Obnoxious screaming over money notes

I feel many (including myself) have complained about this in various posts but I wanted to start a thread to hopefully spread the word about this and slowly change behaviour (or track it over time). I never, ever will understand why people who apparently are really enjoying a live performance, will express this by screaming over the top of it.

And it's always during the most important moment of the song (i.e., the money notes in 11 o'clock numbers or Act One closers, typically). Caissie Levy probably has the easiest job in the world - she'll get all the praise for singing "Let it Go" but if she is feeling ill or lazy she can just mime the song and it won't matter. The fans who are apparently 'loving it' will be too busy screaming over it for anyone (including themselves) to notice. When did this start? Why does it continue?

If you or your friends are screaming over the top of a performance - please stop. We didn't pay large $$$$ to hear you scream. And why wouldn't you want to actually enjoy the performance BEFORE all you can hear is your screeching voice?

Updated On: 2/8/18 at 12:35 AM

I mean by that logic we might as well give up on any issues we face in society. What a sad state of affairs if we have to grin and bear it.

Updated On: 2/8/18 at 12:54 AM

Well I was hoping you'd volunteer to get in the Delorean and watch every performance of Wicked ever with a stopwatch and dB reader - recording the exact moment and strength the screaming started at the end of "Defying Gravity".

Perhaps I'll just pray for it to stop.

UncleCharlie said: "You know, I would have been happy to do that but I find I am currently pretty busy spending every waking hour obsessing over Hello Dolly's attendance, future sales, break even points, marketing, age range of potential audiences and relevance to 2018 along with Bernadette's inflection on every note in every song, delivery of every line, tear volume at the emotional points as well as a detailed analysis of every media appearance. So unfortunately, I just don't have the time."



What a coincidence - I am busy doing the same thing! We have so much in common :).

Updated On: 2/8/18 at 03:21 AM

Sweet Lips wrote: "the audience now wants to be the performer."

Wants to be? It IS.

And a very lousy performer, I might add.

Except at closing night/last performances, I've never heard it happen throughout a song. At the end when they haven't finished? Yes, but sometimes it feels organic, (well, really only referring to applause here) as if the audience couldn't contain themselves anymore.



But yes, most audience members try to make it about them.

UncleCharlie said: "You know, I would have been happy to do that but I find I am currently pretty busy spending every waking hour obsessing over Hello Dolly's attendance, future sales, break even points, marketing, age range of potential audiences and relevance to 2018 along with Bernadette's inflection on every note in every song, delivery of every line, tear volume at the emotional points as well as a detailed analysis of every media appearance. So unfortunately, I just don't have the time."

Where you are farther along then me. I'm still obsession over the shade of red used the dress in Follies to even begin to think about Dolly

carnzee said: "I also dislike the yelling when a performer makes their first entrance. I understand that entrance applause is a tradition, but the yelling is too much.

To answer your question, I think people don't know the difference between a concert and theater."

I agree with this. Enthusiastic applause is one thing, but the yelling/shouting seems very much out of place in the theatre. I'd make an exception for a closing/last performance by that performer, but I'd never do it myself.

Nah, this sh*t has been going on for decades with certain shows. I remember how annoying it was back in 1982 in the original Broadway production of DREAMGIRLS with Jennifer Holliday and people standing up and screaming and carrying on while "And I Am Telling You..." was going on. Hell, they even lost their sh*t during "I Am Changing." During those moments it genuinely felt like you were at a church.

If only it were only the money notes... When I saw Aladdin on Broadway (worst show i've seen on broadway) people were singing along with a whole new world and flash photography during the carpet sequence. It was horrible

darquegk--a great musical and intelligent explanation---never thought of the 'problem' that way and BrodyFosse123--I was a white boy in a predominantly black audience for Dreamgirls in SF many years ago and I nearly fell off my chair when the audience started responding throughout THAT song. I had never been exposed to that sort of an experience before[a virginal Aussie lad]--frightened the sh*t out of me.

CarlosAlberto said: "You need to get over yourself. You will have a much happier and less miserable life when you realize you can’t control other people’s behavior...which leads me back to: GET OVER YOURSELF!!!"

THIS!!!! Gurl, you have way too much time on your hands.

Updated On: 2/8/18 at 03:10 PM