Lousy Wicked Crowds Really Hurt the Show -.-- Page 2

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:26pm

I don't think it's proper etiquette to applaud the leads when they enter. That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. There's no real reason to applaud Hilty or Bean.

I've never seen Hilty get entrance applause. It seems kind of sporadic with Bean, depending on how many Shoshettes are in the audience that night.

Funny you say Jerad had no chemistry with his co-stars. I feel they exact same way about David Ayers, who seems to be in a completely different show than everyone else. There was NOTHING between him and Bean during As Long As You're Mine.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:32pm

Brooke Shields would get an entrance applause every night when she was in "Wonderful Town", but she is one of the most famous actresses in the world.

Updated On: 10/23/05 at 11:32 PM

[SirLiir]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:35pm

Thats cool, Adam. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What gets me most about Wicked is that it draws alot of non-theater people who can't behave themselves or be courteous in the theater. That was more my problem today and the focus of the thread than the cast itself.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:35pm

"Brooke Shields would get an entrance every night when she was in "Wonderful Town", but she is one of the most famous actresses in the world."

What?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:37pm

What he's saying is that infamous actresses get no entrances. Like Sean Young or Courtney Love.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/23/05 at 11:49pm

ooops TYPO read again

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:10am

Aside from the cell phone and the two women chatting (both of which are inexcusable), how was the audience rude? Because they weren't loud? Certain audiences are louder than others, but that doesn't make them rude.

I agree that a loud, enthusiastic audience is a lot more fun (for the audience as well as the performers), but the audience isn't being rude by not giving entrance applause or yelling enthusiastically after every song.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:20am

No one ever said the audience was "rude".

[SirLiir]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:21am

Its not about being loud but just some kind of energy. I really could see the cast straining today to get the crowd going. Everyone was just so flat. I just chalk it up to one of those days in the end. I imagine the next audience will be better. I always find that DRS, Spamalot, Avenue Q and Spelling bee benefit from an into-it audience.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:23am

Alright...but what about:

"but she is one of the most famous actresses in the world."

Is she?

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:26am

I saw Chicago tonight.

And Luba suprisingly got entrance applause, and Brooke did not! I started clapping for Brooke and no one else did, lol!

The audience was a little dead. No standing ovation (only a few of us stood up) and a SO usually always happens when I see Chicago.
S
hows you how much audiences differ, because I've read on another board that Brooke at one performance got thunderous applause when she came out on the latter for FUNNY HONEY and that wasn't even her entrance!

Updated On: 10/24/05 at 01:26 AM

[joshy]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 8:38am

Entrance applause is a peculiarly American thing. In England people don't even think to clap someone as they enter, before they've done anything - just because they're famous or important. It just seems kinda shallow and silly. An example is Ewan McGregor in Guys and Dolls, definitely the biggest star on the London stage here: there was an audible gasp when he came on stage, but each time I saw the show there was no entrance applause.

[Urban]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 8:56am

Never got the deal behind entrance applause - or clapping after watching a movie. Now after sing the show-stopping song, that I can agree with, but just walking onto the stage? Nope.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 9:04am

"Its not about being loud but just some kind of energy"

I think an important lesson has been learned today. You can't control other people. You can't make them do what you want. Those hundreds of strangers in that theater were individuals and there's nothing you can do about their energy levels. You have to let it go, you're wasting your energy lamenting something that was completely out of control.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 9:20am

This thread is really pretty absurd...

[Kicks8567]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 10:55am

I understand where you're coming from. I find that audiences are especially boring during matinees. A couple of weeks ago, I took my friend to see Hairspray and I found myself to be one of the only people clapping when Shannon came out for Good Morning, Baltimore. I have seen actresses like Idina, MJW, and Cheno get huge entrance applause when they were creating the roles, so why not give entrance applause tot heir replacements? In addition, I think audience enthusiasm makes the show a more enjoyable experience for the audience and the cast.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 10:59am

I don't understand the obsession here with entrance applause.

I've seen some pretty famous people on stage - Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Julie Andrews, Sally Field, Billy Crystal, Denzel Washington, etc. - and they OBVIOUSLY got entrance applause, and when you see a star in a show, it's expected.

When you go see a third replacement cast of a washed up musical, why are people surprised that some girl name Megan Hilty isn't getting entrance applause? Not to say she's not talented - I don't know, and I don't care how good she is - but people aren't going to clap everytime someone new enters the stage.

[Kicks8567]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 11:07am

I certainly don't think of it as a mandate; however, I think it is a nice gesture and can make the show more enjoyable.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 11:10am

An enthusiastic audience will always make it a better experience for both the actors and the audience members, but with a lot of theses "long running" shows, they're just not exciting anymore. I'm not saying that because I saw them when they opened - and I'm not speaking for all of them - but most of them have certainly rusted over the years.

[SirLiir]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 11:49am

Finding Namo: Its not about control. Kicks really summed it up. A boring audience makes for a lackluster show. We all pay alot of money for tickets and we all have a right to complain if we are not getting our money's worth. My point is that a lousy audience detracts from the show and certainly makes you feel you aren't getting the complete bang for your buck. But very true point made. You cant control other people and in the end it is indeed useless to try. I am not lamenting it, just pointing it out for discussion.

Munkus- I see your point but the validty entrance applause is obviously from this thread and others so debatable. Therefore, lets just agree to disagree.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 12:13pm

Are you paying to see a show or to have an attentive audience that cllaps every time someone makes an entrance?

Don't blame the audience.

[SirLiir]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:58pm

Theater diva, I am just saying that a lackluster audience can ruin a good show. Th entrance applause thing wasnt my main point either. No, we arent paying for a good audience but one can really hamper the show. Thats all
Updated On: 10/24/05 at 02:58 PM

[jstabwaybabi]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 9:10pm

I'm sorry, but this makes me so mad, everyone has their own opinion on if they want to applaude the actor/actress that makes their entrance. who are you to say its not proper etiquette to applaud them and to say that they dont deserve applause. it's your own judgement, dont think that you know all about broadway and your opinion is right. I'm not saying i know everything about broadway, but if you want to applaude and post your comments about what YOU think, then be my guest, more power too you. just be ready for the people who feel they have the right opinion and think they know everything. dont get all defensive about everything Wicked. its getting old. SirLiir was simply stating that the performance he went too didnt please him. That's all.

[alterego]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 9:33pm

I don't think I'd give anyone entrance applause just for being there, maybe if they were some kind of "theatrical legend" but then you wonder' am I doing this for their longevity?'.

SirLiir, you can't expect everyone to be as thrilled with WICKED as you obviously are. I'd suggest you take in some other shows and come back to WICKED(I'm sure it'll still be running). It may give you a whole new perspective.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 9:36pm

VERY well said, Alterego.