Seeing Shows Multiple Times

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:08pm

So, after seeing a tag for a photo on Broadway.com, citing that this young gentleman had seen Legally Blonde 16 times, it got me thinking, and I'm not trying to be hostile, or rude, or mean, but does anyone else feel that there's just something not right, something a little, dare I say, unhealthy, with seeing a show 16 times in 4 months? And other numbers in that arena? I mean, it's one thing to have seen Rent 16 times over the last 11 years (which I still a lot IMO, but a little more sporadic).

I almost felt sad for the young guy, standing there, in the photo, with a smile on his face, when realistically, I feel he should grow up a little and read a bit more, or get a hobby, or something.

I know being a fan is usually a positive thing, and by all means, it's great that he (and other fans), support the show. But again, I find it a little sad and startling. Part of me also wishes that he would see other things, besides Legally Blonde to, and that's definitely a part of it.

Does anyone else kind of understand what I mean?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:12pm

ESPECIALLY if they haven't seen many of the other shows on Broadway or off-Broadway or within traveling distance. Why see the same show 20 times when you can see something NEW!?

I have only seen three shows more than once (each twice). SPRING AWAKENING then GREY GARDENS then XANADU. The only other show I want to revisit is THE LION KING because I have seen it sooo long ago.

[thereisnofuture]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:13pm

I think seeing the same show more than once every 2 or 3 months,unless the show is closing soon or something,is kind of nuts.However,I do know some seemingly sane people who do it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:14pm

I understand where you're coming from and agree completely...but I can only think of 1 thing...how could he sit through Legally Blonde 16 times?

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:19pm

eehhhh...we all get obsessive about one thing or another. Seems harmless to me.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:22pm

I do think 16 is a little much. I did see Sweeney Todd three times, but I wouldn't have seen it anymore than that.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:23pm

We all get obsessive?

I mean, at times I guess I would agree, but seeing a show 16 times in 4 months I would call excessive obsessive behavior, which I'm pretty sure any clinical psychologist would tell you is unhealthy...

[uhkthxbye2]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:27pm

Especially for an open-ended run like that. Call me psychotic, but I'm gonna see Gypsy at the City Center for the third time on Wednesday, but only because I know that it's closing next Sunday and I'll probably never get another chance to see that fantastic cast and staging again.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:34pm

GYPSY is understandable. I wish I could have seen it more than once! That's DEFINITELY something to see again. (But even that production...16 times? Borderline ridiculous.)

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:34pm

I saw Hairspray three times, but that was over the course of two years, and I only went back because Diana DeGarmo was in it, and then Alexa Vega. And I too kinda wonder how someone could bear to sit through Legally Blonde sixteen times. Not the best Broadway I've seen!

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:41pm

Oh, now I could see Gypsy a couple more times. As soon as it ended, I could have sat through it all over again.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:42pm

I have to be REALLY drawn to a show to see it more than once.

[glimpseofstocking]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:46pm

Why see the same show 20 times when you can see something NEW!?
My thoughts exactly, CapnHook. I've seen a few shows more than once, but I don't think I would ever go to the extent of 16 in such a short time, no matter how much I loved the show.

[mikem]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:48pm

Someone at the Imperial told me that a woman saw The Boy from Oz well over a hundred times, and it only played about 400 performances, so that person went at least twice a week on average for a whole year. (This person was not affiliated with the show in any way.) So the Legally Blonde guy is just an amateur.

I think 100+ times in a year is a bit much, but on the other hand, if it makes that person happy and they have the money and that is how they want to spend their time and it's not hurting anybody, why not? I personally would not want to see the same show so many times because it would mean that I couldn't see other ones, but the Legally Blonde guy and the Boy from Oz woman apparently feel differently than I do (and that's okay).

Updated On: 7/22/07 at 10:48 PM

[nyc44]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:50pm

16 times in four months?? This person is crazy. For a lot of people like that, the great white way begins and ends in one theatre. Then they come and brag that they have seen such and such a show 67 times. Quite sad (and amusing to us). The only shows I've seen multiple times are Grey Gardens (twice), The Drowsy Chaperone (twice), and *cringe* Wicked (three time). I think if you really loved a show and want to take friends/family/whoever to share it with then it's fine to go again or if a certain show can make you feel good no matter what and you're having a bad day why not? But 16 times in four months? wtf?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:55pm

Saw the original SWEENEY 7 times, one wih Hearn and Loudon, the rest with Carious and Lansbury. Justifiable? Crazy? Compulsive? Maybe, but over about 15 months.

My show queen street cred: CARRIE three times -- no, I missed the first preview, but did see the 2nd (a Friday night, I believe). And most revealing: SIDE SHOW, 8 1/2 times, but 2 were freebies,one the legendary closing night. I am not ashamed, and still remember the 2nd acting excursions I did, when I sat alone in the Rogers mezz, the usher aware I'd snuck in. Hey, we are who we are, we post because of it.

[mattonstage]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 11:06pm

"There are other plays"
"Not with Ms. Bundy, not choreographed by Mr. Mitchell."
Paraphrasing by me, dialogue by Mr. Joe Manckewicz (spelling?) from All About Eve.

I listen to songs over and over, see movies more than a few times, still watch "I Love Lucy" reruns, the only problem I have is I don't have the money to see shows over and over.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 11:09pm

16 times in four months is a little much, but I see nothing wrong with seeing shows that many times if the run is long.

I've seen JERSEY BOYS 17 times (I believe now) in the past year and a half for a variety of reasons: part of which because I love the show and performances, part of which I love seeing understudies take on new roles, part of which nothing makes me feel like the show can, and part of which that I actually work at the August Wilson sometimes, and I revel in the fact that part of my job is actually watching the show (I'm sure this will up my count a lot more in the time to come). I honestly don't find anything wrong with it.

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 11:13pm

I have never repeatedly seen a show before, and unless it's really good, I don't want to. I like to see as many new shows as possible, as I can't stand seeing the same thing over and over again. Add in the fact that I'm geographically challenged, and chances are, I'll never get to see a Broadway show twice in my life (unless I move to NYC, that is). There are tons of new shows opening every time I go to the city.

[misschung]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 11:14pm

but seeing a show 16 times in 4 months I would call excessive obsessive behavior, which I'm pretty sure any clinical psychologist would tell you is unhealthy...

I think that's a little bit harsh. I understand that this situation is easy to point fingers at simply because it's Legally Blond, but would we really be making the same accusations if it were a show with more "street credit" among theatergoers? Maybe not, I don't know. If you're saying that there is a cause for concern because the show seems to be taking over this guy's life, and that he's wildly abandoning all his responsibilities in order to see Laura Bell Bundy and her dog twice a week - then yes, I think maybe something's gone awry there. But that goes without saying for anything, not just a show.

if it makes that person happy and they have the money and that is how they want to spend their time and it's not hurting anybody, why not? I personally would not want to see the same show so many times because it would mean that I couldn't see other ones, but the Legally Blonde guy and the Boy from Oz woman apparently feel differently than I do (and that's okay).

Exactly. I think that we need to leave our personal opinion of the show aside. I hear lots of people say "Well, I've seen this show X number of times, BUT it was over a long period of time, or because it was a limited engagement, etc" I think that with all the considerable less wholesome means of entertainment, and with all the insane, screwed up people in this world, we shouldn't really be concerned for a young guy who saw Legally Blond 16 times. I mean, people who are intensely passionate about film or music have seen certain movies hundreds of times, or listened to the same album a thousand times. What's different about this situation?

Updated On: 7/22/07 at 11:14 PM

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 11:15pm

I listen to songs over and over, see movies more than a few times, still watch "I Love Lucy" reruns, the only problem I have is I don't have the money to see shows over and over.

You do bring up a good point. If you have the money, and it's not a hassle getting to the theater, I guess seeing a show 16+ times is not such a huge deal. The problem with most of us here is...well, those two problems. It's much harder for the majority of us to rack up performances of a certain live show than it is to listen to its album multiple times, or to pop in a beloved DVD. But if you don't have that problem, then what the hell? Go for it.

Even so, there are limits. There are movies I've watched upwards of 20 times, but that's over years and years, and I've grown an emotional attachment to those movies that makes me watch them again and again--an attachment that, I think, only comes with time. So in that light...Legally Blonde, 16 times, in four months? At that point, you have to admit it's a little different from re-watching a movie you love.

Updated On: 7/22/07 at 11:15 PM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 2:42am

I personally don't have a problem with seeing shows many, many times as long as it doesn't take away from seeing other shows. Now, people can say I'm being hypocritical if they list that I saw the History Boys 24 times during its limited run. But, it was a limited run so I wanted to see it as much as I could...and it didn't stop me from seeing other things. I'd seen every open musical and almost every open play (on Broadway) at the time. I don't see anything wrong with seeing a show as many times as you want in whatever amount of time...as long as it doesn't prevent you from seeing other things and broadening your horizons as well. For example, at the present I've seen every show open on Broadway...so if that means I make several returns to ones I've already seen, I see no problem with it. Yet, once something else opens I'll go see that before I return to something else. If seeing a show as many times as the person mentioned in the first post did, makes them happy I don't see a problem with it at all provided they realize they should take the time to see other things- because I, for one, would hate to know I missed out on something I would have loved because I was too busy seeing something else a hundred times in a row.


...as for someone (I believe it was the original poster) saying the person should get a hobby, this probably is that person's hobby and I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. I think its a much better hobby than some other things they could be doing.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 7:59am

Well, some people just have enough money to see like 3 shows every week. I know that I've never seen a show more than five times (Beauty & the Beast) however there are those types of people who believe that every year you don't see RENT you have to subtract 5 shows from your total show count.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 9:03am

I think it's crazy to see the same show 16 times! My limit is only seeing something twice if I really loved the show. It's really expensive and even if you could afford it, see a different show!

[StageFan2]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 9:40am

I subscribe to the old "if it feels good do it" school of thought; as long as it doesn't hurt anybody of course. If seeing Blonde 16 times makes him happy - great, seems like a harmless past-time.

Now if he were to see it 17 times, I might become concerned for his mental stability.