Mofongo on Broadway! — Page 3

Well said Henrik. Besides the silly attacks that normally go on here I am actually enjoying this discussion. Whenever I travel I always go to see local theater. Not just for the art but because I am always fascinated by the ways of audiences all through the world. Behavior in the theater can certainly be a cultural experience. I always try to take it all in and enjoy it. But I wonder since this is Broadway we are talking about; If a certain higher respect for the show and those around you should be considered. Just a thought.

---

Different cultures do indeed respond to live theatre in different ways. Consider Noh theatre, which is to be watched in silence- many Broadway imports to Japan experienced massive culture shocks in the '70s and '80s when the shows did not get the laughs and applause in the normal spots.

Consider Italian opera and its highly vocal audience responses.

I know that the Hip Hop show 'Into the Hoodz' created quite stressful situations for the front of house staff with an audience which had no idea of the usual expected modes of conduct for theatre performances.

So, as Gaveston said, it is possible to distinguish between cultural responses to live shows.

The OP's comments, I believe, were not intended to be racist; I think they were just a little clumsy and insensitive.

But was Mayor Maturo eating tacos in the audience?

---

I don't know Gaveston. Maybe some kind of balance. It is Broadway. It is looked at all over the world as something bigger than big ( for lack of better words). I think it should be taken care of and treated with respect.

---

True. Sad but true. Sigh....

---

Gaveston,
The cell phone and food thing really pisses me off. And they are starting to give into it officially in some regional theaters. I blame the producers for not really caring. They just care that the seats are filled and they have your money. I think they are realizing that some people just won't go if they have to turn off their gadgets.

---

I'm sure you're right about the thinking of producers. But I'm not sure people WON'T go with cell phones turned off; I think they just aren't used to going. It takes a little guts and a great deal of patience to educate an audience.

But when it comes to different cultures and their theater traditions, I don't think "they" need to be educated. I think the production itself has to accommodate different viewing habits.

In my (limited) experience, oddly, people at Broadway and West End theatres--at least the big commercial shows--behave WORSE than various regional and touring productions I've gone to. Also, at least in my experience (which is primarily limited to Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco when it comes to touring shows), the theatres still haven't given in to letting people bring in drinks (aside from bottled water) and food to their seats. I'm sure it's all relative, but that's why I am not sure I buy the argument that this being Broadway somehow people should know to give it more respect.

Nearly all theatres now, again in my experience, do make an announcement to turn off your cell phone before the show. Really, that should be enough and it is still kinda shocking to me when people just ignore it.

Gaveston, as I believe you've also said, I'm not sure whether, or to what extent, any particular viewing habit, might be culturally linked.

Surely whether or not there might be a cultural or social link, the question of whether a particular viewing habit should be remedied by education (assimilating the audience subculture?) or regulation or the production (and all audience members) need to accommodate that particular habit, depends on how distracting and detrimental the particular habit is.

I personally have no problem with the practice of sippy cups and wine on Broadway right now. In fact I love it. And I wouldn't call the issue an ethnic/demographic one. (Although the North Fork and Sonoma audience lobby is very strong today. Not to mention the Chileans. No doubt dozens of Peronist vinateros from Mendoza will be descending on Manhattan to see Elena every night!)
But, as you can tell, this is a question of debate here on bww.

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 06:35 PM

I don't have a issue with the sippy cups as long as they don't have ice in them to make noise. I do have a problem with candy and wrappers. But I am a bit anal. But cell phones and texting do set me off. And I am tired of my evenings being about verbal fights with people.

---

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 06:41 PM

"Surely whether or not there might be a cultural or social link, the question of whether a particular viewing habit should be remedied by education (assimilating the audience subculture?) or regulation or the production (and all audience members) need to accommodate that particular habit, depends on how distracting and detrimental the particular habit is."

I don't think all distractions are created equal, even if they are roughly equivalent in impact. In the case of new technologies such as cell phones, we are at the moment in history where the conventions of decorum are being invented. Let's don't surrender before we have to.

On the other hand, I was greatly disturbed at the original production of DREAMGIRLS by a predominantly African-American audience that applauded in the middle of numbers whenever Jennifer Holliday sang a particularly tricky melisma or hit a very high or sustained note.

I had never heard of applauding a performer in a book musical in the middle of numbers and it knocked me completely out of the play. I felt like I was watching Holliday's night club act and never felt a thing for Effie.

But it wasn't the audience that needed education, it was I. And after all, it was a show with content and a cast that successfully appealed to a black audience, and good for Bennett & Co. for doing so!

I needed to get over myself and learn to go with the flow. After all, the audience was totally engaged in the performance--more so, as it turned out, than I. This "distraction" was very different from cell phones for precisely that reason.

If some shows today are bringing in Latino audiences, the rest of us should stay home or get used to whatever conventions those audiences follow. (In my personal experience with Latino audiences here in the West, I haven't really noticed any difference. I'm merely allowing for the possibility based on the OP.)

Nothing offensive was really said.

Oh, please, to you maybe it was not. It was extremely offensive for some of us and shame on you for labeling those who felt offended as "troublemakers". If the OP had a problem with the audience's etiquette, he should have refrained from assigning the blame because he identified those in question as being part of a specific ethnicity. Beside, his issues were with lack of etiquette, usually displayed by all kinds of audiences.

If it wasn't racist, it was ignorant. He wasn't overwhelmed by culture shock, even if you'd like to make it sound that was the issue.

If you were not offended by it, you have no right to say I shouldn't and that I also shouldn't bring up my concerns.

---

You know, I'm sorry that you have to go that way. What part of what I have said has been label as such by you? The real problem here is that YOU didn't find it offensive - taking away the issue a lot of us had with the negative connotation the OP had regarding Latino audiences at Evita.

I think I was very polite with you and try to explain throughout the post why it was offensive. Shame that the fact that you do not, makes everyone else a "troublemaker". I hope you are never in a position where your feelings are not validated and such an awful stereotype is assigned to you.

And again, if the OP didn't mean to offend, the comment was still ignorant.

---