Bad Characters get Booed at Curtain Call?

[beyondblessed]

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?

[Revolutionary]

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.

[SpellingBeeFan4Ever]

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.

[caitlinette]

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.

[changinandhow]

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.

[SirNotAppearing]

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?

[TooDarnHot]

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

[Unknown User]

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

I think it happens to Sutton Foster pretty regularly.

[Yankeefan007]

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

The Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty.

[IdinaBellFoster]

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

Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

[Borstalboy]

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

Yeah, by dumb audience members.

[jennyish]

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.

[twogaab2]

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.

[sally1112]

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.

[LePetiteFromage]

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

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

[twogaab2]

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

I rest my case.

[TooDarnHot]

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

No.

[jennyish]

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).

[twogaab2]

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

Once again thank you for proving my point.

[LePetiteFromage]

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

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

[lesmis]

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

Whoever played Ismay in Titanic

[SpellingBeeFan4Ever]

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.

[TooDarnHot]

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

you're keeping count?

[FinalDestination]

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.

[NYC_or_Bust]

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.