Best Conversation Starters at Shows?

[Parks]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 2:46pm

I found out that, "Have you seen this before?" seems to work pretty well.

What's the best way to break the ice before the show, do you think?

Updated On: 10/14/08 at 02:46 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 2:50pm

I find no matter what line I use I get pretty much the same response: "Sir, please get off the stage! I'm in the middle of a show!"

[Mark_E]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 2:52pm

I went to see Chicago and had no clue about what it was before i went. At the interval I looked to the woman next to me and said - "Are they in prison". We had a good chat about how i wasn't understanding the story.

[shh282]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 2:53pm

"Have you seen this before?"
"Have you seen ____ blank actor ____ before?"
" What else have you seen lately?"

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 2:57pm

"What a ravishing cravat."

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 2:58pm

"Are you on BWW? My screenname is _____"

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 3:02pm

I normally go to shows by myself and I am young. So people normally want to know if I am alone or not and what I have seen and stuff. So I don't have to start it.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 3:03pm

Givesmevoice, I agree ENTIRELY.

This line has started a lot of conversations: "Agh, can't get that [Act One Finale] out of my head!"

[philcrosby]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 3:23pm

"I think she's SOOOO much better than Bernadette, don't you?"

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 3:35pm

I usually ask the person aside of me if they have seen the show before. Most of the time I end up sitting next to someone who doesn't speak English so that convo or any for that matter doesn't last for very long.

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 3:39pm

"I recognize your avatar from BWW. Are you _____?"

[winston89]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 3:49pm

If it is clear that someone is at the show alone I ask them why they decided to come alone.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 3:54pm

"I recognize your avatar from BWW. Are you _____?"

Have had that happen lol

Once at a show a guy next to me asked if I had seen the show and we talked for a bit before the show started. Then an actress I knew sat down in front of us and when I started talking to her he pretended to be with me so he could be her "friend" too.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 4:15pm

If it is clear that someone is at the show alone I ask them why they decided to come alone.

So they can self-consciously tell you that their friend/date bailed on them, or that they just couldn't get anyone to go with them?

I go to the theater by myself all the time and am totally comfortable with that, but even I might find answering that question awkward.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 5:04pm

"I normally go to shows by myself and I am young. So people normally want to know if I am alone or not and what I have seen and stuff. So I don't have to start it."

Lol ditto, even though I'm 19 I look about 13.

My favorite comment: "Aww, do your parents know you're here by yourself and not in school?"
Me: "Yeah, I'm 18, my parents know I'm here, and my college is over for the year already."
Person: "Oh, thank goodness, I thought you were cutting Junior High to be here!"

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 5:07pm

I go to a lot of shows by myself and usually don't ask anyone anything, but these are ones that other people have asked me:

What made you decide to see this show?

For a lot of the current musicals, "Have you seen the movie?"

"What else have you seen lately?" is probably my personal favorite because it's gotten me some good recommendations.

[Weez]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 6:11pm

I... generally don't start conversations at shows, but "How are you liking it so far?" is a brilliant springboard (as long as it's at the interval or after the show, of course!). It's almost impossible to not have a conversation after that line, even if their response is to glare and say "I HATE IT!". :3

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 6:15pm

'Put that bloody mobile off NOW! Enjoy the show'

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 6:24pm

Is that a stain or are you just happy to see me?

Works every time, anywhere.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 6:30pm

'I think you'll find you're seats are in the balcony! This is the orchestra!'

[broadwayfan3]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 6:45pm

"Lol ditto, even though I'm 19 I look about 13.

My favorite comment: "Aww, do your parents know you're here by yourself and not in school?"
Me: "Yeah, I'm 18, my parents know I'm here, and my college is over for the year already."
Person: "Oh, thank goodness, I thought you were cutting Junior High to be here!" "

LOL! One time at an evening performance(I went alone because I can't get my friends into Broadway stuff)a man asked me "You aren't running away from home are you?"

[gypsy4]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 7:17pm

when i went to see cathy rigby in peter pan this was a conversation i heard before a show. I wonder what role cathy riby is playing maybe she's playing tinkerbell.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 7:47pm

"Lol ditto, even though I'm 19 I look about 13.

My favorite comment: "Aww, do your parents know you're here by yourself and not in school?"
Me: "Yeah, I'm 18, my parents know I'm here, and my college is over for the year already."
Person: "Oh, thank goodness, I thought you were cutting Junior High to be here!" "

I'm 35 but I look like I'm 16 and I get the are you here alone and where are your parents thing all the time. I tell them my age and just watch their reactions...LOL.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 8:32pm

I've had "you're from broadwayworld right?" before, shoutout!
I usually ask if they've seen the show and what they have seen. I'm usually better at meeting friends at the stagedoor then sitting in the theatre.
Asked someone if they were a tosser once. Didn't work too well.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 8:39pm

I always get the tourist families that ask what other shows I recommend. That's like opening a can of worms with me, so it takes up the rest of intermission.