Jane Kaczmarek almost Lupone'd last night in GOOD PEOPLE- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 4:50pm

"if you can't go the length of a single act without checking your phone you're probably not mature enough to be seeing theatre in the first place."

Well there's people of ALL ages who do this, not just kids. But it's this new psychological obsession we have to deal with due to our phones. Not only seeing who called but who commented on your status, who retweeted, etc. We're a world with rapidly dwindling attention spans, always needing to be connected to everything.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 5:10pm

I was walking through Worldwide Plaza yesterday and when I looked towards Starbucks there on 49th I saw a family of 4 sitting at the window seats. Mom, dad and 2 sons. The kids appeared to be about 6 and 10. Mom and dad had their faces planted in their smartphones and had laptops set up in front of the two kids. I watched for a bit and they never spoke to one another. The parents were actually facing awzy from the kids. Sad.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 5:10pm

I was walking through Worldwide Plaza yesterday and when I looked towards Starbucks there on 49th I saw a family of 4 sitting at the window seats. Mom, dad and 2 sons. The kids appeared to be about 6 and 10. Mom and dad had their faces planted in their smartphones and had laptops set up in front of the two kids. I watched for a bit and they never spoke to one another. The parents were actually facing awzy from the kids. Sad.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 5:24pm

I know of a family where the two pre-teen boys sit at their own computers in the same room and send messages to each other on Facebook.

[rjm516]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 5:43pm

It's really getting out of hand. And I've seen at least 2 offenders in every show I've been to recently (and I see a lot). I always whisper for them to shut it off, and the person ALWAYS snaps at me to shut up and mind my business. I never see ushers do anything about it, either. I'm not clear about what their job is - will they not police such situations unless asked to? Usually it's happening at a time when I of course don't want to miss the action. I think next time there's an egregious offense I might just grab the person's phone and sit on it or something.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 5:46pm

I did that at 9 to 5. I reached over and took that bitches phone. If ushers won't do it, we need to be our own superheroes.

[binau]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 6:00pm

Do they ever explicitly say in announcements that when you turn your phone on, the light will distract people around and behind you?

I mean, perhaps these people don't realise.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 6:03pm

Jordan raises a good point: It it up to us to police the situation? I've told people to turn off their phones--and got good results, too.

Perhaps we should shout out words of encouragement after the announcement is made before the show. Something like "Please do!" or "And keep them off!" If enough of us do it, the stooges may get the hint.

[amoni2]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 6:16pm

"I can assure you, you'd never know my phone is vibrating if you were sitting next to me even in a silent theatre."


The ear to ear grin might be a tip off.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 6:52pm

sadly today's society is learning how NOT to have a real one-on-one conversation. I've been to enough parties where I see more people texting/online than having an actual conversation. And from working in restaurants, it's very common these days to have a family of 4 sitting at a table for an hour or so and no conversation takes place - each family member has their own phones out.

[THDavis]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 6:55pm

People like to think they're too important to shut their phone off. If I were to just leave my phone on vibrate and I got a few phone calls, not only is it distracting to me and those around me while it's happening, but I then have to sit throughout the remaining act wondering who might have text/called me and not focusing completely on the performance I paid $75+ to go see.

Before every show, I set my phone to vibrate/silent and then shut it off, just so no mishaps could happen. If I'm feeling especially paranoid (especially during a performance when I'm worried my phone turned back on in my pocket) I'll take the battery out altogether. Nothing it worth the annoyance to me, the performers, or the other patrons.

In cases of emergencies, don't some theatres offer services at the coat room or box office? I know that some theatres in Minneapolis/St. Paul will watch your phone for you and an usher will fetch you if an emergency has come up.

[morosco]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 11:44pm

The phone announcement is made, the house lights dim, and often for at least the first couple of minutes or so the phones are lit up.

This happened when I saw A CHORUS LINE. Stage management made the turn off cell phones announcement and as soon as they said "thank you and enjoy the show" the houselights went to black. So during the blackout you not only saw audience members all over the house fumbling with their phones...their brightly lit up phone screens could be seen in the periaktoi mirrors as they revolved during the blackout. Totally spoiled the moment.

The announcement should be made and then allow maybe 60 seconds for everyone to get turned off and settled down before the show starts.

They should also make an additional announcement 10 minutes prior to the start of the show in multiple languages.

It's a shame it's come to this. I agree with what LuPone said...something like "we've all lost our public manners".

And there are plenty of assholes out there who feel like rules never apply to them.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 11:45pm

Excellent suggestion for the multiple language announcements!

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 9:41am

Personally, I LIKE having my phone off when I'm at the theatre. It usually goes off as soon as I get into the lobby, and doesn't go back on until after I've left.

It's sad no one takes the time to observe/o-ppreciate the architecture of the lobby and house. Enjoy the atmosphere and the experience!

It's also "me time" when I'm at a show, so I don't WANT to be bothered by anyone calling or texting my phone! :-P

[Billy5]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 9:49am

Turn it OFF. Like a light switch. It's a cool little Mormon trick.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 10:00am

I always turn my phone off during shows (mostly out of fear that it might go off even though I generally keep it on vibrate all day anyway) but I have little sympathy for those who don't turn it off in time for the announcement. Do people really need to actually hear the entire announcement to know to turn off their phone? Don't they know that when they hear an announcement begin, it's going to eventually tell them to turn off their phones?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 10:18am

Uncageg,

I've got one better for you. Imagine that entire family from Starbucks, but they are at Disneyland.

I saw this last month and made a comment to the couple standing in line behind me. We looked around and 90% of the people we saw in lines were ignoring each other and had their faces planted in their phones. AT FRICKING DISNEYLAND!
I loved watching the couple who were chaperoning a group of about 20 kids, and neither of them ever looked up from their cell phones.

And you can forget the art of cruising. Used to be when you'd pass a hot guy, you could look back 3 seconds later and see if they were interested. Now no one sees anyone as they pass each other. Too busy with their noses buried in their phones. Makes me want to open palm slap the thing right into their faces.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 10:21am

During DEATH OF A SALESMAN, a loud, persistent beeping began in our immediately vicinity. Everyone within 10 feet was sighing and looking around and doing all the regular social-cue stuff, but no one was fumbling to correct the problem. Everyone was confused. It continued on for nearly a minute -- very disruptive, and that minute was an eternity. Finally, a boy of about 15 two seats down from me started rooting through the pockets of his jacket, produced the offending device, and silenced it. Someone sharply whispered, "Turn off your cellphone!" And the boy, sounding rather confounded and annoyed himself, said, "It was my iPod? It's never done that before!"

While noise-making devices are obnoxious, I try whenever possible to give people the benefit of the doubt that they either were tuned out during the announcement or it was a genuine mistake that their ring was on. I've certainly felt vibrations in my pants halfway through some Act 1s, only to realize that, while I pressed my phone's power button, I didn't confirm the shut down. And I go to the theater enough that I should be trained like a monkey to do such things, but we all make mistakes. So, I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and not get too angry when spotaneous noise goes down, provided they correct the situation efficiently and with humility.

What I find far, far, far worse are activities deliberate and persistent, like actual use of cellphones or ongoing conversations or candy wrappers or snoring. There's no benefit of the doubt involved in situations like those. If you're engaged in that sort of behavior, you shouldn't be there.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 10:38am

What I find far, far, far worse are activities deliberate and persistent, like actual use of cellphones or ongoing conversations or candy wrappers or snoring. There's no benefit of the doubt involved in situations like those. If you're engaged in that sort of behavior, you shouldn't be there.

This.

[JMPlayer6]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 10:49am

I turn my cell phone off completely before a play starts. And I do not turn it back on at intermission. Hey, if I should happen to get unpleasant news during Act 1, I'd rather find out later and not have my theatre experience lessened. As for other people: I am not shy about telling people to turn their phones off---and not at a whisper either. I have done that multiple times.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 11:48am

I always shut my phone off but I did have a mishap one time, I had just bought a new phone and didn't realize that an alarm clock I had set for the previous day was still set plus my phone was turned off and I didn't realize the alarm clock would turn the phone back on but it did. Thankfully it was at Hair and it was during a song so I was able to catch it very quickly.

I generally have either really good luck or I just sit next to the right people because I don't experience that many problems with other people using their phones when I go to see shows and I see virtually every show that comes on to Broadway.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 3:28pm

Auggie your post reminded me of one of my big pet peeves, people who talk all the way through an overture as if it's just background music. (Yes, I know overtures were created way way back partly to dim the chatter as they progressed, but)

[erbster]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 5:54pm

At Death of a Salesman about a month ago I was lucky enough to be in the second row--there was a woman sitting next to me who turned her phone on during intermission to check messages (as did I, so whatever) but then KEPT checking it throughout most of the 2nd act. She had it in her purse and was propping her bag open and fiddling around with her phone, as though just because she wasn't waving it in front of her face it wasn't distracting. After about 30 minutes of her checking it almost once a minute on the dot, I finally leaned over and asked her if she could stop because I could still see the light from her phone & it was distracting. Especially since we were in the second row!

I just don't understand what could have been THAT important that she'd need to check on it honestly every minute for 30 minutes. I usually turn my phone completely off and only check messages during intermission if I've been waiting for someone to get back to me about something. Otherwise it's nice to shut off my mind for a while & enjoy the encompassing theater experience! That's what we're paying all that money for, I thought anyway.