Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

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Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 6:06pm

While I realize sometimes getting an upper balcony seat or even a rear orchestra one is because that's all there is, or for economical reasons, but I'm surprised how many people here say over and over again "You can see it great from any seat in the house". Am I the only one who feels cheated when I can't see or distinguish the faces of the actors? How can anyone fully appreciate the acting skills without seeing a raised eyebrow or a slight expression on an actor's face that is a picture worth 1000 words? I often will turn down tickets to a show waiting for when I can sit close enough to get a total appreciation -- not just an overall view of choreography and staging. Anyone else feel the same way? How important is it to you to really SEE the actors' faces?

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 6:13pm

I'm a distance queen. I mean, I'm cheap, so I'll happily sit miles back if the choice is between the gods or not seeing a show at all, but if I can afford it, I'll always sit as close as I possibly can. I have slightly gone off the very front row in recent times, but that just means I now have mixed views about it rather than thinking it's the best seat evaaaaar.

The way I see it, anyone can read words with an appropriate inflection and wave their arms about where necessary, but the most believable acting, in my opinion, can only be witnessed properly close up. So closer is better. :3

Plus, y'know, the nearer the front you are, the fewer tall people you have obscuring your vision...

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 6:16pm

If the cheaper seats are all that I can get, whether it be a financial crunch or just everything else is sold, I'll take them. But I'm definitely one of those people who prefers to sit as close as possible. I feel as if I'm missing something if I can't catch the facial expressions of the actors.

Updated On: 8/24/08 at 06:16 PM

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 7:13pm

i competely agree. I mean...I'm not stranger to the balcony, certainly. But if I can afford it, I of course shell out the cash for a seat as close as I can get. Seeing the facial expressions are vital. Like in Gypsy for instance. I knew there was no way I could see that for the first time in the balcony, and leave happy.

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 7:30pm

I am completely with you! I cannot sit in the balcony or even the mezz it just doesnt have the same feeling as when i sit down in the orchestra. I have to see there faces or the show is not as entertaining. Expecially Spamalot, if I don"t see Tom Deckman's face in the Prince Herbert scene I might as well not see the show at all.

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 7:38pm

I definitely prefer seats that allow me to see the actor's faces.

Would I rather be feared or loved? Um, easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.- Michael Scott, The Office

Updated On: 8/24/08 at 07:38 PM

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 7:48pm

that's why i always bring my binoculars to the theater! but yeah... if i can sit in the orchestra... hell i'd do that!

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 8:14pm

I'm a complete seat snob. I hate sitting in the mezz or balcony, unless it's the very front and the view is good. It's not worth it to me to see the show if I'm in the heavens. I'm willing to be 100+ bucks because I know i'll be having the best experience if i'm close.

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 8:16pm

I often don't sit in the Balcony. But for certain shows I would like to sit in the Mezzanine because I can get a better view of the lighting and set and the dancing. Such as In The Heights, it's a great far back show but it is also great up close.

#10

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 8:39pm

There's something called binoculars. Learn to use 'em.

"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#11

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 8:50pm

The only time that I don't care about distance is when I'm watching an opera because I'm there more for the sound than faces. The sets at the Opera are so massive that from any distance they are clear. At traditional theater I, of course, prefer to be as close to the stage as possible and will pay more to do so if I have to.

#12

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 8:52pm

I've only sat in the mezz once and absolutely hated it. Have never sat on the balcony and never will.

I'm a front orchestra queen.

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

#13

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 8:53pm

I'd rather see 4 shows for $30 each than one show for $120.

#14

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 9:37pm

It's nice to sit in the front, and I try to if I can find a discount, but I really don't mind the mezz or balcony. Unless where I'm sitting has bad sightlines, I don't really mind where I sit.

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#15

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 9:46pm

Since I only get to see shows once when the touring productions stop in Atlanta, I try to sit either in the Orchestra (if I've got the cash to burn), the Loge, or the First Dress Circle. If I really want to see a show and can't afford anything more than the cheapest seats in the house (2nd Dress Circle and Gallery), I'll get one of those and bring my binoculars (which I do whenever I'm not sitting Orchestra).

The Fox Theatre, by the way, is HUGE. Here's the seating chart to give you and idea: http://www.foxtheatre.org/seating_charts.htm

Look at some of the vies from different seats and you'll see what I mean. On the plus side, I've got perfect vision, so even watching "Sweeney Todd" from the 6th row of the Loge offered me not only a perfect view of the whole show, but I could also distinguish various facial features/expressions. I also bring my binoculars, but I don't use them for the whole show b/c I know I'll miss something if I do. I save them for smaller scenes.

-- SDG

#16

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 9:56pm

I love seeing everyone's face, but I love being able to see 3 or 4 shows cheaply and from the rafters for the price of one center orchestra seat.

One can always move down.

#17

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 9:57pm

I never really enjoy being so close to the stage. It is nice to be in the 10th row. But I usually prefer sitting in the mezzanine over orchestra. You get a nice panoramic view of the show. There are exceptions of course....the balcony at the St. James was just awful but the balcony at the Longacre was perfect! Seeing that the orchestra section is horrendously beyond my budget most of the time, I take just about any seat. A theatre like the Al Hirschfeld, I have found no bad seats in the house. I saw Curtains from 4 different locations and all were excellent. So some reason, I don't really need the facial expression if the actor is doing his/her job. A gesture can be all it takes.

"Love the Art in Yourself. Not Yourself in the Art." -- Stanislavski

#18

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:10pm

I LOVE seeing faces....I just can never afford to.

Some people paint, some people sew, I meddle.

#19

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:20pm

I usually sit in the orchestra as opposed to the mezzanine or balcony.

"Everytime you step on that stage it is somebody's first Broadway show and somebody's last Broadway show. Make it count."

#20

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:24pm

I actually prefer being towards the front of the mezzanine as opposed to in the orchestra. I've found that I have no problem seeing faces from there and I don't feel as if I'm darting my focus all over the place. I like being a bit further back and having more of the complete stage picture in my vision, especially for musicals. I also find the distance helps maintain the illusion, as it's a little harder to see things that I'm not supposed to or don't want to see, such as spit flying from people's mouths while singing, sweat flying off of dancers, and many of the stage effects that work better with a little bit of distance.

Though there are also occasions when I do enjoy being close. The second time I saw Beauty and the Beast, after it had moved to the Lunt-Fontanne, I was extreme house left in Row B. By this point I was well into my career and enjoyed watching the show for all the technical stuff and being able to see how some of the effects were achieved.

However, having grown up seeing shows in the large road houses, all of the Broadway theatres seem so much smaller that I always feel like I'm far closer than I might actually be.

#21

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:26pm

"There's something called binoculars. Learn to use 'em."

What an idiotic comment that has nothing to do with the original question. The normal thing would be to look at the person speaking through the binoculars. There's no way of knowing which of the various other characters might be reacting to what's being said. That's the kind of acting I'm talking about. How on earth would you know which character to look at through the binoculars at any given time -- or how would you ever see four or five actors all responding at the same time to someone? Sure binoculars have their use -- but not for what I was talking about.

But thanks to those who honestly answered. I was really getting the impression from so many posts that many people seemed to be just as happy sitting in the back of the balcony as they would closer up. And I'll be the first to agree than for most shows the first row or two is NOT preferred!

#22

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 11:59pm

I used to be a seat snob, but now I’d just rather see more shows with cheap tickets rather than spending all that money for 1 show. For me, it also depends on the show and the theater. If it’s a show I really want to see, I’ll try to get a really good seat and wouldn’t mind shelling out the cash for it, but if it’s a show I don’t NEED to see, I’ll just grab a cheap mezz/balcony seat. And if it’s a small theater, the mezz isn’t too bad… but some theaters, the mezz/dress circle/balcony seem like they’re a mile away.

But I do agree about seeing facial expressions and everything. I’ve learned that I enjoy shows MUCH more from up close than further away. There were a couple shows I saw first from the mezz, and then a second time up close in the orchestra, and I thoroughly enjoyed them more the second time. It’s easier for me to get involved with the story more when I’m right there.

5-10 rows back in the orchestra section would be ideal for me… if I could afford to see every show like that, that would be amazing. But until then, rear mezz or balcony seats for 30 bucks or rush seats are okay for me.

#23

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/24/08 at 11:59pm

I will say though that seeing "Wicked" from the 4th row at the Fox was AMAZING! And now I won't mind sitting farther away when it comes back in October.

-- SDG

#24

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/25/08 at 12:06am

I totally agree!
And I live by student rush and lotteries!
I love front row even when the stage is annoyingly high!

#25

re: Am I the only one who likes seeing faces?

Posted: 8/25/08 at 12:17am

If I had to pick one location to sit for every show from now on, I'd choose 7th row orchestra center. Perfect...unless a giant is sitting in front of you or some lady with annoyingly big hair.

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

Updated On: 8/25/08 at 12:17 AM

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