Hats Off To The House Manager At The Lunt-Fontanne

I know that House Managers and Ushers often get a bad reputation on this board, and for good reason. But I just wanted to share a positive experience I had with a House Manager last night, to show that some of them really do their jobs well and we shouldn't lump them all into the "negligent" category.

I was sitting front row center at THE LITTLE MERMAID last night. All throughout the first act, this woman and her child sitting directly behind me were talking. Literally every five seconds. I shot them plenty of dirty looks, and finally gave them a couple Shh!s, but to no avail.

So Act I ends, and I immediately turn around and say kindly to the woman, "Can you please stop talking throughout the show?"

She said, "Get over it."

I said, "Excuse me, I paid to see the show on stage, not to listen to you talking."

She said, "HOW can you talk that way to a child?"

I said, "I am talking to you."

She said, "If you don't like it, then move."

I told her I was not moving and that I was going to get an Usher.

I got up and luckily saw the House Manager first. I explained what had just happened to her. She was very understanding and said she would take care of it. I returned to my seat just before the show was about to begin and, to my surprise, the mother and child were DEAD SILENT throughout the entire second act.

Considering how much they were talking, repeatedly, throughout the first act, I was VERY impressed by how well the House Manager did at silencing this disagreeable woman and her child.

I didn't get to thank her on the way out. I wish I had, though. But I just wanted to share this story to show that not all House Managers out there are as incompetent as the stories we often hear on this board. Of all shows, at a kids show like THE LITTLE MERMAID, I'm sure the House Manager has one of the most difficult audiences to deal with on Broadway on a nightly basis. So my hats off to the House Manager for being so friendly and understanding last night, and for doing her job so efficiently.

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Updated On: 1/28/09 at 09:47 AM

Wanna Be A Foster, that woman sounds VILE. Good for the house manager, though!

When I saw The Little Mermaid this summer, I went with my friend and her mother-- and my friend's mother has bad arthiritis in her knees. We were sitting in the mezz, but the seats off to the side are closer to the seats in front of them than the ones in the middle row, and my friend's mother's knees were really, really bothering her.

She left the show shortly before "She's In Love" and sat in the lobby. Apparently, the house manager found her a new seat that was comfortable for her and much closer to the stage. At intermission, the house manager found my friend and me and asked us if we wanted better seats as well, and we told her thank you very much, but we preferred the mezz. She said, "All right, we just want to make sure that all families can appreciate the show" or something like that. We were really impressed by the 'Disney' attitude in the middle of New York.

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Updated On: 1/28/09 at 09:54 AM

It's good to know that the House Manager of what must be a very stressful theater (what with Disney and the inevitable little kids) can keep a good head on their shoulders and kindly deal with situations like those instead of having the air of "My job is more important than dealing with your little issues" about them like in some other theaters.

I'll drink to them!!!

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It would have been nice if you had found time to thank her after the show. I have house managed a few West End theatres and thanks don't come often enough. I can tell you now, it would have made her night.
Glad you shut bitch up tho.
Just imagine what it must be like working in that theatre night after night with that kind of audience with that kind of attitude!!!

i saw her yell at a person for bringing in a starbucks... im scared of that women. if she yelled at me id shut up too.

The Neil Simon and Richard Rodgers also have great house managers in my experience.

I'm assuming the House Managers stay with the theatre, and not the show? How can you tell whose the HM?

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Wanna Be - It sounds like exactly the same woman and daughter that sat behind me at the Little Mermaid show in Disney World. Unfortunately, they don't have "House Managers" at that theatre. I thought her husband was going to punch me as we were leaving the theatre. They were infuriated I asked them to try and control their daughter's yelling and keep her in her seat.

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Needless to say, we're no longer friends.

Seriously? You're no longer friends with someone because they didn't check the time on your tickets? And that's "needless to say"? Wow, you're a harsh friend.

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Whoa... Ashley0139. Nice way to read into something too much? Not that it's your business, but it was a conflict of interest between roommates, unrelated to this show and this board. My post didn't even have anything to do with rude audience members, but more so the House Manager. Here I thought I was being off-topic.

I've heard that "Shrek" is quite the KiddieFest as well. I'm all for bringing young 'un's to the theater but they better behave. So glad the problem at LM was handled so quickly and so well.

I don't think there is that much repeat bizz at 'The Little Mermaid' with the very young set, teenagers yes but not the very young.