SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?- Page 3

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:39pm

I'm guilty of having done it. Never thought of myself as doing something bad…

First sentence contradicted by second.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:53pm

It is so bizarre to me that this is even an issue.

It's kids doing it mostly. Broke kids who have a passion for theater. I used to second act when I was in college because I loved the shows so much that I NEEDED to experience them again, but didn't have the means to do so. No one is missing out on a seat, or money. And, of course, you know never to second act a sold out, or mostly sold show. I never considered that it was wrong on any level.

I WISH I still had that kind of passion that made me want to second act shows!

[trpguyy]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:02pm

I wouldn't exactly say it's an "issue" - this thread died two years ago, but was resurrected bu DAME after a similar discussion in the Pippin Tour thread, when s/he talked about second-acting to see KDM and his/her AEA and SAG affiliations within moments of each other.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:26pm

Before the Internet, we used to do bad things, things we knew were kinda wrong, but we would keep them quiet.

So we could get naked, do drugs, have hot and anonymous sex and second act the original production of Chicago--the dirty, Fosse one with Chita and Gwen (and Liza)--and then go out and get naked again and do drugs and have hot and anonymous sex again.

BUT WE DIDN'T DISCUSS IT ON THE INTERNET--where people's mothers and Jordan Roth could see!

(Let alone Jordan Roth's mother!)

WE KEPT IT TO OURSELVES AND A FEW FRIENDS!

Jeezis, people.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:31pm

Now that we have the Internet, cold we talk more about the hot anonymous sex? Or would that have to be a separate thread?

...asking for a friend...

[DAME]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:35pm

Um.. yes I resurrected it. I did a google on second acting and this discussion came up. I didn't see anything bad with continuing. When PJ mentioned it is something best kept under wraps I found it best to let it go. But just like the godfather...I thought I was out and you drag me back in. I believe HorseTears asked me how one goes around getting papered tickets in Los Angeles. And I told him about the ways I knew. Tons of union people here so I didn't see anything bad with offering my information. Glad to help anyone out with a way for a free or cheaper ticket if that is what they need. I will be at Sunday nights closing performance. I have a small and innocent KDM infatuation going on. If anyone wants to say hi send me a pm and we can meet.

[DAME]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:37pm

Oh and I got my ticket the the Travelzool website. Not as cheap as Goldstar but they are in the orchestra as opposed to the mezzanine.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 1:39pm

"WE KEPT IT TO OURSELVES AND A FEW FRIENDS!"

And Damron's readers.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 2:36pm

Yes, but Jordan Roth never looked at the Damron guide.

Well, at least his mother probably didn't.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 3:19pm

"I'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."

alovingfan - if that's you in your avatar, I forgive you. If not, you should be ashamed of yourself.

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 3:22pm

I moved to NYC in 1979 and we did it all the time. It was a different era back then. Broadway was kind of down in the dumps. You could get a ticket to almost any show at any time. I was 21 years old and I loved theatre. No one checked ticket stubs back then. It's old New York. I don't think you could get away with it today. It something of an era long gone.

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 3:35pm

I think you might be right CurtainsUpat8, Broadway was happy to see more butts in seats during the '70's. It was a kind of healthy parasitism since no one was getting ripped off and the house benefitted by being filled for the second half. New Yorkers also had fewer cops who had taken up permanent residence in the inside of their heads at that time. If you see something, say something!

But I think second acting might still prove to be a healthy parasitism particularly for struggling shows during Broadway's off season. The great, the fearsome Jordan Roth might even agree.

[AHLiebross]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 3:50am

This thread gave me an idea: If a show is struggling, the theater should let students and others in for free to fill empty seats, but require them to spread the word about the show on social media. Of course, they're taking a chance that the reviews may not be positive, but I doubt too many recipients of free tickets will write scathing reviews.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 6:55am

I did it all through the 80s, but never felt "guilty" since I was dropping so much coin at the box office anyway (I know, irrelevant, or not, depending on POV). I generally 2nd acted shows I liked, or momentarily obsessed with. The last time I remember actually doing it was for -- wait for it -- SIDE SHOW. The mezz was always empty on weeknights for reasons we now know well. I was also buying seats for it, and saw the final performance with a full-price ticket.

Wait -- I also remember 2nd acting VICTOR/VICTORIA with Raquel (the easiest theater to accomplish this back in the day, the Marquis, as it's connected to a hotel), and ASPECTS OF LOVE, and almost not quite getting away with it. For the record, even 2nd acting with Raquel for free I didn't make it to the end.

You really have to live in Manhattan to accomplish this (as I no longer do), or it's so much trouble. With SIDE SHOW I knew when the 2nd act began, and could add it to an evening after drinks or dinner, literally on the way home. I cannot imagine such a practice with commutation. Or at my current age. Some things we do with ease when we're younger. The thought of trying it now makes me smile, because it's such an alien concept.

Updated On: 11/12/14 at 06:55 AM

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 10:13pm

Auggie27 I did it with all those shows as well. We must have lived in the city around the same time.

[binau]

Posted: 11/13/14 at 12:10am

.

Updated On: 11/13/14 at 12:10 AM

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 9:26pm

In last Sunday nights Dreamgirls reunion concert there was a interview segment with the ladies.  They discussed the practice of second acting and how popular it was during the run of Dreamgirls.  I just found it interesting.  Sheryl L Ralph had a lot to say about it.  

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 9:18am

I wouldn't even consider doing it today, but I have done it.  First time was in fall 1987 shortly after I moved to NYC. I second acted Me and My Girl.  I tried Cats to hear Diane Frantantoni sing Memory, but I had to leave the theater as I couldn't find a spot (not even standing room)!! Most recent memory was one of the White Christmas presentations at the Marriott Marquis.  There were a lot of empty seats in the orchestra.  I have to say, all three times I was a nervous wreck that I would get caught.

[John Adams]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:20am

EDIT. ...wrote a comment before I saw there were two subsequent pages...

 

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 10:20 AM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 11:44am

THDavis said: "I just don't get why a theatre would spend it's time and resources trying to restrict entry to a poorly selling show's second act to a younger, respectful crowd. That being said, there are also plenty who might abuse it or not be respectful, but I like to think anyone who knows about second acting would be low-key and respectful."

 

On that point, movie theaters should just let people in for free too. I've been to hundreds of movies in which there were dozens of empty seats.

[Relevance81491]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:56pm

That comment about movie theaters had better be sarcastic....  If students/others new there was a shot at them getting in for free, they would never pay and the theatre would lose a ton of money and probably shut down 

 

I really hope you didn't waste your money on a business degree

[John Adams]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 1:11pm

I would like to do it.

I would like to do it - once. I would like to do it once before it becomes the monstrous financial threat to the Broadway community some fear is inevitable.

I would like to do it once because it is morally wrong in the same vein as children stealing penny candies from the grocery store, or skinny dipping in a stranger's pool, or hiding under a blanket in the back seat of a car to sneak into a drive-in movie (if drive-ins were still around). And it is illegal. And it is childish.

And I would like to do it - once. Because I am that kind of a bad person.

EDIT: ...and I would like to do it with my best friend - but just once.

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 01:11 PM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 1:15pm

when I was a teenager I never paid to go to the movies, it was literally so easy to just walk right into the place without paying (if you look like you're supposed to be going somewhere people don't notice it really). I obviously would never do it as an adult but it was kind of funny how easy it was.

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 01:15 PM

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 1:27pm

PThespian said: "Such as....?"

 

One particular comment she made was that she would always have difficulty getting a cab to go home after the show because she was black.  She would go thru 3 hours of audience love and adulation.  And after she would leave the stage door she would nose dive right back to reality because she could never get a cab to go home.  So she would encourage her white friends to come repeatedly and second act.  Then they would walk with her and get her a cab. That is just one story that comes to mind. 

 

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 01:27 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 9:47pm

Just read that. Pretty cool!