Dressing up to go to the theatre?- Page 3

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 3:38pm

I carry the same mentality as WalkOn. I've paid, I don't smell, I don't talk, I applaud the actors, I won't dress in costume seeing a show, etc. Why should I be judged because I'm not decked out in fancy clothes? Who are we to judge what other people wear, especially when we don't know their circumstances.

As long as you are polite and respectful and don't distract me from seeing what I paid to see, why should I care whether you wear a t-shirt or a button down? I don't see the point. I think you'd rather see me in jeans and a t-shirt than in a Follies showgirl headdress with matching beaded sequins when I go to Encores.

edit; Joshy, reading your post I completely see what you mean. I travel an hour too to get to the city. I want to be comfortable and not feel "dolled up" for the whole day to sit in a darkened theater for 2 hours for something I paid to see and dress however I damn well please.

Updated On: 1/22/07 at 03:38 PM

[NJRae]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 3:43pm

C is for Company: I agree wholeheartedly. Jeans are ok as long as they are nice jeans, but what is with the sweatpants and sweatsuits that I have been seeing lately? That is just too casual, if you ask me.

I have recently taken a few friends to see shows who had never been before and when trying to give them an idea of what to wear I told them that no matter what they wore there would be people dressed better than them and people dressed worse than them. Told them to dress nicely but comfortably. Really what more can we do?

[ElphabaRose]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 3:55pm

I have to jump on the jeans train here too. I rarely drive into the city, so a theatre trip for me involves a train ride and a subway ride, plus some walking. If its the middle of the winter, I would much rather be slightly more casually dressed and not freeze (the jeans are always dark, clean, and unripped). In the summer (unless the weather is horrible) I tend to wear skirts, but that's simply because that's how I feel comfortable. What I find to be more offensive than the way you dress is eating (as previously stated), overly shiny jewelry (especially if you're near the front so that the light will catch it), and large amounts of perfume. When I saw Three Days of Rain, I was sitting behind a woman who was wearing so much perfume that by the end of the act, I could barely breathe and I had a terrible headache. I was luckily able to switch seats because my family had two seats in one place and one in another, but I probably would have left after the first act since I felt so ill if I had not been able to switch seats. Being respectful of actors and other patrons is far more important than being dressed as fancily as some people would like.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 3:58pm

I usually wear like a sweater and khakis. I just feel you should look a little more put together when going to the theater...that is my philosopy.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:15pm

My biggest pet peeve is when people show up in jeans. It just looks sloppy. I always attempt to look classy, and other people should too. I think it just shows respect, something that our society as a whole is lacking these days.

Wearing jeans shows disrespect? To whom exactly? I go to the theatre roughly 4 times a week and I don't see a reason to dress by someone else's standards just to conform.

People need to get the idea out of their minds that conformity is the definition of respect. Because it's not. Conformity is the definition of conformity. Respect is defined by ones behavior.

Updated On: 1/22/07 at 04:15 PM

[jmh323]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:30pm

When I went to see Sweeney Todd, I wore dark jeans and a decent shirt, but I'd been walking around all day before the show. At intermission, I was walking back to my seat and I saw two women pointing at me and shaking there heads and whispering to each other, which I thought was kind of rude.

I’d say if you’re walking around before hand, it’s ok to wear what ever is most comfortable. But if it’s a special thing, it doesn’t hurt to dress up a little.

Ok, question. I have on stage seats for Spring Awakening. Would it be ok to wear dark jeans and a nice top? (I’m walking around the city all day before the show.)

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:31pm

i think it depends..

like, for a matinee show i don't go all out or anything like that, i wear jeans and a cute top or sweater, and in the summer possibly a sundress casual. something that i think looks nice. you know, classy casual. i would never go in anything bummy or too dressed down.

but i think for an evening performance, maybe look a little nicer. and also openings/closings dress nicer also. but if i've just spent the day shopping and stood in line at TKTS, then i'm not about to dawn a dress.

comfort is number one, but i always try and look cute. =)

[javero]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:32pm

Even if I wear denim slacks, I always top things off with a blazer.

[craig238]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:32pm

I can only imagine what some of the thoughts are about shorts in the summer ?!?!?!?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:39pm

I wore jeans and sat on stage at Spring Awakening. They didn't like it so they made me sit in that really high chair on the stage wall. The show takes on a whole new perspective up there.

If you're walking around the city all day, why shouldn't you be comfortable?

The thing is that theater isn't as highly esteemed an event as it used to be. Back in the day of I Love Lucy, you'd go to see a show once in a blue moon - it was special. "What are you doing for your anniversary? I'm takin' the wife to see Guys and Dolls."

Today, Broadway is the biggest tourist attraction in NYC. Are tourists worried about impressing people with suits and ties and sportscoats? Of course not. They're hopping off the hop-on-hop-off bus in their blue jeans to see a matinee of Beauty and the Beast. For $111, you should be as comfortable as you want (excluding eating and talking on your cell phones).

It's not like the actors care about what you're wearing.

Do you really think people like Julia Murney or Johnny Galecki or Tony Danza spend the intermission talking about the guy in the front row wearing shorts? Of course not....they save it for Patti LuPone.

Dressing up used to be a sign of respect. But who were you trying to respect? The actors, who are there to do their job, not to worry about the color of the guy in the aisle of row L's shoelaces? The building? A building doesn't care what you wear.

Nowadays, having your cell phone not go off is a sign of respect.

Like most of the others here, I go to the theater, sometimes 3-4 times a week. I don't have an expense account that can afford to wear dressy clothing 3-4 times a week. Jeans suffice. Who cares what other people say? Chances are they don't care. They're not there to watch me....they're there to watch the show.
Updated On: 1/22/07 at 04:39 PM

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:41pm

Here's what I wear in NY Theatre:

I live 3 hours away from the city. I rarely spend the night in the city because we can't always afford hotel rooms.

Here's how my days are whenever I can go:

5:30am: Wake up and get ready, out of the ouse by 6.
I get to the bus station by 6:45am. My bus leaves at 7am.

For the next 3 (and a half, depending on traffic) I'm on a bus that does not have the greatest seats in the world.

By 11, I'm in the city. I walk around, see the show at 2. Have dinner, and I am on a bus at 8pm (I usually fall asleep within an hour on the way home).

There's no way I could change my clothes, nor is there anytime where I'd want to be so-called "formally" dressed. I'm on a bus for 6 hours and walking around because I have no where to go.

So I usually wear nice jeans with polo shirt or sweater. Sometimes I'll wear comfortable dress pants with the same on top. Never formal. I dress the way I like, especially when it suits me personally.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:43pm

"I wore jeans and sat on stage at Spring Awakening. They didn't like it so they made me sit in that really high chair on the stage wall. The show takes on a whole new perspective up there."

is that true yankeefan?

i'm sitting onstage in march, and it'd be nice not to have my seat changed because i'm wearing jeans! ahh!

[jmh323]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:44pm

ThankstoPhantom, thats exactly what I do. haha.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:46pm

Bwayfan4: I bet you didn't know that when I went to Spelling Bee last week, they pulled a volunteer speller and mocked that he wore a blazer to see the show and made fun of I guess you'd call it "overly dressing."

Not like I agree with making fun of him dressing nice, but keep in mind that a comedic show like Spelling Bee shouldn't be taken too seriously when determining what attire to wear and not wear. They are just as ready to poke fun at those who dress up as they are to those who dress casually.

[jess20882]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:47pm

thought i'd throw my two cents in here, since i see probably close to 50 shows a year.
i think it's nice to dress-up to see a show, especially if it's a planned event. but i certainly don't think there should be a dress code. i do wear jeans, but i make it a point never to wear sneakers or any dirty shoes. that way i'm casual but still a bit classy.
and in my experiences, it's the people who get all glitzy and glammed-up to see a show who are the ones with the worst manners during the show. not saying it's a general rule but just what i have seen in the past...

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:50pm

dramaqueen2 - sarcastic humor. Not to worry, they don't change your seat....they don't care what you're wearing on stage, in the theater, in the bathroom, at the bar, etc. Though if you're on stage, you have to lock up any loose items so they don't interfere with the actors.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:55pm

haha, thanks yankeefan.. i just wasn't sure.
i didn't think so anyway, that's not really the kind of show that would do that. yah i know all about the lockers, kind of conveient i must say! cannot wait for the spring to awaken the second time around! =)

agreed, jess.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:58pm

dramaqueen, when are you sitting onstage in March?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 5:02pm

....no shows really care about what you wear. It's purely a fellow audience member deal.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 5:04pm

on, march 4th CisforCompany, why?

this is true yankeefan, there are definitely some uptight patron-type blue-blooded blue hairs out there, who feel entitled to everything including theatre dress codes. i hate people like that!

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 5:10pm

Nevermind, I was just curious because I have onstage seats for March too, but not the 4th.

And I plan on wearing my only pair of jeans, which are very nice by the way, which I feel the need to add after hearing of the impression that some have around here over jeans

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 5:12pm

amen, company! and 'ditto' that! haha!

=)

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 5:28pm

in response to earlier posts:
why does it matter? you guys are pouncing all over eachother because people who live in NYC or near it and see a lot of shows every year think they're better than those of us who are not fortunate enough to live close to the city. i live in san francisco and i see shows whenever i can. as for dressing up, i do - for pretty much every show i go to. but that's just my personality. i like dressing up. going to the theatre is a big deal for me. it's a lot of money and i don't get to do it all the time. the only time i've ever worn jeans to the theatre is when i was camped out all day in front of the Orpheum Theatre trying to get cancellation tickets for the last weekend Wicked was in SF.

and who is anyone to judge what kind of shows people like. yes, i like wicked and les mis. does that make me a shallow theatre-goer? just 'cause i don't have the opportunity to see every little show that comes to Broadway doesn't make me any less of a serious theatre fan.

i guess i went a little off topic. :) anyways, my point is, it would be nice if people dressed nicely for the theatre (and that doesn't mean going out and buying a new outfit, everyone has SOMETHING a little nice) and actions do speak lounder than *your dress* - i will know you respect the theatre when you refrain from talking, eating, sleeping, and taking pictures during a show. :)

Updated On: 1/22/07 at 05:28 PM

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 5:58pm

"I just feel you should look a little more put together when going to the theater...that is my philosopy. "

Theatredude,I agree with you 100%.


"Conformity is the definition of conformity."

Wow...that's deep.

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 6:01pm

depends what show really

Like phantom, i will dress up. same with les miz and wicked
for like the wedding singer, still dressed, but less of coarse