How is 'Half Hour' announced?

[changinandhow678]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 12:13pm

"Thirty minutes to places"? "This is your half hour call"?

Sounds ridiculous I know, but does anyone know the exact (or close to exact) phrasing that Broadway houses use to call half hour? As in what comes over their intercom?


Thanks so much!

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 12:16pm

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 12:20pm

"You've got 30 minutes to get your asses to where you need to be bitches! We've got a TONY to win." is how they do it at Kinky Boots…allegedly.

[John Adams]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 12:25pm

I can't speak specifically regarding ALL Broadway houses, but from my experience, half hour calls vary by stage manager.

Sometimes it would be, "Half hour! Half hour everyone!" Other times, she or he would add the "to places" part. In one theater where I worked, there was room for humor, too. I had a stage manager who gave half-hour call as an airline pilot, and instructed us to buckle in, turn off electronic devices and enjoy the ride.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 1:09pm

As implied by the previous posters, there's not some Equity-mandated standard wording for making calls. As long as the point is clearly made, it can vary.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 1:38pm

I think half hour should be like ringtones, each show has a different one.

Can you imagine having a Patti LuPone ringtone? "Stop taking pictures! You heard the announcement!"

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 1:46pm

Straight answer: no there isn't an exact phrasing, but what I have most common/y heard is "This your half hour call, ladies and gentleman - your half hour. It's half hour". For some reason the term "half hour" is usually said three times.

Often this is the time that announcements will be made as well (as in who is understudying and for what). The announcements are usually placed b/w the 2nd and 3rd "half hour".

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 2:02pm

"Where's Lillias? Anybody seen Lillias?"

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 2:35pm

Personally I love to hear how shows do their pre-show announcement, lame I know. Legally Blonde had one that me made laugh out loud.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 2:42pm

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your half hour call. Half hour."

If you were writing a backstage play/movie and the call was only incidental, this is a good departure template.

However it is true that the exact wording varies.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 7:02pm

ucjrdude902: I'm glad you decided to share the Legally Blonde call rather than make us ask for it.

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 6/6/13 at 1:45am

Usually by the stage manager.

[Starship]

Posted: 6/6/13 at 1:52pm

I know in our shows we have "Ladies and Gentleman of [show], this is your half hour call to places. Half hour to places." Love the half hour call! Gives me a rush of excitement.

[changinandhow678]

Posted: 6/6/13 at 2:01pm

These are all great! Thanks so much!

And I totally agree, Starship!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/6/13 at 5:17pm

At the Broadway revival of GODSPELL, the half hour call was: "Brethren, it's half hour to curtain and peace be with you."