Posted: 8/19/17 at 2:55pm
Well, you certainly have a low threshold for respect. Believe me, he was not there to enrich his cultural enjoyment. Everything these monsters do is to undermine and destroy the "elite". What a total hypocrite he is!
Posted: 8/19/17 at 5:51pm
You'd think a venue in Washington DC would know a little more about alerting their patrons in advance without necessarily tipping them off as to who the VIP was, no matter how controversial they may be. Sorry that happened to you, OP!
Posted: 8/19/17 at 6:10pm
SomethingPeculiar said: "Has anyone been in the house when the Obamas attended a Bway show or another president/VP went to the theatre?
Not really relevant because it was so long ago, but this thread has revived memories of being at a performance of Much Ado About Nothing at the Winter Garden in 1972 when then-President Nixon and several members of his family were in attendance. I don't remember there being any extra security -- or indeed much security of any kind -- at the theater that night, although the performance did start a bit late because the Nixon entourage arrived late.
I remember that there were several Secret Service agents posted around the auditorium, who glared at my friend and me when we hissed Nixon on his entrance.
"
Updated On: 8/19/17 at 06:10 PM
Posted: 8/20/17 at 1:10am
Orange skittles said: I hope Pence enjoyed the show we all had to miss because of him. Maybe he learned something."
No, he didn't. If he was a quick learner, he wouldn't be with Trump. Seems he's learning self absorbed behavior from his boss.
Posted: 8/20/17 at 1:14am
JBroadway said: "You know, as much as I absolutely detest Pence, I respect the fact that he is willing to attend live theatre given the circumstances. Especially shows like Hamilton and The King and I. Doesn't change that he's a dirtbag, but I respect this one small gesture of his. Credit where credit is due."
Ahhh, I heard that he gets comped tickets. Costs him nothing; costs everyone else aggravation, delays, etc. He should stay home.
Posted: 8/20/17 at 6:14pm
LizzieCurry said: "You'd think a venue in Washington DC would know a little more about alerting their patrons in advance without necessarily tipping them off as to who the VIP was, no matter how controversial they may be. Sorry that happened to you, OP!
"
My immediate thought as well. Not the first time KenCen has hosted a political figure. Perhaps KC wasn't given enough notice, maybe they were just informed that day of his attendance.
I agree this is a really rotten thing to happen. Yeah, there are bigger issues in our country and world, but I know for me I don't have a lot of disposable income to spend on theater, so I paid and missed 45 minutes of a show I would have been livid.
Posted: 8/20/17 at 6:17pm
I don't want to alarm the SS but I would want him to feel pain in his heart.
Posted: 8/20/17 at 7:10pm
Awful that they didn't hold the curtain! Even for those who already managed to get IN to the auditorium before the show started, they'd still have the constant stream of arrivals throughout the first act as people finally cleared security. Distracting for audience and actors.
I hope you do get your refund or tickets to another performance!
On another note I do see the need for security in the current climate, but I do feel that sometimes we can be so thorough in our approach to it as a society that it becomes massively disruptive to our daily lives. I've worked in theatres for a number of years and the biggest thing that slows us down when it comes to getting people into the building is security and bag checks. But then it's necessary isn't it? If anything, the presence of bag searches at least acts as a deterrent. It's hard to strike the balance.
Posted: 8/20/17 at 11:13pm
When I saw King and I in Boston, they started at exactly 7:30 and the house wasn't even a third full. People were flowing in until 30 minutes into the show as well. I am shocked they didn't hold he curtain for whatever circumstance. In one aspect I was glad I got there early, in another I couldn't see anything because people were standing up getting into seats in the rows ahead of me. Makes me wonder if they're under a strict time limit with the kids onstage having to be out by a certain time due to equity rules or whatever. Horrible experience.
Posted: 8/20/17 at 11:32pm
Theatres generally do not make a big announcement or send out emails to ticket holders when big name politicians are coming to see a show. It draws more attention to their attendance and just causes more confusion and more security risks, You would think if any theatre had that all figured out it would be Kennedy Center. There have been many high profile politicians and family members at Lincoln Center and the shows usually are not delayed and the staff is instructed to act as if it is just another show.
Posted: 8/21/17 at 12:18am
SmoothLover said: "Theatres generally do not make a big announcement or send out emails to ticket holders when big name politicians are coming to see a show. It draws more attention to their attendance and just causes more confusion and more security risks, You would think if any theatre had that all figured out it would be Kennedy Center. There have been many high profile politicians and family members at Lincoln Center and the shows usually are not delayed and the staff is instructed to act as if it is just another show.
When Benjamin Netanyahu was at Hamilton on Broadway, an email was sent out with a brief message. It basically said that you should get there early because there was going to be high security. I was working that performance and we opened the house extremely earlier than usual. That way, folks could get in through security and the show could still start on time. I feel sorry for the OP (as others have stated too.) The Kennedy Center deals with high profile political figures attending shows there all the time. I am surprised that a Broadway theatre was more organized about such a situation than one that gets more high profile political figures.
Posted: 8/21/17 at 2:31am
SmoothLover said: "Theatres generally do not make a big announcement or send out emails to ticket holders when big name politicians are coming to see a show. It draws more attention to their attendance and just causes more confusion and more security risks, You would think if any theatre had that all figured out it would be Kennedy Center. There have been many high profile politicians and family members at Lincoln Center and the shows usually are not delayed and the staff is instructed to act as if it is just another show."
There was an email when the Obamas attended Hamilton, specifically about arriving early due to extra security.
Posted: 8/21/17 at 4:08am
Just wanted to add something to what I wrote and to clarify something that was said by others in this thread. For both Obama's visit to the show, as well as Netanyahu's visit, no ticket holder was told in advance who was going to be there. Just that you should arrive early due to there being high security in place. I worked the performance that Netanyahu attended. Seating people took an hour and a half in and of itself. But, people got in and the show still started on time. The Kennedy Center could have handled it better. That's it, plain and simple.
Posted: 8/21/17 at 7:22am
I was at Billy Elliot the night Joe Biden and his wife went. We had no advance warning but we did not have to go through any security at all. I just remember a man looking like a Secret Service agent holding a dog off to the side when we entered the auditorium, right past the ticket takers.
At 5 to 8, we heard a lot of applause and cheering and everyone stood up. I could not see over the crowd, but then saw Secret Service walking down the aisle with Jill and Joe behind them. They sat directly next to us and Joe and I struck up a conversation, eventually where he asked me what I do for work, etc.
At intermission, I bravely asked him to sign my Playbill, which he happily did. The Secret Service was surrounding us and did not want people bothering him but were not stopping people from passing their Playbill's for an autograph. I did not have the courage to ask for a picture as I did not want to be impolite, especially when the guy has the right to see a show undisturbed. He was chatting with Jill during intermission and he asked me another question about my job and I asked what he thought of the show. Needless to say, they both thought it was terrific.
As soon as curtain calls began, the Secret Service, escorted them to the side door leading backstage. Right before this. he wished us a nice evening, and to get home safe.
Upon exiting the theatre I noticed sharp shooters on the roof of the Imperial and neighboring theaters. I have both signed Playbills framed and hanging in my den.
I'll never forget the experience, and it saddens me to think how there is no more cheering for the VP, but boos instead.
I do wonder if this is new SOP for highly secured people or are they adding the TSA like security because Pence is not liked by everyone. From what I am reading on here, it sounds like the norm now.
Updated On: 8/21/17 at 07:22 AM
Posted: 8/21/17 at 7:42am
When Clinton came to see Hamilton, there was security but it was very minimal and non invasive. Security guard would use a metal decetor wand on you. Actually, same thing when Pence was there too. But, security got beefed up because of Obama being there and being the sitting president. But, since Pence is a bigger political figure than before, they most likely amped up security at King and I because he's a bigger one now than before when he was at Hamilton.
Posted: 8/21/17 at 10:09am
Allegra23 said: "SmoothLover said: "Theatres generally do not make a big announcement or send out emails to ticket holders when big name politicians are coming to see a show. It draws more attention to their attendance and just causes more confusion and more security risks, You would think if any theatre had that all figured out it would be Kennedy Center. There have been many high profile politicians and family members at Lincoln Center and the shows usually are not delayed and the staff is instructed to act as if it is just another show."
There was an email when the Obamas attended Hamilton, specifically about arriving early due to extra security."
A 1995 story here: http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat_new/d.php?id=2392457
Posted: 8/21/17 at 12:29pm
Just curious. Wondering if he got to see Laura Michele Kelly as Anna Leonowens? She was covered by Heather Boots both times I attended the show. Anyone else miss her in the role?
Posted: 8/21/17 at 1:45pm
Was "Mother" in attendance with him? Or did he get "Mother's" permission to attend without her oversight? Not sure whether his insistence on referring to his wife as "Mother" is an affectation designed to make people think he is Reagan-esque or just a legitimately disturbing factor of referring to the woman with whom you are ostensibly having sexual relations with as your parent. Actually, both are pretty skin-crawling. Cannot stand this man - he embodies most of the horrible views of his boss, but coats it in a more polished, calmer demeanor that allows his party to act like he is reasonable. Somehow that makes him seem more dangerous in my humble opinion. So glad we saw this near the beginning of the run and did not have to put up with this security nightmare.
Updated On: 8/22/17 at 01:45 PM
Posted: 8/21/17 at 3:26pm
oh thank you so much for vital information!
Posted: 8/22/17 at 12:04pm
I forgot to mention that people who drove were additionally delayed, because they had bomb dogs checking every car that went into the garage. It was such a clusterf*ck. I contacted them. We'll see. Mainly I just want them to not screw up any more shows I attend going forward.
I've seen Newt Gingrich, Antonin Scalia, now Mike Pence at Kennedy Center performances. The only non-loathsome political figure I've seen there is Eleanor Holmes Norton.
Demitri2- Laura Michelle Kelly was on.
