Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#1
Posted: 3/26/15 at 12:53pmJust curious if anyone knew the reason behind this. No one enters or exits through the aisles or anything in the show- I assume it was the preference of Larry David or other cast members. Not a bad policy to have - keeps all the latecomers and non-theatre goers on their toes. Anybody know more?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#2
Posted: 3/26/15 at 12:57pm
I applaud management here
Wish this was a policy at each show.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#2
Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:05pmWhat an absolutely INCREDIBLE policy. I applaud the people who decided this. Time management.....it's, like, a thing.
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#3
Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:12pmPretty sure it's a Scott Rudin thing. If I recall correctly, THE RIVER and BETRAYAL each had no late seating and his DEATH OF A SALESMAN and A RAISIN IN THE SUN revivals only had late seating at intermission. I also recall all of those shows starting at :10 after the hour instead of the customary :05 to accommodate transit issues.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#4
Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:14pmAre they actually enforcing it at Fish in the Dark? When I saw Raisin in the Sun last year, they seated people late all through the first act.
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#5
Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:27pmSame for raisin in the sun. A slew of people were let in after the first scene and it was quite distracting.
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#6
Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:30pmThey were absolutely enforcing it the night I attended.
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#7
Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:33pmThey don't enforce it at Book of Mormon
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#8
Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:42pmThey most certainly enforced it when I was there in February. Although I didn't see if anyone was held from being seated, the usher in my section made the announcement about no late seating numerous times before Act One and several more times during intermission. I was inclined to believe that this was mandated by Larry, since I can easily picture him complaining that seeing people walking in and then seeing people stand up and down in their seats would be distracting, but it sounds like it's a Scott Rudin rule. I think it's wonderful, honestly, although it does make people nervous when they head to the bathroom during intermission!
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#9
Posted: 3/26/15 at 2:46pmUnfortunately, I've been to many shows that have this 'policy', however, it's a coin toss whether or not it will actually be reinforced. I still witnessed ushers trying to sneak people to their seats ten minutes in.
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#10
Posted: 3/26/15 at 4:41pm
Re: MORMON, it hasn't been the case with every Rudin production. I don't recall hearing it in place for A DELICATE BALANCE or THIS IS OUR YOUTH, for example.
I do recall other little house rules on occasion, though. RAISIN did not allow any snacks or drinks up from the bar into the house, which was revelatory. I had grown so used to the din I had forgotten what a show without is was like!
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#11
Posted: 3/26/15 at 4:47pmIt's a great policy, although I feel bad for the front of house staff. Having worked venues at the Fringe Festival in past years, where no late seating has been the policy across the board for almost every year of the festival, it can become painful to enforce even on a small scale for a tiny theater when people are literally screaming in your face. I don't envy doing it for a huge Broadway house.
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Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#12
Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:13pmI love this policy but as someone else already said, I do feel very bad for the ushers. I'm sure its not fun to deal with latecomers' reactions to not being let in.
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#13
Posted: 3/27/15 at 5:21pm
I think it's easier to have late seating when you're dealing with a musical. Ushers always wait until the end of a musical number to show late comers to their seats because it's an appropriate break in the show that probably doesn't distract the performers.
I don't think the house staff gets enough credit for the people they have to deal with every night. I've witnessed patrons being outright rude to box office staff and ushers, especially when they have to be reminded that there is no photography in the theater. There's always a complaint to be made: the stairs are too steep, the bathroom line is too long, the aisle is too crowded all of which the house staff has no control over. I wish more theaters seriously enforced the late policy. It's incredibly distracting when you're up sitting in the rear mezzanine and you have people standing up every ten minutes because the late comers are FORTY MINUTES LATE. I make sure that I leave my apartment early enough so I'm in front of the theater at half hour, if not sooner. I would be too embarrassed to walk into a Broadway house after the show has already started.
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#14
Posted: 3/27/15 at 5:28pm
It was in place in A DELICATE BALANCE. Oh boy, was it.
I abhor lateness in all capacities, so this is one thing I applaud Mr. Rudin for, if it is indeed his "thing."
Fish in the Dark - Why No Late Seating?#15
Posted: 3/27/15 at 5:50pmIt's the producers' call, not the playwright or an actor.
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