Seeing shows alone?- Page 2

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 12:12am

LOL. Believe me when I say that I'm not "scared" to go to New Jersey alone. I said I wanted company in the theater (for both Pillowman and Ragtime), not that I think I'll constantly have to look over my shoulder whenever I'm in big bad Jersey. LOL. I'm a grown man from Chicago who's been in cities alone by himself quite a few times...
I simply want to share the experience of this great show with someone else!

My friend knows Ragtime. She's heard the first nine minutes of it and seen accompanying visuals. However, I accept her blunt refusal to go. I do think that whenever someone travels to another city to a visit a friend, that person's interests should be privileged since s/he probably won't be back for a long time. Again, my friend knows many people in NY and could see Avenue Q with any of them anytime. If someone were to come visit me here in the Midwest, I wouldn't use their visit as an opportunity to just entertain myself when there are other things they (as outsiders) want to see.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 12:14am

Millburn is not a scary town; in fact it's rather pleasant. And the train station is pretty close to the theater. So if you are worrying about coming to New Jersey...don't.

[Madame X]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 12:21am

LOL - oops, my bad! For some reason, I felt like you were in your teen years coming to NYC to visit a friend. Guess not!

Yeah, I know the frustration of not being able to communicate the passion you feel for something to someone. I've just resigned to talking things out on this board and letting my friends call me a theatre-freak. :)

Like I said before, some people just aren't into theatre. For whatever possible reason, I don't understand, but they aren't. You should have a trade off w/ your friend...go to Ave Q w/ her and she goes to Ragtime w/ you. The rest you go alone?

[broadway betty]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 12:28am

I mostly go alone but it's fun to go with a friend. The plus to going alone is I get great seats but killing intermission time is a pain. Beware if you sit near me cuz I'll eavesdrop and jump into your conversation!

[surefinewhatever]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 12:29am

I don't really mind going to see a show by myself. I'm there to enjoy the show, not hangout with friends. It is nice to have people who share your interest with you though. But in my case, most of my friends don't really have an interest in theatre, so I'd feel bad dragging them to an expensive show they aren't really interested in. I'd feel bad to make them sit through something they really don't enjoy.

[musicnmath]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 12:32am

since some of us feel that we can't find others to share our passion...I hereby invite anyone living in Boston to join me for a night at the theatre :)

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 12:35am

I was a little apprehensive about going to shows alone, but I've done it quite a lot in the last couple of months and I'm really fine with it. It's always nicer to have someone to go with, but I don't at all mind it. I've become very outgoing and I usually always find someone to talk with for some reason or another. Sometimes I'll eavesdrop on their conversations and hear them say something about a show or performer that's incorrect and of course I have to correct them. Sometimes they ask one of their companions a question that no one knows the answer to so I do. Recently at a show I was alone, there was an old couple behind me who said something about seeing Light In The Piazza so I turned around and asked them if they liked it, they said they loved it and we talked a lot, I ended up showing them my picture with Matt Morrison, they thought it was cute. Once I start talking, a lot of people are excited to talk to me, especially tourists who only get to see a couple of shows and are fascinated by someone who sees so many. It makes me feel special.

And if for some reason I don't really have anyone to talk to, during intermission, I could always go into the lobby and talk on the phone until act 2 starts.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 1:02am

You go to the movies alone??? I've gone to like 3 shows by myself but never a movie..I couldn't do it! lol but going to musicals and stuff is ok cuz you get better seats but it is awkward during intermission and before the show :)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 1:05am

I prefer to go to both movies and theatre alone. I don't have any distractions, I don't have to worry about conversation or anything. I like to go in, take it in, and be able to think about it alone without any distractions before I discuss it with other people. Certain movies and shows I would like to see with someone else - and I do - but more often than not, I'm alone and I love it.

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 7:18am

it wasn't until i moved to NY that i started seeing things alone. At first, it seemed un-natural... but now i don't mind it at all. I often enjoy what i'm seeing a lot more if i don't feel pressured to share my thoughts with someone else, but just think about it and take it in. Back home, my friends think im nuts when i say i just saw a movie or a show by myself. I understand wanting to share the experience of seeing what you know will be a fantastic show with someone else though. Thats been the case for be a few times and i'll usually grab a friend and drag them along and have a good time...

touche on the killing intermission time though! pretending to be completely engulfed in the playbill gets old after about 4 minutes.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 7:41am

I love going to shows alone! When I went to NYC last year, I saw 2 of the shows I saw alone. Personally, I don't feel awkward like that or anything, but then again I've been going to movies alone for forever. If someone I know can't go or doesn't want to, I'm not going to let that get in the way of me doing something I want to do. And during intermission, I usually get up, pretend I'm looking at merchandise, look at playbill, or buy something and oogle (is that a word?) at it. I've even talked to the ushers before. The train this is another hand, and I think that's your decision whether you feel comfortable doing it or not. I hope you go and have a great time!

[Corine2]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 7:44am

I enjoy going alone, I meet the nicest people that way.
I am not a shy person. I have made friends at the theatre.
People used to call me spunky in College.


Updated On: 6/15/05 at 07:44 AM

[Millie42]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 7:50am

I have probably seen more on my own than with friends. Many of the times when I have been up there recently, I have just popped up for the weekend by myself.

I certainly don't feel bad doing so. Plus, I get to see exactly what I want--and often times that means better seats because 1 seat is easier to get than 2+

I also like talking to the people around me... most of the time you will meet someone really nice. I even had someone give me their better seat because I was by myself and really excited about seeing the show!

[OnTheAisle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 7:58am

Funny, I just saw Ave. Q last weekend by myself - first show I've ever done that with (though I think nothing of going to movies alone)... first of all - why get full price seats for Q? There are discounts all over the place, and the theatre is tiny, so any seat will give you a good view. I had no problem going solo, and, like Corine said, you can always meet people while you're there - it's easy to strike up a conversation about a particular scene/song you've just experienced.

I also tried to get the Spelling Bee lottery, and since I was by myself, I met someone else who was also alone, and we doubled our chances (didn't get tickets, but we tried!)

As far as Ragtime, I personally can't imagine someone NOT wanting to go - if you can push her a little bit more (without antagonizing) I'm sure she'd have a wonderful time!

[Corine2]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 8:03am

On the Aisle:
The second to last time I saw Q, I went by myself.
I was having a horrible day and needed to see Q. None of my friends could bare losing the lottery so I went myself.
There was a guy (tourist on the lottery line with me and he started talking to me) I was giving him restaurant advice and he said why don't we sit together if either of us wins and if we lose you can show me the City.
We agreed and his name was called.
NYC is a great place.
It also happened many years ago going to the Urinetown lottery.
It was not the same kind of LOTTERY, you just had to be there but I met a guy on line and we chatted and we sat together. We became pretty good friends.

Updated On: 6/15/05 at 08:03 AM

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 8:33am

I often go to shows alone. Since I go to school in the city, I occasionally make a decision to see something at the last minute and there's not always someone else available at short notice. Sometimes I prefer to go alone. While it's usually more fun to go with a friend, I have no problem having fun and enjoying a show by myself. I'm sorry your friend isn't interested in seeing Ragtime, it's a wonderful show and one of my favorites. If I was in the city, I'd go with you, Evelyn! :) Sadly, I'm not going to get to see that production.

[mikewood]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 8:50am

I'd definetly feel awkward going alone. You can only pretend to be engrossed in the Playbill for so many of the intermission's minutes before you get bored. >>>

That's funny. And so true. I do several road trips a year for different reasons, and I usually start in NYC before I go South. I've mastered the art of skirting in at five minutes before show time. I usually end up with pretty good seats buying tickets this way.

A couple of years ago my old boss got me a season ticket for the North Shore Music Theater....one ticket. It's the thought that counts!

[mabel]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 8:51am

I go to a lot of shows alone. Like, erinrebecca, I go to school in the city, and sometiems, I'll decide half way through the day that it looks like I won't have a whole lot to do that night, and go straight from class to try to get a rush/lotto seat. A lot of my friends don't like to go to the theatre as often as I do (once a semester is fine w/ them), so that means a lot of the time I'm flying solo. I like it actually. I feel bad suggesting a show to someone who only goes once a semester and having end up being a total bomb (happened more than once), which just makes them think I'm even more of a nut for going as often as I do! I do have my one theatre-buddy who I see a show or so a month with, and then when you figure I rotate one of the one/semester folks in, that leaves me seeing a show alone about half the time...that works for me.

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 8:52am

If I didn't go alone I wouldn't be going at all. (And never going is just not an option for me.)

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 11:15am

At first I thought it would be weird but it actually wasn't at all. I felt like I could get into the show a lot more without having a friend next to me make side comments about it (not that that is a bad thing I love going with friends). Sometimes it's a good change to go alone.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 11:15am

id feel weird going alone. you have nobody to share the experience with and its also just strange. but thats just me.

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 11:17am

That's how I felt too. But you never know until you try.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 11:20am

first time was weird. every time after that was fine. it's great chatting with the tourists.

Posted: 6/15/05 at 11:21am

I came to this world alone and I'm leaving it alone. Those are two momentous occasions, if I can do them on my own, a play or a movie alone is not a big deal.

-------------------------------------------------
The short answer to the post is yes. All the time.


edit: 12:45pm 6/14/05- That's what annoys me about you Cathy. You are the type of person who imposes her sensibility on others. I enjoy being alone. I like myself. I amuse myself. I love my friends and my family, but I don't need another soul to enjoy a play or a movie.

Updated On: 6/15/05 at 11:21 AM

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 11:26am

The way you put that it sounds sad. It sounds like you'd rather be alone. I'm sad for you.