SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?- Page 2
SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
#25SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/5/14 at 11:32pm
It is not something I would do...no Sir Bob!
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
Updated On: 11/5/14 at 11:32 PM
#26SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 1:25amI've always wondered why people do this because more often than not the best parts of a show are in act one.
Keeping BroadwayWorld Illustrated
candydog2
Featured Actor Joined: 8/11/07
#27SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 7:13am
I've never done it as I don't really see the appeal in only watching half of a show. I'd say that it's done less nowadays as there are more discount ticket options available.
Is it wrong? Sure. But as long as people aren't doing it in huge numbers I guess it doesn't really make a difference to anyone. If the seat is going to empty anyway it doesn't really matter whether or not someone fills it for the second act.
I have, in the past, bought tickets that weren't the best seats as they were cheap, usually partial view, and then moved to empty seats in a better location at intermission. No one ever questioned it.
#28SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 8:15am
Re: Roundabout. I remember back in my smoking days that their theatres always required you to show your ticket for re-entry. Not sure if they still do this, but they used to have someone posted at the door passing out re-entry slips to people who didn't have their tickets in hand when they were going outside.
As for second acting, I'm sure it's still done.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#29SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 11:10amPal Joey, Don't clutch those pearls that hard. They will break.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
#30SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 12:15pm
I wish this thread title had a hyphen.
CHURCH DOOR TOUCAN GAY MARKETING PUPPIES MUSICAL THEATER STAPLES PERIOD OIL BITCHY SNARK HOLES
SmokeyLady
Broadway Star Joined: 10/29/14
#31SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 1:01pmInteresting to read some of the fuddy duddys on this thread. There are a lot of wonderful autobiographies out there in which people recount their second acting days.
#32SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 1:09pm
I second-acted as well. I just didn't share tips on how to do it on the Internet, because there was no Internet.
Especially when one theater chain (whose officials read this board) is redoubling efforts to police this.
By participating in this thread, you're inviting the other chains to join the effort to stop this, thereby depriving future generations of the opportunity to watch second acts for free.
Do it if you like, but--for Sondheim's sake!--don't discuss it on an Internet chat board!
The Internet is for naked selfies, not discussions about how to second-act a Jujamcyn show!
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#33SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 2:05pmPj. Got it. I never really saw it that way. I always just thought the few that did it are the few that are going to do it anyway. I don't think much was given away in these threads other than the obvious. But I can find other things to talk about.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#34SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 5:06pm
interesting thread...I look at stealing in 2 realms...
Stealing from an individual who will suffer repercussions financially or otherwise and Stealing from a corporation where there is no direct impact to the corporation or individuals(Bottomline will be norepercussions to the business or individuals related to business). I absoloutely will not do the first, however,
I look at 2nd acting falling under the latter. If you can "fletch" your way in and you do not take anyones seat or valuables, I say no harm no foul. I used to do this when I was younger not so much now.
I have 2nd acted many times(mainly out of town productions) for Phantom, Les Miserables and Wicked, after having paid for the show once or several times. Even when I am a paying audience member now, I always look to see if it is a possibility as If I have the spare time I love to see 2nd or 3rd viewings of plays I have seen. The key is to just act like you belong and charge through at a medium pace.
Updated On: 11/6/14 at 05:06 PM
#35SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 6:41pm
In the '70's, the Village Voice actually printed a schedule of intermission times for second acters. Not sure if this was a regular feature or a one-off. But the 1970's was a time when Broadway was a less welcoming place to tourists and theaters were happy to see rears in seats. Local nyc alternative papers would feature events that were free. Part of it was inspired by the hippie/yippie ethos but part of that ethos was blind to the hypocrisy of white middle class drop outs taking advantage of Great Society programs meant for the poor. But I digress, if the seats are empty after the second act and it is done discreetly and respectfully I don't see how second acting is hurting anyone. Perhaps it might be more advantageous for second acters who look like the audience but that can vary from show to show.
Second Acting: Half the Shows for Free Updated On: 9/24/16 at 06:41 PM
SmokeyLady
Broadway Star Joined: 10/29/14
#36SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 7:33pm
I am glad you posted that article. It just shows the fuddy duddys that don't know what they are talking about how long this has been a gem of a broadway tradition.
Updated On: 11/6/14 at 07:33 PM
#37SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 8:39pmI honestly haven't heard about second acting prior to this thread. I think theatre goers (who actually pay to get in) might have a different opinion. The whole "everyone does it so it's become socially acceptable" is a cop out. You're trying to rationalize something that is technically illegal. If you want to do it and run the risk of getting caught, more power to you. I see second-acting as a form of "theatrical shoplifting". I take issue with this practice. I pay to see a show and someone tries (or succeeeds) to see a second act without paying? That is so messed up on so many levels. Personally, I'd rather be called a fuddy-duddy than knowingly become a thief.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
SmokeyLady
Broadway Star Joined: 10/29/14
#38SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 8:48pm
For someone who has never heard of it you definitely have a lot to say about it. Maybe if you had read more carefully you will note that most people that do it have either paid and seen the show before, are college students, theater students.or struggling actors. I was just thinking about the time when I saw Bernadette Peters last night in Sunday. I had seen the show before. The mezzanine was half empty and we sat there along with some of the ushers and theater personnel. They were happy to have us. We were not thieves, pranksters,or anyone out to do any harm or steal from anyone. Just passionate theater goers with no money trying to catch a bid of Broadway history one last time. You can put your hands on your hips and prissy up with attitude all you want. I am so glad I did it.
Updated On: 11/6/14 at 08:48 PM
FishermanBob
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
#39SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 9:21pm
"Maybe if you had read more carefully you will note that most people that do it have either paid and seen the show before, are college students, theater students.or struggling actors."
For someone who has barely been here a week, how fortunate for us Smokey Lady that you have made yourself our resident authority on this practice. So if I earn a decent living and haven't seen the show before but just don't feel like paying, then it's not cool, but if I am poor or a starving student and have seen the show before it's cool? How about if I am well off, and have seen the show twice before but not with the current lead and several of the swings have changed? Is it still cool? How about if I am poor and seen the show once before but during a previous run and a song that was in it when I saw it is now gone? How about now? And what about the ushers. If 3 look indifferent but 4 look concerned, is it still OK? Or does a 2/3 amount of the ushers have to not give a sh!t for it to still be cool?
It would be swell if you could publish a standard guide with all the mitigating factors and maybe assign a point value to each factor and a max total when it's still cool and above which it's no longer cool to sneak in. That would really be helpful and would be a real service to all of us. Could you do that for us Smokey Lady? It would certainly help to further this grand tradition of the theater.
SmokeyLady
Broadway Star Joined: 10/29/14
#40SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/6/14 at 9:31pm
"For someone who has barely been here a week, how fortunate for us Smokey Lady that you have made yourself our resident authority on this practice."
Not sure how long I have been here has anything to do with anything. Dude I am just chit chatting with people.
Not looking to get into a back and forth with you. Quite frankly there is just not much else of interest going on in this board. I would suggest if you want to understand more about it ( and you can put your judgement aside) , you start by reading that link that poster put up a few posts ago on second acting stemming rom the 70's. You can also read Frank Langellas bio, watch Seth Rudestky interview with Patti Lupone where they touch on her second acting stuff in her student days, I also think Lauren Bacall talks about second acting in her first book but not 100 percent sure. I also worked at tkts for 9 years and was a NYU student for 4 of those years. We all.. and I mean ALL of us would do it. It is not for you. I get it. You are appalled by it. I get it.
The OP asked about second acting. I think they are informed now.
Updated On: 11/6/14 at 09:31 PM
FishermanBob
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
#41SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:12am
"It is not for you. I get it. You are appalled by it. I get it."
Actually, I honestly don't care. It really has no impact on my life and there are enough other things going on in the world for me to be appalled by to not have the room to fit this in, trust me. What I do think is fascinating is that even though people who do it work hard to avoid detection which would indicate they know it's wrong and not permitted, you and others are then weaving this elaborate set of rationalizations and justifications about income levels, or having seen the show before or that the theater is happy to have us there or that everyone does it and it's a tradition to try to make it sound like it's OK, like there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing it. I think those willing to display even a little intellectual honesty if not with others at least with themselves, would admit that this is all just a bunch of bullsh*t. I'd have much more respect for the people who do it if they'd just admit, yeah we know it's wrong but not wrong enough for us to not do it instead of trying to craft these cockamamie justifications.
SmokeyLady
Broadway Star Joined: 10/29/14
#42SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:26am
"I'd have much more respect for the people who do it if they'd just admit, yeah we know it's wrong but not wrong enough for us to not do it instead of trying to craft these cockamamie justifications."
But none gives a **** about your respect. You are coming on the thread going on these higher than thou tirades and then acting all indignant. You come out looking like a fool.
FishermanBob
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
#43SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:38am
"You come out looking like a fool."
Wasn't sure how I came out looking so thanks for clarifying. And if you could still get that guide written up as to when it's cool to sneak in, I'd really appreciate it. I may wanna give this a whirl (even Patti LuPone was doing it - kewl!!!) and want to be sure my income level doesn't disqualify me. Have a wonderful evening.
Updated On: 11/7/14 at 01:38 AM
#44SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:54am
I'm going to second act Hedwig tomorrow night and will let you know how I do...
BTW, is there any information more recent than 40 years ago that says this is fine and dandy?!
Updated On: 11/7/14 at 01:54 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#45SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 11:57amI think this thread should lean more toward the stories of second acting than the judgement of god approach. The fact is people 2nd act, right or wrong. Again my take is, if there's an empty seat and you don't cause a ruckus and can appropriately Fletch your way in, Go For IT!
#46SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:04pm
WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FUDDY-DUDDY, SMOKEY LADY?
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#47SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:21pm
I feel like there's a pretty good litmus test for being in the theater. Ask yourself, "do I have the right to be attending this show - am I allowed to be here?" That question can really only be answered with a "yes" if you're holding a legally-acquired ticket for that performance.
I'm also confused by the notion that the first act of a show is the only part that has monetary worth.
#48SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:27pm
I did it for a couple of shows when I was younger. Particularly when a friend who was in Gypsy called me on the days she was going on for one of the strippers.
But now, being older, I can see that it is indeed stealing.
Seems to me that when Rent started the lottery system and other shows followed suit, that should've negated the need for anyone to do this. When seeing a Broadway show is only slightly more than seeing a movie these days, why not see the whole thing?
Updated On: 11/7/14 at 12:27 PM
alovingfan
Stand-by Joined: 12/30/10
#49SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?
Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:35pmI'm guilty of having done it. Never thought of myself as doing something bad.. But I guess from the conversation I have gotten some food for thought. But I think points are better made without false indignation.and as someone else said the judgement from g-d approach.
