Have you ever walked out of a show? Or seen others walk out?

[ICEcreamAssassin]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:19am

Okay I don't believe in walking out of live theatre..well heck neither a movie.. but lets get back to the subject..

My best friend and I see shows all the time whether it be in NYC or here in LA. Last Year he went to see Big River at the Ahmanson. I was unavailable that night so he took a date. Now, I didn't tell him that it was a "sign-language" musical, but I thought I've exposed him to a lot of theatre so it won't be an issue. The next day he tells me how he walked out during intermission but that he was tempted to walk out during the first act. I was shocked. I would have just stuck it out and from the Tony's performance it looked intriguing at best.

So this past year we bought tickets to see The Black Rider. From what I had read and seen on the web, it looked amazing. Well during the first act the audience began to diminish. People got up and started leaving during the 3rd number!! I was astonished! My best friend at intermission says lets go! lol I wasn't going to leave, I was actually enjoying it. When we got back from intermission, half the theater was gone. Granted, this is a very 'avante garde' type of musical but I took it as a high art piece. So I've always wanted to see other peoples opinions on walk outs. any good stories? Am I crazy or is walking out during the acts just horribly rude!?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:30am

I left during intermission of FOREVER TANGO and RING OF FIRE, but there were also people leaving during the first act of these shows.

[Miss B. L. T. Down]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:33am

Despite the fact that it's my favorite book of all time, I was very tempted to leave during intermission of Little Women. I could not believe I was bored senseless because I was so excited about seeing the show. It's the only musical I've ever had to talk myself into sticking around for the second act.

[Anthony3]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:35am

a group of about 6 people in front of me left during the intermission of Sweeney Todd.

[Renthead#1]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:37am

Rent of course like all the old ppl when I c it leave the place.
And at a community thaetre production of Showboat most people left.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:40am

I've walked out of 2 NYMF shows in the last 2 years. But I've never walked out of a broadway show.

oh, but had ThreepennyOpera had an intermission I would have left.

[logan0215]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:42am

I would never leave a show, ever.

That may be a bit too much of extreme language, but I doubt I ever would. I feel like seeing theater is important, including (if not especially) bad theater because it will not only have at least some redeeming values but it will also give you a basis of which to compare other productions you see.

Its a shame you left Ring of Fire, yes it completely lacked a plot, but the performances were stellar and Cass Morgan's "Waiting on the Farside Banks of Jordan" toward the end of Act II was astounding, I was left in tears both times I saw it.

Updated On: 11/5/06 at 02:42 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:46am

I was tempted to walk out of Dr. Dolittle.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:43am

I walked out of 'DIE, MOMMIE, DIE' when it played here in LA. Well, I left at intermission.

I had a freind in the show as well. I've never done that before or since.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 4:18am

The people next to me left at Wicked.

I would have walked out of The Dead the musical, had there been an intermission.

[ICEcreamAssassin]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 4:34am

I should also mention that I almost walked out of CATS at intermission..but I said to myself "I have to see memory" so I stuck it out. I enjoyed the 2nd act more than the first but that whole "opera" sequence was boring me to tears. If it wasnt for the outstanding cast in it.. i would've had left. Although I say it now.. I would never leave. No matter how horrific.. I saw sweet charity with molly ringwald for god sakes.. that takes courage!! :)

I would'nt think people would leave during wicked..its seems like the easiest of musicals to captivate a general audience.. i could be wrong

[Julian2]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 4:42am

I would like to think I would never walk out on any show. I just cannot comprehend commiting such an act as completely disregaurding a full night of theatre. However, I have not, as of yet, been tempted to, so I have not yet been able to test myself. I went with a friend once to go a see a local production of Nunsense, which he told me afterwards he was tempted to leave [And had I not of been their and haveing such a marvelous time, he might have].

On a side note, I have an Aunt and Uncle who were very tempted to walk out of A Chorus Line. [Oy ve] They decided not too, I beleive what held them back was a sense of manners, Good For Them.

[cello_dude]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 4:53am

i played cello in Oklahoma! at the wallace bowl... which is a very large outdoor theater (seats about 2000) and during the last number (Oklahoma!) it started to rain... not very hard. We had a full house, but the time the song Oklahoma was over, almost half the audiene was gone!... 1000 people left in about 5 min! it was pretty insane

[cello_dude]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 4:53am

i played cello in Oklahoma! at the wallace bowl... which is a very large outdoor theater (seats about 2000) and during the last number (Oklahoma!) it started to rain... not very hard. We had a full house, but the time the song Oklahoma was over, almost half the audiene was gone!... 1000 people left in about 5 min! it was pretty insane

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 6:11am

I wouldnt think of walking out a show, it would be just a waste of money and ticket. never have, never will. But on the other hand, I have seen other people walking out.

This was in the London Production of WICKED about a month ago. It was at the intermission, a middle-aged man was complaining about something and he looked ticked off, I couldn't hear it properly but all I saw him doing was going nuts in front of the manager and some of the ushers. Probably there was someone being rude somewhere near the Orchestra Seats or something. But in the end, he was escorted out of the Theatre and hadn't seen him since.
Updated On: 11/5/06 at 06:11 AM

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 7:56am

I would never walk out of a theatre, but, when I saw WICKED in Pittsburgh, there were these two, heavy-set people down towards the front of the second tier. Now, I was in the very top of the second tier (because most of you know, in Pittsburgh, it was basically sold out after two days, so we got these seats through our choral director). Back to the heavy-set people...during "Defying Gravity", when Elphaba and Glinda were singing right before Elphaba flies up, these two people stand up and start leaving! It was the end of act one! Couldn't they wait! So, in this result of them leaving & being heavy-set, I couldn't see Glinda and Elphaba singing, nor the guards running in. But as soon as they left out the door to go down into the main lobby, Elphaba flew up. I don't know if they were leaving, leaving or just leaving so they could hit the restrooms before the entire theatre went. All in all, they missed "Defying Gravity".

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 8:08am

Front row at Sweeney Todd, a group of older men and women walked past us to their seats. Halfway through the "hole in the world" section of "No Place Like London" I heard one of the men say, "I'm not gonna be spit on!" and he got up and walked out. Why the hell would you buy front row seats if u didn't want the whole experience?

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 8:08am

I never like to walk out of shows, but my parents are big on doing it if they don't like the show. They walked out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue when it previewed in Philadelphia. They also recently walked out of the new broawdway transfer which will be coming soon, Translations.

[justafan2]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 8:09am

I saw people walk out of "By Jeeves" (and I was tempted, but I won't do that). I also was really tempted to walk out of "Ring of Fire" (many people did), but I stayed and then....won tix to see it again. My husband loved it and so we went and...I really enjoyed it the second time. (I guess I knew what to expect (or not expect), relaxed and just enjoyed the show.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 8:22am

I walked out of HOLLYWOOD ARMS, or whatever that Carol Burnett play was, the one with Michelle Pawk. Bored senseless.

I'm dating myself here: I walked out of COASTAL DISTURBANCES, which was so unbelievably boring that not even the possibility of Tim Daly in swim trunks could enliven it.

I walked out of a tedious little musical called THE IMMIGRANT, because it was a tedious little musical.

I sat all the way through the mind-and-soul numbing horror of RING OF FIRE, GOOD VIBRATIONS, JUMPERS, and DEMOCRACY. I was with people who wanted to stay.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 8:26am

I forgot FAME ON 42ND STREET, which we would have gladly departed at intermission, but we knew someone on the production and recognized them in the audience as we were getting our coats together.

FAME ON 42ND STREET. Forgotten but never ever forgiven.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 8:31am

my dad was gonna walk out during intermission at SWEENEY TODD
and this isnt really the show, but my parents were about to leave when we saw the RENT movie
i personally wouldn't leave a show, but yeah

[Bruce Memblagh!]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 8:34am

I have only walked out a couple of times and I would again if I have have paid for a ticket and find that the first act has not given me anything to appreciate. Sure I might miss out on a glorious 2nd act or that one knockout number in the second act but that would be my loss. And if a production cannot get its act together in act 1 it does not deserve to have support for act 2.

Also theatre is not a charity and some people get over-protective and precious about all this. We have no obligation to stay to the bitter end just to flatter the egos of a creative team/cast.

I would never walk out however if I am seeing a preview or if I had not paid for the ticket or if I was going to watch a friend etc in a production. But for commercial theatre where I have paid and I want to be entertained then it is my choice. In the same way I will not applaud an actor at the end unless I felt they have earned it (regardless of the quality of the material) though I have to say it rarely happens when I dont applaud.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 9:29am

Walked out of Little Women during previews. Funny story. A few years earlier I had done two show for NetWorks, which is Owned by the Major Producer for Little women. I was wearing one of my Tour jackets because it was, if I recall correctly, winter. I had seats in the last row of the Orchestra right next to the sound guy. It got to the beginning of the second act and I was less than "Astonished" (Had to do it). Well, I and my companion decided to leave. We figured that we could do it since we wouldn't be noticed since we were in the last row. We Got up and I turned around and saw a bunch of people From Networks who were all in the back of the theater checking out the show. I knew some of these people very well after working for them for over two years of my life! I said Hello quickly and told them that I got a very important phone call and had to Go. One of the funnier/embarrassing moments in my Life.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 9:42am

Two we walked out of were Copenhagen & Stones In My Pocket