Audience Member Has Seizure During Once On This Island Performance

[natashalost]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 1:18am

Im hearing things online about what happened at the Friday night performance of Once On This Island online and just want to know if anyone was there/has any more information.

From what I’ve heard, during the song “Ti Moune” cast member Tamyra Gray called out to stop the show when she noticed an audience member who appeared to be choking. After about a minute of repeatedly ask to stop the show an announcement was made they were experiencing “technical difficulties.” Tamyra asked if there was any doctors in the audience and luckily there was. They took the audience member backstage. She later revealed the woman had a siezure. That’s all I know so far. Hope the woman is doing okay!

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 2:46am

How scary for all involved. Good for Tamyra for noticing what was going on. My mom is epileptic and for those not accustomed to seeing someone having a seizure, it can be quite scary. Mom’s seizures can be triggered by visual causes such a strobe lights, but I don’t recall any in OOTI. Most often though, it was because she had forgotten to take her seizure meds.

[jbird5]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 5:08am

It happened a couple of months ago when I was there too. They didn’t stop the show but took the woman out. Might not be an infrequent occurrence. Might be the lightning scenes.

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 9:36am

How scary. I’ve always wondered what happens during a medical emergency since the theater is so dark. Good for her stopping the show to make sure the woman could get immediate care. Hope the woman is ok.

If something in the show is a trigger, it sounds like the team at this theater may be used to handling this type of issue. Hopefully someone that works at the theater also has basic first aid training.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 10:08am

Hopefully someone that works at the theater also has basic first aid training.

All venues that deal with the public require having employees trained in CPR, etc.  

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 11:52am

It happens more than you realize. We're more aware of it now because of social media.

As far as finding out more, dont hold your breath....its a personal issue for the person involved, and they are likely more than sensitive about it having happened.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 12:37pm

dramamama611 said: "It happens more than you realize. We're more aware of it now because of social media.
 

You're not wrong. I was at the first preview of The Bodyguard in Glasgow earlier this week and a woman slipped off her seat during the Academy Awards scene. Her companion started panicking and there was a bit of commotion before she was taken away.

 

[andrewftw]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 4:11pm

This did happen. I know a friend who was there and was sitting the row in front of the person who was having a seizure

[andrewftw]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 4:13pm

Miles2Go2 said: "How scary for all involved. Good for Tamyra for noticing what was going on. My mom is epileptic and for those not accustomed to seeing someone having a seizure, it can be quite scary. Mom’s seizures can be triggered by visual causes such a strobe lights, but I don’t recall any in OOTI. Most often though, it was because she had forgotten to take her seizure meds."

10 minutes before this happened, there was some light flickers during Pray. The lights strobe for about 2 seconds max and happen 3 times during the song

[andrewftw]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 4:15pm

RWPrincess said: "How scary. I’ve always wondered what happens during a medical emergency since the theater is so dark. Good for her stopping the show to make sure the woman could get immediate care. Hope the woman is ok.

If something in the show is a trigger, it sounds like the team at this theater may be used to handling this type of issue. Hopefully someone that works at the theater also has basic first aid training."

as someone else said, they are trained in CPR and luckly the lady was siting by the main backstage exit (the truck area) so the SM, etc. could possibly come out and help if needed. and I do believe the real stage door is out that exit

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 7:01pm

"It happens more than you realize. We're more aware of it now because of social media."

Exactly right. It's always happened, you just never heard about it. During the original run of Angels In America, before we had better drugs to handle HIV + and AIDS patients, the show often had to be stopped because of sadly all-too-frequent deaths. In Coast of Utopia, an actor had a heart attack onstage. A stagehand gave him CPR until the paramedics got there. I forget the actor's name, but he's still around.

Same thing goes for technical problems. Wicked had one this week. My Fair Lady had one recently (though I think both of those were reported here). I'd be willing to bet, on any given night, there's some medical emergency or technical problem somewhere on Broadway. Sometimes it's managed without the audience knowing, sometimes the show has to be stopped, depending on the degree of emergency. I remember that War Horse had an issue with its turntable, and the audience never had a clue.

Like Dramamama said, you likely won't hear more about this. It isn't really news.

Updated On: 12/8/18 at 07:01 PM

[BLs68]

Posted: 12/8/18 at 8:52pm

Michael Arden tweeted this just after midnight (12/8). I’m assuming he’s talking about the evening show:

“Bravo to the company, crew and audience at OOTI tonight who helped a patron with a medical emergency. Not only do these people change lives, they also save them. Wishing our audience member a speedy recovery!”

[Shh_413]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 6:24am

ghostlight2 said: "In Coast of Utopia, an actor had a heart attack onstage. A stagehand gave him CPR until the paramedics got there. I forget the actor's name, but he's still around."

Richard Easton. Ethan Hawke talked about it in a Graham Norton interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--lUePGteaI Updated On: 12/9/18 at 06:24 AM

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 8:01am

"Richard Easton. Ethan Hawke talked about it in a Graham Norton interview."

Yes, thank you. Now if I could remember the stagehand's name. His first name was Will, I think, and without him, Easton might not have survived. Easton's character was in the middle of an angry exchange, and the last line, before he attempted to exit and dropped, were "...and those are my final words!". (I might be paraphrasing a bit there). Very few of the reports mention the stagehand.

Shh_413's link made clickable

[Shh_413]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 1:57pm

Oh yes, thank you :)

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 2:11pm

I was at the New York Philharmonic a few years ago when an audience member died in his seat.

I was also at the Metropolitan Opera when an audience member committed suicide by jumping from the second tier during intermission.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 2:33pm

Note to self: do not attend orchestral or opera performances where Dollypop is in attendance. It is not good for one’s life expectancy. Broadway shows especially Hello, Dolly!, however are okay.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 3:10pm

I was at the New York Philharmonic a few years ago when an audience member died in his seat.

I was also at the Metropolitan Opera when an audience member committed suicide by jumping from the second tier during intermission.

[binau]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 3:14pm

Dollypop said: "I was at the New York Philharmonic a few years ago when an audience member died in his seat.

I was also at the Metropolitan Opera when an audience member committed suicide by jumping from the second tier during intermission."

Was this it?

https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/24/nyregion/opera-patron-dies-in-plunge-from-a-balcony-at-the-met.html

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 10:04am

Yes, that was it. I sat behind the man who killed himself and saw the whole thing--including the point of impact. I was interviewed --and quoted in other articles.

[codywlong2]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 11:49am

Miles2Go2 said: "Note to self: do not attend orchestral or opera performances where Dollypop is in attendance. It is not good for one’s life expectancy. Broadway shows especially Hello, Dolly!, however are okay."

A relative had a heart attack and died during the overture to a local college production of "Hello, Dolly!". He would have thought it was hilarious, so I think of him fondly when I listen to the score. His wife also went back to see the show later in its run. 

I ended up hearing about his death from someone in the cast years later--it totally spooked them and many actors did not want to go on. 

[tuckandroll2]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 12:31pm

When I was at a Rock of Ages Matinee years ago an audience member had a seizure and thank goodness there was a doctor that was in the house and quickly was able to assist. I was about two rows in front and it was extremely jarring to hear. I was so afraid for the young woman. 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 2:45pm

codywlong2 said: "Miles2Go2 said: "Note to self: do not attend orchestral or opera performances where Dollypop is in attendance. It is not good for one’s life expectancy. Broadway shows especially Hello, Dolly!, however are okay."

A relative had a heart attack and died during the overture to a local college production of "Hello, Dolly!". He would have thought it was hilarious, so I think of him fondly when I listento the score. His wife also went back to see the show later in its run.

I ended up hearing about his death from someone in the cast years later--it totally spooked them and many actors did not want to go on."

During previews of Bette Midler's DOLLY!, cast member Justin Bowan posted that someone in the audience had a seizure in the first act but refused to be taken to the hospital because he didn't want to miss the 2nd act.

 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 2:50pm

Then there was the case where (I can't remember if it was the National Tour of SPAMALOT, or THE PRODUCERS), an elderly man died during the show and his wife just  waited until the end of the show to let the staff know, as to not disturb the rest of the audience.  He was dead already, so no point is ruining everyone else's evening!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 3:26pm

Dollypop said: "During previews of Bette Midler's DOLLY!, cast member Justin Bowan posted that someone in the audience had a seizure in the first act but refused to be taken to the hospital because he didn't want to miss the 2nd act."

There were quite a few instances during Bette Midler's run in Hello, Dolly in which audience members, who needed it, refused medical attention. While not common, medical emergencies in a theater are not rare.