#51
Posted: 7/9/15 at 1:18pm
I'm more in favor of this than I am of her beeaking character and stopping the show to scold people.
Cell phone hell at Shows for Days; Ms. LuPone remains silent — Page 3
#53
Posted: 7/9/15 at 1:24pm
As noted in my OP, I clearly picked the right red-letter day to choose to see this show. I'm wondering if the truly awful behavior during the matinee's second act wore her down. Indeed, beyond yesterday, if the behavior at many a Wednesday matinee fueled her action. One would guess this syndrome has a cumulative impact in a theater the size of the Newhouse.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
#54
Posted: 7/9/15 at 1:25pm
As if I needed more of a reason to simply ADORE Patti.
Updated On: 7/9/15 at 01:25 PM
#55
Posted: 7/9/15 at 3:19pm
Am so on her side with this. It is annoying to have it happen near you while watching a show. I have friends in shows who tell me they can see the phones all over the orchestra level that are used during shows. Some have told me they can see recording lights in the mezz. They have said how distracting it can be and the just want to scream at these people.
As an audience member it drives me crazy. I have asked many people to turn their phones off. At Finding Neverland it was a guy across the aisle one roww in front of me and it kept distracting me. At intemission I walked over and asked him to stop. And I will continue to do so.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#56
Posted: 7/9/15 at 3:21pm
The Associated Press actually interviewed her between shows yesterday, and she discusses how bad the matinee was. It's no surprise that she did what she did last night.
Patti LuPone talks about ringing phones and Broadway's woes
(Also discusses the secret to a successful marriage.)
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
#57
Posted: 7/9/15 at 3:34pm
I had a miserable experience with a cellphone user at a performance of Skylight in May. Someone neglected to turn off their iPhone before the performance started, and it was playing classical musical during the entire first act. I think some people thought it was part of the show (I believe there both a CD player and radio on stage in the first act) but it clearly was not and was so painfully distracting during any moment of silence between the characters. There was tremendous outrage during intermission, including one particularly caustic older woman who was incensed. Many people tried to get the ushers and house manager involved, but they merely said they can't identify the source of the music and shrugged it off. Sure enough, the second act begins and the music is even louder than before. Finally, someone taps that old, cantankerous woman on the shoulder and asks her to leave her seat and go into the lobby, and, wouldn't you know, that classical music left with her! She came back with her tail very much between her legs...
I applaud Patti LuPone!
#58
Posted: 7/9/15 at 3:42pm
Waiting For Godot
He is not coming as he does not want to deal with all the b.s. regarding cell phones. He does not like them especially when they should not be used.
Outfit theaters so that when a cell phone is used during the program a small electrical charge is sent to the offending phone's signal so it stops the user from trying it again.
Poster Emeritus
#59
Posted: 7/9/15 at 4:03pm
This story is everywhere today. Trending on Twitter and FB. Most comments seem to be in Patti's court, but there are a few people - who you can tell rarely, if ever, attend a live theatrical event - who are outraged by Patti's behavior and insist that the poor audience member could have been responding to an emergency like their special needs child getting run over by the school bus or their father dying suddenly. Oh, Lord. THESE are the people who will continue to be illuminated in the dark by the flickering glow of their iPhones.
#60
Posted: 7/9/15 at 4:16pm
Funny that you mention Godot. When I was there seeing Shows for Days, I walked past the Godot poster and it really grabbed my attention, partly because it is so striking and partly because every time I see Robin Williams, his loss hits me kinda like that electrical charge you suggested for the offenders. (But perhaps with more voltage.)
In the US courthouse in Manhattan, they actually collect cell phones at the guard station and give you a little coat check-like token. I can't imagine the bedlam that would cause at a theatre, but you have to wonder if something isn't going to be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Maybe it'll take someone getting hurt onstage because of the distraction, but it really is a problem that's not going away and, sadly, it is more of a problem at non-profit matinees than anywhere else (although that's not to understate the problem overall).
Updated On: 7/9/15 at 04:16 PM
#61
Posted: 7/9/15 at 4:22pm
Before cell phones - Remember that
Pearl Bailey was in Hello Dolly. Someone was constantly taking flash pictures - remember those . She came out on the stage apron and said she would refuse to go any further if the picture taking continued as it was a hazard to the actors.
It stopped & the offending person did not take anymore. Back than something like this worked. Now people simply do not care.
Perhaps a sign should be displayed by the doors (prior to admission) saying that anyone caught using their cell phone in any way during a performance will:
a) Have it confiscated
b) Have to pay a fine to get it back
c) Will be escorted out of the theater & their money will not be refunded
Poster Emeritus
#62
Posted: 7/9/15 at 4:25pm
There was a situation at one of our beloved NY theatres a while back, where a patron asked another patron to stop texting and when the phone user refused to comply the pissed off patron stood up and took his fist to the other patrons face shattering his glasses and creating bloody cuts in his face. 9 of the NYPD's finest showed up for the altercation.
I don't know what else theatre companies can do. I fear that the electronics revolution is here to stay and it is only going to get worse. Companies put flyers in the programs with coloring book print, audio announcements are made and ushers run up and down the isles reminding people not to take pictures and to turn their phones off while the patrons nod their heads up and down like they have heard it all 100 times before. Yet the show starts and inevitably a phone begins to ring. And it is not always seniors. Once the show starts the front of the house staff can only do so much without creating even more of a distraction.
Perhaps with ticket prices being so high people feel entitled to do whatever they want,because there is a lot of other nonsense going on as well such as people eating their dinner, gaming, watching video and so forth. I personally think that cell phones have become so addictive that people can not go very long without checking to see if someone has sent them a message. I don't know what that says about our culture in general. Miss Manners is probably turning over in her grave.
I think what Patti did was fabulous but I am sure the theatre company would have preferred that she kept to the original staging. You never quite know who you are dealing with and if something happens to the phone it becomes the responsibility of the theatre company. Theatre staffs are instructed not to touch patrons or their property because some people are quick to file lawsuits.
#63
Posted: 7/9/15 at 4:33pm
Smooth
Unless something is done, there will be more physical confrontations especially with prices continuing their stratospheric rise. Most people are getting fed up with it. Many actors will get fed up and will also refuse to perform in the future if this silliness continues.
Another solution would be a Patti Lupone impersonator at each show. Once something is done, she snaps into action.
Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 7/9/15 at 04:33 PM
#65
Posted: 7/9/15 at 4:43pm
Please this in every program and announce this before every show:
If you speak during the show, YOU WILL BE TASERED.
If your cellphone rings, YOU WILL BE TASERED.
If your screen lights up, YOU WILL BE TASERED.
If you text during the show, YOU WILL BE TASERED.
You have been warned: YOU WILL BE TASERED.
#66
Posted: 7/9/15 at 4:44pm
"Patty Lupone with a taser"
If that does not scare the living crap out of you, nothing will.
Poster Emeritus
#67
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:00pm
During the first Les Miz revival, two girls in front of me were texting and I asked them to stop twice. Then after the show I took out my phone and saw that not only had I left it on, but I had left the ringer on loud. I sure would have looked like a jerk if my phone had rang.
At another show I had purchased my phone earlier in the day and I had not yet figured out how to turn it off so there was a moment of panic when the lights went down, so I just took the battery out.
I have always been that guy, the guy who always asks people to stop talking/put away their phones at theaters, but lately, I have been feeling hopeless about it. More people are taking out phones just for a few seconds: to check the time, check why the phone is vibrating, etc. then they put it away again. Yes of course this is still wrong, but I never confront these people.
I cherish ushers who are especially aggressive about cellphones. I love hearing people complain about rude ushers. I love when ushers walk around and tell people to turn their phones off, a few rows at a time, and then shine a light at the phones that are still on.
#68
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:04pm
Patti interview in the Times about the incident. God, she's absolutely amazing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/10/theater/hold-the-phone-its-patti-lupone.html?_r=0
#69
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:07pm
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/cell-phones-banned-in-new-york-city-theatres-111547
I really wish they would start enforcing this
#70
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:11pm
Someone said something about legal problems-but why can't theatres halt service? You go to a hospital and there's no service-you must go down to the lobby. My gym is in a basement and usually there's no service. If "they" can have service, there will be no answer to this problem.
I think Ms. Lupone's actions are great but it won't stop it. My partner came up with an idea-have a rally in Times Square with Ms.Lupone and other actors. Get the word out. Have TV coverage and internet coverage of it. The people causing these problems, I don't think, read theatre chat boards.
If there are legal problems with a service shut-off, I'd love to know what they are. In the meantime, I don't look forward to the next texter, talker, rummage-thru-bagger and cell phone ringer.
I think Ms. Lupone's actions are great but it won't stop it. My partner came up with an idea-have a rally in Times Square with Ms.Lupone and other actors. Get the word out. Have TV coverage and internet coverage of it. The people causing these problems, I don't think, read theatre chat boards.
If there are legal problems with a service shut-off, I'd love to know what they are. In the meantime, I don't look forward to the next texter, talker, rummage-thru-bagger and cell phone ringer.
#71
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:14pm
Coming on Channel 2 after the commercials.
Cannot believe one moron on Twitter said she should suck it up and be glad for a paycheck. Real theater lover and probably one who is guilty of being a moron with his cell phone.
Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 7/9/15 at 05:14 PM
#72
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:28pm
The only thing I can think of is to search everyone before entering the theatre and require them to leave phones, cameras ,ipads, beer and pizza slices at the coat check. The house would have to open 2 hours before and it would however take forever to get everyone out of the building. Audience members are also told repeatedly through flyers and announcements not to take pictures due to copyright issues and out of respect for the actors but day after day video and pictures are posted on these boards. You would think if anyone had a sense of boundaries and etiquette it would be people that visit this site. Again another example of people feeling that nobody is going to tell them what to do.
#73
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:29pm
I'd be very reluctant to give up my smart phone in the lobby (as would most people) prior to a performance. But since it would be powered off anyway I wouldn't really be losing anything more than I would lose during the performance. But the checking procedure would have to be super streamlined with tight security. Better than you'd get at a federal building. Also every theater would have to institute the same rules at the same time. I wonder if this will eventually happen and if it would cost a percentage of the audience.
#74
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:31pm
It might cost more of an audience if people get fed up with this b.s. while paying sky high prices.
Poster Emeritus
#75
Posted: 7/9/15 at 5:33pm
I personally don't believe the price of a ticket has a thing to do with rude phone behavior.
adding - I don't think that because they paid "a lot of money" for their ticket, they feel they are entitled to do whatever they want. I think they refuse to be unavailable to any friend who needs to tell them something.
<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES
Updated On: 7/9/15 at 05:33 PM
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