People who make you sit down when you stand up to give an ovation

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 3:12am

I can't believe people do this, but unfortunately, it has happened to me twice, second time being tonight. The first time I happened to be in the first row of a show I adored and everyone in the cast was so great that I just really had to urge to stand up for everyone, so I stood right away for the ensemble...not at all trying to urge anyone to stand w/ me just it was something personal I wanted to do. Well the woman behind me taps me and asks me to sit down b/c she can't see...I was just in so much shock that I sat...but OMG...to make matters worse, when the leads came up everyone stood so she told me okay now I'm allowed to stand...I mean, am I right to be so upset? I just felt it was incredibly disrespectful to everyone else in that show that I wanted to stand for that she would tell me to sit down.

I swore the next time that happened I would scream or curse the person out b/c I think it's so rude and disrespectful to the performers. Well, it happened again tonight, at the Sweeney Todd Actor's Fund performance no doubt. I was in the third row from the end of the mezz, and quite a few ppl stood up as curtain calls started...but I play clarinet and think Diana who plays the beggar woman and the clarinet is amazing so of course I stood for her...I was in the third row from the back, and once again a woman behind me told me to sit down, she can't see. And as much as I swore I wouldn't, I couldn't argue and just sat. Everyone stood near the end, though they didn't and I could hear them whispering about ulgh everyone's standing they can't see ulgh.

I mean, I view a standing ovation as not something I feel like standing or blocking anyone's view from, but if there's something I think was really great about a performance or performer, I stand b/c I think they deserve it. So for anyone to tell me to sit no matter who it is just makes me so upset, and more upset that I actually listen. Am I right to be this upset?

Updated On: 1/30/06 at 03:12 AM

[bjivie2]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 3:19am

Just stand when you want to stand.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 3:22am

You'd be surprised how much easier it is to say "No" than use all those damn muscles to sit back down. :)

[TLKfan]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 3:32am

Yeah that's happen to me before. My friend was with me at Lion King and I stood right at the beginning because the ensemble was great and she had to pull me down because someone had told me to sit. I felt so upset and embarrased. It's like get over it. Sometimes the ensembles are better than the leads. I just feel they need as much respect as the leads. So I totally know how you feel. Just do whatever you want.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 3:45am

WRQ, if I were there, I would have told those people off for you! That's just plain obnoxious. It's the freakin' curtain call; if they want to see, they can stand up themselves. Hell, I always say that for standing ovations, I tend to stand up when the people in front of me stand, if only in case that's the night someone falls into the orchestra pit

But seriously, next time that happens, just ignore them. If they want to see so bad, they can lean to the right. They've probably been hogging their neighbors armrest all night anyway.

I just can't believe this happened at Sweeney. When I saw it, the whole audience was on their feet even before the lights had gone down completely onstage.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 4:01am

lol i feel stupid when i am in the audience of a not very good show and everyone else around me is standing up and i refuse to stand.

[YankeeGal#24]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 4:48am

It happened to me at The Producers once, near the end of Nathan and Matthew's run. I think I was in row M of the orchestra, and just about the whole place was standing--except, of course, the two women sitting behind me. I was so surprised when one tapped me and told me she couldn't see that I just turned around and said "Then stand up! Everyone else is!" I guess it was kind of rude, but GEEZ!

[alterego]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 5:48am

If you were sitting at the front of the auditorium and stood up at the beginning of the curtain call I'd have told you to sit down too, particularly if you were sitting in front of me. It makes much more sense to stand at the end of the curtain call when everyone is on stage and then (though to you it appears that you giving the ovation to principals only) you stand for the entire company.

I think you are being rude to others in the audience by blocking their view, sit down until the very end. Then again it is not unknown for some shows to use 'plants' down front in order to get the house to stand. Perhaps they thought you were a plant.

[Poodle]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 7:48am

I think if someone behind asks you to sit down because they'd like to see, then it's a reasonable request. After all, if you've already stood, your appreciation has been seen and there's no need to remain an obstacle to the rest of the audience who may not share your overwhelmed judgement of the show.

Sometimes standing in the front rows isn't so much an ovation, as a way for fans to try their best to gain the attention of the stars. People sitting behind them can't see and apparently that doesn't matter. When people have paid to see actors on stage, it's not for you to be stubborn and continue blocking their view. After all, they might be disabled or elderly and unable to stand themselves. A little consideration goes a long way.

[kec]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 7:54am

"It makes much more sense to stand at the end of the curtain call when everyone is on stage and then (though to you it appears that you giving the ovation to principals only) you stand for the entire company."

I agree. This is what I do when I find the perfomances across the board to be worthy of a standing ovation -- I wait until the last principal comes out, then stand for everyone.

Updated On: 1/30/06 at 07:54 AM

[Traci]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 7:55am

haha, All I needed to do was read the thread title and I knew it you was you Panda.

I think just stand when you want. If the people behind you don’t like it, well, who cares. They only have to put up with it for a few minuets anyway.

Updated On: 1/30/06 at 07:55 AM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 8:28am

Long thread title much?

[Katurian2]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 8:40am

lol- I totally hear you! But, instead of sitting back down, I just give them a half turn and a dirty look. But I always feel akward when I don't stand because I hated a show and everyone lese is up. But, I never ask people to sit down.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 8:42am

T-H-R-E-A-D

T-I-T-L-E-!

S-H-O-R-T-E-N-!

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 9:21am

W-H-Y
D-O-E-S
I-T
M-A-T-T-E-R
H-O-W
L-O-N-G
T-H-E
T-H-R-E-A-D
T-I-T-L-E
I-S?

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 9:31am

I agree about the thread title, although I have so little experience with audience ettiquette that I don't have advice either way on the ovation issue.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 9:52am

The curtain call is about the cast paying respects to the audience and the audience paying respects to the cast. It has nothing to do with you and a complaining audience member. If you feel the cast earned a standing ovation from you, then, by all means stand and let the ornery beast go to hell.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 9:56am

LOL it was late, I could have sworn at the end of the message I put something like sorry for the thread title, I was just upset about it...

I do see the point about standing at the end, but usually if a show is good enough that I feel the need to stand right away, most people will be standing by the time the leads come out...so if it were my intention to wait till the end to give everyone an ovation, I wouldn't be able to see when people stood up for the leads

Well, since that incident near the front, I tend to...be a little more aware of that sort of thing, another show at intermission I knew I really wanted to stand for the ensemble so I actually turned around and asked the people behind me if it would be a problem, they laughed and said no. But still...3rd to last row of the mezzanine? When at least 1/3 of the audience is standing as well?

And I know I shouldn't have given in, I swore I wouldn't next time, but at least for me, it's much easier to say I'm gonna say no then actually do it, unfortunately.

[showinoff]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 10:04am

You paid your money, stand when you want to stand. Good for you, support the ensemble!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 10:19am

"It makes much more sense to stand at the end of the curtain call when everyone is on stage and then (though to you it appears that you giving the ovation to principals only) you stand for the entire company."

That's nonsense. What if the only performer who deserves a standing ovation is the first to come out for the curtain call? That's the nature of theatre. If I were to give a standing ovation (which I rarely do), I don't care if you can't see or not. The curtain call is for the actors, not the audience.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 10:28am

I think you should stand when you want to. I was on my feet almost before they came out for the curtain call at Sweeney. When the 1st actor that I feel deserves a standing O hits the stage for curtain call, I stand. I have been asked in the past to sit and refused. It is, as mentioned here, the curtain call! You are going to be getting up and leaving anyway! :)

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 10:32am

Whew. Thank you doll. Much appreciated.

[MLE]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 10:45am

I agree, stand when you want to stand! Ensemble members are great, they deserve so much more credit anyway. As for the people behind, I'd just ignore them at first and if the persist, politely turn around and explain that this is curtain call and I am showing my respects to the actors.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 10:48am

Stand for who you believe was good. For many shows I have only stood up for certain actors and then I have sat back down, because the following didn't deserve it.

What shocked me reading your post was that people weren't standing at Sweeney Todd. When I went the crowd was on it's feet before the final notes of the 2nd act were finished.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/30/06 at 11:07am

"When people have paid to see actors on stage, it's not for you to be stubborn and continue blocking their view. After all, they might be disabled or elderly and unable to stand themselves. A little consideration goes a long way."

Sorry, but I think this is bullsh*t. They've paid to see the actors onstage, but the actors have worked their asses off for the past 2.5 hours to be worthy of a standing ovation. THAT is what the curtain call is about- acknowledging the actors' performances, it's no longer about the audience witnessing a show. What next, you'll complain that people shouldn't clap, because people paid to hear the actors? It's the same thing.

And throwing in the "elderly and disabled" excuse is pathetic. So no one should *ever* give a standing ovation to a show just in case the person sitting behind them happens be unable to stand? Please.

I think it's funny that this keeps happening to WRQ. She's like two feet tall, who's view could she be blocking?