Inherit the Wind On-Stage Seating

[Nathan_Lane_Rules!]

Posted: 3/26/07 at 8:26pm

Hey Guys!

Going to NY tomorrow. YAY!

Just wondering if anybody has sat in one of the stage seats and if so how was the experience? How often to the actors play to the back? Can you hear?

THANKS!

[thekaoboy]

Posted: 3/28/07 at 11:01am

I attended the show last night and the view is pretty good. I spoke with Ben Walker (who plays Cates) after the show and he said the show was deliberately staged to ensure the on-stage audience gets a good view of the show. There were only a few moments when part of the set obstructed the view.

There are scenes (especially at the end of the first act), when the actors have their backs to the on-stage seats, which can make them a little difficult to hear. Also, when the company is moving around the "jury box" or sitting among the on-stage audience, they often are providing background chatter or cheers, which can be quite loud and drown out anything else that is going on.

But those seats were definitely a unique experience, especially in a small theatre like the Lyceum. If you are sitting on stage right, then you are on Brian Dennehy's side. If you are sitting on stage left, then you will be on Christopher Plummer's side and he comes pretty close to the jury box. That's where I was and it was a terrific treat to see him so up close!