Bad Audience Behavior

[rd2ruin]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 7:34pm

Today I saw something go down that I've never been aware of being an audience member and it made my heart go out to the actors who work so hard up there. How long have actors had to endure homophobic behavior by members of the audience? I never thought about it before as I'm always so caught up in what is going on, on stage, but today it was brought to my attention. It seems this sort of thing happens more often on holiday weekends and I for one was frankly horrified.

Out of Towners, get to know us. New York Theatre is mixed media entertainment. We got it all and it's why we are the greatest city on the planet!

To the person that made my heart hurt with this news today, nothing can darken your spirit up there, keep shining it on.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 7:35pm

Can you elaborate as to what happened?

[tim10086]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 7:40pm

Someone probably puked their guts out everytime the word "Gay" was sung in "Keep it Gay". Ba$tards.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 7:41pm

Haha, well, then I feel bad for the cleaning crew of the St. James, because that orchestra and mezzanine must be filled with vomit.

[tim10086]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 7:43pm

And dentures...

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 7:43pm

Haha, that made my Saturday.

[rd2ruin]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 7:47pm

I'd rather keep it non-specific, but in a packed house you notice stuff. It wasn't anything overt, but even if it's subtle, you feel it just the same. It just made me think about just what they have to endure for their craft.

[Fizz]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:00pm

It gets ridiculous sometimes- I mean, why bother seeing the show if your only point is to make snarky comments?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:04pm

There have been dozens of threads on this subject. You're not the only one that's had to deal with stupidity in the audience.

[rd2ruin]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:07pm

yeah, well I guess it bares repeating every now and then. never say die.

[hypertruffle]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:13pm

The only time I ever experienced bad audience behavior was at the Paper Mill production of The Diary of Anne Frank. A certain school bought the whole orchestra section and front mezzanine. All the students were laughing and made extremely loud and rude comments. What finally got to me is when the kids were laughing when the Nazis entered the set. I was tempted to have a little conversation with one of the teachers...

[neomystyk29]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:15pm

The worst homophobic behavior I've scene in an audience was when I went to see RENT. There was a particularly obnoxious family sitting in the orchestra near me. When Collins and Angel kissed they made loud disparaging remarks and grunts. When Angel died they said "finally". It was truly disgusting.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:21pm

Well those WASPY, bigoted, republican families are a pain in the ass, but I HATE when granny takes the kids to see a show. I'm slighly embaressed (although I did like it) to say I saw "Seussical," All I remember is the score, because in every book scene and after every song, the old bag behind me would say something like, "This is crap! I wanna see a realy show like (classic show here)."
I swear to God, she went on and on. It really bugged me, because I was trying to pay attention to the story.
Updated On: 5/27/07 at 08:21 PM

[LouW95]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:27pm

Seat kicking, talking during the show and other forms of bad audience behavior seems to be the norm these days. I attend theatre at least twice a month and, more often than not, have to reprimand someone behind or near me. I am not overly sensitive but want to hear the performers without distraction. In other words, I am polite and demand the same from those around me.

[Phantomerik15]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 8:39pm

I just went to see Woman in White on Kid's night on Broadway and well, this kid in back of me kept kicking my seat. it was annoying but didn't make a big thing about.BUT there was these two girls..teenage girls who sat in front of me and well, i could tell they were bored. they were leaning their heads against each other and all then one of the girls pulled out her cellphone and was like playing games on it or something. That was the most annoying thing i've ever experienced! The light from the phone was shining so brightly. i mean, if you don't like the show sleep that doesn't bother anyone..don't pull out a phone and start playing with it!

[ben1986]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 11:19pm

Wait a minute, those waspy republican, bigoted families. I'm sorry but I'm a Republican and I take offense to that. Not all Republicans are homophobic and that fact that you would make that remark only lowers yourself into believing the stereotypes that if you believe a certain thing or that you are in a certain group that you believe everything they stand for. Thats not true and ALOT OF REPUBLICANS are not against homosexuals in any way. I work on Capitol Hill and can certainly attest to that. Also not every Republican is bigoted either. Just like every democrat I'm sure isn't a hippy.

I agree its wrong when anybody makes a homophobic remark, it does not instantly label them as a republican.

[Fizz]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 11:23pm

What finally got to me is when the kids were laughing when the Nazis entered the set.

I had a similar problem. I was in a community theatre production of Aida this past summer/fall and we had a matinee for students, and for some reason a few elementary schools decided to come. The kids were made the typical hoots and whatnot when Radames slung his army skirt thingy over the cloth blocking him "undressing" and when he came out of the tub later with a towel. They were also laughing and talking when it was entirely not appropriate throughout the whole play, most notably when Radames and Aida were in the tomb and when Mereb was stabbed. Ruined half of the show...

[iliketheater]

Posted: 2/18/06 at 11:53pm

*SPIOLER*
at a local production of 'Parade'... there was laughter during Leo Franks last prayer. I almost got up & smacked them.

[bwaylover86]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 12:08am

I saw Wicked a couple weeks ago and a guy sitting in the row in front of me and like two seats over was on his cell phone in the middle of the first act of the show. I couldnt hear him talking, I am not sure if he was listening to a voicemail or what, but either way - SO RUDE! I was so mad, but at least he wasn't talking loudly, that would have made me say something, but still the light was annoying and its just so rude. What happened to manners in todays world??

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 9:39am

When I saw RENT, some idiot at the rear of the mezzanine yelled, "Yeah!" when Roger sang, "I'm writing one great song..." right before One Song Glory.

And yeah, I saw THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK with a school group on a student matinee, and they were talking and ripping their programs. My, my. Some people.

[NJgirl]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 11:47am

Sitting 6th row center a Piazza with people in the 5th row starting to laugh quite audibly to the point where Victoria Clark had to hear them while singing "dividing day". There's Vicki Clark singing this hugely dramatic solo and these people start to laugh loudly....what was so funny? I wanted to smack all 3 of them. Needless to say the man who was with these 3 ladies FELL ASLEEP with his head against the railing on the aisle..lol

[kate2]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 12:20pm

My first broadway show was Aida, and i saw it on a field trip, so behind me i had the kids who were "too cool" for the show. They were ripping up their playbills and throwing them over people. In the middle of "The God's Love Nubia" this one kid had the nerve to say,"Shut up, Aida! Shut up or show us your boobs" (and it was loud enough for atleast 4 rows of people to turn around) I was so annoyed.

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 12:21pm

I was in G108 for yesterday's matinee of Hairspray. Two women (latecomers, GRR!) came in and sat in the seats in front of me after "Mama I'm A Big Girl Now" finished. A few minutes after they sat down, one of them kept leaning forward and turning around to look behind her. She did this about 7 or 8 times. I have no idea what she was looking for, but it was a bit distracting. She also had HUGE hair which didn't help my visibility very much.

A humorous sidenote: I could tell by how the two of them were reacting to the show, they were there to see or were fans of Diana. When the audience was filing out, I overheard one of them saying how great it was that they released streamers and confetti during the finale as a "special treat" for Diana. I didn't have the heart to tell them that it was done at every performance.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 1:13pm

non-specific? I'm sorry but how ridiculous to make a first post like you did and NOT get specific

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 2/19/06 at 2:14pm

I was thinking the same thing, Elphaba... Updated On: 2/19/06 at 02:14 PM