Why are matinees less respected?- Page 3

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/7/19 at 5:53pm

GavestonPS said: "One of the most thrilling theater experiences I ever had was a matinee of FOLLIES in 1971. Yes, the matinee ladies were shuffling their shopping bags, but more importantly, they were talking about having seenEthel Shutta in THE ZIEGFELD FOLLIES of 1919!

Each principal got at least two entrance applauses--when she entered and when she paraded with her sash during "Beautiful Girls".

I saw the show again the following year with a more mixed evening audience. The show itself was just as good, but the audience didn't compare to that first adventure into the future/past with the matinee ladies of 1971.

All of which is to say, "It depends." If you are seeing something difficult and less immediately accessible--I'm thinking THE BAND'S VISIT might be such a case--then you should expect to contend with a matinee audience of people exhausted from shopping and lunch. But if you attend something that touches an older audience, a matinee might be ideal."

I shared your great experience at Follies, which was fascinating for me, as I had never heard of some of the performers, including Fifi... and Ethel Shutta.  That was not at a matinee, however, as -- especially in those days -- most audiences sat on their hands.  In those days, the audience composition was much more skewed  to older blue haired ladies.  But, per your TBV comments, the issue is usually with the audience, not those on stage.

[jagman1062]

Posted: 8/8/19 at 3:01pm

I've been to many matinee and evening performances and have not experienced much difference between the two.  I've attended many evening performances where noted performers were not in the show that night.   In some cases when a role is vocally or physically demanding, a performer may contract to perform a fewer number of performances a week.  I believe this was the case with Patti LuPone during Evita and maybe Bette Midler with Dolly.  If I recall correctly, years ago there were very few Sunday matinees (the theater district seemed deserted on Sundays) and Wednesday matinees were less expensive than evening performances, and were more often attended by school kids on field trips and non-working women (not trying to sound sexist here).  Perhaps for some reason, performers appeared in shows where audience members paid the higher ticket prices.  I don't know if the number of performers missing shows increased over recent years, but Ethel Merman's attendance is legendary.

[RemlapLBC]

Posted: 8/14/19 at 12:09pm

If Nathan Lane is in it, I'd avoid the Saturday Matinee, but beyond that, I disagree with your overall original post.