15 Golden Rules of Theatre Etiquette — Page 2

I HATE giving standing ovations when the show doesn't deserve it. It sucks when I see a horrible show at our tiny local community theatre and everyone stands. I HAVE to stand because if I don't I look like a bitch and I know people there :/

I completely agree about the standing ovations for every show. I can't stand it. I have only giving a legit standing O for a couple of shows and performers. Otherwise, if I'm standing it's because a) the people in front of me are standing and I can't see, b) I'm starting to gather my things to leave and make sure there's nothing on the floor, or c) getting up to dance (Hair, Xanadu)!

EVERY damn time i go to the theater... i ALWAYS cough! i dont know why and it bugs the crap out of me... in the movies, i'm fine, in church i'm fine... but stick me in a play or musical then i start having coughing fits, and oddly enough during act 2 (never act 1)!!!! i don't get it!

oh... and i know it's not theater... but the ONLY person who deserves entrance applause is Al Bundy! hahhaa... oh man, I love how every character on that show got entrance applause...

I find the apparent culture of giving endless standing ovations strange. How prevalent is it though?

i.e. would people be giving standing ovations for EVERY performance of the closed Guys and Dolls revival? Or the West Side Story revival? Or Wicked?

RE: Entrance applause. Come on I think applause is necessary after "SING OUT LOUISE" and a (presumably famous) Rose enters, it just seems so fitting for me.

---

Because it all depends on the culture, I just do what other people do. In things like Kabuki, it is a tradition to clap (or even shout out the actor's father in greater compliment) when a performer does a picturesque pose (mie) or changes costumes on stage. On national tours that I see, most people are indeed subscribers who sees shows often, and only gives standing ovations when appropriate. On Broadway, it's a totally different crowd.

And I don't blame just the tourists. I don't think EVERY tourists have the courage to be the initiator of those standing ovation. In most cases, those who initiate an entrance clap for the 8th replacement of Elphaba on the 2nd national tour are in fact a group of rabid Wicked fans who know every current, past, and future Elphaba/Glindas in every productions around the world. Even though it might not have been a standing-worthy performance, I'm guessing people would still give standing ovations to Angela Lansbury who hypothetically just gave the worst performance of her life in the crappiest show ever, simply because she is a Broadway legend. Many pretentious college MTs also go out of the usual to give thunderous ovation or even worship something that is currently "hip" to be obsessed over, like Next to Normal. Then, there are a group of "elite" theater fans who complain and bitch about the ubiquitous occurence of standing O's who think they are the sole qualified group of individuals who determines what was a standing-worthy performance or not.

I don't initiate any standing ovations or clapping (unless at end of the song, show, etc), and I'll just do whatever what the general consensus in that theater decides to do.

---

Some recent shows have capitalized on the "Entrance Applause" phenomenon and are basically set up with buildups and holds for applause even written into the score.

Recent? That's been going on since Our American Cousin.

---

I know you all are talking about standing ovations, but I didn't want to start a new thread and thought this might fit in here.

I have heard that if a seat is open closer up than the one you have, at intermission, it's okay to move up.

Is this true? Have any of you been asked to move back to your original seats? I got yelled at by an usher for doing this the other night. I had done it before, and had no problem, albeit, not at this theater.

---

A charming response.

Oh, please.

The way I choose to respond to a show I have paid good money to see is MY business. And only mine.

---

Absolutely.

I was poking fun at the snotty anti-American tone of the article, amercicanboy, and left off the emoticon. If I'd been referring to you I would have said it was a "typical ugly americanboy response".

Maybe you'll agree that it isn't particularly nice to tell someone to "shove it" just because they disagree with you, though?

I love entrance applause. It shows your appreciation for the actor playing the role. For instance, I don't think you should applaud Alice Ripley just because she's Alice Ripley, but because you love her in the role of Diana.

---

I remember seeing a performance of Ruined and there were only a handful of people who stood.

Interesting. When I saw RUINED, the whole audience stood up for an ovation the second the curtain call started. Really, it was almost everyone in unison.

---