Best / Worst Usher Stories

[BudFrump23]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 12:25am

We all have them. So let me hear 'em (well, see them, since you're typing.) Tell about that time when a Broadway usher (or House Manager) went up and above your expectations and made your theater experience exceptional.

And then I want to hear about the times you looked an usher square in the face and thought "How the hell did you ever get a job here?"

Try to include one good story and one bad (because I know, I know - it's so much easier to write about your bad experiences.)

[Q]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 12:31am

I have honestly NEVER had a 'bad' usher experience. But that might be because I interact with them politely, respectfully as another human being going about their business, and generally in a good mood because I'm entering a theater.

My experience is that those who don't cause the problem, rather than just have it thrust upon them.

Kindness is an amazing thing.

[StarStruckGB]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 12:38am

Once when I was at Rock of Ages, the show ended and most people had cleared out of the Mezz except 2 people towards a back corner who were snogging. As we were leaving my friend asked the usher, who saw them, what he was going to do about them, he was just like "Ehh, I'll leave 'em alone for awhile." Then the kissing got a little more, furious, and that's when he went "Yeah, I think it's about time, excuse me guys"
Haha, I just thought he handled it very smoothly without being ridiculous.

On the other hand, there was an usher at the closing show of The Producers that was memorable. He was trying to get a man to put his camera away at the end of the show when Mel Brooks came out. It would have been understandable if every single other person in the theater didn't have a camera flashing. He was so ridiculous.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 1:22am

I have never had a bad experience with an usher, but I did think my friend was about to get her ass kicked by an old lady at Gypsy when she took a bite of a muffin in her bag before the show started. heh.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:49am

Nothing bad for me either. I just thought it was interesting how it was almost a free for all to your seats at Phantom though. The usher handed out playbills, but then we had to find our row and seats alone, not that it's challenging.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 9:33am

I could write a book, lol!

[turquoisefish]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 2:45pm

I wasn't going to post here as I haven't had any bad examples and ushering seems a bit different in the UK, they just generally point out where your seat might be but this: "How the hell did you ever get a job here?" reminded me of one time.

I was watching the tour of Starlight Express for the second time at my local theatre and could tell there was an understudy on for Electra but there was no slip in the programme, or announcment and I never noticed a sign either. In the interval I asked an usher who was playing Electra, they weren't sure and said I should ask the house manager. He wondered why I thought there was an understudy on, I said (probably too bluntly) the normal guy is black and the one up there tonight isn't. He still seemed a little unsure and said they hadn't been told there was an understudy on and it was probably the first understudy listed.

I'm still not 100% sure who I saw that night but if I was the guy on that night I'd want people to know about it.

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:23pm

I haven't had any bad experiences, but some ushers could definitely be more polite and careful. Pointing the flashlight right at people's faces, or yelling at a patron for taking the picture of a show curtain (okay, yes, it's against the law. But a friendly warning would still be suffice.), etc., definitely doesn't show much care.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:26pm

"definitely doesn't show much care."

Care for whom? The people who break the laws because they feel entitled? Those days are over. Things have gotten out of hand and there's not much patience left for such folk.

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:40pm

Honey, it's just my opinion that people who hold positions treating patrons/customers need to be as least condescending as possible.

Yes, you see some obnoxious, rude theatergoers who take pictures throughout the performance or takes thirty minutes trying to choose a seat at the box office. But they're not the ones I'm talking about. When there is a need to point something out to a patron, there is a polite way to do so without blinding the other patrons with a flashlight.

And it just comes down to their personalities. I rarely see an usher have a good day/bad day. If they're loud and authoritarian, then they'll be that way for the most of the time; if they're kind and gentle, that's just how they approach their patrons. It is my point of view that rude ones shouldn't be ushers at all.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:11pm

Snookums-

Ushers are instructed by their supervisors to shine the flashlight right into certain patron's faces. If you want a list of reasons to do so, I'll supply it. And while we're on the topic, please supply the polite way to do so.

"And it just comes down to their personalities. I rarely see an usher have a good day/bad day."

I'm not sure what that means.

This reminds me of trying to have a discussion about how "easy teaching is" with a person who never taught.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:31pm

A few too many instances of ushers not doing their jobs seating people before the show, so they spend half the first act moving the entire mezzanine around to the correct seats.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:38pm

No bad stories, but I'm often surprised (well, not anymore, I guess) at how surly some ushers can be right from the beginning. It's a quarter to eight, you're just seating people--I doubt you've had a bad experience already.

Of course, I'm mostly talking about the older ones, who've done it for years, I assume, and have had their share of bad experiences. But that's not my fault. If they can't greet each customer pleasantly, I think it's time to retire.

All that being said, I want to be clear that I think the general theater-going audience nowadays is worse than the worst usher ever thought about being.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:57pm

Of course there are surly ushers. There are surly waiters, cashiers, railroad conductors, and every single other profession you can name that are in service industries.

ushers are at the mercy of the patrons. If they decide to sashay into a theater late, then it's now the usher's problem to seat them while trying not to make anyone unhappy, which is an impossible chore.

And if the patrons decide to videotape the show, take photographs in the theater, talk loudly, smell bad, put their feet, coats, playbills, drinks, purses, and whatever else they FEEL LIKE, ON THE STAGE DURING THE SHOW, it is again the usher's problem to deal with. Oh, yes, without disturbing anyone else.

There's usually not one performance when ushers are not called upon to take action which is bound to disturb someone.

You might be surprised at the amount of patrons who are nice and polite when they enter a theater.

Updated On: 11/29/09 at 07:57 PM

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:02pm

A woman next to me at In The Heights pulled a damn Burger King Whopper out of her purse before the show. I don't think the usher even knew where to start with that one.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:04pm

Oh and how could I forget the cell phones? There are so many of them turned on inside the theater that it looks like a rock concert with half the audience holding up candles in the night.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 9:46am

I was at a performance of Les Miserables, where right as the show was starting, a girl sitting next to me decided to take out an onion bagel with cream cheese. Of course, being that it is an onion bagel it did smell. There was an usher leaning against the wall right by me during the entire first act. And, when I got up at intermission he was just making small talk with me about that bagel must have smelled and how it must have been annoying.

I thought, yes, he is right. However, he is also in a place where he could have done something about it and yet decided not to.

[madbrian]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 9:52am

I saw Usher in Chicago and he was surprisingly good.

Oh, it should be a small 'u'? To me, ushers are almost always courteous. I don't envy them their job; I'd go crazy trying to manage all the ignorant people who come to the theater. There have been several occasions where I've asked to move to another seat, usually for comfort rather than proximity to the stage. Whether my request is granted or denied, it's always done with courtesy, probably because I am courteous when I ask.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 10:47am

" Oh, yes, without disturbing anyone else."

I think this is the area a lot of ushers need work in. (And yes I did the ushering for many years). If someone puts a playbill up or is doing something that is not directly affecting a performance or those around him than the usher needs to wait until intermission or not at all to deal with those issues instead of disturbing an entire section of people by shining flashlights or yelling during the show. It's completely inappropriate and happens far too often.

One of my worst experiences was doing standing room at The History Boys at the Broadhurst. That was a LONG play and I took a few steps back to just stretch my legs for a second and an usher RAN over to me and yelled at me. Not talked, YELLED at me and told me "Sir, you paid for a standing room space THERE. Not here. Step back to the wall and stay there". She shook her head and walked away. After the show I walked up to her and told her what a heinous bitch she was and if she ever spoke to me like that again it would be the last time she says anything with teeth in her mouth.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 12:07pm

"If someone puts a playbill up or is doing something that is not directly affecting a performance or those around him than the usher needs to wait until intermission or not at all to deal with those issues instead of disturbing an entire section of people by shining flashlights or yelling during the show. It's completely inappropriate and happens far too often."

Re the above-when I was house managing, I would never address a minor issue until intermission.

However, there are many cases of people with their legs and feet up on steps leading onto the stage, or their shopping bags and such are in the aisles, where actors need access. also, it's a fire hazard and has to be addressed immediately . Video taping and photographing must be addressed instantly, according to my current place of work. And that directive is issued by the stage manager.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 12:41pm

Jordan, I had a different experience at the Broadhurst during the run of Les Miserables. Not only was in SRO a couple of times and no one cared if I was not in my spot. But, there were times where I was quietly pacing back and forth all while my head was turned towards the stage watching the show and I wasn't bothering anyone and no one really cared.

However, when I did SRO for a performance of A Chorus Line it was clear that the SRO spots were all sold out. I felt like I was a sardine in a can and to say I had on wiggle room or room to breath is putting things mildly. When I took literally two steps back, the usher shouted at me and said that me not being directly against that wall was a fire hazard. I bit my lip and as tempted as I was to tell her that the fire exit and the main exit were right behind me and clearly visible. And, if there was a fire the last thing I would be doing is just standing there taking up space. I would be making a bee line to the door.

[D2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 1:06pm

Good/Bad Experiences, both having to do with my father, who had Parkinsons which severely limited his mobility.

Bad: KISS ME, KATE, Martin Beck Theatre, 2000. A Saturday Matinee. We had seats down front, on the far left side of the theater. The usher made a comment about "these goddamn matinees and alteh kakehs who clog up my aisles."

Good: THE PRODUCERS, St. James Theatre, 2003. A holiday matinee. By then my father was in a wheelchair. During intermission, he had to use the restroom, and because of the lines he and I were late getting back and the 2nd Act had already started. Our seats were once again down front, but this time dead center. The House Manager and ushers couldn't have been more gracious or helpful. They obviously couldn't get us back to our assigned seats, but they were very kind to my dad, and wheeled him to an unobtrusive spot in the theatre and let me stand next to him so we could see the rest of the show. When the show was over, they came directly to us and helped us fight the crowds out to the street. I've never forgotten how helpful and gracious they were to him.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 3:02pm

" I bit my lip and as tempted as I was to tell her that the fire exit and the main exit were right behind me and clearly visible."

Because you are well trained as a fire guard.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 4:23pm

No, but there were two doors behind me that had very visible exit signs on top of them plus my SRO spot was located right by the door that goes from the lobby into the house.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:27pm

I've never really had a bad experience with ushers in New York, but a few years ago at Boston's Symphony Hall I had a doozy. The ushers there are volunteers and the gal who seated me put me in the wrong seat---on the wrong side of the theater. I sat there reading the program until the concert began. Then the same usher interrupted me to explain her mistake. I had to vacate my seat and walk around the perimeter of the concert hall to get to the correct seat. As a result, I missed the opening selection. What was it? The overture to GYPSY!!!!!