Mentally Impaired Audience Members- Page 6
Mentally Impaired Audience Members
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#125
Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:05pmawww come on lakezurich, I love Chicago winters, and NYC winters have had a lot of snow the past few years, but now this year there has been none! so i'm jealous! (snow doesnt bug me out here since I walk/take subways everywhere)
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/7/04
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#126
Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:22pm
Tgn, I am not "attacking" anyone. I was being ironic to make a point.
Calling anyone "those young people" is as offensive as referring to developmentally challenged people as "those people." Same thing with calling someone a "moron." But I was doing it to illustrate my point.
I happen to love young people (and old people and everyone in between.) I also happen to be the parent of a child with Cerebral Palsy, whom I love more than anything else on this earth. I will spare you the "melodrama," but she has been through great trials in her young life. Many of the things touched upon in this thread have been serious issues for her as well as those of us helping to prepare her for adulthood.
BTW, I take her to the theatre all the time and she behaves better than many of the so-called "adults."
I apologize if my method of making a statement eluded you. It was not my intent to hurt your feelings, and I sincerely appreciated your clarifying what you wrote in your first post.
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
**********
"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
~ Best12Bars
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#127
Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:30pmI used to worked at a theater in FL. We had to learn what to do in this situation. If the person makes noise you can ask them to be quieter as they are disturbing the patrons and the actors. If this continues the theater reserves the right to ask them to leave. We were also taught to do the same with service animals, babies, or anything else of that nature. I mean its not discriminatory its just like when someone is talking.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#128
Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:47pm
"When ANYONE goes to a show, it is expected that you should have some sort of theatre etiquette. This will be blunt (and politically incorrect sorry), but I do not want anyone around me talking!!!!!!! I don't care if you are mentally challenged, old and can't hear, 4 years old, a 10 year old who can't behave,never been to theatre before, or translating for the person next to you who doesnt fully understand english-SHUT UP!!!!! It is an unspoken rule. If you are mildly annoying-whatever, but if you are loud and disruptive that is absolutely NOT acceptable"
This is the most IGNORANT AND SELFISH post I have ever read on this site.
I'm sorry folks, but the difference between your median age and Miss P's and mine is marked by life experience, maturity and understanding of much more than "you people" have been exposed to yet. This is not an insult-it's a matter of fact. The things I have read on this thread are despicable in regards to those who are handicapped.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#129
Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:55pm
"We were also taught to do the same with service animals, babies,"
How young of a baby did your theater allow admittance?
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#130
Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:59pm
Jane2...I wonder exactly what you found despicable?
And I happen to agree with that previous poster--people should not be disruptive in a theater, and there shouldn't be any exceptions. That poster listed some great reasons--translating, being 4 years old, being mentally challenged---those people also should not be disrupting shows. A few months ago seeing Phantom this woman was translating every line for her father seated next to me. I asked her twice to stop it, and she did.
I would people who cough to this list. I swear some people just clear their throat and bring up all this phelgm right there in the theater. I always drug myself up with dayquil if i'm sick while I see a show, or I hold it in until the applause, and I get all my coughing out during an applause.
So Jane, I disagree with you. I didnt see that post as ignorant and selfish because disrupting behavior is not acceptable.
And i'm curious as to how you know everyone's ages on here?
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#131
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:03am
Blaxx,
What i meant was the person in the wheelchair paid the same amount of money that everyone else did to see the show.
The producers don't give them free tickets, because they are in impaired in some way.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/19/08
Swing Joined: 1/12/05
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#134
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:12am
Jane2, I don't think it is ignorant of me or selfish to spend $100 for a ticket to a show and expect that an audience would know how to behave. That is what everyone expects. I dread audience members sitting around me that are rude.
Also, you do not know my age AND you do not know my experience for years in theatre. Having worked with MANY broadway stage managers-the ones I have worked with have enjoyed having house managers remove people from the theatre that are distracting to the actors. Not only is it unfair to disrupt a performance, but it is bad form to distract or irritate performers to the point that their performance suffers. It's unfair to the performers AND to the audience. I don't think that is ignorant or selfish. It is common sense.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#135
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:13am
I agree wholeheartedly with you, Jane. Many yrs. ago while ushering in the orch. of CATS (Bway), many groups (20 or more) of severely handicapped kids with autism, etc. were invited to the production with many chaperones. To many, these young adults may have seemed totally unable to focus on anything, having vocal and and physical handicaps, unable to really sit still and many were blind, or speech impaired. To me, it was utterly awe inspiring that the schools which they attended made sure, that in spite of the way the world looked upon them, that they attended theater, just like the rest of us. Many, many audience members complained and were totally ASSES in their insensitivity to their fellow human beings. The manager and the house mgmt. addressed each asinine complaint individually, whether it was the changing of seats, refunds, exchanges, etc.
No one will ever know what goes on in the minds of severely autistic adults, but I can assure everyone that reads this, that going to the theater and everywhere else, is better than not going anywhere. Social events should always be encouraged. These teachers were the angels of the universe, in MY universe.
Rich, abusive, drunk, obnoxious cell phone users annoy me WAY more than anyone with a disability.
And, BTW, it is against the law to discriminate in the theater, and
Bway theater house managers are very well trained in how to handle ALL situations.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#136
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:20am
thetinymagic-
You mentioned how it was a group of autistic adults who enjoyed the show, but you didnt mention if they were disruptive in any way. Did they prevent other audience members from enjoying the show? Would a reasonable person be able to enjoy the show if they were near this group? If they could, then common sense would say of course the group should see b-way shows.
But, if they were disruptive, in ANY way to people around them, then its not fair to them, the other audiences members, or the performers on stage to ignore it or say that disruptions are ok because they have autism.
It is against the law to discriminate, but I'm not familiar with any anti-discrimination law that indicates a mentally handicapped person has the right to disrupt a b-way show. And as for rich people with cellphones--well there is a 90.00 fine against that.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#137
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:30am
LePitite, i was answering something that Blaxx had written
"I understand your point of view, but as an audience member who paid A LOT of money to enjoy a show, this is a very tricky situation."
All i meant was that they had paid the same amount as nearly everyone else, and yes while i do agree it would be nice to have a audience who behaves the way you want. I have no problem what so ever seeing a show with Mentally Impaired audience.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#138
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:35amI would ten times rather sit next to an individual with autism who hollers every time something excites him than another damn teenager who pulls out her cellphone to text her friend throughout the performance.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#139
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:37amI am really torn on this subject. Part of me would want to just tune it out and not let it bother me (I'm sure I could), but after saving up money to see the show... *sigh* There really is no fair answer for this.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#140
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:37amI can't remember ever seeing a teenager pull out a cellphone at a b-way theater, but I see the suit-and-tie people do it EVERY SINGLE TIME I see a show.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#141
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:39am
I have yet to see a House Mgr. impose that 90.00 fine on anyone, lest they complain which would incite bad publicity, right? I wish it were so, however, on a nightly basis. Nightly bad behavior is the norm now, unfortunately. I always tell people, if they have ANY problem whatsoever in a Bway Theater, to ask immediately for the supervisor or House Manager. And don't argue OUT LoUD once the curtain has gone up. Act like a mensch and listen up to the Manager. If the House Mgr. does not address problems efficiently, one should definitely write to the theater owner.
As for CATS, at times the behavior was somewhat disruptive, however, the CATS company was aware of this particular group; CATS is a "noisy, loud" show to begin with, so this group was not really that distracting. You need to realize that the schools, parents, and chaperones do not deliberately pick shows where you could hear a pin drop. They sometimes apologize FIRST to their fellow theatergoers, being extremely conscious with how the world reacts to them.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#142
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:42am
broadwayenthusiast, i can see why youre torn. Obviously, we dont want to discriminate against mentally impaired people. And no one is saying that they can never see shows and they should all hide under a rock.
Common sense is the key.
If there is mentally impaired person, and they can sit through the show, and yeah maybe get a little rambunctious now and then, well what's the harm in that.
But,
When youre talkin about people like my cousin, who would kick your seat, spit at you, shout and talk through the whole show, (not just at the opportune moments), then common sense tells you that he just shouldn't go.
I think where this may get thorny is if an impaired person is truly enjoying the show, but the way he enjoys it makes it impossible for others to enjoy it. I'm thinking of things like singing along, speaking directly to the performers onstage, constantly asking for more food/drinks, chewing loudly, etc. That is not an accommodation we need to make for impaired people.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#143
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:46am
thetinymagic, I agree with what youre saying about the autism people at CATS---it sounded like a reasonable situation.
But you said that house managers on b-way have never imposed the 90.00 fine because they're afraid of bad publicity? I think that would have the opposite effect. I think it would make people more likely to come to b-way because they will be more confident a cellphone wont bug them. And think of the stories when famous people yelled at audience members from the stage for letting their phones go off. That always got a huge applause.
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#144
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:47amI'd MUCH rather have a mentally impaired person acting out during the show than have someone talking, kicking my seat, and eating food.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#145
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:50amSorry b-way enthusiast I wasnt clear. My cousin IS mentally handicapped, and that's why he would kick your seat, spit at you, eat food loudly, etc. That's what I mean---some mentally handicapped can handle the b-way environtment, some cannot (just like non-handicapped people)
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#146
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:53am
OURTIME, I'm in agreement once again...I forgot to mention on my previous thread, that I work at a particular theater on Bway, and Christopher Reeve, and his wife often came to see shows towards the end of his life, when he needed to be connected to a "noisy" respirator, which was attached to the electrical outlet under the carpet of the seat.
Everybody heard it, nobody ever said anything, audience members were aware, the actors in a quiet show heard it. The "show must go on". We all need to decide how much we want to "tolerate" the interruptions and distractions in our lives. And yes, I find it hard to imagine paying 100.00 and having to listen everyone's whispering, coughing, hyena like laughing, drunkeness, cell phone talking, text messaging, etc. In fact, I hate it, but perfection is not life.
Concentrating on something, is a lost art. Theater behavior has just totally deteriorated in the past 20 years. People think they're the only ones in the room. It's the theater, act like it's special, for G-d's sake!
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#147
Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:58amThanks, rosscoe. I respect your opinion, I'm certainly not 100% sure what the mos appropiate approach is, and I welcome your point of view.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
re: Mentally Impaired Audience Members#148
Posted: 2/7/08 at 1:00am
Well since we are hearing all the doom-and-gloom about broadway patron's behaviors, here's a positive note: For several years now I've been taking groups of my students from my low-income high school to see b-way shows about once a month, and they act perfectly.
Its really amazing to see the result because when we first plan the trip, when I tell them that their phones have to be off during the show, they look at me like I have two heads. I have to explain every little instance--no checking texts, no turning on the phone to check the time, no emergency calls from mom, etc. These kids always want to see more shows after, so there is some hope for our audiences.
Videos
