Is something going on with the ushers at Shrek? — Page 4

How many people would know it's 'illegal' to use a phone in a theatre?

So how is a situation handled? Do the police come in and make an arrest?

I found that the penalty for jaywalking in the city is the same fine that you would get for having a cell phone out. I still think that those both are minor offenses hence the low fine. I have been in many theatres and I have heard many pre show announcements. They do say that picture taking and anything that breaks copyright is against the law. However, when it comes to cell phones. The announcement gives off the impression that cell phones are not supposed to be on just for the fact that they are annoying to the people around you. It doesn't do a good job in making clear to those who might not know it that they are against the law to have.

The reason why the ushers don't take care of this more is simple. They would create a bigger noise and a bigger scene trying to yell at or find or stop the guy with the ringing cell phone. Then the guy with the ringing cellphone would actually be making himself. Hell, I was in The Majestic the other night and I saw about four or five people in the lobby on their phones talking. And, there was a cop in the lobby and he did nothing. Yes, it is against the law but like I said so is jaywalking and neither are considered that big an offense if you break either of them. And, to the person or persons who said that the jaywalking comparison is unfair to make because they aren't spending 60 bucks or so on a ticket. You sound worse trying to justify your side of things just like those who feel like having their cell phone on is a good thing do a bad job justifying their side.

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Mamie, as far as I know, most people who actually ask people not to use their phones request that the patron take it to the lobby. You would be surprised how huge of an inconvenience this supposedly is. Other than a movie theater I've been to in Brooklyn, I have never personally known of anyone sending people all the way outside.

And, no the police don't come. I've never even seen someone enforce things to the point of fining someone. Nine times out of ten, the usher asks that the cell-pone addict put their phone away because they can't use it inside the theater, the person yells, grumbles, or is generally just rude and entitled about it (quelle suprise!), but then eventually puts their phone away, never actually shutting it off. And that is the end of it.

I find it telling that in all the hemming and hawing and justifying, no one who is defending their right to have their phone on whenever they feel like it addresses the issue that phones cause for the staff, crew and actors. Yes, you are the customer. But does that mean it doesn't matter that everyone on headset in the house gets annoying feedback sounds blasting in their ear at inopportune moments? I think it should be made more clear in the pre-show announcements, and probably posted all over the lobby. But that's not a call that is made by anyone on house management and just isn't likely because everyone is so afraid of upsetting the customer.

Ha, I'm so up in arms and ranty about this. It just really gets under my skin when people don't care about anyone else around them. Not to mention the way people behave towards/look down on ushers, house managers...anyone within the realm of customer service, really.

What an ignorant and self centered OP:

" the ushers that night... one of them, who was in the rear mezz, was a man who was being VERY difficult. I'm assuming it was the house manager who came up to the mezz and yelled to him to take off his vest (since it wasn't part of his uniform, I'm assuming) and the usher yelled back, "It's too cold. Tell them to turn up the heat and I will!"

And how is that conversation YOUR business?
" Later, there was a flash in the audience and one of the other ushers told this man usher that there was a flash in the front mezz, to which he responded, "It's not in my section."

yes, and.....

"The ushers were telling people to turn off their cell phones a good 10 minutes before the show--yelling at people who were texting. I felt like I was in middle school again, being yelled at for being on my phone."

You sound like you're in middle school. Awww, poor thing, being told to shut off your phone when you KNOW it shouldn't have been on. What is it, the rules are for someone else and not you?

"I know to turn off my phone before the show begins, but honestly, it doesn't have to be off 10 minutes before the show."

OH YES IT DOES. Besides the fact that it shouldn't be on at all inside the building, what do you suggest? that the ushers wait until the show starts, then run up and down the aisles trying to get people to turn them off? What's with you?

"I know she was just trying to do her job, but she was being pretty rude. There's a pre-show announcement for a reason."

Very naive on your part, thinking that's all that's necessary. You don't seem to be aware of the thousands of dolts who pay no attention to rules OR announcements.

"At the curtain call, there was a flash from the front mezz (where I moved to for act 2) and an usher in front house left of the orchestra--SHINED his flashlight up in the mezz for a few seconds, blinding us."

Hooray for that usher! That procedure is EXACTLY what house staff is told to do. You don't like it? awwwww.

"It was the first time I really noticed a house having a distractingly strict/unpleasant staff."

that doesn't even begin tocompare with the distractingly rude and unpleasant patrons who come to the theatre every single performance.

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with all the problems in the world, this is what people are getting worked up over?

Apparently he's working on the world's problems by logging on to BWW.

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The ushers at Shrek are tame compared to some of the ushers at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH. If we're going to talk about rudeness, that is. I went to see Andrew Bird and a couple had come in late. They were in the row ahead of me, and I could see the woman turning off her phone. I guess the usher didn't see it because she proceeded to badger the woman. We're not talking a stern yet polite, "M'am, please turn off your phone." No, this was full out harrassment, every minute or so she would be over by her, saying "Turn off your phone!" It was one of the few occurrances where a fellow patron wasn'the one bothering me at a show or a concert.

So, with that being said, I think the ushers at Shrek were doing their job and doing it correctly. Are there going to be a few bad apples? Yeah, of course, it's bound to happen.

It strikes me as funny because turning off your cell phone is one of the easiest rules to follow yet is the one most commonly broken. (This isn't to say I don't understand family emergencies. Not that I ever ushered, but I used to park cars for a theatre and once I had a woman tell me that she needed to park closer to the exit because she may have to leave early in case of emergency).

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Okay, THAT was funny.

"On topic: I'm afraid that a lot of audience members don't even take those announcements seriously. Often, people actually *laugh* when they're asked to unwrap their candies before the start of the show. I mean, come on... "

I remember when you weren't allowed to have any food or drink in theatres.

"with all the problems in the world, this is what people are getting worked up over?"

With the price of theatre tickets being what they are, and I don't mean those student rush tickets, yes, this is what people are getting worked up over.

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I don't think it's just the tourists and people who don't go to the theater often.

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The majority of people don't know that their cell phones could interfere with the sound equipment (How often does this actually happen?). It might be something that they could mention in the preshow announcement. I bet more people would turn them off.

Also, the only time I have ever seen ushers care about cell phone use before the show or during intermission is when people are recording or taking pictures.

Well, when I saw Xanadu, the ushers there were telling they could interfere with the projection on the stage, so yeah, some ushers do know what will happen, besides it being illegal.

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