Matinees vs. Evening Performances

[BroadwayNYC]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 6:19pm

I'm just curious...do you think there's a difference between the matinee and the evening performances? Do you think actors perform better or worse on matinees vs. evening performances? I'm just speaking of the performance in general. I know the matinees are $5 cheaper. Does that have anything to do with it? Just curious.

Updated On: 1/7/04 at 06:19 PM

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 6:24pm

Umm...I usually go to see matinee performances when I see shows, and they're all spectactular, and give nothing less than they would for a night performance.

Another question for matinees- I'm doing student rush for AIDA this Saturday, the matinee performance. I'm definitely getting in, because I'll be waiting an hour and half before the box office opens. Michelle Williams doens't perform during Wed. and Sat. matinees, correct? Isn't it Saycon Sengbloh? If so....how is she? I saw her sing a few songs at Broadway in Bryant Park and she was fantastic- but how is her overall performance? No need to answer to Williams is performing.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 6:37pm

When I see a national tour, I always go on a weeknight or matinee due to the cheaper prices. I am seeing a RENT matinee this Saturday! I have a question. Is there a reason for having a 5 PM matinee and 9 PM evening show? Unusual times...

[GladysBumps]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 6:54pm

As a performer I can honestly say that no matter how good your intentions may be, one is pretty exhausted by Sunday Matinee on a B'way schedule. Saturday matinee audiences always energize as do Saturday night's. Wednesday matinees (we used to call them menopause matinees) are usually deadly because of the audience. Sunday matinees off Broadway, however, always seem to rock. But still, a responsive audience can make all the difference in the world. You must understand, the beauty of theatre is that you, the audience, is a performers third scene partner. You have power.
Kisses,
Gladys

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 6:58pm

I've been to spectacular Sunday matinees, kind of a dead audience though then...but I think that the best performances are on Saturday (night). But I prefer going to matinees. :)

[PJ]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 7:00pm

When I saw "Mamma Mia!" Joe Machota kept yelling "Friday night audiences are the best!" at current call. So...

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 7:05pm

This is my high school teacher's theory (for the audience- which DOES impact the actors! Or it should, anyway ) for 'weekend' performances:

Friday night- Tired audience (from the week), but willing to relax. Depends on which feeling is more- excited or tired.

Saturday matinee- Differs also...it's early, maybe most of the audience has slept in- may be lethargic.

Saturday night- Very excited audience (usually). Beginning of the weekend- nothing to worry about.

Sunday matinee- Early...people half-asleep while wondering about schedule of the upcoming week. Audience differs...they lean toward being quiet.

Sunday night- People may be frantically thinking of what they have to do before Monday. Usually a distracted audience.

~L

[BroadwayNYC]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 7:11pm

I think that having a full theatre or close to capacity is what everyone expects (actors, producers, etc).
The reason why I asked is because I was wondering why do some broadway actors (or "stars") choose not to perform at matinees?
I know Toni Braxton chose not to, and when I went to Movin Out, the piano man (forgot name) and the lead dancers (forgot names) weren't there. And I really wanted to see them!!
Anyone know why some actors opt not to perform matinees?

[PJ]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 7:32pm

Toni Braxton probably skipped out on matinees to preserve her barely there, breathy voice for the evening crowds. I think if you're going to do a show, it's either sign on for 8 shows a week or none at all. What's with stars doing 6 shows a week instead of the matinees?

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 7:33pm

They did not to choose to perform at matinees for Movin Out, that is how it is set up. The evening performance on Saturday has a different singer and dancers then the matinee performance due to the strenuous singing and dancing of the show.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 7:36pm

I think that Wednesday matiness would usually would be the worst for the performances. But not when I went to see Wicked- I went with the whole freshman class, and they were quite responsive- to say the least.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 7:58pm

I try to avoid matinees because invariably they are filled with "matinee ladies" and their shopping bags. Why doesn't someone invent a quiet shopping bag?

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 9:11pm

Does anyone know why the RENT tour schedule is like that? As to the audience...I feel your job as a performer is to give it your all no matter how quiet the audience is. It might be a challenge, but that is your job and need to work for that.

[eponine88]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 9:18pm

I went to see a Wednesday matinee for Les Mis once. The performance was spectacular, but the audience was slightly dead. Possibly as most of them may have been close to death anyway...lol. Anyway, the theater was filled with old women who had brought boxes of tissues to the show, and by the finale they were passing all the boxes around to everyone. They had each written their name and seat number on the box so that they would get it back by the end of the show.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 9:24pm

My experience has been that Friday Night performances get the most vocal response from the audience. I always thought it was because people had all their stress built up from the week and were excited for the weekend starting and it helped to relieve the built up tension from the week. Saturday audience members have usually had a chance to relax so there isn't really any built up tension so they are generally quieter, they're less restless I think. Overall though it just depends on the audience and the sense of groupness etc.etc. etc.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 9:40pm

I do agree that a lot of matinee audiences are pretty "dead." For example, when i saw Mamma Mia no one was up dancing in the aisle or gave a standing O. There was just quiet clapping. =D

Updated On: 1/7/04 at 09:40 PM

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 9:41pm

Chinkie YOUR NEW YEAR RESOLUTION!!!!!!! Hurry and fix it!

[cmleidi]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 9:48pm

I've been to Sunday matinees that were fantastic. I've been to Friday night shows where the response was tepid applause. I think it depends less upon the time and day and more on the makeup of the audience. I would assume that tourists are more enthusiastic than regular theatergoers so that could also be a factor. If I did have to pick a night and time where the audience is at its most particapatory and vocal, I would say Tuesday evening.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 10:03pm

I fixed it son_of_a_gunn_25, thank you for the notice. haha i hope it's better. ;D

[Dee]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 10:07pm

I saw Saycon as Aida and she was absolutely fabulous. I assure you that you won't be disappointed.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 10:11pm

Good thing I caught it before you were stoned to death. haha, everyone is proud of you for doing as well as you have so far this year, I'm sure of it. Now On topic: I always enjo evening shows better with dinner beforehand, and the expectancy of getting there. I always like it when its colder outside too, I don't know why. Maybe its from visions of "NYC" from Annie when I was young, it just makes me sunconciously think of theatre.

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 10:37pm

I agree, Son. Every show I have seen has been an evening performance -- except for the two I saw with my school. I like to think of going into the city as more a "trip" then just seeing a show. It's always fun to pick out a new restaurant, attempt to locate said place, and eat. Then once that's done with, you can walk around and see any new sights and visit some store, all while anticipating the Broadway show you're about to see.

Then once you sit in the theatre, you are all comfortable and ready to roll, and then the rest is just amazing. Usually.

And about the coldness? I was so stupid when I went into the city for Aida. It was really cold and I just had a coat on. This time for Kids Night on Broadway I'm definitely bringing my hat and gloves, and I'll probably go out this weekend to get a scarf. I don't want to deal with that coldness again. I'm going to get nice and bundled up, and enjoy NYC!

[bially082]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 12:33am

I was in Once Upon A Mattress at a small professional theatre company in the midwest several years ago. Judging from the audiences we saw in afternoon performances one would belive we put a sign declaring a minimum age of 75. Nobody ever came to the afternoon performances that was under that age, ever! It was so crazy. They were always totally dead, they don't know when to clap, they even fall asleep. I grew to hate performing in the afternoon as opposed to evening.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 1:11am

Where at in the Midwest Bially? On the old people thing, I helped out backstage with a show at a community theatre in Indianapolis and on the preview night I swear not a person in the theatre was under 65. Intermission was extended about 30 minutes it seemed like because the line of old people going to the bathroom. It was pretty funny, and odd at the same time for all the actors on stage having an audience that old, that was a really fun production though.

[lc1965]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 10:08am

I work FOH on Bway so I can attest to the fact that different performances attract a different audience or a different attitude. The worst in terms of behavior is a Sunday matinee -- the least sophisticated theatregoers tend to congregate at these perfs, really weird. That doesn't mean they're "bad" audiences, just not, well, sophiticated! Wed mats tend to attract people who are very cavalier about the theatre -- this is just a stop in their busy day & they treat it flippantly. These are generalizations, of course. Everyone is somewhat different. There is a distinct herd personality, though.

Just curious: why would you think a difference in ticket price would affect the performers? That would make them very unprofessional.