Unpleasant theater audiences- Page 5

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/3/23 at 2:17am

 why did the theatres allow snacks and candy in the theatre

Money of course. They literally care about nothing else. Not if people are respectful of one another, if people start fighting, if people scream "THIS IS SO BORING!" when Daniel Craig is speaking, if someone gets off to Tom Hiddleston in the middle of a dialogue. All they care about is cramming as many people in as possible, regardless of how miserable people are being are to one another. I have now heard about assaults, verbal abuse, criminal threats and other illegal sh*t. Security is too soft, it's disgusting and they need to be trained better. If you cannot follow rules in a theater, your ass will be kicked out or you will be arrested. Simple. 

And it will never stop being this way until no one shows up to any Broadway shows, which will never, ever happen. 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 6/3/23 at 2:11pm

First off, any patron who is drunk usually had a few before coming to the theatre. And, they would have a couple of drinks when they get there. 

 

That being said. When I worked at Jagged Little Pill, there were always cops hanging around outside the Broadhurst, every night like clockwork. Reason being is that every single performance there was a person(s) generally in their 40s who grew up on the album and treated it like a concert. I honestly cannot think of a performance I worked where they didn’t kick someone out for that reason. 

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 6/5/23 at 9:57am

Thanks for the kind words all.  Now I'm a big guy and this woman wasn't all the large as I remember but it still rattled me when she wouldn't shut up about me calling her out about recording.  She had said it wasn't going to ruin her night yet I think that's exactly what she ended up doing.

I thought about contacting a house manager and believe me, as I was walking up the aisle and up the stairs I kept waiting for someone or something to bop me on the head (more likely the bag she was carrying with her water and snacks in it).

In retrospect i probably should have gotten someone at the beginning of the show. Next time will be different.

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 6/5/23 at 11:37am

I'm still amazed how a woman could get sloshed before Death Of A Salesman and then relentlessly interrupting the performance. I've heard o many stories of abusive audiences especially with Rock Of Ages where drinks were brought to audiences in their seats. Clearly, they were asking for it. But a three hour Arthur Miller play? Thank goodness the cast showed enormous professionalism while the house took care of her. But to echo a previous response, the eating and especially the drinking is a major problem. But in London, if you're producing a one act show with no intermission, the producers have to pay the theater owner extra for lost booze sales! Crazy but true. So you know how important those sales are to the landlords. It's not right but there you are. 

[Zingingtobway]

Posted: 6/5/23 at 1:40pm

Recently at a Performance of Sweeney Todd. I was enjoying Act 1 along with the rest of the patrons of the theater. That includes laughing at the comedic moments. There was a young lady sitting behind me who was also enjoying the show and laughed at appropriate moments along with the rest of us. When Act 1 ended the woman who was next to me in my row turned around to the young girl and yelled " I wish you would find another way to laugh your laugh is obnoxious" At first, I thought they were together but then I realized the young lady did not know this woman. At this point she had made such a scene that she embarrassed the young lady almost on the brink of tears. My friend and I asked the young lady if they were together. The young girl shook her head No with tears swelling in her eyes and I lost it. Now, we all paid our money to enjoy a night at the theatre. No one has the right to tell someone how they should laugh or enjoy themselves. She was not disrupting the show in any way.  I told the lady in my row that she was completely out of order and gave her a piece of my mind. I asked if she planned to reprimand every other patron in the theatre for laughing or just the ethnic young lady? How Rude! luckily we were able to get the young theatre student moved to another seat thanks to the amazing house manager who quickly defused the situation. I don't know what has gotten into people these days but they are out of control. 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 7:52pm

Saw PETER PAN THAT GOES WRONG this afternoon and was seated between two 2 something kids who had obviously seen the show several times and were laughing at jokes before the punchline came. It became more annoying as the show progressed.

Updated On: 6/8/23 at 07:52 PM

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 5:11pm

Saw 2:22 A Ghost Story in London today. The gentleman sitting in the seat next to me took his phone out in the first act because someone was trying to call him. Rather than do the right thing and turn the phone off, HE FREAKING ANSWERED THE CALL!!!! He was on the phone for like 2 minutes. When he finally ended the call, I thought that was the end. NOPE! He made another call which probably lasted for like 30 seconds, and spent the next 15 minutes texting. I whispered to him to turn it off, but I don't think he heard me. I did not want to escalate anything, but clearly, this man either did not want to be at the theatre or just does not understand the rules. I still do not know how the ushers did not see him as they were in the audience. Guess he was just lucky or something. Still, it's very rude to other people and the actors on stage. 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 7:44pm

At a show I was ushering at the other night, a patron had an issue with the her ability to climb the stairs down to the lower lounge for the restroom. I informed her that if she wanted, the accessible restroom was in the lobby and she should feel free to use it. She asked if she can access it now even though people were coming in. After I told her that there’s never been any issue of someone not being able to use it even if we’re letting others in for seating. Long story short, she claimed that the staff was not letting her use the restroom she needed to and was VERY pissed about that. Despite the fact that no one did or would stop her and that tons of people have used it at that very timeframe she was still mad at me. 

Later that night on my train from Grand Central to home, she was on the train and despite being done with work, she saw me and  still gave me grief over it.

[bk]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 8:25pm

Somehow, theaters got along just fine without allowing food and drink into the theater - when did that begin - in the 90s or late 80s? It's like people cannot sit without their little sippy cups of whatever or stuffing food into their gaping maws for a couple of hours - you know, like audiences did for decades. But how many people here who are complaining about this disruptive behavior (along with cell phones, texting, and that stupidity) whoop and holler every time some singer hit a high note, like it was an episode of American Idol or AGT? How many people scream like banshees after every number? How many attempt to do those inane mid-show standing ovations, again as if they were watching an episode of American Idol, which is where all THAT behavior comes from? It's simply a chore and a bore to go to most musical theater today.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 9:27pm

The food and drink scenario started in the late 2000s. I’m remembering shows from the early 2000s and none of them had sippy cups. We were still in the era of no drinks or food being permitted past the lobby. You had to gulp your beer down or eat your brownie before entering the house to walk to your seat - with ushers holding fort monitoring the doorway.  

[spicemonkey]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 10:46pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "The food and drink scenario started in the late 2000s. I’m remembering shows from the early 2000s and none of them had sippy cups. We were still in the era of no drinks or food being permitted past the lobby. You had to gulp your beer down or eat your brownie before entering the house to walk to your seat - with ushers holding fort monitoring the doorway."

Maybe just me, but I hate sitting next to ppl who drink during the show - the smell from their breath - OMG - I still remember the breath smell from this women sitting next to me in Jagged Little Pill - I had to cover my nose whenever she whispered to her friend. 

 

Does Ambassador Theatre Group sell crunchy snacks to patrons? When I saw Salesman at the Hudson, the couple next to me was snacking half of the time, the noise was very distracting. Not sure if they bought the it from the concierge or outside. Asking this because I found ATG quite greedy in general LOL 

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 11:01pm

The guy who sat next to me at Dear Evan Hansen was eating M and Ms

Now that's not too egregious

But it seemed like he chose to start eating them whenever there were emotional moments

And he crinkled the wrapper so much

And when I asked him if he could stop during intermission he legitimately told me to move seats

And I said 

That I didn't buy any other seats so obviously I can't take a seat that isn't mine

And he was like telling me half the row in front of me was empty

Which is technically true 

But everybody knows you don't take seats you didn't buy

That's like parking in a handicap spot

Or littering or something

Sure 

You probably won't get in trouble

But it's still not allowed

Luckily he'd finished them all by act two

It'd be fine if he'd eaten them during like Sincerely Me or something

But he chose For Forever

And Disappear

And You Will Be Found

Why do people even eat in a theater

I really really hate that that's even allowed

[60'splayoff]

Posted: 7/3/23 at 11:04am

I'm so sorry that happened to you @buddystarr. Feeling frustrated and distracted is one thing, feeling unsafe is another.

My struggle is always to either silently suffer or say something and risk setting the patron off, making more of a scene. 

I was at & Juliet the Tuesday after Tony's (hmm a theme here... maybe that show needs to explore a more in-your-face announcement rather than just a sign). I was in the front row next to a woman who shamelessly filmed all of Larger Than Life, had her feet up, pressed against the stage, took Pringles out at a tender moment, checking texts etc. Sitting so close, I was mortified the cast would think I was with her. However, hearing stories like @buddystarr I'm nervous to say anything because I just don't want anymore attention in my direction.

I ended up moving to an open row, but it's such an obnoxious situation that can eat this anxious theatre goer alive. Ruins the whole night!

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 7/3/23 at 1:49pm

spicemonkey, yes, ATG sells popcorn in their theatres which truly boggles the mind. 

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 7/3/23 at 2:00pm

60'splayoff said: "I'm so sorry that happened to you @buddystarr. Feeling frustrated and distracted is one thing, feeling unsafe is another.

My struggle is always to either silently suffer or say something and risk setting the patron off, making more of a scene.

I was at & Juliet the Tuesday after Tony's (hmm a theme here... maybe that show needs to explore a more in-your-face announcement rather than just a sign). I was in the front row next to a woman who shamelessly filmed all of Larger Than Life, had her feet up, pressed against the stage, took Pringles out at a tender moment, checking texts etc. Sitting so close, I was mortified the cast would think I was with her. However, hearing stories like @buddystarr I'm nervous to say anything because I just don't want anymore attention in my direction.

I ended up moving to an open row, but it's such an obnoxious situation that can eat this anxious theatre goer alive. Ruins the whole night!"

Thanks.  yeah I thought the same thing about the show maybe being a bit more proactive in their "no recording/picture taking" policies.  

Sorry you had to go through this too, it really does make an unpleasant experience and taints future visits to live theatre.

[60'splayoff]

Posted: 7/3/23 at 3:53pm

BuddyStarr said: Thanks. yeah I thought the same thing about the show maybe being a bit more proactive in their "no recording/picture taking" policies.

Sorry you had to go through this too, it really does make an unpleasant experience and taints future visits to live theatre."

Oh goodness, mine was nothing compared to your traumatic experience. Wishing you pleasant and uninterrupted performances moving forward!

I've seen the show a handful of times and the ushers are always super alert during Roar which makes sense cause it's so outrageous. Maybe they could take it up a notch throughout the rest of the show...

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 8/9/23 at 5:35pm

So another interesting interaction last night at the Cottage.  Luckily it wasn’t directed at me.  My friend and I were walking down 44th street after the Cottage got out and crossed the street headed towards 8th Ave.  This young girl was on the side of my friend who was holding his Playbill up and she said to him “Did you enjoy the play?”  

Without waiting for an answer she said “I couldn’t”. Those four women up there (they were ahead of us on the street) talked throughout the whole play and even took a selfie in the middle of it, I didn’t want to make a scene.”

We just kept walking toward 8th avenue when the woman who was talking to us hurriedly pushed/shoved one or two of the women into the street and continued to cross 8th Avenue.  One of the four women said “she just assaulted us” while another of the four took out her phone and started recording the women who did the shoving following her across the street.  (We were also following them because the “walk” sign was lit.

I was sort of not shocked how this behavior in the theatre is manifesting itself outside of the theatre.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/9/23 at 6:35pm

She didn't want to make a scene but then assaulted the women? Sheesh. She could have pushed them in front of an oncoming car. Road Rage Broadway Style?  Sounds like they were all in the wrong.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/10/23 at 10:58am

dramamama611 said: "She didn't want to make a scene but then assaulted the women? Sheesh. She could have pushed them in front of an oncoming car. Road Rage Broadway Style? Sounds like they were all in the wrong."

Actually, under New York Penal Law 120.00, for an assault to have occurred there must be a physical injury and intent to harm. This was just rude behavior. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 8/11/23 at 9:42am

The thing that I don't understand is that it seems like with texting, filming, talking during the show, disrespecting the actors as well as being obnoxious and rude to the other people in the audience...people doing those things find nothing wrong with their behavior. They consciously do it, and think "eh, no big deal. It's fine, I'm not distracting anyone. It's okay to film. It's okay to do this". How can they think that? How can they think "I'm an exception, it's okay, they don't see me, I'm not distracting anyone". How can that actually be something going through someones brain? There is something seriously wrong mentally with people who believe that there's nothing wrong with recording, talking, eating loudly, etc. 

[Voter]

Posted: 8/11/23 at 11:02am

I feel like opening a can of worms this morning, so let me leave you with this:

When I was at the final final performance of Phantom of the Opera closing (yes, that one with the gala) I had never experienced such a disruptive crowd. Not with applauses or anything... but with RECORDING. During the final Masquerade... I do not exaggerate when I say EVERYONE pulled out their phones to record. Did the ushers or anyone care? Not really, but it created a wave of phone screens being held up which was insanely distracting. One man in front of me kept his flash on throughout THE WHOLE SONG, not stopping to think how disruptive he was.

Now here's the thing: This audience is 95% theatre workers/VIPs... one would think they know theatre etiquette. So here's the question: Did I overreact by being pissed off that multiple people ruined a special memory because they wanted a keepsake on their mobile device? Or have we lost all hope of humanity remaining a shred of shame? Because I swear people just don't feel shame for their actions anymore.

Anyway, shoutout unrelated to Laird for being a kick ass Phantom that night. What a show. But the phones will always stick out for me.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 8/11/23 at 11:09am

Voter said: "I feel like opening a can of worms this morning, so let me leave you with this:

When I was at the final final performance of Phantom of the Opera closing (yes, that one with the gala) I had never experienced such a disruptive crowd. Not with applauses or anything... but with RECORDING. During the final Masquerade... I do not exaggerate when I say EVERYONE pulled out their phones to record. Did the ushers or anyone care? Not really, but it created a wave of phone screens being held up which was insanely distracting. One man in front of me kept his flash on throughout THE WHOLE SONG, not stopping to think how disruptive he was.

Now here's the thing: This audience is 95% theatre workers/VIPs... one would think they know theatre etiquette. So here's the question: Did I overreact by being pissed off that multiple people ruined a special memory because they wanted a keepsake on their mobile device? Or have we lost all hope of humanity remaining a shred of shame? Because I swear people just don't feel shame for their actions anymore.

Anyway, shoutout unrelated to Laird for being a kick ass Phantom that night. What a show. But the phones will always stick out for me."

1.  The coolest that you were at the final performance!!! I'm so thrilled you got to experience that. However, not so thrilled that you'll remember because of the people filming. 

2. Manners and respect have gone completely out the window. No one cares anymore. 

[spicemonkey]

Posted: 8/11/23 at 11:34am

Being a theatre professional def does not guarantee they know how to behave in the theatre. (I already wrote in this thread )I was at ITW at St James. This woman sitting behind me is a working actor (she kept talking about it loudly before the show / during intermission, something about herself and her boyfriend working in TMM with Hugh Jackman). You would expect her to respect the performers and audience better right ? But no! She was snacking at the beginning of act 2 (the noise of the crunchy snack did make me hungry tbh LOL)

Updated On: 8/11/23 at 11:34 AM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 8/11/23 at 12:21pm

spicemonkey said: "Being a theatre professional def does not guarantee they know how to behave in the theatre. (I already wrote in this thread )I was at ITW at St James. This women sitting behind me is a working actor (she kept talking about it loudly before the show / during intermission, something about herself and her boyfriend working in TMM with Hugh Jackman). You would expect her to respect the performers and audience better right ? But no! She was snacking at the beginning of act 2 (the noise of the crunchy snack did make me hungry tbh LOL)"

Geez. I'm not even a theater professional and I know better than that. 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 8/11/23 at 6:57pm

I'm just tired of garbage people.

As a New Yorker, I call them out.  If they don't like it, they can tell me to my face.  They usually don't.

Weak, rude, stupid people pipe down immediately and are usually smart enough to be embarrassed.