The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater - Page 3
The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
#50The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 4:43pm
I was at Fun Home one night in standing room, and this guy sitting in the last row of seats, so sitting right in front of me standing, when the usher came around telling everyone to turn off their phones he refused to do so. She told him specifically a second time, and then a third, and then he actually turned to look at her and said something like "I was going to turn it off, but since you kept telling me to turn it off now I'm not going to turn it off." THAT is the kind of bull****, acting like a four year old manchild attitude that ushers have to put up with from patrons. I do not envy their jobs at all. (And the house staff should have been allowed to kick his ass out of the theatre. But, alas, they did not.)
I love the usher in the mezz at the Richard Rodgers Theatre who gives her no cell phones speech so loudly that I can hear her (and the applause she gets) while sitting in the orch.
If you're sitting close enough to be able to do this, I have found that, when sitting near someone who won't stop texting, that if I lean over and start reading what they're writing then they suddenly stop and put their phones away. My mom would probably say something about "two wrongs don't make a right" here, but hey if my viewing is being interrupted then I'm gonna read what's so important.
mc1227
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/07
#51The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 6:48pm
I agree that the behavior of audiences is atrocious and needs to be addressed. One suggestion that I have is to have the cell phone announcement repeated at the end of intermission as many people who do turn their phones off for act 1 turn them on during the break and may forget to turn them off again. Just a thought and it certainly will not solve all the rudeness but at least for those who are not intentionally rude, it may cut down the instances of phones going off during the second act.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#52The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 7:15pm
Death stare texters
Whisper-yell at ringers
sentence a bootlegger to life in jail no parole
#53The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 8:27pm
nrubanobroadway said: "Death stare texters
Whisper-yell at ringers
sentence a bootlegger to life in jail no parole"
No way, on that last one. Thanks to a bootlegger there is currently floating around what might be the ONLY copy of 'Hamilton' performed on stage, with the original cast, that ever exists. Now it's a bootleg, but in ten years? Twenty years? It'll be gold.
#54The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 9:03pm
I don't think more announcements are going to make one bit of difference. In most cases, there is already the box office reminding you to turn off your cell phone when you pick up your ticket, then the ticket-takers, the ushers, the slip in the playbill, and an automated announcement before the curtain rises and phones STILL go off. Too bad theater staff cannot treat audiences the way students in high school are treated by confiscating devices and then forcing patrons to pick them up in the lobby after the show.
"Mostly, I loved the size of these people's emotions. Nobody has emotions this size anymore. Outsized emotions. Operatic emotions. Kushemski and Vanda are like Tristan and Isolde, they're Paolo and Francesca. Nobody's in total thrall like this anymore. Nobody's overcome by passion like this, or goes through this kind of rage." Thomas, Venus in Fur
Corey38
Chorus Member Joined: 4/22/16
#55The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 9:36pm
I agree that more announcements aren't the solution. People know that you aren't allowed to have cell phones out during shows. It's common knowledge. People who do it either think that the rules don't apply to them, that people can't see them doing it, or they just don't care. I believe that most people think that their texts are more important than everyone else's, and that people just don't care that they've disruptive. So obviously just re-stating the obvious won't help that.
#56The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 10:07pm
First off, plastering free wifi signs all over theatres isn't helping the problem- worst idea ever! It almost encourages people to get on their phones. Second, is their no sort of scrambling device that houses can use to combat the issue. Finally, in extreme cases, I recommend implementing a cell phone check room- I'm only half kidding!
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#57The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/29/16 at 11:52pm
...is their no sort of scrambling device that houses can use to combat the issue?
Cell phone jamming equipment readily exists but unfortunately they are illegal to use in the U.S.
http://cellphone-jammers.com/
yankeefan7
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/14/12
#59The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/30/16 at 9:42am
"actually, you can check cell phones. it's just not logistically or economically feasible at larger events like Broadway performances. that being said... this has been addressed in many new and innovative ways, including a partnership with comedian Dave Chapelle and technology company "
Understood you could but my point was like you said it is not economically feasible. Plus, imagine the lines to check these phones !! People come in late now, imagine if they had to check phone - lol.
yankeefan7
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/14/12
#60The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/30/16 at 9:45am
"It is illegal to have cellphones on in a theater in New York City. That ordinance was passed many years ago. If you look in the back of your Playbill is says so, but in tiny print."
Wow, I did not know that !! Thanks for the information and will check an old Playbill.
#62The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 4/30/16 at 11:46pm
I know this is not about turning off cell phones but last week I went to see Fiddler and the family of 5 next to us: Mom, Dad, 3 older teenage children- took out tupperware at the beginning of act 2 and started to eat a full meal! The mom even passed out a bag of cookies for them to share! Listening to them loudly chomp their cucumber and lettuce salads and crinkle their cookie bag made me want to grab an usher and scream. Unfortunately, the lights were off and there was no usher in sight. Never in my life had I seen such disrespect.
VintageSnarker
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
#63The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 5/1/16 at 12:05am
I sat next to a texter for (thankfully) the first (and hopefully last) time. She wasn't that disruptive relatively speaking but we were in the first few rows and I was baffled by the fact that the show was incredible and she would not stop. She texted throughout the entire show. And the only time I confronted her early on her response was "I don't have to stop texting." She was also late to the show so she missed the announcement that yes, you do have to stop texting.
Broadway Joe
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/15/10
#64The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 5/1/16 at 1:06am
I always put my phone into airplane mode and then shut it off because I never want to be that person whose phone goes off.
That being said I don't have as many issues as most here with phones going off. I see almost every new Broadway show that opens and I would say it's probably 1 out of 8 or so that a phone will go off. Now that is still not terrible but I don't experience it every show at least.
I also have noticed in my experience that it happens way more at musicals then plays.
#65The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 5/1/16 at 4:59am
I think the theatres should all have visible security guards with batons and guns in the theatre. I think people would be less likely to act up. An usher does not have the same threatening presence and people feel like the ushers are there to serve their needs.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#66The importance of shutting off your cell phone in a theater
Posted: 5/1/16 at 6:31am
sarahb22 said: "nrubanobroadway said: "Death stare texters
Whisper-yell at ringers
sentence a bootlegger to life in jail no parole"
No way, on that last one. Thanks to a bootlegger there is currently floating around what might be the ONLY copy of 'Hamilton' performed on stage, with the original cast, that ever exists. Now it's a bootleg, but in ten years? Twenty years? It'll be gold.
"
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