Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

#1

Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:21pm

Have you all ever experienced this in a Broadway House? I was just speaking with a friend today about when I saw August Wilson's 'Radio Golf' at the Court last summer. James A. Williams played Roosevelt Hicks, who starts off pretty harmless but over the course of the play ends up being one evil dude. James A. Williams gave an outstanding performance, but the impression he left on the audience was so memorable that people started to boo when he came down to take his bow. He just smiled and blew the balcony a kiss, which was where the booing had begun. Did anyone else experience this when they saw “Radio Golf”, or any other show?

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Going to a musical late in its run is like going to a prostitute late in her shift.

#2

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:25pm

In my experience Judge Turpin usually always gets it at Sweeney, Pinkerton always gets it in any production of Madama Butterfly, Javert once in a blue moon at Les Miz...

And I'm sure I've witnessed others but I'm a vegetable right now so I can't think.

#3

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:25pm

I seed the villians get booed at kid shows.

Gaston (wonderfully played by Nick) was booed when I was in Beauty And The Beast and the kids went on with booing him untill Belle and Beast came out. I even heard a kid shout "Go Die, Gaston" He gave them a dirty look.

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He's a faker, and you've been taken in by his con. And in doing so, you are enabling him. He is doing more damage to aspergers than papa's words ever could. -Chane/Liverpool on me having asperger syndrome.

#4

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:26pm

I've never seen it done on Broadway but I think it's a really stupid thing to do in general. Bows are for actors, not their characters.

#5

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:27pm

I remember hearing about the audience booing Marcus Chait at Pirate Queen curtain call. Apparently he just laughed and did his usual bow - which was a kind of apologetic shrug anyway.

#6

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:33pm

Bad characters will definitely get booed at a Disney musical if they're just plain evil. I could see Gaston, Ursula or Scar getting booed.
But I would think with any higher-level theater, people would know better. It's just plain rude. If you hate them enough to boo them, they obviously gave a great performance, so why not applaud?

#7

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:33pm

yeah... villians get booed at little kids shows in Disney World.

on Broadway? in New York?

unless it's a Theatreworks Childrens production or a specific Disney Theatricals musical, there should NEVER be booing during a curtain call.

that's immature and rude. the curtain call is for the actor, not the character. If I was at that "Radio Golf" performance I would have been up in the mezzanine bitch-slapping those idiots

#8

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:33pm

I think it happens to Sutton Foster pretty regularly.

#9

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:33pm

The Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty.

#10

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:46pm

Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

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"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards

#11

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:53pm

Yeah, by dumb audience members.

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"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali

#12

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:54pm

Wow, that's not just stupid, it's downright disrespectful. I can't imagine why anyone, save maybe some little kids at Disney shows, would do such a thing.

Plus, anyone who boos for Javert obviously does not understand Les Mis very well.

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I chose, and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not.

#13

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:57pm

Are your kidding? Actor eat that sort of thing up-it means they did a good job. Relax your grasp on your anal cavities

Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

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TWOGAAB "A Class Act" will never die!

#14

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:57pm

I'm not defending it, but is it disrespectful? It is actually a backhanded compliment.
The actor obviously did such a great job with the character that the audience is moved to the point of booing. Something should be said for that.

#15

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:57pm

Updated On: 5/5/09 at 04:57 PM

#16

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:59pm

I rest my case.

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TWOGAAB "A Class Act" will never die!

#17

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:01pm

No.

#18

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:04pm

I understand how it is a kind of backhanded compliment, but as an actor I think I'd be a little miffed. At curtain call, the actors are no longer in character and I think villains deserve the same RESPECT for their performances as their costars. Booing, as I see it, is disrespectful (as is rudeness towards fellow posters for expressing their opinions).

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I chose, and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not.

#19

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:07pm

Once again thank you for proving my point.

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TWOGAAB "A Class Act" will never die!

#20

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:08pm

Updated On: 5/5/09 at 05:08 PM

#21

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:09pm

Whoever played Ismay in Titanic

#22

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:10pm

I think it happens to Sutton Foster pretty regularly.



Joe, 5th Sutton slam in 3 days, congrats!

And I to saw booing with the Child Catcher.

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He's a faker, and you've been taken in by his con. And in doing so, you are enabling him. He is doing more damage to aspergers than papa's words ever could. -Chane/Liverpool on me having asperger syndrome.

#23

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:13pm

you're keeping count?

#24

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:15pm

I remember seeing Gaston getting booed as well as Scar.

The Child Catcher is another.

I think it depends on the audience, most audiences will cheer for the villian (Sherie as Ursula, anyone?), but then the kiddos seem to think differently of the villians. I guess it just depends on the age group.

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"That's a good point. Next time I pee on a Starbucks couch and throw straws and napkins at a barista, I'll just yell, "YOU DON'T KNOW ME OUTSIDE OF STARBUCKS! YOU DON'T KNOW ME AT ALL!" and that should do it. "-LizzieCurry

#25

re: Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

Posted: 5/20/08 at 5:16pm

Lepetite...that's not a good analogy...it doesnt make sense.

When I saw Chitty (both times) the Child Catcher got booed at Curtain Call. If I were Kevin, I would have been thrilled that I left such an impression on people that they obviously hate me (as the character). It's not that they're saying I was bad at my part...Being the villian and getting booed is just and equal and opposite reaction to being good and getting cheered.

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I adore the black band holding on the Phantom's mask. ~ Jenna2