Cellphones in the Theater

[bob h]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 7:18pm

At a performance of "The Master Builder" at the Irish Theater Company on 22nd St this afternoon, James Naughton became so enraged by a ringing cellphone in the audience that he seized it from its owner and smashed it to pieces on the stage floor. He then made an obscene hand gesture to its owner and seamlessly resumed his performance.

The stunned audience then broke into applause. I just wish he had broken the phone over its owner's head.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 7:22pm

Watch this result in a lawsuit. He deliberately damaged another person's property and caused him public shame.

[Mamie]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 7:41pm

The audience may have gotten satisfaction in watching Naughton explode but it was an irresponsible (and immature) temper tantrum. He could have stopped the show and insisted on the owner being escorted out if he was that upset by it. Reacting the way he did was all wrong.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:10pm

"Watch this result in a lawsuit. He deliberately damaged another person's property and caused him public shame"...Dollypop, you sound like a lawyer! =I

But I do agree wholeheartedly with Mamie: "He could have stopped the show and insisted on the owner being escorted out if he was that upset by it. Reacting the way he did was all wrong."

IMO, cell phones should be turned off at ANY venue where performances are being conducted (this includes church, BTW, although there, hopefully, it is not a performance going on). If only out of common courtesy to the performers.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:12pm

I hate stories about performers doing extreme things like this. Alert the house manager, don't stop the show.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:16pm

If you believe it.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:44pm

Yeah, right. A lawsuit. Sure. Find an impartial jury on that.

Anyone whose cellphone goes off during a performance deserves whatever they get.

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:50pm

That's hilarious. I wish I was there.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:53pm

Hopefully a cell phone won't go off in the jury room.

[CarolynaGirl]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:53pm

Phew! I was afraid to look in this thread in fear that it was going to be a Patti story....

[lakezurich]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:00pm

While I do HATE it when cell phones go off during a performance there is, in my opinion, no justifiable reason to stop the performance and break the person's phone. I agree with Dollypop, this has lawsuit written all over it.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:04pm

Quite simple: when your cellphone goes off, you deserve what you get. After having the final monologue of STREAMERS almost ruined last night by a moron with a cellphone, I have every sympathy with Mr. Naughton.

I seem to remember that using cellphones is illegal in theatres anyway. Wouldn't the cellphone being on constitute use of the cellphone?

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:08pm

"I seem to remember that using cellphones is illegal in theatres anyway. Wouldn't the cellphone being on constitute use of the cellphone?"
...I think they should be outlawed, too. Anyones knows for certain?
Besides, whatever happened to the "vibrating mode"?
Updated On: 11/23/08 at 09:08 PM

[lakezurich]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:38pm

I have never heard of cellphones being illegal, I know that cameras/taking pictures is. Although it laws might be different here in Chicago.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:45pm

It is, indeed, illegal in New York, and it has been for almost six years:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2755875.stm

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:47pm

I absolutely hate when actors use extreme behavior to make a point like this. Much as people may applaud an actor for taking action, I personally think it is a far more rude gesture for the actor to have what amounts to a temper tantrum in the middle of a performance than it is for that cell phone to go off.

I sincerely hope that if this story is true that Mr. Naughton is brought up on disciplinary charges with Equity. It's one thing to stop the show until the disruption is over, it's an entirely other matter to act like a spoiled child and destroy somebody's property, no matter how much of a nuisance they might have been.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:54pm

Hmmmmm... I wonder if it is against the law in Chicago as well.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:02pm

brdwybabe2, I wholeheartedly concur with your statement that we should automatically turn our cellphones off in certain places as an act of courtesy: especially in church.

Now, I normally turn off my phone as I'm walking from my car to the church, but a few Sundays ago I didn't. I don't remember why. I was also serving as Lector that day and was standing at the ambo (pulpit) in front of the congregation with the microphone on when my phone went off. What's my ringtone? The theme from "Will and Grace". Now I'm open about my sexual orientation in my parish, so that element didn't bother me. The time and the place DID. However, our pastor was sitting there as cool as a cucumber and said (on mic) "Go ahead, take the call. I'm anxious to see whether it's Will or Grace". The congregation roared!

It was a wrong number.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:09pm

LOL!! I have the same ring tone!! Great story.

[A Fleur De Toi]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:13pm

what extreme and childish behaviour from Mr. Naughton.

I believe the time Mr.Naugton took in smashing the phone to bits and making rude hand gestures disrupted the show more than the ringing cellphone.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:17pm

I've never felt that Jim Naughton was a class act. When I saw the CHICAGO revival many years ago, it was still in previews but Jim didn't know his lines yet (and he's done the City Cetner version).

In the Encores! version of NO STRINGS, he was going up on lines--and the script was in his hands.

What's wrong with this guy?

[A Fleur De Toi]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:37pm

And we don't see members of the audience going onstage to bash his head in with his script or making rude gestures at his lack of professionalism

[NGD2225]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:38pm

And here I thought all this time, that Dolly was a woman.

[morosco]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:43pm

Unless I hear otherwise I suspect this post is a hoax.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 10:54pm

"Dolly" is, indeed, a woman. "Dollypop" is a man.

Thank you very much.