The most abnormal question(s) about Broadway

[bundy5000]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 7:36pm

I know this is a very weird and abnormal question, but It has always bothered me. Has anyone EVER fell from either Mezz. or Balcony sections inside a Theater?

What actually happens when one is caught recording or video-taping a show? (cause it is "supposedly" punishable by the fullest extent of the law)

Has there ever been an arrest inside a theater?
(excluding Studio 54 )

As much as it is illegal to audio record a show, has there ever been a time where you or someone you know recorded it for non sharing purposes ? I use a voice recorder during my college lectures that are as small as a pen. And camcorders and video recording devices are getting smaller and smaller

Updated On: 1/13/09 at 07:36 PM

[CarolynaGirl]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 7:38pm

As much as it is illegal to audio record a show, has there ever been a time where you or someone you know recorded it for non sharing purposes?
One of my friends has complete audio of the last two performances of PATTILUPONEGYPSY. But I've never done it myself.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 7:40pm

I know this is a very weird and abnormal question, but It has always bothered me. Has anyone EVER fell from either Mezz. or Balcony sections inside a Theater?
A guy named John Wilkes Booth once jumped from a box onto the stage during a performance and broke his leg. Does that count?

No, seriously, interesting question. Actually, I've wondered that, too. Whenever I'm in the front row of the mezzanine, my mom's always shrieking, "don't lean over! You'll fall out!'

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 7:42pm

"What actually happens when one is caught recording or video-taping a show? (cause it is "supposedly" punishable by the fullest extent of the law) "

well, if you get caught taken pictures, you could be ripped to shreads by the amazing Patti!

[bundy5000]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 7:46pm

Well that's a no brainer^

[andrewcomp]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 8:09pm

When getting caught recordings, I've only heard of them taking your camera and deleting the files/taking the tape. Apparently that's all they do. You don't even get kicked out. But, that's just what I've heard.

[cello_dude]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 8:10pm

You CAN be kicked out, camera taken permanently and charged with copyright infringement

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 8:26pm

I was at a performacne of Verdi's MACBETH at the Metropolitan Opera when a man fell off the upper balcony to his death. It was later learned that it was a suicide.

In the past year, I was at a Boston Pops Concert in Symphony Hall when an altercation broke out in the upper ring and someone was arrested. I never found out the specifics.

Updated On: 1/13/09 at 08:26 PM

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 11:10pm

During an early rehearsal for, Runaway's, transition from The Public Theater to Broadway, the actors where given the opportunity to make a "spectacular entrance". One of the cast members thought it would be really cool to jump onto the stage from the mezzanine. Unfortunately, he finished the Off-Broadway run in a cast.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 11:16pm

An on stage audience member at Spring Awakening was arrested a few months ago. I'm sure someone else remembers the details better than do I.

And I do not believe they are LEGALLY allowed to confiscate your camera or other devices....but they tell strongly ASK you for it or they will kick you out.

And yes, while I have never done it and don't think I have the balls to do so, I know several people that do record AUDIO frequently.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 12:23am

I don't think that they are allowed to confiscate your camera either. If we are talking about a digital camera then the things that are breaking the law are the video or picutre files on the camera. Not the camera itself.

[yay_gerb]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 12:51am

yea i dont think they can take your camera and keep it...this isnt high school lol. i have a nikon and i take pictures of curtain calls sometimes and while i was out in LA seeing wicked for the final show the dude took my camera away but then at the end gave it back and didnt delete the pictures so that was nice of him. its actually pretty fun to do, trying to take pictures without someone catching you. but yea im sure they cant keep your camera, as long as you delete the files they wont kill you.

[etoile]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 1:05am

Guess it all depends on how the theatre wants to pursue things. If they want to press charges then I suspect the camera would be seized as evidence.

If it isn't high school then why do some feel the need to behave as if it were?

[LifeofTheParty2]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 4:45am

They can't take your camera, they can only ask that you delete the pictures (and will usually watch you do so) or give them the tape. I always wondered what happened in the days before digital cameras. I know it's easy to confiscate camera film, but can you imagine taking someone's film with all the pictures from their big trip to New York?

[Justin D]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 7:29am

I saw a guy in London get kicked out of Phantom for videoing it.

Lucky for me cause i had top balcony seats but it was empty so everone up there got bumped down to the dress circle, it was still pretty empty and i thought to myself, man if i had my video camera now. but this guy was hunkered down all the way to the side and in the middle of the first act 2 ushers swooped down on him and hauled him up and out, he did not return for the second act.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 7:38am

At the December 27 matinee of "White Christmas," a man fell down the stairs of the left side of the mezzanine and almost took out the woman who was standing near the bottom. As it was, she fell too but wasn't standing up straight enough (maybe bracing for impact from the man) to go over the ledge.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 7:49am

I always wondered what happened in the days before digital cameras. I know it's easy to confiscate camera film, but can you imagine taking someone's film with all the pictures from their big trip to New York?

That is exactly what they would do. Remove the film from the camera and too bad for whatever else was on there. My dad remembers coming up here on a study tour when he was in high school. These kids were all from small-town northern Alabama, so they were pretty much in awe. They had all been told and told NO PICTURES IN THE THEATER, but when they were seeing Hello, Dolly! at the St. James (yes, I got to hear the story repeated and repeated when we saw Gypsy over the summer), one of them took a picture and was descended upon by ushers who removed the film from the camera, so all the pictures up to that point were gone.

I guess that would in theory make people think more seriously about taking pictures after being told not to ~ losing all your pictures on that film to that point vs. having to delete them. (Which, depending on the usher and how savvy they are could be possible to fake...I know whoever my parents catch in TPAC are probably pretty lucky as they try, but my parents are pretty technologically inept.)