Any Rude Audience Encounters?- Page 3

[Gypsy2]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 12:50am

Wow, Native, that's really obnoxious. So tell me, why DIDN'T you belt them? I hope it's because you weren't wearing one, because that would have made a perfect opportunity for reasonable b*tchslaughter.

[LesMizazz]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 1:15am

I've got two that come to mind:
1) I was at the LesMis tour in Baltimore and Josh Young (Marius) was singing 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables' and he held the second to last word really long and someone in the back of the orchestra decided to finish his song for him and sang out "more" really loudly.
2) I was sitting in the front row (rush) for the Rent tour and a girl sitting next to me had a big crush on Brian Gligor (Mark) and she was mouthing the songs through most of the show and then doing the movements during LaVieBoheme, but the thing that nearly made me slap her was when she blew a kiss at Brian when he was singing 'Halloween'.

[testing123]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 10:43am

Well, aside from the normal chair-kickers that we seem to get every show....

Went to see Phantom last week, and a couple comes and sits next to us.. They dont speak much, if any, english at all, so the guy decided to narrate the entire show as it is happening. Very annoying ! They giggled through half the show, and kept opening up M & M bags and crunching M & M's the entire show. We could not wait until intermission to move to different seats !!

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 10:46am

During AIDA, there were about four foreign guys (think they were talking Russian?) behind me who talked the WHOLE SHOW. I kept turning around and giving them looks and shushed then a few times (as did a couple of other people in my row.)

During A Step too Far, they laughed and sang along with the "Oh oh oh oh"...grr...

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 10:56am

I saw Hairspray on Mother's Day. I snagged a great last minute seat in the front orchestra. I am VERY sure it was a house seat as I found myself seated between Annette O'Toole (Mr. McKean's wife) and the family of one of the ensemble members.

Behind us there was a family of VERY ignorant people. Before the show, they were talking about the show and getting EVERY fact wrong.. I was nice enough to turn around and correct them -- "No... Michael McKean is NOT Gay" (Mind you, his wife is seated right by me), "NO.. harvey Fierstein left the show last week.. Michael Mckean is not an understudy", "NO.. Hairspray won best NEW musical not best revival"... throughout the show they kept talking and whispering to each other about everything that happened, they were eating candy in NOISEY wrappers, they were constantly fiddling with the plastic bags that their show souvenir purchases were in, etc.... The mother and dughter decided to go to the restroom not DURING intermission, but when they made the announcement at the top of Act Two! They were just generally stupid and rude throughout the whole show..

The thing that drove me over the edge, however, happened at tehe nd of curtain call as everyone was preparing to leave. The daughter says, LOUDLY, "Is the girl that plays Tracy REALLY that fat?? She has to be skinny and wearing a fat suit cause it is NOT possible for fat people to dance like that. Everybody knows that fat people are slow and she was dancing too fast and good to really be fat." Needless to say, I proceeded to turn around and rip into her like there was no tomorrow.

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 10:57am

Mamma Mia tour-- old jewish hag behind me told me to sit down during "Waterloo"... I then proceeded to keep shaking my groove thang.

Posted: 7/10/04 at 11:03am

Coming from Miami...we have nothing but rude audience encounters..They come late and loud...talk and sing along loudly..cell phones are in cacophanous symphony...babies scream...candy boxes rattle...obligatory standing ovation for any piece of garbage...at least from those who don't run out to their cars during the finale..... In my high school theater program I print theater etiquette rules on the program and tickets.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 11:05am

"In my high school theater program I print theater etiquette rules on the program and tickets."

I remember my high school theatre instructor doing the same.... didn't change a THING. LOL

[WiCkEd4LyFfE]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 12:07pm

When I went to see Wicked recently, a group of five adults came in during Popular! They were really late! Then when Cheno does her thing on the bed, the whole row in front of me, stood up to let them in.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 12:12pm

"Then when Cheno does her thing on the bed, the whole row in front of me, stood up to let them in."

DEAR LORD, I'M BITING MY TONGUE SO HARD I HAVE BLOOD RUNNING DOWN MY CHIN.

[Corine2]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 12:16pm

At Sly Fox this week I bought some water and left it at my seat.
Someone took it.
Pretty rude!
What is worse i already opened the water. This person drank my water i have a cold so i hope they get it.
What kind of person steals water??? Updated On: 7/10/04 at 12:16 PM

[Matt_G]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 12:21pm

Hippies. Dirty Hippies.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 12:24pm

LOL Matt!!

[Qfan]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 1:34pm

rowsend where do you teach?

[M J R]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 1:38pm

I have a huge issue with people who leave during the curtain call. It's always someone that's in the middle of the aisle, too and has to push past everyone to get out. Everytime I'm on stage and I see someone doing that, I make it a point to wave at them and say "thanks" and smile really big to make sure everyone looks at them and sees what total a**holes they're being.

[Jersey_Girl]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 2:15pm

Last week at my 20 something time at Rent I had a couple directly in front of me who should have saved their ticket money and just plain gotten a room. After an hour or so of non-stop head tilting and whispering they started a real conversation. Before I knew it, I 'shushed' them. The boyfriend gave me a look like he wanted to take it outside and my husband was afraid he would have to 'defend my honor' but I didn't care. I was there to see the show, not to watch their antics. I almost always try to be polite and ask people to please be quiet or stop moving - don't have a problem with that at all. Most people really are truly sorry they have intruded on someone's good time. However, this guy looked quite confrontational and I tried my best to control myself - but enough was enough.

My worst encounter with rudeness was again at a production of Rent when Joey Fatone was in and one of his buddies from Insync was there with his girlfriend. Unfortunately they also sat directly in front of me, came late, left early, whispered and kissed through the entire production and just plain made it unpleasant for those around them. BTW - not picking on Rent because rudeness happens all over.

I personally see nothing wrong with politely asking offenders to please be quiet, stop moving, etc because they just may not know they are so visible and intrusive to their neighbors. However, I also would like to print up some sort of theatre etiquette rules and leave them on the theatre chairs myself. Maybe we should all write to "Playbill" and ask that a full page of rules be included in the magazine on a regular basis. Just a thought.

[kittykat2428]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 2:48pm

I know this is off topic...but how do you get those $6 tickets spider was talking about??

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 6:01pm

Undiscovered-- In case you've missed any of my posts, most of the Baltimore audiences are filled with the old Jewish women who have nothing to do but go and see the tours and then proceed to bitch throughout them.

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 6:35pm

Didn't mean to offend you or anyone.

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 6:35pm

Didn't mean to offend you or anyone.

[insomniak]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 6:56pm

I thought Rent rush tix were $20.

[Blair]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 7:02pm

Yes, RENT's lotto tickets are $20 each. I haven't heard of any $6 tickets.

[NightLaughs]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 7:21pm

A couple years ago I went with some friends to see RENT on Broadway. We had great seats, it's my favorite musical, I was excited. Unfortunatly, the girls in front of us had apparently no idea what the show was about, for when the Angel/Collins storyline kicked in, the girls *freaked*. "Oh my God! They're gay! He's wearing a skirt! *giggle* Oh my God they kissed! *giggle*" - Oh my God! Get over it or get out! *giggle* - And things only got worse during "Take Me Or Leave Me".... oh well, some people just don't get it.

During a regional production of Footloose someones cell rang and they answered it, carrying on a full conversation during a quiet, pivotal scene. The venue was so small I struggled to hear the number over the idiot and his girlfriend.

I also have a pet peeve for gum chewing during shows. Can't stand it. The theaters quiet and suddenly there's this not so discreet gum smacking in my ears. Makes me violent. The sad thing is, it's usually coming from my father sitting next to me. I almost lost it on him during "Nine". lol Somehow that might have been a tad more distruptive than his chewing...

[Matt_G]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 7:24pm

I believe that post about the $6 RENT tickets was talking about a tour.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 7:47pm

When I saw Lion King, it was a horrid experience. Hated the show, but the audience made it even worse. Little kids were running around, slurping sodas, and the parents were pointing out things on the stage to their brats. It was like they were at home watching the movie on video. A couple in front of us made out the whole second act.

Once at Wicked, the ladies behind us were chatting all through Wizard and I. Anyone who knows me, knows this is my favorite song. The topic of discussion was what the little black thing on the people's foreheads were and what the purpose was. I politely turned around and gave them a glare. They continued to discuss this throughout the next song. I turned around again and quitely said "sssh". I got sworn at. The lady beside us was rummaging through her purse during act 1 and doing her makeup. In act 2, she fell asleep on her husband's shoulder. This was front orchestra and I am sure the actors noticed.

I can't imagine why anyone would pay the price of a ticket nowadays and not want to get as much out of a show as possible. My parents always taught me to show respect in public. I have found the behavior of many in an audience to be far from showing respect to their fellow patrons or the actors on stage. If you don't like Broadway, don't see a show and make others suffer.