continued to make noise (someone else complained also).  The people next to them gave me a thumbs-up.  Why should I allow inconsiderate people detract from my enjoyment.  It is nutlike I paid $10 to see a movie. 

Of course, if the kids were three and four, they should not have been allowed in the theatre.  Regardless of the parent's refusal to do something, the theatre shares some blame here.  IMO Sarah made a huge mistake at not going to management at our even before intermission. 

 

 

 

[binau]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 4:09pm

yankeefan7 said: "I did not know children that young could go to a show."

This is the weird thing - Broadway theatres sometimes explicitly have house rules about minimum ages. But in my experience, they are not always enforced at 'family' shows. 

[castlestreet]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 4:22pm

My wife and I took our two daughters to a performance of The Addams Family on Broadway when the OBC were still there. We were second row center and about ten minutes before curtain a mother with three children take their seats front row. She then proceeds to start unboxing all of the toys she had just bought them at the old Toys R Us-full view of everyone. These kids, who were older than my girls btw, start to play with the toys on the floor. The entire night Lane and Neuwirth were obviously annoyed with what was going on, yet nothing was being done by the house staff.

That night at the stage door Neuwirth looked at our girls and then at my wife and I and said “thank you for leaving the toys box at home”.

We were beyond upset that someone would do that-let alone front and center like that without anyone doing anything about it.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 4:25pm

qolbinau said: "yankeefan7 said: "I did not know children that young could go to a show."

This is the weird thing - Broadway theatres sometimes explicitly have house rules about minimum ages. But in my experience, they are not always enforced at 'family' shows."

And the irony is that most people bend over backwards NOT to complain when kids are the problem; of course, the parents who bring them, and do not have the good sense to take them to the lobby for awhile if they are acting up, are the real problem.

 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 4:27pm

And if they don't understand something, wait until after the show to explain it to them.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 5:12pm

You are the one who is not living in reality.  Why should someone pay good money to see a live performance, only to have that enjoyment shot in the head by bad behavior.

Completely agree, with everything you've said. No one is entitled to screw up your enjoyment of any performance, let no one tell you differently. 

Updated On: 1/27/20 at 05:12 PM

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 1/27/20 at 5:16pm

Bottom line, if nothing is said or done, <<edited by BWW staff>> will continue to do it and think it's acceptable.

CALL THEM OUT.  GET THEM THROWN OUT.

Alamo Drafthouse does this on a routine basis.  It only takes one time thrown out that a person learns and likely doesn't come back or do it again.  Embarrassment is a strong learning tool for adults.

 

Updated On: 1/27/20 at 05:16 PM