Theater etiquette

[misterm]

Originally Posted by cprted

A friend of mine went to see Hugh Jackman in The Boy from Oz on Broadway a while back. According to her, about ten minutes into the show a latecomer was getting seated in one of the front rows. Jackman stopped the show an struck up conversation with the patron, "Hi, I'm Hugh what's your name?"
"Uhhhhhh, Jim."
"Hi Jim, welcome to the show. Where are you from?"
"Uhhhhhh, New Jersey."
"Really? Well I'm from Australia and I managed to get here on time."

same type of story about Patti LuPone a few years back in Sweeney Todd. a woman was eating her popcorn rather loudly (because the producers thought it would be a grand idea to allow food and drinks!) in the front row. apparently it was really grating on LuPone and the actress who was playing violin onstage reached down with her bow and lowered the bag from the woman.

of course, even though these things are annoyances, i detest the thought of actors breaking character to handle something like this. they know better and it just comes off as extremely unprofessional

[ruinexplorer]

Originally Posted by misterm

of course, even though these things are annoyances, i detest the thought of actors breaking character to handle something like this. they know better and it just comes off as extremely unprofessional

I agree, that is the job of the house manager. There should be acceptable times for seating late patrons, and the performer should accept that (unless they are a comedian and then the patron deserves what they get). All the other annoyance devices should be handled by ushers.

[NickJones]

Originally Posted by ruinexplorer

I agree, that is the job of the house manager. There should be acceptable times for seating late patrons, and the performer should accept that (unless they are a comedian and then the patron deserves what they get). All the other annoyance devices should be handled by ushers.

Yes. I totally agree. When students are forced too see something they will play on there phones if they play isn't what they want. I don't get why they stay in the theatre, as most are not even watching the play. As for the dress code, I have no problems with a guy in jeans and thongs (The footwear not underwear) to come in and see a play, as long as he sits quietly and watches. Theatre shouldn't just be for the "Upper Class" in my view. When I go, I always wear a shirt, and I always turn my phone off. It drives me nuts to see people texting, do people really have anything that urgent that can't wait until the intermission to be discussed?

Manners are definitely going down hill, I open doors for people, who don't even acknowledge me. But the world is constantly changing, and sadly, manners will go. As very little of the younger generations have them, and if they do, chances are it's because there parent's forced them to.

That's just my rant anyway.
Nick
PS, I would like to point out that I'm a "Young Person" and not an old man, despite what someone reading what I read would assume.

[renegadeblack]

I go to a regional theatre with my folks on occasion to see a show. I'm not sure if it's rumor about my generation about not thinking that it's necessary to get dressed up or that I'm used to working the show in a pair of black jeans and a black shirt

As for use of cellular devices our high school's recent production of Pirates of Penzance, our director was in the booth with us and was able to see all of the audience. During one of the nights of our run, the audience was outrageous. After intermission, she had us give her a microphone so she could go on stage and say "During my 35 years of directing performances, never have I seen such a poorly behaved audience. You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves. There are reasons that we tell you not to partake in flash photography..." she...was...pissed. We all applauded her when she got back to the booth.

Seperately, again when I went to see a show with my mother, she takes out her friggin cellphone in the middle of the show. I GLARED at her and SHE was yelling at ME. Excuse me? Who's the one being rude and lighting up half of the house?

EDIT: Also, I like the idea of having the conductor answering a phone call in the middle of the opening number. I'm going to suggest that to my director for our next show because that's just brilliant.

[030366]

As part of a pre-show announcement, one of our local venues plays a sound bite of about 20 different cell phones ringing, all one on top of another. It seems to be very effective. Also, when I'm playing the part of a theatre patron, I've learned to become more outspoken to other audience members. A well-timed and neatly sarcastic, "Are you really important enough to be texting during this performance?" works wonders.

[TimMiller]

I was once doing one show, and after the preshow announcement a guy in the back of the house's phone would ring, we had two guys dressed up as SWAT repel down off the catwalk and drag him out. It was pretty effective and very funny. I only ever once responded to a text during a show, while i was in the audience, and that was due to i couldnt get up and leave, very distracting where i was sitting, but it was a message about how the media server at a poison concert crapped out and they needed help quick i gave them the down and dirty very quickly, and then proceeded to call them during intermission.

[ReiRei]

During OSF's last season, my English class went to see Our Town. Anthony Heald was the Stage Manager and our class was sitting right where he could eyeball them. I wasn't there, but I heard that EVERYONE was texting. At one point he stopped the show and said something along the lines of, "If you could please turn off your cellular telephones, we can get on with this story."

I recently went to see their production of Macbeth and I wanted to slap a few audience members. During the very first scene, a gory fighting scene, someone's cellphone went off. It was incredibly loud and it rang for what felt like forever, there seemed to be no attempt to turn it off. Later during the show, I turn to my boyfriend who has the angriest look on his face and when I quietly asked him what was wrong he just pointed to the lady sitting next to him. I thought nothing of it until two minutes later I hear this ridiculously loud ripping noise. There was an older woman sitting next to us eating rollos. Tearing at the package during the quietest scenes. Even after the whole, "please turn off your cellphones and don't eat in the theatre" people still do it.

I usually expect that kind of thing from teenagers and college students. And I'm always surprised when it's the older folks and adults who are being rude. Geez.

Also, we've recently had a problem at my high school theatre with actors and their cellphones. They decide it's cool to text and call people while the drector is giving them notes during rehearsal. By that time though, the stage manager starts confiscating them. Tsk-tsk.

[NickJones]

Originally Posted by TimMiller

I was once doing one show, and after the preshow announcement a guy in the back of the house's phone would ring, we had two guys dressed up as SWAT repel down off the catwalk and drag him out. It was pretty effective and very funny. I only ever once responded to a text during a show, while i was in the audience, and that was due to i couldnt get up and leave, very distracting where i was sitting, but it was a message about how the media server at a poison concert crapped out and they needed help quick i gave them the down and dirty very quickly, and then proceeded to call them during intermission.

That is genius! I need to get some abseiling gear!
Nick

[Dionysus]

So many people have an utter lack of theatre etiquette, and it is one of my big pet peeves.

I ALWAYS put my cell on "vibrate all", and if I have a cough and need cough-candies, I unwrap them before the show!!! The only reason I don't turn my cell off is because it is possible I could get an urgent call, which before answering I would LEAVE THE THEATRE!

(I'm #2 on the call list from the fire and security monitoring company, for the community theatre I volunteer at. I've actually gotten a call that the fire alarm system was going off when I was watching a show elsewhere. I quietly left the audience, answered the call and took off. Turns out water from the roof was leaking onto a heat-detector... By the time I replaced it, the show I was watching was over.)

People's lack of consideration for others in an audience can really bother me. I remember once when I was in college as a follow-spot operator seeing people all the time on cell phones. One night one guy would not get off his cell and the House Manager could not be reached by the Stage Manager... So the SM told me to shine my lazer at the guy. So I did it... I think he got the message when the follow spot was pointed directly at his face and I gave him the look of "if you don't turn that off, I'll light you up!"...

Another thing that bothers me is people who come to the theatre after BATHING in perfume. My girlfriend is allergic, and we've had to ask for different seats before. Even hospitals and schools are declaring "Scent free zones", and for good reason. A touch of perfume can be delightful, but many people dump far too much on and it disturbs the people around them.

For one show we posted a list of the "ten commandments for the attendance of theatre", now I don't remember them but they were to the tune of:

I Thou shalt not unwrap candies during the performance
II Thou shalt turn of they cellular phone or anything else that goes beep in the night
III Thou shalt not wear large amount of perfume, as others in the house have to breathe as well
IV Thou shalt not talk during the performance, you are there to watch and listen to the show, not your own voice.

or something thereabouts.

[NickJones]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

Another thing that bothers me is people who come to the theatre after BATHING in perfume. My girlfriend is allergic, and we've had to ask for different seats before. Even hospitals and schools are declaring "Scent free zones", and for good reason. A touch of perfume can be delightful, but many people dump far too much on and it disturbs the people around them.

This drives me insane too. The other thing that annoys me is guys that continually spray deodorant on themselves. I have nothing against deodorant. But continually spraying themselves, especially in the Booth. It just chokes me! I have the "Roll on Rule" so the spot ops can't spray.
Nick