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

[morosco]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 10:53pm

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?

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:40pm

TimesSquare, I think Mamie was saying tht SHOULD be printed on tickets.

Winston, regarding the jaywalking comment. We don't spend 60 to 120 bucks to jaywalk.

When I saw History boys the annoncement before the show included that it was against the law to have your phone on inside the theater.

Here in Denver at the DCPA, they provide patrons with a special phone number to give to family members or babysitters. If you have an emergency, an usher will come to your seat and get you. You just have to let them know before the show that you have given the number to someone and might get a call.

I don't have a cell phone but all of my friends turn them off before we even get to the theater. Some of my friends just leave them in their car. I feel there is no justification for having a cell phone on in a theater. At The Homecoming, a man across the aisle from me checked his messages and at intermission I walked over to him and said that the light from his phone was distracting and if it happened again, I would get an usher. he turned the phone off. I have approaced a few people at shows about their phones before a show started. I have no problem telling them they need to turn it off or just saying "I hope you are going to turn off your phone before curtain". People keep trying to justify the use of phones or putting them on vibrate during the show. I think people use their cell phones so much because they feel like they have to use them because they have them. it isn't a need. it's just because they are there.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 12:33am

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.

[Mamie]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 8:16am

I don't think they should be illegal in the lobby. But in the auditorium - absolutely.

[LifeofTheParty2]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 11:30am

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.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 1:17pm

My phone is on vibrate but I pretty much turn it off anyway.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 1:34pm

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.

[Mamie]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 2:06pm

I was responding to the comment that 4 or 5 patrons were seen talking on their cell phones in the lobby and no one did anything to stop them. I am in complete agreement that people should not be asked to leave the theatre - just the auditorium. Printing a warning like that on every ticket gives people notice ahead of time to turn the phones off.

[DefyingEDCT]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 2:23pm

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

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 2:45pm

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

Well, this IS a theater discussion board. this is what we do here.

You're perfectly welcome to start a thread on the OT board about a problem in the world you'd like to discuss.

[Mamie]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 2:56pm

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

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 3:05pm

LOL Mamie!

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 5:16pm

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).

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 5:51pm

I sent my cell phone to SPRAY/SCREAM mode, so when someone calls, it squirts perfume into the air and then screams like a fan girl at Rent.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 5:53pm

Okay, THAT was funny.

[dg22894]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 5:57pm

Theaterdiva you just made my day.

[WhenURScrap]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 6:05pm

"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.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 11:53pm

At Billy Elliot during the letter song, there was that clicking noise that your speakers make when your cell phone is too close to them and you are receiving a call... and it went on for the whole song-loudly. I don't know enough about electronics to understand why or how this happens... but whoever left their cellphone completely and totally ruined the scene for the whole audience... the WHOLE AUDIENCE... I'm not sure how anyone can justify leaving their cellphone on when this is a possibility.

kmc

[etoile]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 12:00am

"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.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 1:41am

I feel like it is a situation of self entitlement on both sides of the line. The people who have cell phones feel like they are entitled to have them/ use them etc because they paid for the ticket. The people who are saying that they shouldn't be used are also saying that for the same reason. Now, I am not talking about anyone on this forum. I am just talking about the general attitude of theatre patrons who insist that it is okay to use your cell phone in the theatre. These are the same people who think that just because they paid for a ticket that it is okay to bring in a full blown meal into the theatre.

I feel that it doesn't matter how much you paid for a ticket. When it comes down to it you paid for one. That being said you have the right to have a distraction free performance. The price that you paid shouldn't have to matter at all. I feel like if I paid student rush prices for a ticket that I have just as much a right to have a distraction free performance as the guy sitting next to me who paid full price.

Over the course of time I spent going to the theatre over the years I have gotten the impression that those people who use or have out their cell phones during the show are either tourists or those who don't go to the theatre often. Either way, those two groups don't really know how one should act in a theatre.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 2:26am

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

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 2:48am

Winston... LET'S PLAY A GAME.



At dinner, your mommy stated that there is no ordinance or law.

Wrong

the World - 1 . Winston - 0


You stated that it's usually just tourists and people who aren't frequent theatre-goers that leave their phones on.

Wrong ... that's a terrible assumption and just blatantly not true

the World - 1. Winston - 0


You stated that the announcements, before the show, make it seem like they want the cell phones just because they are "annoying"

Wrong, again. They just don't get into further details (it's against the law and creates technical problems) with the announcement because they think there can't possibly be someone THAT dumb out there.... I guess they forgot that YOU attend the theatre.

ANOTHER point for the World!


"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."

That's because the law applies to the THEATRE/AUDITORIUM. not the lobby, dip****.

a point for the World.


and finally...

"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"


Really??

REALLY????


the World wins . 2,300 to 0.

Winston loses... again.


PLEASE tell me you are an inaccurate depiction of America's future generations!!!

[trinaaron]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 2:32pm

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.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 2:59pm

trinaaron, I agree that there are people out there who don't know about the interference that the cell phone can cause and thus keep it on and on vibrate or silent. To be honest, even I didn't know about it until I read this thread.

I am under the impression that regardless of cell phones being against the law, the ushers are more concerned with people useing them to record or take pictures then anything else.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 4:43pm

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.