Have You Left at Intermission? — Page 2

I think I’ve only ever left one show at intermission. AVENUE Q at New World Stages. But it wasn’t because of the show itself.

I was killing time sitting outside by Blockheads (RIP) when an older gentleman approached me. He said, “Would you like a free ticket to AVENUE Q? I’ve been trying to give it away, but everyone’s treating me like a creep.” That should’ve been my first clue NOT to take the ticket, but I was a broke recent college graduate, so a free ticket to a show was just too good to pass up, so I took it.

Little did I know that this man had a habit of doing this - buying two tickets, then offering one to a young guy. When I got to my seat, he was there in the seat next to me. I could tell something was a little off from the questions he was asking me. I tried to be as polite as possible, but I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Then the show started, and he was still trying to talk to me during the show. I could see him looking at me out of the corner of my eye. Anytime anything sexual happened onstage, he’d make a comment to me. Needless to say, I did not want to sit next to this guy much longer.

After Act I, I went to the lobby to charge my phone which had died. I’d thought about just asking an usher if I could change seats for Act II, but then the guy came out and found me and tried to offer me a keychain for some reason. When I didn’t react the way he wanted me to, he got angry and said, “Nothing I do is good enough, is it?” That’s when I decided that I didn’t feel safe staying for the rest of the show, so I waited until my phone had enough charge to get me home, then I left.

Lesson learned. Be careful who you accept free tickets from, kids.

I’ve never done it but oh boy have I come really close, especially in recent years. Usually, I’ll end up nodding off because, then if something exciting happens, at least I’ll be partially re-engaged.

This season, I almost left ROMEO AND JULIET (annoying and directionless), ONCE UPON A MATTRESS (tedious and a waste of talent), and last night FLOYD COLLINS (my companion tapped out at intermission, but I wanted to see if it got better and also hear “How Glory Goes”)

Countless Broadway shows. The only one I felt bad about was Travesties - I guess Stoppard is a recurring theme here - because it was an excellent production but I had absolutely no idea what was going on.

The two shows that I made my earliest exit from were The Play That Goes Wrong (10 minutes) and Home (15 minutes). There wasn’t anything even remotely amusing about the former and the latter because I couldn’t understand a word the actors were saying given Kenny Leon’s “let’s have the actors say their lines as fast as possible” directorial style.


Most of the shows I’ve walked out of were part of a subscription where I had no interest in seeing the show in the first place. It stings a bit less given that the tickets were less expensive.

Allegiance. Not because I wanted to but my husband couldn't take it anymore. I liked it and wanted to stay.



I would have walked out on the last revival of Oklahoma but the rest of my friends wanted to stay.

Girl from the North Country is the only Broadway show I've left at intermission. I hated the show and wasn't feeling my best. It was a matinee and I had another play booked that evening. I decided my time would be better spent taking a good nap before my evening show. I didn't regret that decision.

The only show I left at intermission was Clay & Reuben’s Christmas Special. Got free tickets, the crowd was already light, and at intermission I looked at my friend and we both decided our time was better spent elsewhere. Based on the streams of people heading out and away from the theatre, I’m guessing Act II had a small audience.


Now the number of times I should have left at intermission…is sadly a long list. And the most unforgiving are the times I wish I could have left but there was no intermission.

Only once, and it was off-Broadway. Red Roses, Green Gold, a feeble Grateful Dead jukebox musical at the Minetta Lane.

Never did this before with a paid tix — only once with a comp because I started to feel exhausted that night, had no friends / acquaintances to greet afterwards, and I didn't want to stretch myself any further.

Left the LCT Uncle Vanya at intermission. It was a Saturday matinee in May and it was one of the first beautiful days last year and my friends were just a few blocks away in the sheep’s meadow. Decided I would rather sit in the sun and be happy than sit in the dark and listen to Russians be depressed.

I’ve left MANY a city center show. Sometimes the point is that the show is flawed even if a score is great, but audiences still need to sit thru them. Since changing artistic directors their hit rate is much higher.

The Chavkin directed Light Shining in Buckinghamshire at NYTW back in 2018 was the most unbearably boring thing I’ve ever sat through in my entire life. I just turned to my friend as soon as the lights went up for intermission, we nodded, and left without saying a word.

I fled Fiddler at the Minskoff with its replacement cast. Oy. Ran from Arcadia. I know that I’ll be literally stoned for saying this but I could not even make it to the intermission at Stereophonic and left at the first pause.

Melissa25 said: "I fled Fiddler at the Minskoff with its replacement cast. Oy. Ran from Arcadia.I know that I’ll be literally stoned for saying this but I could not even make it to the intermission at Stereophonic and left at the first pause."


I didn’t get Stereophonic at all.

I've left more times than I've stayed---the reason I always sit at the end of a row.

I now have that terrible reputation for not staying, I just get bored and I'd rather be at home with a book. At least I make the effort and pay for my ticket. Stayed for Follies, Rag Time HATED Sister Act.

Los Angeles, California:

LOVE NEVER DIES, National Tour; Pantages Theatre, (April 2018).

Libretto was too "wordy", so I was lost in the plot. I left in a daze at intermission.

OKLAHOMA!, National Tour, Ahmanson Theatre, (October 2022).

I walked out at intermission. Days later, I re-watched old versions on DVDs for my sanity's sake.