MJ audience + seating advice

I went to see MJ this evening (Wednesday) and sat orchestra left towards the rear of the theatre and there was a LOT of disruptive behaviour from the audience…people talking loudly throughout the show, people singing or humming along with the songs, multiple people removing their masks once they sat down, the person next to me unwrapping and eating multiple candy bars throughout act I, the person behind me kicking my seat in time with some of the songs, lots of people on their phones texting, and no fewer than five people trying to take videos who were stopped by the ushers. I moved seats at intermission to the other side of the theatre, but there were lots of people talking/humming/singing/not wearing masks/on their phones on that side too. My question is - is this behaviour typical for MJ? I recognize that biopics and pop concert shows appeal to different people than a traditional Broadway musical, so people might not be familiar with Broadway theatre norms, but I’ve also attended other biopics and pop concert style shows before (Six most notably) and not witnessed this kind of behaviour to the same extent - the other “rudest audience” contender in my theatregoing experience is probably Mrs. Doubtfire (also on a Wednesday evening).

Because of all the noise/disruption, I don’t feel like I enjoyed the show as much as I could have, because I kept being distracted by ushers going down the aisle to tell people to stop filming or the crinkling noises of candy bars being unwrapped and eaten or the lights from people’s phones. Is this behaviour normal for MJ, or is it likely to be better if I go another day, and then I might get an opportunity to be more fully immersed in the show? If so, is there a different day that you would recommend going, or a different seat location that might be better? I’m thinking the very front row of orchestra or mezzanine might be better at least for not being distracted by ushers or phone lights, and presumably people wouldn’t be eating or filming in the front row? Does anyone have any recommendations?

VotePeron said: "Sounds about right. Extremely rude audience the night I went, including a screaming argument during act 1, a man in the front row who got up to pee 5 times (not hyperbole), and dozens of late seaters, phones, and folks getting up and walking around. The ushers were pretty helpless and it’s clear they will investigate as much as they can but there’s too few of them to do much. It was the most “Vegas” like crowd I’ve experienced."

Oh gosh, yeah, the ushers. I told an usher about the woman next to me eating (because there are very clear signs that say no food in the theatre and to wear your mask over your mouth and nose) and the usher said she called the manager over to check on it but didn’t see the woman eating…which, yes, she probably was not eating at the exact moment they checked, but she was eating on and off throughout the entire first act. Why would I make that up? And then the guy behind me started yelling at me (I guess because he assumed I’d told the usher about him kicking me/talking loudly, which I hadn’t). So basically nothing the ushers could do and that’s why I asked to be moved, but the audience on the other side was nearly as bad. Is it better close to the front or on different days, or is it uniformly a super rude audience?

Sutton Ross said: "Yeah, the audience is uniformly garbage for this show but it's always behind me so I haven't been too distracted. First or second row dead center if you can swing it.

Honestly? People literally think this is a concert. Like I'm not even joking, it's fu*king wild. Tune it out, take an edible (or drink a Manhattan) and enjoy the show, it really is worth seeing."

Is the first row of orchestra lottery? I think I’d be happier sitting there if I can get a seat! I find it very difficult to tune out people talking/singing or bright lights from phones/people filming. I tried hard to do that today, because I think the show is very much worth taking in (what they did with Thriller was incredible), but I feel like I didn’t get the full experience/appreciation for the show that I would have gotten had the audience been calmer.

Well this thread certainly solidified me never seeing this.

All of the things mentioned were evident when I went to see it... The drunk girls stumbling in and out during the show, arguments down in the Orchestra, trying to film the show (even after being called out by an usher), talking... UGH!

MJ may be the nadir, but I've seen a general trashiness in audiences in general. Last night at Moulin Rouge, people came in 40 minutes late, talked loudly, tried the filming... What is with people?

Updated On: 3/3/22 at 02:35 PM

I purposely went to the second preview to hopefully avoid this. I knew there would be some of this behavior but it hadn't gotten this bad. I sat upstairs and about 4 people were taking pictures and filming. Ushers shut them down. One woman in the row in front of me was spoken to by the patrons behind her and then one of them came through or row and got an usher. He flashed his light. She looked at him and just continued. She and the person she was with did not return after intermission. We suspected they were asked to leave.

Thank goodness there were no people moving around during the show when I saw it. Everyone was into the show. And well behaved. At least upstairs. I figured it would get like this. I rarely drink at a show. Didn't know the bars stayed open during the performance. If so, sounds like they should close them. And this is a show that could probably use the Yondr pouches. Really want to see it again but after these reports, probably not.

Updated On: 3/4/22 at 12:41 PM

Lolz. Those are not the concerts we are talking about, Dolly. Refined? Nope. Not in any way, shape, or form.

Dollypop said: "This is not meant to be facetious:

So many comments on this thread have compared the MJ audience to that of a concert but in my experience, concerts are quite refined. I hasten to add that the concerts I attend are usually the Philharmonic, the Boston Pops, and Broadway singers like Patti LuPone and Bernadette Peters.

Are popular concerts less considerate? What have I been missing ?"

I remember 30 years ago, when still in high school, classmates went to see Tom Petty at a hockey stadium. A couple in the row in front of them got drunk, then proceeded to partially undress and have sex in front of them.

I saw this pic from Row T (center mezz) and I found a good view from the stage:



Has anyone seated on this and can tell me if the $59 seats are good to see the whole show?

TBone said: "MadsonMelo said: "I saw this pic from Row T (center mezz) and I found a good view from the stage:



Has anyone seated on this and can tell me if the $59 seats are good to see the whole show?"



I sat in Row T and thought the view was fine; saw everything - it just felt a little far away. For $59 it was fine. The audience around me was another story."

I will try the lottery, do you know where they seat the lottery winners and if it's hard to win?

I'm already thinking about audience, I know it will be a horror one

I won the lottery a few weeks ago and couldn't find anyone to go with me so I ended up releasing the tickets...after reading this thread about the horrific audience maybe it was for the best. I did really want to see the show but with my anxiety it doesn't seem worth having to put up with all that.

The $59 tickets that I was looking for were all sold and now are back with reseller at $100 lol, but I see that orchestra and almost all mezz isn't sold for this wednesday's mat/evening.

Does ''MJ'' happens to appears on TKTS? Never looked in these last weeks to see it so. I don't want to pay more than $60 to see the show.

Sutton Ross said: "Mads, in general you will never get a good seat on Broadway with what you are willing to pay. MJ is doing well in terms of weekly grosses and it's pretty rowdy. If you want a GOOD experience, you have to be willing to pay for the first or second row of the Orchestra or the first row of the Mezzanine. Any other seat is like being at a goddamn frat party where everyone gets white girl drunk.

It is what it is. Good luck."

Hahahaha thats fair! Thanks! I’ll report later.