Are They Still Serving Alcohol During "Rock Of Ages"?- Page 2

[Mistress_Spouzic]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 4:51pm

I really enjoyed Clarke Thorell in the role, who participated in a reading I saw of the show over a year ago, but the role has gotten significantly more... flamboyant... since then so Im not sure if he'd be appropriate anymore. He sure as hell sung the crap out of those songs tho.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 7:53pm

Starlight-If I had to guess, I'd say that the show is strong enough on its own that it would still work with other actors, once the originals are gone. Constantine surely is somewhat of a draw, but I think the show has gotten enough good word of mouth to do well without him, or the other cast members.

Another example is Altar Boyz. The show and music are really so good that it's held up with a plethora of casts.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 8:43pm

<< It did, I saw it 17 times on Broadway at the Circle in The Square,>>

Mistress, I saw "RH" on Broadway numerous times as well, but I think the reason that the comparison started was because of the movie and the "audience participation"-

They didnt (as far as I know) serve alcohol during the Broadway run of "RH" (at the "Circle in the Square) -

<< As for the alcohol, theyre playing into the concert settings of the 1980s, and I think it suits the show. Unfortunately theres no way to know or police a patrons alcohol tollerance so yes there will inevitably be on occassion people who get carried away. >>

The "theme" is a concert setting, yes. However, its still a Broadway theatre, not a bar. How about not serving the alcohol DURING the performance? Dont you think that would help police it, at least somewhat? Like Sara said... I have no problem with having a bar outside the theatre, and/or even letting people bring drinks to their seats. (Heck, we did when we saw the show on the 31st.) - But save it for before the show, or during intermission. You are asking for problems when the drinks are so accessible during the performance.

<< If youre attending a Friday night 10pm performance and not expecting a crowd that wants to party, then well I've got a bridge you might be interested in. >>

Mistress, did you ever see "Hedwig" when it was at the Jane Street?

Wife and I went to the later show just about every week Friday and Saturday for basically the entire run. THAT was a party, as well. It was a party atmosphere. The difference was that people were able to party without being drunk. I dont remember them selling drinks at your seat at "Hedwig"-

I dont expect to walk into ANY show (especially "ROA") expecting it to be a library. However, I think you are equating people having too much alcohol with being able to enjoy themselves and having a party atmosphere.

If you think that people need to get drunk to enjoy a show that starts at 10PM on a Friday, I will sell you that bridge right back.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 8:53pm

<< I was simply saying that I would not go to this show without the realization that a drink might be spilled on me and would adjust my clothes and expectations accordingly. (hic) If the afternoon performances are a relatively more sedate, traditional theater experience, then what’s the problem? Something for everyone. But personally, I'll opt for the rowdy good time on Saturday night.
>>

I dont know... thats a scary thing to think that you might go to a Broadway show with the realization that I might get a drink spilled on me. I go in thinking that the people around me might talk a bit, and/or that I might get the back of my seat kicked all night.

I happen to be one of those people that hates matinees (in most cases) - If the show tends to be a bit long, I might opt for the matinee. However, I dont think that someone that wants to go after work to a Friday night show should shy away (or wear a different outfit) because they might have a drink spilled on them.

Question: Do you think that people would stop going to the show if they stopped serving alcohol during the show?
Personally, I dont.

However, I know alot that dont want to go for their 1st time because of it.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 9:10pm

I like the idea of Rock of Ages and alcohol.

They should totally have a dude that walks dow the isle selling alcohol like the hot dog guy at the yankees games! SCORE!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 9:15pm

<< I like the idea of Rock of Ages and alcohol.

They should totally have a dude that walks dow the isle selling alcohol like the hot dog guy at the yankees games! SCORE!
>>

Um... ok.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 10:29pm

"However, I think you are equating people having too much alcohol with being able to enjoy themselves and having a party atmosphere.

If you think that people need to get drunk to enjoy a show that starts at 10PM on a Friday, I will sell you that bridge right back. "

Testing, while I respect your position, I feel it is important to exercise your best reading comprehension when arguing your point and not put words into other people's mouths. Mistress_Spouzik never said anything of the sort. All anyone has to do is read her post ON THE PAGE RIGHT BEFORE THIS ONE and see for themselves.

I believe the show would succeed without the alcohol sales and still maintain that the main reason why it is being sold is for the revenue.




"Thats a scary thing to think that you might go to a Broadway show with the realization that I might get a drink spilled on me. I go in thinking that the people around me might talk a bit, and/or that I might get the back of my seat kicked all night. "


I don't know...the minute I read drinks were served in seats and saw the set list, I figured 1 + 1 might just = 2. Maybe it's just me.

[Ilovekevincahoon]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 10:53pm

The show I was at last Monday night had 2 groups of people that were "too intoxicated"
People in my row moved to different seats at intermission to get away from them and spoke to management. They were standing up, screaming, singing when there was dialog.
The other group said things like I'll do that for you Constantine and we love you and it was constant throughout the show.
One of the actors commented they spoke over his line.
I have no problem with a few drinks these people were loaded when they came in and kept on drinking. I saw the show a few times but others there missed a great deal.
I think it is fine before and during intermission and also to bring to your seats but to serve during the play is unnecessary and extremely distracting to hear the waitress over the cast and be asked to pass drinks down.
Maybe the Friday night 10pm show is one thing but a Monday night I would have thought would have been more respectful.
It's not the drinking it's the amount they were drinking.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 11:30pm

What is this show about? Alcoholics Anonymous doing a rock concert? Wtf

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 11/13/08 at 11:39pm

I've been on the fence about seeing this show, but this thread pretty much just made up my mind. When I see a show, I want to hear the actors on stage, not the people around me, especially a waitress shouting a drink order.

Updated On: 11/13/08 at 11:39 PM

[Ilovekevincahoon]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 2:42am

You should go see the show it is amazing or I wouldn't keep going back. I really only had the one bad experience and saw it 5 other times and i have tickets for a few more.
I would suggest the Sunday afternoon show.
The Monday show was before a Holiday so that may have played into it.
The show is really fun and enjoyable I just wish they weren't serving alcohol DURING the show, it is unnecessary and distracting.
Sorry if others think this about not liking alcohol, believe me that couldn't be farther from the truth.

[Mistress_Spouzic]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 5:13am

I said no such thing Testing. I dont equate being able to drink with having a good time at all. I dont have much of an opinion on the serving of alcohol thats why my comments stuck mostly to the Rocky Horror analogy. I do think it suits the show (doesnt strike me as out of place) and in fact I think most of these incidents listed as examples of bad behavior due to drinking may just as easily have happened with a sober crowd.

Someone had a drink spilled on them? Thats why most theatres that let you bring *any* sort of drink to your seat do so with a sippy cup design. This might be an idea for ROA to consider but Im sure the drink prices would be higher if they served them in souvenir cups.

Singing, shouting, dancing? That points back to what I was saying about the type of crowd that attends. A show like this, as with rocky horror, is going to see theatre people and then its going to have its 'other' fans and in this case some of whom are more accustomed to concerts than theatre and the two types may not always agree on whats acceptable behavior... they may just not know any better. I have a very nice, very sheltered aunt who saw Jersey Boys for a 60th birthday and couldnt understand why no one was singing, she thought the crowd didnt know the words- the people around her probably thought she was just as crazy as she imagined them. She was more or less expecting a concert there and told me she thought there was too much dialogue. I do think the relative rowdiness can be approximated by the date and time of the show.

People arriving drunk and/or continuing to drink? Ive seen that at several theatres in my day and the fact that they reached their limit five minutes before they sat down next to someone by buying the drink in the lobby probably didnt make that much of a difference to the people who were sitting next to them. Are people more likely to be drunk at this show than at Phantom of the Opera? Hell yes. Is this necessarily going to change by not offering alcohol in your seat? I doubt it. Even knowing that you can buy alcohol in their seat most people will return from intermission with a full glass of their preference and in my experience a fast drinker with a fast waitress cant manage to get more than 2 drinks in a given Act without doubling up their orders and that kind of person would walk in from intermission with more than one drink anyway if they wanted to. People intent on getting drunk will just find a way to do so. This show just happens to attract people who are more into drinking than your usual theatre piece would.

I have yet to personally experience anyone behaving badly enough at ROA to disrupt my enjoyment of the show and Ive seen it a number of times. I myself usually buy a shot at intermission, but I went with friends on Halloween who drank throughout the show and I didnt find it all that distracting but then again Id seen it before. The only notably drunk people Ive seen were front row another night and they were more amusing than distracting (one stood up to flirt back during the 'playbill holding freak machine' line).

For those people who dont want to be distracted by a waitress then Id suggest getting the most centered seat possible and that way you shouldnt end up passing anyones drinks or relaying any orders. If you want to be with a crowd thats simply less likely to drink, try a weekend matinee. If even just the possibility that someone might be behaving in a way that you dont like is keeping you from seeing the show, then you probably wouldnt like it anyways... there are stripper characters in the show afterall. I always scream when the preshow announcement says you cant film unless youre hot and willing to flash us... who knows, someone else might be even more inspired by the suggestion one day.
Updated On: 11/14/08 at 05:13 AM

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 6:58am

Starlight,

My reading comprehension is fine--- This was comment that Mistress made.

<< If youre attending a Friday night 10pm performance and not expecting a crowd that wants to party, then well I've got a bridge you might be interested in. >>

Since the thread started when I asked about the show still serving alcohol during the show, the implication is that the crowd needs to drink to have a party. I didnt ask if the late night crowd wants to party. I asked if drinks were still being served.

We all want to party !!! I know I do !!!


<< believe the show would succeed without the alcohol sales and still maintain that the main reason why it is being sold is for the revenue.

>>

Totally agree !!! Show is good enough to stand on its own, without the alcohol.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 7:01am

<< I think it is fine before and during intermission and also to bring to your seats but to serve during the play is unnecessary and extremely distracting to hear the waitress over the cast and be asked to pass drinks down.
Maybe the Friday night 10pm show is one thing but a Monday night I would have thought would have been more respectful.
It's not the drinking it's the amount they were drinking. >>

EXACTLY !!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 7:09am

<< I think most of these incidents listed as examples of bad behavior due to drinking may just as easily have happened with a sober crowd.

>>

Mistress,

I very respectfully disagree with you here.... bad behavior CAN
happen anywhere, but the chances go WAY up when people are being served alcohol all night. I dont think that can be denied.

This all being said.... I think everyone should go see for themselves. As I stated previously, I love the show, but know too many people that dont want to go because of the alcohol served during the show.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 9:24am

"Mistress, did you ever see "Hedwig" when it was at the Jane Street?

Wife and I went to the later show just about every week Friday and Saturday for basically the entire run. THAT was a party, as well. It was a party atmosphere. The difference was that people were able to party without being drunk. I dont remember them selling drinks at your seat at "Hedwig"-"

Since I was the house manager of the Jane Street Theater and saw every performance of Hedwig, I feel qualified to reply to this post.

If you remember correctly, our bar was INSIDE the theater, not more than a few yards away from the back row. No need to be served the drinks at your seat. The beer bottles and cans we found under the seats after the show were plentiful! nuff said.

[SillySara]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 9:41am

I certainly do not think the rowdiness would be the same regardless of whether the audience is inebriated or not. There is a noticeable decline in couthe during the second act. At the Halloween show, which I had a blast at, the people sitting directly behind us were just drinking their drinks and enjoying the show during the first act. By the second act, the alcohol had kicked in and they were talking over the cast members. Conversations should not be heard that have nothing to even do with the show. So I have to disagree with someone who is rowdy at a show, will be rowdy regardless of alcohol being constantly served.

Bdwaygirl, while I know this thread is stressing the negatives about the show, I do think that is show is great fun and I strongly recommend it. Please do not let this thread steer you away from it.

With Will Swenson leaving the show for Hair (has that officially been confirmed yet?), I do not think Rock of Ages will lose fans...though I don't believe that anyone can fill Swenson's shoes. But I do think that Swenson has gained some serious fans now (such as myself) who are looking even more foward to see Swenson in a different role. And for him to get to move with Hair to Broadway, well congrats to him!

[BlueforBroadway]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 10:26am

Evidently, the show last night had a very rowdy audience to the point where the actors had to try to calm them down.

There was a guy in front with a Kiss costume on and he was being rowdy to the point that he either threw his wig on stage or it was removed and Constantine threw it into the audience.

Updated On: 11/14/08 at 10:26 AM

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 1:02pm

<< If you remember correctly, our bar was INSIDE the theater, not more than a few yards away from the back row. No need to be served the drinks at your seat. The beer bottles and cans we found under the seats after the show were plentiful! nuff said. >>

Jane,

I remember it very well- There is a BIG difference between a bar at the back of a theatre, and drinks being served to you at your seat.

Personally, I wouldn't be getting up from my seat during a performance to go a bar at the back of a theatre to get a drink. Honestly, I dont EVER remember going to "Hedwig" (and we must have seen the show over 75 times), and having a problem with anyone getting rowdy because they were too loaded. Maybe we were just lucky.

Now, if I didnt have to move, and I could just have a drink order taken, and then served to me.... thats a different story.

The reason for my OP was simply to ask if drinks were still being served at your seat. Simple as that. The answer is obviously, "yes"-

There are people that dont have any problem with it. That is fine. I respect that. However, there are people that are going to have a problem with it, and that should be respected as well.

[Mistress_Spouzic]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 2:08pm

Testing, if this show just had a bar at the back inside the theatre (or not), I think youd simply have more people standing and walking around than the two waitresses to the side who can only carry so many drinks at a time and thatd be far worse in terms of distraction. You have a lot more faith in people staying in their seat. I suspect with a bar at the back, people would just want to watch the show from the bar and I think the bar would have to be completely closed to prevent people from drinking. NWS has some of the weirdest start and run times so an attempt to do that would probably throw off another show. At a concert, people often leave to go to the bar and return. The drinks probably lead to more bathroom visits as well. Hell I know someone who left to grab a smoke and returned and she was sober.

Im happy to agree that the chances of spills and strange behavior increase when people are drunk, they just dont only happen when people are drunk. What you seem to either miss or disagree with is that I believe its just a side affect of having a large quantity of inexperienced theatre goers, who expecting a concert, are more likely to go on Friday and Saturday nights. If its not a crowd you (or anyone) want to be in then there are relatively tamer days to attend. You asked about alcohol being served to patrons in their seats and Im saying yes they still do it, but how likely the service is to be used depends on the date and time. Clearly the 10pm Friday show is the most likely to see a rowdy crowd - a crowd that probably already started drinking and is more than happy to continue doing so.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 3:05pm

Mistress, thanks for the lots of good points you've made in this thread!

At Hedwig, we had our rowdiest crowd at the late Friday night show. Besides the regular late show-ers, we had casts from other shows who were Hedwig fans. And boy did they whoop and holler! Lots of fun!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 3:47pm

<< Mistress, thanks for the lots of good points you've made in this thread!

At Hedwig, we had our rowdiest crowd at the late Friday night show. Besides the regular late show-ers, we had casts from other shows who were Hedwig fans. And boy did they whoop and holler! Lots of fun! <<

Jane,

I was part of that late Friday "Hedwig" crowd--- Loud?.. yes... Rowdy? .. Oh yeah... Drunk?? I RARELY saw it.

Are Mistress' points "good" , because you agree with them?

Ed made good points as well--- as did Sara, Blue, and others.

Mistress did make some very good points, agreed, but so did others.

Blue wrote:

<< Evidently, the show last night had a very rowdy audience to the point where the actors had to try to calm them down.
>>

This is a good thing? The actors had to calm them down? That is NEVER a good thing.

So, you think it is ok that people might pay $50- $95 (or whatever the top ticket price is), and have to listen to people giving and taking drink orders behind them while the show is going on?

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 3:52pm

"Are Mistress' points "good" , because you agree with them?"

Sure, why not?

[Testing1232]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 4:09pm

<< "Are Mistress' points "good" , because you agree with them?"

Sure, why not? >>

And here I thought you were trying to be fair !! :))

[SillySara]

Posted: 11/14/08 at 4:25pm

Hm, it's official...

...let's just all agree to disagree. :)

Can't wait to see the cast on Conan tonight!!!