LuPone Issues Response To Showstopping Vegas 'Texting' Incident- Page 4

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:05pm

Huh?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:08pm

I love Patti the performer. I have a hunch I wouldn't love Patti the person.

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:08pm

Maybe Patti wouldn't have been so cranky if Hillary had won. Maybe the texter wouldn't have attended the show. Who knows- Only Pal Joey! He knows what people are thinking, he knows why they say what they do and he knows what would have happened if Hillary would have won. I'm just excited that he might share with us his wisdom.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:17pm

I think MOST audience members are well-behaved. It's unfortunate to have those few at every show who ruin the atmosphere to a degree.

I was sitting 2nd row center at Blithe Spirit and a woman in the row behind me was chewing gum very loudly.
I mean, just so distracting. Now, not that it matters either way, but this was a play not a musical. There are moments of dramatic silence in the dialogue. If I can hear her, chances were so could a cast member or two (yes, that's how loud her chewing was).
I bit my lip in wanting to say something. I thought it might only last a moment and perhaps she would stop. Mind you, this was a grown woman. Her friend was sitting next to her. Sorry, but if that was my friend I would be embarrassed and tell them to stop.
Well, it lasted through the first 2 scenes and I couldn't take it anymore. I abruptly turned around during the next scene change and imformed her of how rude and distracting she was.
She looked quite embarrassed, as she should be. People sitting around us thanked me for saying something.

Are people just so selfish that they think they're in their own living rooms?
I don't even like this behavior in a movie theater; but a Broadway house?

[AlgonquinProd2]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:28pm

It's obvious from the posts, both here and on other boards, that this is a volatile issue, with no absolute right answer. I think we've all been in situations where annoying audience members were present. To take the time to berate them takes me out of the play almost as much as a performer doing it. To let it continue drives one insane. I do think that a stronger curtain speech might be in order. Something along the lines of "If you are found to be using an electronic device during the performance it will be confiscated and you will be asked to leave." As an audience member and a performer I think I would appreciate a strong stand being taken right at the start. It might not stop everyone from ever using a cellphone or blackberry, but it might give them pause.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:34pm

I was at City Opera for "Turandot" a while back, and the woman sitting two seats away from my companion was talking in a normal speaking voice to her friend for the first 5 minutes. It was as though she didn't know the opera had begun (an impossibility, given that there were a lot of people in yellow-face shrieking in Italian).

My friend shhhed her, and she shut up--for about a minute. Then she leaned over to argue with him and he just snapped his fingers in her face, REALLY LOUDLY.

At first I was embarrassed at my friend's behavior, but then I thought, no, he's right. He didn't need to discuss it with her. She knew it was wrong but felt entitled to do whatever she wanted.

They left at the first intermission.

I'm pretty sure these weren't first-time theater-goers. They sure as hell weren't teenagers.

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:41pm

The problem that is now facing Patti is that more and more people are hoping to see these public reprimands. I have several friends who were at the shows in Vegas and were actually excited that this could be a possibility, especially given how notoriously rude the Vegas audiences can be.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:43pm

I am seeing her in Atlantic City, and I do not want this to happen.

[Jane2]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:48pm

"Something along the lines of "If you are found to be using an electronic device during the performance it will be confiscated and you will be asked to leave."

This does NOT work, sorry to say. I've been working in theater management for almost a decade. NOTHING works if said rude person decides he wants to take pictures, or text, or have his phone on for some reason. I repeat, NOTHING works.

That's why I applaud what Patti did. I am not a fan of Patti. I would applaud any actor who would do this, as I know that nothing house management does will get these A-holes to stop. We have all had it up to here with this problem.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:49pm

Way to go, Patti!!!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 5:53pm

I don't think you have to be a Patti fan to applaud her actions. I'd be equally thrilled if it were any other performer. Yes, even a *gasp* chorus member. It's the action I endorse, whomever chooses to do so. It's not insanity, it is exasperation.

[fbueller]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:04pm

"When I saw the Legally Blonde tour last fall some girl 2 rows down was texting throughout the first act. Not only would her phone light up every 40 seconds but it would also vibrate loudly as well. Thankfully one of the ushers approached her at intermission and told her to turn the phone off."

Precisely! This the the appropriate way to handle an issue like this. Handle it on a break or during the intermission. Not having the "professionlal" singer stop the show altogether.

Patti is unprofessional. Period.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:05pm

Can buildings be sealed off so that cellphones and blackberry devices don't work inside?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:06pm

During a Saturday matinee of the Holocaust drama "Irena's Vow," a man walked in late and called up to actress Tovah Feldshuh to halt her monologue until he got settled. "He shouted, 'Can you please wait a second?' and then continued on toward his seat

lol.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:10pm

""Something along the lines of "If you are found to be using an electronic device during the performance it will be confiscated and you will be asked to leave." "

...that sounds a lot like theft?

[Jane2]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:11pm

"Precisely! This the the appropriate way to handle an issue like this. Handle it on a break or during the intermission."


FYI-1. Handle it on a break? What kind of break? ?? Intermission? What if there isn't an intermission? And how does it help by waiting for intermission?

2. You sound like it's one phone. If you look over the audience, you seen phones lit up all over the place, like fireflies at night! Many of the jerks are in the center of the house, or center of any row. How do you propose speaking to them without disrupting the entire audience?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:13pm

Can buildings be sealed off so that cellphones and blackberry devices don't work inside?

Gee, that sounds safe.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:16pm

Precisely! This the the appropriate way to handle an issue like this. Handle it on a break or during the intermission.

Yeah, because ruining an entire act is so much better and WAY more professional.

Patti is unprofessional. Period.

Except that she's not. Period.

See how that doesn't finalize the argument?

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:20pm

Can buildings be sealed off so that cellphones and blackberry devices don't work inside?

I believe there's a legality issue.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:31pm

The problem that is now facing Patti is that more and more people are hoping to see these public reprimands. I have several friends who were at the shows in Vegas and were actually excited that this could be a possibility, especially given how notoriously rude the Vegas audiences can be.

those people are idiots.

[winston89]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:36pm

Signal blockers are not only not legal but there is also an issue of safety as well as I believe was said earlier in the thread. Let's say for example that while a performance is going on someone got very ill and needed 911 help. They could get the help quicker if an usher or someone whipped out their cell phone and called right then and there. It would take longer if they had to go all the way outside to make the call. In an emergency every second counts.

Furthermore, signal blockers usually block the cell phone signal outside the theatre or building as well. It would not be fair to some person walking down 45th while a show was going on who was trying to make a phone call.

Mr. Matt, it doesn't matter if it is a show or a concert or who is doing it. If the person onstage yells at an audience member then they are being unprofessional. I do feel that it is wrong to use your phone in the theatre and there is no reason that one should use it. But, to have LuPone yell like that does get in the way of the enjoyment of the musical, play concert opera etc more then the usage of the phone itself does.

[logan0215]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 6:37pm

"Handle it on a break or during the intermission."

So I need to sacrifice my ability to enjoy the show due to the distraction in order not to make a scene? As I said earlier in the thread: That's bull****.

Here are the problems we face:

1. Pre-show announcements - People show up late, people ignore them, people are used to hearing them so can easily tune them out or they are not delivered with a strong enough hand to be effective.

2. House staff - Their job is to seat people and end obvious distractions and distractions, most prominently of the legal kind (photos/video of copyrighted material). Most people know not to use their voices in the theater and therefore do not require reprimand. On the other hand, cellphones as a new technology do not have clear grandfathered in rules. Not only that but every person in the theater has one so we cannot expect the staff, regardless of how well trained or efficient, to be on top of every person's voice AND electronic devices.

3. Ticket prices - The article from the WSJ eludes to lower ticket prices possibly meaning a lower mannered audience, but in fact I think it is the opposite. Because theater has become an art form to be enjoyed by those with a large amount of expendable income (2 tickets @ $125 + Dinner @ $90 + Parking @ $30 + Tolls @ $10 = $380 for a date night at the theater), less people have the exposure needed to know how to properly behave. An example: My niece has sat at the table with my brother and his wife since she has been able to be upright. Since she has been able to eat solid food she eats exactly what they eat in a smaller portion. She therefore does not act up in restaurants because the way to behave in a dinner situation has been ingrained in her consciousness. This same principle can be applied to those who have and have not been exposed to theater which I believe is a direct result of the inaccessibility to reasonably priced tickets.

4. Instant Gratification - Like I said in my last post, the need for instant gratification and constant connection fuels the need of people to take their devices out during shows. We must also keep in mind that on "date nights" (Thurs-Sun), a good 20-40% of the audience is only there out of companionship to appease their significant other so that boredom welcomes the use of said devices. That coupled with people without the necessary ingrained theater etiquette leads us to the perdicament we have today.

On a whole other note, those chastising Patti need to realize that the coverage of the two verbal reamings she has delivered has generated a huge amount of discussion and hopefully self reflection by people both proficient AND lacking in theater etiquette. I'd make a strong bet that the majority of people in those two theaters learned a valuable lesson and the coverage has caused many more to do so by proxy.

EDIT: "If the person onstage yells at an audience member then they are being unprofessional."

There is no such thing as theater without an audience. It is a 2 part harmony and the professionalism of a person on stage should not be compromised do to the lack of etiquette of a person viewing them. If Ms. LuPone would like to make it her vendetta to weed out offenders like this then more power to her because in the mean time, for the above stated reasons, we are at a deadlock.

Updated On: 6/23/09 at 06:37 PM

[hotjohn]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 7:26pm

Let me say that no-one, and I mean NO-ONE, gets away with any bad behaviour when I'm in the theatre. I've spent too much money on my ticket to allow them to be so rude.

If I hear the rustling of candy wrappers behind me I'll turn around and "shush" the culprit - if they continue then I'll tell them (not ask them) to stop. If I see the light from a cellphone I'll quietly tell or, if they're not nearby, shout to them to turn it off NOW!

I remember I once sat in front of a guy who started to munch his way through a bag of chips. I threatened him with violence if I heard another sound from him. After the show, from the empty bags that littered the floor by his seat, I realised that he'd actually eaten six or so bags of chips in all but, because I hadn't heard another sound, he'd obviously sucked every chip lest he get punched on the nose!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 7:28pm

Just a hypothetical. I wonder what Patti would do if a chorus member suddenly blurted out, "HEY STOP TEXTING!" to somebody during a scene she was in and she hadn't seen any texting?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 7:39pm

If the person onstage yells at an audience member then they are being unprofessional.

If that's how you feel about it, ok. I'll never agree no matter how many times it is said, though.

But, to have LuPone yell like that does get in the way of the enjoyment of the musical, play concert opera etc more then the usage of the phone itself does.

I couldn't disagree more. In this day and age, when people have rules repeatedly spelled out for them and still do whatever they want with no regard to anyone else, it is FAR more disrespectful, annoying and offensive to everyone in the audience and onstage than anything Patti has done thus far. If the rules change for the audience where they can continuously get away with purposely distracting performers and audience members, then the rules have changed for the performers as well. It's a sign of the times and as technology advances and evolves, so must theatre and art. This includes behavior on both sides of the proscenium. I really hate this bizarre ideology that if someone is distracting the audience and the performer that it's the responsibility of the rest of the audience and the house staff to do something to stop it, even if it means disrupting the show and not the performers, who are being paid to just sit and take it night after night, show after show, because being "professional" means pretending like nothing is happening in view of the audience and acting like its ok. A professional actor has respect for their work, respect for the show and respect for the theatre and to me, it means acting in defense to those who disrespect those in the theatre and setting an example to everyone in attendance. And from the way it sounds from the audience's general response to her outbursts, they tend to agree.

When Ethel Merman repeatedly addressed an unrelenting drunk heckler on Broadway (was it Gypsy or Call Me Madam? PJ probably knows) and finally marched off stage, yanked him out of his seat, and physically threw him into an alley, I say to myself, "Now that's a pro!".