Absolutely appalling behavior at Seminar tonight...- Page 3

[LegallyBroadway2]

Posted: 11/6/11 at 1:21pm

morosco, I was just about to say the same thing.

A director would use a pen and paper because he isn't tracking and watching technical aspects with a magnifying glass. A sound designer, or assistant, would be. Even lighting designers can use their laptop to watch the lighting cues and manipulate them. Its so technical a computer is necessary. And he at least it seems he was trying to be considerate by sitting in the last row. And for sound, it is crucial to take previews into adjusting the sound. It is radically different than an empty theatre during rehearsals. It simply has to be done.

I've not seen a complaint about Spider-Man's last row. . . . There was a table with two iMacs, the on the other side another table for crew with many laptops. That was during previews. Even today you can see the monitors from the control boxes on the house left and right box seats.

Sometimes, it has to be done. Go to the show frozen and you won't see that. Its the risk of a preview. Going to previews, I expect some sort of oddity like that.

Hopefully, by opening the sound will be great!

And about sitting near a director- I would LOVE to hear some of their notes. I sat in the third row at Woman on the Verge and could see backstage (they didn't do so well on the portals) and I thought it was fantastic to see the crew and cast backstage. I then moved to the front row to sit with a friend, horrible view but again it was fun to see more of the wings. Probably fun because I am studying technical theatre and design, but it didn't detract from the show. Loved it :)

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 1:21am

I was sitting next to Ken Davenport at Godspell - who was on his Ipad the whole time - and had a woman in the lobby trying to "check" people into the show - weird. And also, the entire creative team were sitting in the house, fairly close to the stage, taking notes. I thought that was distracting. They were taking notes and the cast were sort of always motioning towards them or making reference to them.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 11:04am

It is made really clear to the audience (while buying tickets) that the show is still in preview period, and to expect these things.

Actually, it's rarely made clear to the audience. Occaisionally, there may be a curtain speech indicating they may have to stop the performance for technical glitches, but that's the most effort made to communicate anything to the audience regarding a preview performance. The expectation that a paying audience (preview or otherwise) should plan on having someone sit in the middle of a section in the house with an open laptop during the performance is ludicrous. If that is the expectation producers are placing on the audience now, then ticket prices for previews should be CONSIDERABLY lower if they PLAN on distracting their audience throughout the entire show. Nobody should be using an iPad or laptop sitting anywhere in the theatre with audience directly beside them or anywhere behind then during any performance where people pay full price. If they do, they should expect to hand out refunds.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 11:26am

Matt, you're clearly missing the point. It's ok for them to distract the audience because it's the way they do things now. So you, me and everyone else needs to just get over it.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 2:00pm

Ah, I see! Since I was born before 1990, my telepathy hadn't been properly developed.

But I would love to see any of these people who claim shows so CLEARLY advertise previews and what that means, watch tourists purchase tickets for the show and see how CLEARLY it is explained and what to expect. It certainly is not CLEARLY explained on any website for purchasing tickets (I just visited the Telecharge website for Seminar to go through the process and there is nothing that even mentions tonight is a preview performance). I have attended plenty of previews and there has never been anything CLEAR about it except the occaisional curtain speech if the producers are feeling kind or generous.

The one thing I forgot to do was consult the Psychic Hotline for the new information regarding preview performances and download the firmware update that relates to the distractions from the production crew one can expect throughout the performance. My bad!

[Anakela]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 2:45pm

(I just visited the Telecharge website for Seminar to go through the process and there is nothing that even mentions tonight is a preview performance)

Interesting... The show advertising itself has to spell out the previews dates, so for example if you go to seminaronbroadway.com it says "Now in Previews! Opens November 20th." And the advertising at the theatres also spells out preview dates these days. (I think this is all Department of Consumer Affairs regulations in a post Spider-Man world?) But so it doesn't apply to having to post previews information on Telecharge? Interesting.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 2:46pm

I'm a director. I'm also a lighting and sound designer. I don't need a computer to take notes.

If you are charging your audience these prices, they better damn well get a good experience. WRITE IT DOWN on your legal pad and when the audience leaves, THEN go to the computer and fix what you gotta fix.

Updated On: 11/7/11 at 02:46 PM

[whatever2]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 3:48pm

> If you are charging your audience these prices, they better damn well get a good experience.

and THERE you have it!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 4:59pm

Anakela - If you click the link for "More show info" on the left on Telecharge, it will list the first preview date and opening night date, but if you just go to the page for Seminar and continue to "Find Tickets", there is no mention of preview dates. It assumes one would either 1) already know the preview dates and what that means or 2) be actively seeking further information. Regardless, there is not going to be any explaination as to what would be "expected" at a preview performance. Regular theatre-goers and theatre people will know. The producers know that most tourists probably won't know and/or may not question it. They will just pay their money and then get the spiel should they complain afterwards. It's one of the reasons why I have no problem with anyone posting their "review" on a preview performance anymore. If they are paying full price and the producers make little effort to inform the public, then it should be treated as any other performance. It's precisely how the audience is often being treated.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/7/11 at 5:16pm

At different times in my several centuries on this planet, I have worked both box office and theater marketing. The odd (and sometimes problematic) thing about theater is that if people want to see a show, no amount of rudeness (or technical interruption) will deter them. If they don't want to see the show, no customer service, however great, will bring them in.

Clever marketing can fool people for awhile, of course, but eventually word gets out that the show is a dud. Conversely, a sound designer who annoys a handful of people at a preview performance, but improves the sound for thousands of people at future performances, sells more tickets in the long run.

It's a unique type of industry and the rules of customer service that govern a mom and pop store really don't apply.

[rgdave]

Posted: 11/8/11 at 12:56pm

Great thread. What seems to be touching a nerve here is the lack of awareness by producers and theater staff of what might be distracting or intrusive to their preview customers, and not taking steps to minimize those distractions as much as they can. I often attend previews, and over the last few years have noticed a proliferation of notebooks and iPads, when in the past they would have used pen and paper. I understand that sound and light people may need their software in front of them to fine tune things, but it seems now that anyone involved in any type of note taking has to do it on an electronic gizmo with a lighted screen.

More theaters could also take steps to provide buffers between the production staff and their paying customers. At some theaters I notice that they've taken pains to not sell the couple of rows in front of the row of production staff note takers at the rear of the orchestra. Others seem more driven by greed and sell every seat they can.

A little courtesy and awareness on the part of some theaters, rather than what comes across at times as arrogance and indifference, would go a long way. Don't use laptops or other lighted devices unless they're essential to the task. Try to block out buffer zones. And when a tech person has to sit among audience members with a lighted device, introduce yourself to those around you and explain what you're doing. They'll likely feel a little less put out.