Does where you sit have any effect on your theater experience?- Page 2

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 5:19pm

Mostly, I prefer to be close. That's why I am glad I am fortunate enough to be able to get student rush tickets because (for the most part) they tend to be closer to the stage. I just like having an up close and personal look at the show that allows me to watch every expression on the actor's face.

Now, there are exceptions of course. For shows such as Wicked, Jersey Boys, Young Frankenstein, Next to Normal, 42nd Street, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, etc...I tend to enjoy the show more if I'm a little farther back. Shows such as those are so big and filled with spectacle that I think sitting farther back will allow you to get the "big picture" which will help you enjoy the show more IMO.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 5:23pm

Eris, I felt the same way when I saw West Side, Wicked and Bye Bye Birdie. It was so cool to see the actors waiting and I felt the same exact way you did. It's good to know I'm not the only one who feels that way.

[cliffarico]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 8:33pm

Must have that aisle seat otherwise it is too close for comfort.

[matty159]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 9:22pm

Over the years I have become less picky with seats because I like to cram as many shows into a trip as possible for as little money as possible, but I still very much have to say that it makes a big difference.

The two examples of sheer bad seats effecting my experience were at Equus and In The Heights. For Equus, I didn't purchase the tickets myself, and my friend got us full price seats all the way the side. I couldn't buy in to the show at all. I felt like I was missing a lot and couldn't wait for the evening to end. At In The Heights, we took a box after losing the lottery. The box office gal said we wouldn't miss much of anything. Oh how wrong she was. For as much as I had listened to the show and loved it, those seats turned the show into a completely miserable experience for me (until the second act when the house manager moved us downstairs).

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 12/22/09 at 12:39pm

Also, I think I liked Mamma Mia more from the mezz than I did the third row of the orchestra.

I completely agree. The farther back, the better. In fact, MAMMA MIA is best enjoyed from Brooklyn.

I never understood why people pay all that money for a concert to sit in the rafters? Ill never get it.

As someone who has been in the rafters for my share of concerts, I can say that there is an excitement and an energy you get from the rest of the crowd around you that you don't get watching the DVD. Knowing you're in a room with thousands of other people who you know you have at least one thing in common with, doing nothing but having a good time together, it's fun.

Although whenever I'm at a concert in the back, I make a point of watching the tiny little people on the stage instead of the screen. Even if I can't see them as well, I paid to see the actual person, not watch TV.

[Jersey Girl2]

Posted: 12/22/09 at 10:27pm

No- it's the same show in the front row as it is in the last.

[winston89]

Posted: 12/22/09 at 10:33pm

I feel like my mindset about where I sit is the same regardless, no matter if it is a sports game, concert, or theatre. And, that is I would just rather be there at the event even if it's a cheap seat then not be there at all.

I feel like when it comes to things like where you're sitting. If you want to let that bother you it is going to bother you. However, if you're in the mindset that you just want to see the show and don't really care about anything else, then nothing is going to get in the way.

[marknyc]

Posted: 12/23/09 at 1:06am

I don't mind being far away at a production that is properly directed to play to all seats.

What I can't stand is theaters with poor sight lines (e.g. City Center mezzanine) where you are constantly having to move around heads in order to see!

[Mark_E]

Posted: 12/23/09 at 8:03am

It really does have an impact on the enjoyment. I've been really lucky recently with seats in Stalls/Dress circle for nearly everything i've seen recently. Still even seeing a show twice, once front row stalls and once 4th row dress circle it really does give you a completely different perspective.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 2:25am

Definitely. I like Orchestra middle, about row 7-10...but side closer to aisle is OK, also, same rows or closer. I have this weird predilection to see the spit from the actors when they enunciate .
But some shows I prefer to see from the Mezz front (the ones with a lot of set, and action happening).

[winston89]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 2:46am

I also think that people have different opinions on what "the best seat" is. There are some people who would rather sit upstairs for a show that has a lot of dancing or action to get the full picture. There are others who want to be orchestra center no matter what.

I do think that there really was only one time in my life where I had a very bad seat and that ruined my enjoyment of the show. A couple of years ago, I saw Wicked on tour in Hartford. And the way the theatre was designed was done in such a way that the seats upstairs were not so much up high. Up high is something that I can deal with and don't consider to be a problem. But, they were very pulled back to the point where I felt like the stage was a million miles away.

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 4:22am

Do you think that, in the past, you've made up an opinion about the show without giving the show some "slack" based on where you sat in the show?

I mean, say, you were seated in the last row of the mezz and you found the show to be not really that engaging. Would you give it a second chance?

Or do you fault the production for not being able to play to everybody in the audience?

That's what sometimes bother me with reviews of live productions. I'm guessing that most critics are given the best seats in the house, but when I read reviews on a message board like this, I always wonder if their seating location had any influence on their opinion about the performances.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 6:43am

I saw The Lion King from back row of the upper circle at the Lyceum in London and hated it, which surprised me since I like the film and had heard alot of good about it.

Then again,the first two times I saw Priscilla I was in a restricted view upper circle seat, right to the side, and absolutely loved it both times.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 7:18am

I saw "The Lion KIng" from front mezzanine and hated it. It was the show, not the seat.

Like Matty, I work on a budget and try to squeeze as many shows in as possible on my increasing infrequent trips. I've been rear mezzanine for Next to Normal, August Osage County and Hairspray and enjoyed them just as much as if I'd been fifth row orchestra.

Probably doing the $26.50 seats for "Wishful Drinking" in two weeks for that very reason.

I am not,, however, a fan of extreme side seats or boxes that cut off healthy chunks of the stage. Just saw the tour of "Wicked" locally from the lottery seats, which were very, very close but to the far right. Literally cut off a third of the stage.
Updated On: 12/24/09 at 07:18 AM

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 8:56am

Depends on the show/theatre.

[BlueforBroadway]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 10:10am

I didn't like sitting in the Mezz at Rock of Ages. It's much louder up there.

The front row center orch at ROA is awesome.

The first time I saw ROA was in the fifth row center orch and I would say those seats were the best as far as experiencing the show.

[Fanb]

Posted: 12/25/09 at 8:18pm

Seats always affect the experience of a show

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/25/09 at 9:11pm

THere's really only one show that I feel like seating can be a MAJOR issue, and that's Chorus Line. If you're too far off center, you will lose a large section of Music and the Mirror, and if you're off on the sides, you can lose a lot of the choreography in general.

[proptart101]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 3:49pm

For me, it depends more on what type of show it is.

For example, when I see ballet, I prefer to sit (if possible) center mezz, first or second row. I can get a good view of the totality of the choreography, especially in large corps scenes. Also, being trained in lighting and set design, I enjoy seeing the totality of the visual experience, including, how the LD handles the floor and the set designer defines the space.

For opera, I usually try to sit in approx. the same place as ballet, with a few exceptions related to the acoustics of the hall and my previous experiences. Where ballet is about movement in space, opera is about sound and grandeur - for me, the ideal seat in an opera is in the acoustic "sweet spot" and with a full view of the scenery.

For a classical concert - if the hall is designed well, the best seats are usually 1/3 or 2/3 of the way back on the main floor, center. Symphony Hall in Boston actually has four "hot" areas where the blend is superb. Avery Fisher is a fairly consistent hall, as long as you can sit near the center. In Carnegie I always try to get seats either in First Tier box #33 or 2nd Tier box #32. imho Carnegie's acoustics are better in the Tiers than on the Parquet.

For an amplified concert (rock, jazz, etc) I try to sit as close to the sound board as possible, figuring that would be the best mix. (side note - the ONLY shows I have ever walked out on are ones with bad sound. To me there's nothing worse than paying biggus buckus for a show and not being able to understand the lyrics...)

For a musical - if at all possible, I prefer to sit center orch, just about where the balcony is overhead. This is where 95% of design teams set up their tech tables and where the lighting cues were being finessed during production. This is the show that the Director, Set Designer and LD want you to see.

For a straight play - I do a little research.
In a comedy like "Noises Off" the set is an integral part of the show, especially in Act II where the doors and stairs are key. If you sit too close, you miss a lot of the action. On the other hand, there are many shows where the actor's faces are key. In those cases I try to get center orch, usually about 6 or 8 rows back. I don't like sitting right up front - I hate looking up anyone's nostrils, even when they're superbly talented and/or well groomed.

I tend to put some effort into shows that I see, including a bit a research (if I'm unfamiliar with the show), then I choose my seats (if possible) based on that research.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 5:46pm

Weird, Winston...when I saw Wicked, I also sat way to the stage left (I think it was row 2, last seat by the outer aisle!). It definitely was NOT a good seat at all! I missed a lot of the action and had to strain trying to get it all in, and see what was happening. The perks: Having actors in leotards, dressed like monkeys, prance at almost a yards' distance. Quite cool (they were, indeed, very fit!) :)