"Hamilton's" Jisel Soleil Ayon on the profileration of bootlegs

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8DAwJMv

I can still see it. I always wonder if actors speak to the producers before posting things like this.

I was able to see it. Good for her for speaking out.

I am surprised that when she sees this that she doesn't report it when off-stage. I know of shows/actors that did this and front of house is alerted as to where the person filming is and they are approached at intermission or the end of the show. I saw CHESS on October 27th. During Act II the house manager and an usher or assistant ran down the house right aisle to the front. The Assistant stood at the front for a long time watching something towards the center/left of the Orchestra section. I assumed they were watching someone that may have been filming.

I have talked to several actors on and off-Broadway about this and they have all said it is a big distraction. They can see it from the stage. I myself have reported people near me on their phones, taking pics, and once recording, to House Management. It is also distracting to audience members. JMO

Updated On: 11/3/25 at 01:25 PM

fwiw her main point isn't even that too many people are bootlegging (though she does mention that), but it's specifically that people are only seeing a small clip of a performance on a bootleg and comparing it (often negatively) to the original cast captured on the proshot and talking about how that's an unfair comparison. Which to be fair, is also something that happens quite a bit on this site as well with other shows too, where everyone seems to feel the need to weigh in on a performance they haven't actually seen.

uncageg said: "I was able to see it. Good for her for speaking out.

I am surprised that when she sees this that she doesn't report it when off-stage. I know of shows/actors that didthis and front of house is alerted as to where the person filming is and they are approached at intermission or the end of the show. I saw CHESS on October 27th. During Act II the house manager and an usher or assistant ran down the house right aisle to the front. The Assistant stood at the front for a long time watching something towards the center/left of the Orchestra section. I assumed they were watching someone that may have been filming.

I have talked to several actors on and off-Broadway about this and they have all said it is a big distraction. They can see it from the stage. I myself have reported people near me on their phones, taking pics, and once recording, to House Management. It is also distracting to audience members. JMO"

As someone who works front of house, I LOVE when the performers report it to stage management. We try to see everything, but ultimately ushers are eyeballing a couple hundred people at a time and we may very well not see everything.