Rude audience members. With a twist!- Page 5

[jg4892]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 5:46pm

what's wrong with what she posted? she was posting those things to show she WAS human just like the rest of us. not everyone obsesses over capitalizing their words on the internet.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 5:53pm

I didn't mean what I said in a rude way, nor did I deny the fact that it was really Ms. Lewis. But to my taste, it would have been just as effective (maybe more so) and more believable if she had just addressed the issue at hand, and not going into a slightly irrelevent account of some sort of random details. I don't know, the whole tone seemed kind of amateurish to me, not something a professioanl adult would say. For me, admitting that you aren't perfect and not always right is much more human than telling strangers about your weight.
BUT, like I said, what do I know? I'm just giving my opinion, and I will happily stand corrected if it's wrong.

[jg4892]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 5:56pm

But if she wasn't actually doing anything wrong and the original poster was overreacting, then I don't think she should apologize. I understand where you're coming from, though.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 6:05pm

antonijan...starting a second thread on the subject and using the title you did was totally uncalled for. Doing that reminds me of a child doing something bad for attention.

[Doogie]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 8:07pm

an unrelated note, has Ms. Lewis been on yet?

[jordangirl]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 8:11pm

"But if she wasn't actually doing anything wrong and the original poster was overreacting, then I don't think she should apologize. I understand where you're coming from, though."

I admit I don't know how all these things work, but I'd think if you have to speak into a dictaphone or recorder for notes, you should position yourself as far from paying audience members as possible if not backstage. The bottom line is her talking into a recorder (assuming that's the truth) DID bother people. Regardless of when they said something. And that isn't right. Maybe there was overreaction on the other side as well, but... I'd be upset if I'd paid to see a show and heard someone talking the whole way through...even if it WAS into a recorder for notes.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 8:27pm

While it seems that both parties could have handled themselves better, Megan had every right to defend herself. I was glad to hear the other side of the story, and now I see that it doesn't seem as serious as the OP made it out to be. I think everyone could be a little more considerate before jumping to conclusions.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 12:47am

But we still don't know if that was really Megan responding.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 12:53am

I just want to say that it's awfully convenient that so many of you get to hide behind your anonymity while blasting a person who you know nothing about from a story you can't possibly have the God's eye view of the truth to judge from.

It's as if some of you think a fair trial can take place with only one side of the story and no evidence. That's a sad place to think from.

I think the best thing to do is just let this rest. Points were made. Mistakes were made. What else is there to be accomplished from this cyber bloodbath?

[ahmelie]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 12:55am

Even if the audience member was overreacting his reaction did somehow stem from truth, and if he, as part of the audience and so, consumer, was disturbed that she should have moved and have been extremely apologetic. She should have given him NO reason to complain.

I side with the original poster, I doubt it was simply creating conflict to create conflict. I don't see his motivation for doing such a thing.

And, I don't really feel that that was actually Megan Lewis responding, but I have no idea.

[ginger217]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 12:58am

Having been a swing, I've spent many performances standing at the back of the house, and occasionally taking a seat with an easy escape route to do the absolutely necessary task of watching the show nightly. It's our job. However, I think in most cases (certainly in mine and the other swings I've worked with), the audience has no idea we're there. Half the time they think we're ushers.

I definitely feel that the behavior you describe is beyond unusual, and terribly unfortunate, however, I think there is something a person can (and should) do, should a situation like this arise: Ask to speak directly to the house manager. If you're kind and courteous and simply explain the situation, most would be happy to find you an alternate seat, and they have the chain of command to discuss the offender's behavior with the people who should know about it.

I don't think the first instance is a fire-able offense, but it could land the actor back in the greenroom, watching the video monitor, instead of out in the house. And it's worth addressing.

Another option would be to speak to the Stage Manager directly, who would be the one in charge of reprimanding a cast member and changing rules regarding production-seat availability. Most would be available at the stage door if you ask the attendant.

I think it's always important to keep things like this in perspective. Of course the interruption of another theatre-goer's experience is rude and inconsiderate, and to be so vengeful and nasty to a ticket holder is absolutely reprehensible, but I think seeking a solution to the problem is more productive that simply fuming about it. Together, we can make sure our audience experience is always an enjoyable one, right?

[artist4172]

Posted: 4/26/07 at 1:27am

Just to confirm for everyone wondering- I've worked with Megan Lewis and yes, that was her email address so yes, that was really her responding.

[artist4172]

Posted: 4/26/07 at 1:31am

Oh... and yes, I believe it all. Sounds just like her... unfortunately.

[TLKfan]

Posted: 4/26/07 at 2:37am

Well to all I guess--everyone can be rude sometime or another, cast member or audience member, so even if she was rude, she learned a lesson, and audience members now know to speak up. And yeah we should hope for anything bad on her or anyone else that is rude. But thanks to Megan for posting.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 4/26/07 at 1:30pm

artist 4172: because you've got no profile, i'm curious to know how you claim to know me and why you joined just yesterday to share your opinion.
also, why have those of you who said unfounded cruel things about me personally and who i've privately maessaged failed to answer my message? only one gentlemen corresponded with me and upon our exchange, he apologized and agreed that what is on these boards should not be taken as fact.
thanks

[hellzapoppin2000]

Posted: 4/26/07 at 1:44pm

Rudeness in the theater can be nipped in the bud by going directly to the house manager. When I took 50 of my Asian students to a student matinee of A Raisin in the Sun there was another school in attendence with kids who were there to see P. Diddy and had obviously not studied the play. We were located in the mezzanine. The play held their attention for 10 minutes and then they started fooling around, falling into the aisles and passing around chicken McNuggets. There teachers were not able to control them and the ushers were afraid of them. I went to the house manager and explained that it was my students first time in any theater and we had studied the play and was there anything he could do. He heard everything I had to say and then asked the school making the ruckus to leave. Another way to handle such a situation is to write to the producers. Another way to handle this would have been to write directly to the producers, documenting what happened with names. Usually a letter of complaint that is valid results in a pair of comps.

[fyffe]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 10:20pm

Hello, Fyffe here!
Man, I thought this was a buried topic.

First off, let me again set the record straight. I did not overreact. I did not ask her to be fired, I did not even tell management, I don't want money back or even an apology.
She and a friend talked loudly to each other during the first act....NOT into a RECORDER or whatever, during an expensive night of theatre. I DID ask nicely and she got defensive. Period.
It was rude to be talking during a performance. Period. More so if you are a performer. Period. Enough.

I don't think this about taking sides, etc. It was meant bring awareness to the fact that theater is an event, unlike a movie, and that EVERYONE should be considerate to all other patrons, especially employees of said event.
LOL..
Thanks again.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 10:23pm

Why the hell did you bump this?

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 10:23pm

You could've just left it alone.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 10:35pm

This is BWW.com. You think we still care?

[evadiva]

Posted: 6/23/07 at 11:40pm

But B3T...

You clicked.

You posted.

You do!

[zepka102]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 11:51am

Bumping this thread becuse of last night.

Last night I was at Legally Blonde. We had good seats, about halfway up the mezz in the center section. I couldn't complain about that. But last night was one of the worst audiences I have ever seen. The lady next to me spent the time before the show, during the show, and during intermission nodding off. Why go to a broadway show if you are THAT tired? Across the aisle, someone was taking pictures during the first classroom scene. Their flash went off twice. There were also plenty of cell phones going off all around us throughout the performance. In front of us, a woman was ignoring it for a while before she did anything. Then for a solid five minutes in Act Two, someone a few rows back was playing with candy wrappers. It was really one of the worst audiences I have seen. Unbelievable!