Late arrivals

[mc1227]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 7:09pm

I know this topic has been discussed before but i believe it's somewhere until behavior that stopped a show.  

i got the trifecta of aggravation today at On Your Feet.  Ushers were seating late arrivals almost until 15 minutes before intermission.  How is this allowed and what about the consideration for people who arrived on time and were already enjoying the show?  I know mid town Manhattan was overrun with tourists and there was a funeral for a hero today that closed off many streets.  Could this be a reason or is this the SOP for that show?

as if this wasn't enough, the two in front of me talked, pulled out cells and one chomped on her ice after intermission.  I actually kicked the back of her seat at one point when she was talking after I and others shushed her.  That seemed to get her attention.  I only saw one usher come down and tell a woman to put her phone away during act one.  Maybe I'm more aware than before after reading instances on this board or maybe this is not the week to attend theater due to holiday visitors.  However, none of this occurred at Hamilton last night, so I have to assume it varies from theater to theater.  

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 7:15pm

this was going on during Beautiful today as well, a woman and her friend in a scooter arrived with like 10 minutes left in the act, absurd, why bother coming, an insult to the people performing. 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 7:25pm

Sadly it is the norm these days.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 8:20pm

It's up to each show's management how to seat people late.  

 

And no, it's not the "norm".  

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 8:43pm

Love late arrival days. I a always get to sleep in and sometimes I do homework or go to Starbucks.

[funhamilton_rent]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 9:16pm

To the OP, anyone at Hamilton at this point either payed $300+ for a ticket or bought their tickets 6-8 months ago. There is endless hype about the show. Hell, the ushers come down the aisles pre-show to tell everyone not to use their phones during the show. NO ONE in the room where it happens would dare to talk/use their phone.

[mc1227]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 9:42pm

That was my observation, FunHamilton, which is why today's experience was so distressing.  If it can be done at the Richard Rogers theater, why can't it be done at all theaters?  I know the tickets are more expensive which means everyone is more engaged in the experience. Maybe the late arrivals are coming from the TKTS booth so they don't care about the show as much?  

However, why should everyone who paid full price be inconvenienced?  All the more reason to make these late arrivals wait until intermission to be seated.  

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 9:44pm

funhamilton, it's "paid" and not "payed"

[BroadwayGirlie2]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 10:04pm

It does happen maybe people couldn't find the theater in time. We were visiting NYC recently seeing The Lion King and a family arrived 15 minutes later than expected. Not sure what their excuse was but I am sure that they had a great reason why. Yes I will agree that this is rude to people that are enjoying the show that is playing at the time.

 

Happy New Year to all of you!!!

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 10:05pm

mc1227 said: "That was my observation, FunHamilton, which is why today's experience was so distressing.  If it can be done at the Richard Rogers theater, why can't it be done at all theaters? "

 

Some theatre's front of house staff are just more attuned to these situations than others. Of course, though, the producers may also have a say in how patrons are policed. Generally speaking, I've had great experiences at the Rodgers. I remember being impressed by how vocal the ushers were about shutting down phones and unwrapping candies prior to a performance of Porgy and Bess I attended.

 

The Belasco front of house staff are also terrific. I loved their no-nonsense approach to ushering during the run of Hedwig. Hopefully, they'll keep that up.

Updated On: 12/30/15 at 10:05 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:01am

Mr Roxy said: "Sadly it is the norm these days."

 

Cole Porter said that "I Get a Kick Out of You" was the first song in the show in order to discourage those who liked to arrive "fashionably late" and would not move it to a later spot in the show. He said (and I'm paraphrasing) "if you want to hear the hit song then you're just going to have to arrive on time." 

 

So clearly it is not just these days that people arriving late is the norm.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:24pm

The best behaved/prompt audiences I've seen are at "Fun Home," each time.  Maybe it's the printed admonition right on the tickets.  Maybe it's the closing of the doors.  Maybe it's the house -- we all stare at one another.  And something happens there that happens nowhere else: about a minute before the prelude begins, before the lights fade, the house simply grows quiet, still.  

 

I can't say the audience at "Hamilton" was as prompt or well behaved (10/4).  Sunday matinee. Plenty of latecomers, lots of phone issues, people leaning forward, fidgety, drinks elevated above faces, even during (sacrilege) "It's Quiet Uptown."  I dare say, money spent inspires entitlement.  What I love about the "Fun Home" vibe is that sense of quiet expectation, knowing the intimacy makes demands on both actors and audience.  The same was true at other shows there, but not all, so it's not only a Circle in the Square issues.  Perhaps content of show is a mysterious factor, including audience anticipation of emotional experience produced from same.   

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 12:24 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:44pm

How about those who come late be put on folding chairs in the lounge with monitors. After the intermission they can than be seated .

[SNAFU]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:41pm

I was going to say something along the same lines. I know during some Operas, late comers are escorted into a room off to the side where they can watch the show on a closed circuit TV. They are seated when there is a break in the action or act change.