Spongebob and the Right to be Upset (Rant)

[mjp14018]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 11:00pm

I saw Spongebob Squarepants Friday night with my boyfriend as a fun date night. We got the very back row of the balcony, not the best seats but we just wanted to have a fun time and the ushers were really nice until the show started. They sat and talked throughout the entire show, and were singing along to the songs, they also ruined some comedic timing with their talking by saying the line that would be funny before the actor on stage had a chance to. I got so fed up with it that I went and talked to them during the second act and told them that I could hear them talking and that, that was not okay. Do I have the right to be upset? Am I overreacting? I just found it very unprofessional and distracting because thats what I remember about the show, not the great performance and cool technical elements I watched.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 11:23pm

You have every right to be upset. You can try writing to the house manager. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 11:26pm

Agreed with ljay. Ushers can do whatever they want to during the show, but chat within hearing distance of the audience? No.

Definitely contact the house manager.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 11:26pm

I'm infuriated just reading about what happened to you, so, no, you're not overreacting.

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 11:28pm

You definitely have the right to be upset. After paying for a ticket, you're entitled to the full experience of the show. Ushers see a show so many times that they can forget that it's a special, one-time experience for each new audience. I'd even say you showed restraint by approaching them to complain during the second act. I  would have been far less tolerant of anyone ruining the experience, and would have spoken to whoever their supervisor is. It's totally unprofessional.

[mjp14018]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 11:31pm

I'm trying to find how to contact the company or house manager? Can any of you help, I tried looking online and I can't find any contact information for them

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 11:37pm

This page lists the Palace house manager as Brooke E. Smith, and says the contact number is for Nederlander Organization: 212-840-5577.

[mjp14018]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 12:06am

Thanks for the help everyone! I just emailed their customer service type thing, I will keep you updated on what happens. 

[Skip23]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 1:18am

You're a saint!

 

I would have jumped on their faces THE MINUTE I heard them talking.  TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!

 

[boonanas]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 8:36am

I sat in the balcony the time I saw it, when I looked for an usher to help out with some rambunctious kids, there were none to be found.  

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 10:26am

mjp14018 said: "[t]he ushers were really nice until the show started. They sat and talked throughout the entire show, and were singing along to the songs, they also ruined some comedic timing with their talking by saying the line that would be funny before the actor on stage had a chance to. I got so fed up with it that I went and talked to them during the second act and told them that I could hear them talking and that, that was not okay."

How did they respond when you spoke to them? Were they still the same "really nice" people at the beginning of your anecdote (did they apologize, for example, and cease their unwanted behavior)? If they responded to you apologetically, and quieted down, I would cut them some slack.

I wonder if your experience might have been different had you spoken to them sooner?

[mjp14018]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 10:49am

John Adams said: "mjp14018 said: "[t]he ushers were really nice until the show started. They sat and talked throughout the entire show, and were singing along to the songs, they also ruined some comedic timing with their talking by saying the line that would be funny before the actor on stage had a chance to. I got so fed up with it that I went and talked to them during the second act and told them that I could hear them talking and that, that was not okay."

How did they respond when you spoke to them? Were they still the same "really nice" people at the beginning of your anecdote (did they apologize, for example, and cease their unwanted behavior)? If they responded to you apologetically, and quieted down, I would cut them some slack.

I wonder if your experience might have been different had you spoken to them sooner?"

I agree with saying that my experience may have been different if I had spoken to them sooner, but I don't think it is right for the audience member to have to go out of their way to talk to the staff during a show, which is the whole issue I have with the situation.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 10:58am

I once complained via email to a house manager (not of this theatre or landlord) both about noisy ushers and a filthy bathroom situation (we were some of the first people in the house, so they clearly hadn't cleaned up that well beforehand), and got a really nice email back and a card for a free drink on the house next time I go.

You definitely shouldn't have had to go out of your way to do that, no.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 11:09am

John Adams said: "mjp14018 said: "[t]he ushers were really nice until the show started. They sat and talked throughout the entire show, and were singing along to the songs, they also ruined some comedic timing with their talking by saying the line that would be funny before the actor on stage had a chance to. I got so fed up with it that I went and talked to them during the second act and told them that I could hear them talking and that, that was not okay."

How did they respond when you spoke to them? Were they still the same "really nice" people at the beginning of your anecdote (did they apologize, for example, and cease their unwanted behavior)? If they responded to you apologetically, and quieted down, I would cut them some slack.

I wonder if your experience might have been different had you spoken to them sooner?"

 

They shouldn't have to have been spoken to -- at all.  

 

To the OP =  Yes (to echo others) you have every right to rant.  I'd be making a big stink over it.  However, I'd have sought out the House Manager during intermission. 

 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 11:11am

Are you sure it was an usher? 9 times out of 10 ushers are blamed for problems that aren't caused by them. In my experience, bar an merchandise staff are more disruptive during the performance than any of the ushers.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 11:14am

And while that's a good point, it still shouldn't have happened.  (And still the responsibility of the house manager, yes?)

[greggregson]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 11:18am

Union labor at its finest.

An usher at The Color Purple a few years ago came into the partial view box where I was seated before the show started so she could bark instructions at audience members. When I told her at intermission that her continued yelling in our ears before the show wasn’t a great start to a special evening out, she said the F word to me three times and covered up her name tag.

Long story short, I told a manager during intermission and she told me to speak to the house manager after the show. He gave me and my friends four comp tickets to come back whenever we wanted.

So, I would suggest to always to speak up!

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 11:54am

The Palace is also set up badly from a merchandise situation-I have been in the last row of the mezzanine and heard the printer from the merchandise stand throughout the performance (I had no idea so many people left during a show to buy a drink/candy)

 

to the OP - if there is a next time, ask for the house manager during intermission.  They are usually very helpful in fixing a variety of situations.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 12:35pm

If it was possible to get to them about 10 minites into it happenimg during Act 1 I would have spoken to them then. If they apologized and said they would stop, fine. If not, and it continued, at intermission I would have sought out the House Manager and spoke to her or him.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 2:50pm

The Palace is also set up badly from a merchandise situation-I have been in the last row of the mezzanine and heard the printer from the merchandise stand throughout the performance (I had no idea so many people left during a show to buy a drink/candy)

 

Just to correct some information on here, I have sold merchandise in various Broadway theaters for 10 years, and we are NEVER allowed to sell during the show. If the merch booth is completely outside the theater, like in the outer lobby, we could probably get away with it, but the show is our time to eat dinner, restock, and relax before the show ends. Most of the time, we're not even near the booth during the show. I promise you, you were not hearing people buying merch during the show, unless they were wrapping up a sale from intermission, in which case the noise should have stopped very soon after the show started.

What you were probably hearing was the bar staff closing down. Bars in theaters are not open when the show ends, they close down after intermission. In order to close, they have to print their receipts so they can count out their drawer and do inventory. If you heard them closing down, I apologize and that is unfortunate that the balcony bar is so close to the seating, but unfortunately, the bar staff do not have a choice unless they want to hang out and wait an extra hour until the show closes for no pay.

 

Also, I and my coworkers try our hardest to be as quiet as possible when we have to open or close the booth during the show, but we do not have the option of leaving it open while we walk away, and if we closed or opened only after the house lights came up, we would lose sales. If you hear noise from the merch booth, you can try complaining to the house manager and they may speak to that particular seller, but a little bit of sound is unavoidable due to the layout of some of these theaters.

Updated On: 2/5/18 at 02:50 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 5:03pm

dramamama611 said: "And while that's a good point, it still shouldn't have happened. (And still the responsibility of the house manager, yes?)"

That's absolutely correct. However, I just wanted to point out that people are too quick to say it was the ushers, when it could easily have been merchandise or bar staff. It also could have been people associated with the production (who are not always quiet themselves). 

Yero my Hero said: "What you were probably hearing was the bar staff closing down."

That's a possibility too. There is actually a major problem with the bar staff not shutting down early enough to be off the floor in Broadway houses where the bar is inside the house. They keep bar lights on when they should be off, they clink bottles and slam cabinets. It's an issue that is difficult for house managers since the bar is staffed by a vendor and the HM can't simply fire them or tell them they can't work in that theater.

However, not to paint a broad stroke or to bash the bar and merchandise staff, but they generally cause more unnecessary disturbances than the ushers do (i.e., ushers may cause a disturbance in the course of doing their jobs, though some are better at minimizing these disturbances than others). Bar and merch staff tend to bw more  of the type fans typical of these types of boards (or aspiring performers), so are more excited to be at work and feel like they are a part of the show.  Most ushers aren't fanatical about theater. Many are from the neighborhood, and are part of a long family tradition of ushering on Broadway. While they may enjoy theater, they aren't fanatical. As such, I've seen merch/bar staff run around the theater looking for ideal places to watch the show, or use their phones, or talk or play games. Merch staff rotate more frequently than bar staff, so they are less likely than the bar staff to diligently follow house rules, and some often ignore the ushers (I had one merch woman tell me point-blank she didn't have to listen to the ushers when they told her she was making too much noise).

Of course, not all merch/bar staff behave this way, and ushers aren't beyond reproach and also can be seen talking or looking at their phones. But most of the time the audience won't be aware of anything the staff is doing. My point though is before saying to management that is was an usher that made the noise, know for a fact it was an usher (I say this because then the issue will only be addressed to the usher staff, and if it wasn't an usher that did it then it's not really being addressed to the correct people).

 

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 6:52pm

To the OP, I was there the other night in rear orchestra seats and heard the chatter back there. Twice I turned around to try and shoot some daggers their way. It was def the ushers and their police security guest. I'm not sure who was chatting but it was the right side (not the Judy Garland entrance). It was def not merchandise or bar. Those people are usually back there btw. Anyway I worked at the Palace before years ago so I know the lay of the land. It was def ushers.  I'd be quite surprised it was thr bar or merch. They operate with way less freedom there than the house staff.

Updated On: 2/5/18 at 06:52 PM

[mjp14018]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 7:19pm

finebydesign said: "To the OP, I was there the other night in rear orchestra seats and heard the chatter back there. Twice I turned around to try and shoot some daggers their way. It was def the ushers and their police security guest. I'm not sure who was chatting but it was the right side (not the Judy Garland entrance). It was def not merchandise or bar. Those people are usually back there btw. Anyway I worked at the Palace before years ago so I know the lay of the land. It was def ushers. I'd be quite surprised it was thr bar or merch. They operate with way less freedom there than the house staff."

Yeah I was in the last row on the left balcony. I didn't realize where it was coming from during the first act and thought staff would do something and tried to ignore it, but when it happened again my boyfriend looked and saw where it was coming from, which is why I talked to them when I did. I knew at least one of them was an usher because she showed me to my seats and I didn't recognize the other two, so they could have not been ushers, but the whole situation was just insane to me and nothing I ever experienced before in my life. 

[godlessondheimite]

Posted: 2/5/18 at 8:07pm

Who Ushers the Ushers

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 2/6/18 at 12:21am

Last time I went I sat in the very last seat in the rear orch next to the sound guy (terrible lottery win seat). He was getting so frustrated with the chatter behind him from staff. He shot dagger eyes, shook his head, and eventually told them to be quiet. I’m just trying to watch the show and poor guy is trying to just do his job.