Broadway Ushers- Page 2

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 11:36pm

I have definitely come across some rude ushers - there's always a mix of nice and mean ones at each theatre.

I usher at an off-Broadway house, and try to be as nice as possible to the guests. There's no reason at all to be mean.

Posted: 7/23/06 at 12:36am

"Richie and the whole gang of theatre staff at the Palace (from my All Shook Up days! ='( how I miss them)"

THE ASU staff was amazing. I totally agree.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 5:48am

As I've said, come to the Producers or the Wedding Singer and if I'm subbing that night, I'll be very nice to you. I'm usually in the mezz or balcony.

[PARISinNYC]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 5:54am

I love the ushers at I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE!

Well, it's Off-Broadway, so it's a small theatre, but they are so sweet. On Tony night, my sister and I decided we go see a show thinking we'll have great seats, but it was completely booked but we still got something. The people next to us (which was DEAD CENTER) didn't show up so they let us move over. Plus, they are really nice when you ask for extra Playbills.

Just saying. They're really friendly there.

[lisa902652]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 10:54am

I saw DRS three times, Each time with differenc leads and that particular was rude to me twice and the thrid time I didn't have contact with him but I witness him being rude and condescenting to others. I just was wondering if anyone had any negative experiences with him. If they don't like their job they should find another. Being rude to people who just payed alot of money to be at that theater shouln't be tolerated.

[theevilgumby]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 11:21am

as an usher in a broadway house all I have to say is HAHAHAHAHAHAHa

ok im kidding I try ot to be mean to people cause A its a easy as hell job and yes people pay lots of money.

but weird issues do arise. Ive noticed the people that have comp tickets always cause the most probelms.

[bigbigbill]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 11:24am

The best example I can think of is when I went to see Drowsy Chaperone the second time. There was an older man with glasses seating us who was so angry. We asked him what seats were ours and he said, "Can't you read the numbers?" Then my friend said, "We don't pay you to yell at us," or something like that, and he said, "You don't ****ing pay me at all." After that we dubbed him the name Grumpy McSpectacles.

Posted: 7/23/06 at 1:38pm

im kinda surprised to see so many kudos to the Palace house staff because god I hate going to that theatre. Maybe they just dont know what to do with a wheelchair but Ive been directed to my seat as if they were landing a plane (i mean this QUITE literally), had them bang on the door while i was taking more than 3 seconds in the bathroom and told where to 'park' myself at the stage door. growl.

[broadwaybound882]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 1:42pm

I find that the ushers really aren't that nasty to me, maybe because I'm so tall and can squish them like bugs! The nicest usher I've seen had got to be the JBIANWALIP ushers at the Zipper. one I belive was the house manager and was very nice and chatty. I usher also, not at a Broadway theater but here in my home twon at the Paramount Center for the Arts. I'm very nice to people always giving them stuff if they ask and being very apologetic when they bring a drink up or something of that nature.

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 1:48pm

At Chicago there was this old usher named George who wouldn't let anyone breath without his permission. If you tried to switch seats with another person in your group he would go "Excuse Me! Helloo! EXCUSE ME! Can I help you!" Same with anyone who tried to go to the bathroom, or go back to their seats or ask for a playbill.

[RentHead2]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 2:32pm

I have had the run ins with some nastys ushers too, mine were specifically at Jersey Boys and Three Penny. Three Penny was interesting, I think they were board and were racing each other across the theatre in the back. It was strange

[Traci]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 2:50pm

I'm really surprised to hear that so many people have had problems with the ushers at Avenue Q. I've had nothing but pleasent experiences with their ushers. Back in August I saw Q on a Tuesday and the usher that showed me to my seat couldn't have been nicer. Then I saw the show again that Thursday (lotto) and I had the same usher. She had remembered me from two days pryer and we ended up having a very nice conversation before the show and again during intermission. And when I was in the City this June I saw the show again by way of lotto and I had the same usher once again. She was still just as pleasent to talk with and as nice as ever.

[tabbynyc]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 3:21pm

I had a similar incident at the Imperial during BFO when my daughter-in-law brought the rest of her muffin from Dean & Deluca in a bag which was IN HER HANDBAG & they made her throw it away when they were checking bags. We get to our seats & the people in front of us whip out McDonald's...go figure.

My pet peeve with ushers is that most of the balcony ushers just point to your seat & if you didn't hear them, forget it, they're gone that fast! When I got to my seat, someone was in it & not an usher around to help out.

Even if you do standing room, you have to literally ask an usher for a program; don't try to take one or they come after you.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 6:45pm

^I was yelled at for asking.

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 6:53pm

I'm a bit ambivalent towards ushers - I've had some bad experiences and witnessed some abominal behaviour from some of them (the worst was the one who literally threw himself across the laps of a startled family group part way through the first scene of a show because he was thought someone next to them was taking a photo. He was wrong, the person was being conscientious and turning their phone off - belatedly, I admit - but his OTT reaction disturbed not only the people he jumped on, but half the audience behind them and a few of the actors onstage - the utter numbskull)!

Having said that, I do feel ushers sometimes have a bit of a thankless task. It constantly amazes me how much of a meal people can make of finding their seats. If a show hasn't started and you can decipher numbers and letters then surely you don't need someone to lead you by the hand? Ushers should be there to help sort out 'double bookings', prevent bad audience behaviour and seat latecomers as unobtrusively as possible IMHO.

I have no idea why some of them form the opinion that they are morally superior to the patrons who DO pay their wages - I tend to refer to these types as 'glorified ice cream sellers'. No offence intended to any genuinely happy and helpful theatre employees!

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 6:56pm

I did not like the ushers at The Broadhurst. I have found the nicest ushers to be at the Eugene O'Neill. Especially upstairs. This past June my best friend went to New York with me. I got all of our tickets and tried to make sure he had an aisle seat because he is very tall. When he got to his seat they told everyone that they could move down. (He was sitting upstairs) He told the Usher that he needed an aisle seat (There were none left) so she went to her manager and was told to give him a box all to himself. That was very nice.

[Schuyler]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 8:27am

I remember that same usher from the Imperial the fist time I saw DRS. He was very rude and just plain nasty. Then When I saw Awake and Sing he was at that theater. A bid guy very intimidating and he knew he was intimidating and used that. When I was at awake and sing These people were in the wrong seat. He came over and tried to get them out and he was just so abusive to them. They kept saying this is where the usher told us to sit. They were right, I was waiting to be seated right behind them on the very first aisle as soon as you walk in the door and the usher told them to go in five and six seats, something like that, they did exactly waht she said. She told us the wrong seats also, but we noticed that and sat in the right ones. That usher seemed to be in a trance. But the big usher that came over to get them out was rude. At intermission I asked someone his name but can't rememer it. I wanted to complian about him but didn't.

[Bruce Memblagh!]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 8:43am

Most have been terrific in that they have just done their job. Nothing more, nothing less. However when I was last in NY to see a show, I was directed to my seat without a playbill. I asked for one only be be met with "You will have to wait I am busy". I asked another usher who gave me one without fuss.
About 10mins later the rude usher came back and told me I had the wrong tickets for the seat I was in:

"Oh the seat you directed me to yourself?" I replied.

"You have to move sir this is not your seat according to the ticket as this gentleman should be there." said the Usher

"But my ticket says H102 and this seat is H102. Look, same seat, same ticket and even the same day", said I, "could you not check the other guy's ticket again?"

"Where did you purchase the ticket from? It might not be valid", said Usher

At which point the other gentleman pointed out that he was meant to be two rows behind me, same number. I guess one does not have to have intelligence or manners sometimes to do that job. A shame, as most have been terrific.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 10:11am

I've ushered off-Broadway,a nd try to be as nice as possible.I don't really see a need to be mean to the people.

There is a really nice usher at the Hirschfeld. He's older, African-American, and such a swete guy. I see him there all the time. When I went to see TWS with my mom and my best friend this past weekend, he sat us. He went "Heeeeyyyyy! How are you?" and took us to our seats. Very friendly. Then, when we got to our seats, he gave my mom the playbills and went "Okay, three sisters, here are your seats." It was cute.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 10:13am

Remember, we are all products of our experiences. For every horrible usher story, there is a horrible patron story. There was recently a thread about egregious theatre behavior by patrons. The ushers could probably start a thread about us. I think it's safe to say there are great ushers and abrupt ones. The abrupt ones probably have some war stories involving a cell phone, a patron seated incorrectly or some other annoyance. Let's just try to walk a mile in the usher's shoes. It's a tough gig. Theatre patrons can be a tough crowd. :)Abusive behavior from an usher can be reported to house management and handled professionally. Like the crazy old dude who got booted from the theatre.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 10:20am

Ugh, I definitely have some annoying, rude patron stories.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 10:23am

bigbill, you should have reported him. Even if a patron is rude, an usher, or anyone else, has no right to curse at you. He could have lost his job for that.

[Depaultheatrekid]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 10:24am

Theres a lady who works at The Broadway theatre when i went to see TCP and she was just awful! She had to see EVERY TICKET and you couldnt sit if you knew where you were going you had to be escorted. She harrassed a lady who was on oxygen because she just wanted to sit down! HORRID!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 11:13am

"Having said that, I do feel ushers sometimes have a bit of a thankless task. It constantly amazes me how much of a meal people can make of finding their seats. If a show hasn't started and you can decipher numbers and letters then surely you don't need someone to lead you by the hand? Ushers should be there to help sort out 'double bookings', prevent bad audience behaviour and seat latecomers as unobtrusively as possible IMHO."

Having ushered, it is amazing at the stupidity of people. I mean, really, how difficult is it to find your seat? I think one of the main problems is that a large portion of ushers on Broadway have been there for decades, and are witnessing more than most the drastic change in behavior of audience members. Much of the change in behavior doesn't sit well with them, and most of the change doesn't sit well with any of you either. So imagine seeing it eight shows a week and then recalling the behavior from thirty years ago.


"I have no idea why some of them form the opinion that they are morally superior to the patrons who DO pay their wages - "

Patrons do not pay their wages. The theatre they work for does. The cost of your ticket goes to the production. The production pays the theater rent, where staff fees also come from. However, those ushers would be paid whether or not the show is paying rent to the theater. But even so, an indirect payment of wages does not make you that person's employer. And, don't forget that ushers are in a union, and it is very difficult to fire union employees. Updated On: 7/25/06 at 11:13 AM

[Kicks8567]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 11:21am

As a sub usher, I understand where all of you are coming from. I find myself to be very accomodating and pleasant, and offer patrons boosters for their children and extra Playbills if they ask. If they take pictures during intermission, I tend to just look the other way. The only thing I am strict abotu is no drinks to the seats, but I am very polite when I make this request. However, I also observe that the actions of colleagues are often very rude and condescending. Depaul, I believe I know who you are talking about at The Color Purple...I was working the same aisle with her, and she would yell at me/the patron if they switched seats, mandating that they switch tickets. But to be fair, there are always a handful of patrons who are just ridiculous. I have had people ahve enrvous breakdowns in the balcony because they are afriad of heights, yet they booked in the balcony. In addition, I have had someone fall through the curtain that is in front of the first row of rear mezzanine...I am still baffled how someone managed to do that, but whatever. However, back to ushers, there will always be nice and not-so-nice ones. I can think of plenty of nasty ushers who should not even bother coming to work because they are in such a nasty mood, but they choose to, so my advice to you is just to try to avoid that certain usher. When I work with nasty ushers, I tend to walk the extra distance to ask the more accomodating usher for help and advise you to do the same.