My Security Run-In At Today's Caine Mutiny Matinee- Page 2

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 2:52am

Timote, I think there are a lot of stories like that about him; I find him to be an actor who consistently uses eye contact to his advantage in connecting with the audience, moreso than most. It just kicks his intensity up a notch or two; it's a big part of what makes him so intense to begin with.

Updated On: 5/21/06 at 02:52 AM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 2:53am

Ivanek is just bitter because his mediocre show is closing and thus cutting down his Tony chances. :)

[beav]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 2:53am

LOL! I'm seeing the show next week. Maybe I'll bring my cell phone! I'd love to meet David! ~

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 2:54am

er... it's closing tomorrow.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 3:06am

Someone has to refund their tickets . . .

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 4:51am

In some of my acting classes they tell you to look above the audience, but that isn't really a rule. It's more to calm the actor's nerves.

I if the light kept coming on, it may have distracted him. Apparently not too much though, as you said his performance was great. But I can see how it could be distracting because when you're on stage you're looking out into darkness, so a little blue light or whatnot will def. catch your eye. But I don't think it would throw anyone off. Esp. a New York actor.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 8:11am

I have to remember this when I see Eric McCormack's play. I'll insist that they have me strip seached right in front of him!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 8:28am

Rentboy, the light on my cell phone wasn't going on. That's the thing. The way the stage is situated, with the Witness Stand stage right (audience left), Ivanek couldn't have seen a tiny cell phone on my lap. I was seated stage left (audience right). Perhaps they had me mistaken with someone else.

Just an aside: during the final scene, with Schwimmer's speech, a cell phone went off and rang an annoying tune for the entire time. I figured my encounter was about that, at first.

In any case, even though it went against my better judgement, I emailed Mike Riedel about it. I figured this bizarre encounter was right up his alley.

Updated On: 5/21/06 at 08:28 AM

[DG]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 8:50am

You said you checked the time at one point - did you do that by looking at the lit screen on your phone?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 8:55am

I checked the time at the very end, when Ivanek wasn't on stage. The light was on, for the brief 2 seconds that cell phone dim lights flicker. I made sure that it wasn't in the direction of the stage.

[DG]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 9:00am

Yankee - not trying to be rude, but I'm an audience member more than I'm an actor onstage. And if I were sitting near you when you did that, I would have been upset by the distraction.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 9:05am

DG, I understand completely. However, there was nobody sitting next to me on the right, and I made sure to hide it well enough so that nobody on my left could see.

[JerseyScoundrel]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 10:12am

No offense, but its a huge terrorist risk. Its a major risk to those on stage. They have a sign that says that all cell phones must be checked out at coat check.

[mabel]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 10:47am

Jersey, I'm getting a touch of a sarcastic vibe from your post, but I must say, I don't see that as being too far off. I was shocked that they made my friend and I check our cameras at Three Days of Rain on Friday. They did the little bag search, asked if we had cameras, and then took them. I figured he was just going to say "please don't take any photographs or your camera will be taken away from you." Way to give me the benefit of the doubt! I loved having to wait 15 minutes in the coat check line to get back my camera that I had no intention of using in the show.

Anyway, my point is, the more instances like this, the more they'll probably be compelled to force-check cell phones. Can you imagine the line for that?!?

[mikem]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 10:49am

As someone mentioned before, maybe the cell phone was reflecting light in a way that it went right into Ivanek's eyes (and also made him think it was a lens). We've all been in the circumstance where someone else's watch hits the light just right. Since yankeefan was sitting in the first row, maybe some of the lighting was in his direction.

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:01am

From management's point of view- Any device that's left out, whether it's on your lap, in your hand, on the floor in the aisle, etc. is suspect. After going to shows 15 years, you must have known that. Any light reflecting off your phone is going to make it suspect. Why leave the phone in plain view for the entire show, knowing that it's suspect? Especially in the front row. Do you think it's that difficult for an actor to be distracted or notice it in that situation?

Every show I've worked for has been able to detect patrons with devices mostly because a cast member was able to see it.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:35am

Additionally, reading your post again - you were sitting in AA 114... that's the center section, on the aisle. Ivanek could most definitely have seen you if you were sitting there. He turned in his chair several times in that direction.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:38am

I was going to comment on the fact that you e-mailed Riedel, but I'll bite my tongue. Or get it in a roundabout, less snarky way than I than I originally intended; I dunno, I get that it's up his alley, and that it's not particularly harmful gossip in any way, but I don't respect what he does, nor do I respect encouraging the bullsh*t he calls work. So then it's like "let me feed this crap so I can be proud of myself," and then, well, yay for you for the attention but... c'mon, it's Riedel.

Updated On: 5/21/06 at 11:38 AM

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:52am

After thinking about this a little more, all I can say is shame on you. You caused a lot of unnecessary todo while knowing exactly what you were doing. I'm glad you got some satisfaction out of going backstage.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 1:02pm

Actors definitely look into the audience--I can't imagine not doing so. Some shows call for it more than others--the comedy/breaking-the-4th-wall shows like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels can have a lot of it, but even shows like Wicked I hear they keep charts backstage of who's attractive in the front row. Patti in Sweeney notices the terrible behavior from audience members. You're performing for them; it's not like it's hard work to look at them.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 1:41pm

Jane, is that a joke?

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 1:58pm

"Jane, is that a joke?"

"that?" Not as far as I know.

Updated On: 5/21/06 at 01:58 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 2:05pm

Wow. Thats crazy.

Yes, actors sometimes do look into the audience the only time other than DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS did I notice it was during ALL SHOOK UP when I was front row and Nikki M James smiled and nodded to me.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 2:12pm

I had my cellphone sticking out of my fly during Entertaining Mister Sloane, but nothing.

[LilElphaba]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 2:16pm

haha wow thats crazy