Oddest things you’ve heard from non theatre people- Page 2

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 8:36pm

At one performance of HELLO, DOLLY! a few months ago, I sat next to a well-dressed and articulate lady who bought her ticket on the TKTS line. She wanted to know how she could go about buying tickets for HAMILTON. She was utterly confused when I suggested she try the box office. She had no idea what a "box office" was or where it would be located.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 8:50pm

dianamorales said: "I have talked to SO many people that don't understand that shows close. Someone last year told me that they saw Miss Saigon in the 90s, and that it was now the longest running show of all time. On a family trip to the city a couple of years ago, my cousins were DYING to see Mary Poppins, because they had seen it the last time they were there. I guess I understand the confusion, but it drives me crazy."


I think there's a perception to those who don't frequent Broadway that most shows either run forever, or there's an "on" season and "off" season for a show, like sports (not unlike rep/opera theatres). There's a "once a hit always a hit" perception (fueled by things like Cats, Phantom, Wicked, or Chorus Line and Rent in their days). I'm sure there are groups of people each day who go to TKTS hoping to see Mamma Mia, Les Miz, or Rent.

Those who don't read the Broadway news sites have NO idea what shows are "hits" and "flops," unless the hit-status of a show is talked about on a national platform (Hamilton) or used in an ad campaign (Kinky Boots and Beautiful using "now in its X year!" Many know that Broadway shows usually run for longer than a movie played in cinemas, but they don't know how long.

[karennnnn]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 8:51pm

I have a casual friend who is a classical musician and has played in an orchestra for probably over 20 years.

He sent me a message on FB the other day saying he was happy to see I was at a opera house and hoped I was seeing an opera.  I wrote back and said, no, next time.  But that I was seeing Hamilton.

This is what he said...

Well enjoy anyway. I can't complain about you going to see live music. Of course at that show they probably use recorded music...But here's hoping they don't.

I told him that they absolutely have a live orchestra and was surprised he didn't know that.  Why would anyone see a Broadway show with recorded music anyway?  Doesn't make any sense.  Whatever.

So he said...

I don't follow Broadway. Broadway is for people who can't get symphony jobs. But I am very happy to hear that nonetheless

I just replied, "Wow."

Then I unfriended him.  I couldn't believe the level of pretentiousness from someone who you'd think appreciate all musicians.  Who needs to know an asshole?  Not me.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 9:25pm

“I didn’t really like Phantom. It was hard to understand. You know, because it’s an opera.”

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 9:29pm

I have found that most people think that shows "tour" in New York City just like they do in cities across the country. So I hear people say things like "Oh great, Wicked is back in New York right when I happen to be there! So glad i'm catching it before it leaves" When I say that actual Broadway productions don't tour and just stay until people stop buying tickets, then they start asking why is there a tour AND the Broadway show and aren't they all equal and exactly the same and why does New York think it's so much better than other cities lol............

The other comment I hear about is unions. If I ever mention that a certain tour is going to be a "union tour" or "Equity tour", people equate that with Teamsters and the negative stereotypes about some union workers being overpaid and underworked. So people say things like "it's easy to get into a union and once you're in, the union will protect you no matter how bad do your job and actors are no different."  

The other common thing is since so many people see Wicked, Phantom, etc, no matter what theater i'm in, people will say "isn't this where we saw Phantom?"  Now in touring cities, that may very well be the case since a lot of cities only have one or maybe two theaters for touring shows, but in New York?  it's weird to hear. 

In Chicago, so many people were disappointed that the original cast wasn't going to be performing in Hamilton and they saw no need to see the show without the original cast. 

My cousin loves Avenue Q, and I took her to the Broadway production at the Golden Theater back in 2004. We talked about it recently, and she said that she thought that it wasn't a Broadway show because it was on a little side street, not on the street named Broadway. 

My local community theater had a production of Annie last year, and I worked front of house for it. During tech week, I was hanging out with the cast and we were looking at the playbill. I noticed the girl playing Annie had, in her credits "High School Musical, off-Broadway".   So I said to her wow I don't remember there ever being an off Broadway production of High School Musical, where was it? And her mom answered and said that it was at her middle school. To her, if it isn't ON Broadway, then it must be OFF ?Broadway. Instead of embarrassing the little girl and her mom, I just let it go, and then of course talked all kinds of ish about them later with my friends in the cast lol. 

I direct at my high school and people ask me every so often if my show is technically considered "Off Broadway."  

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 9:45pm

singtopher said: "Picture it, Summer, 2009. West Side Story was at the Palace. I was working in ticket sales.

Ticket Buyer: Is Liza Minnelli still playing in West Side Story?

Me: Um.....no. I don't believe she's ever been in that show, at least on Broadway.

TB: No, no, she was in West Side Story. I read it in the Times

Me: Well, maybe at one point she was in a past production, but can assure you she's not in this production of West Side Story.

TB: No, I have the article right here. (She pulls out her paper)

Me: (Looks at paper, sees photo with caption reading "Liza Minnelli performs with the cast of West Side Story at the 2009 Tony Awards). Ok. I guess I can see your confusion now. Sorry, Liza's not in the show."

Well, I vaguely remember a movie titled "West Side Waltz" (1995) with Liza Minnelli and Shirley MacLaine.  

[Marianne2]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 10:13pm

A coworker of mine didn't get what I meant by seeing out of town tryouts for potential Broadway shows. I think she thought I was going to watch people audition for Jagged Little Pill and Moulin Rouge until I explained it.

And another one kept bringing up the movie cast of West Side Story when I mentioned seeing a panel at BroadwayCon that had cast members from the original Broadway production. Not the same at all.

[(Insert Clever Name)]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 12:36am

ACL2006 said: "hollebolle said: "Overheard at a TKTS window today:

Les Misérables isn’t showing any more????"



There's always someone on line at TKTS insisting WICKED is available. Nearly every time I've been on line at TKTS someone will ask "how much is WICKED discounted for?".

"

There is an off-broadway show “wicked frozen” that is always at the booth, and everytime I visit I hear someone asking for Wicked or Frozen, if I was working the booth, i would just sell them the wicked frozen tix D

[brilliantine]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 12:59am

BrodyFosse123 said: "Heck, even during its run on Broadway, people thought THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE was a revival. Many still do.

"

To be fair, it was adapted from the 1960s film of the same name, which is possibly what’s got people thinking it must be a revival. That or the fact that the problematic Chinese subplot fits in so well with the pattern of casually racist musicals of the past. 

Updated On: 7/15/18 at 12:59 AM

[asoftplacetoland]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 3:33am

dianamorales said: "I have talked to SO many people that don't understand that shows close. Someone last year told me that they saw Miss Saigon in the 90s, and that it was now the longest running show of all time. On a family trip to the city a couple of years ago, my cousins were DYING to see Mary Poppins, because they had seen it the last time they were there. I guess I understand the confusion, but it drives me crazy."

This is the most common one I’ve experienced and it’s honestly so sad having to break the news LOL. One of my friends said a couple of months ago, “I cannot wait to go to NY. I’m hoping to get tickets to Annie on Broadway. I’ve wanted to see it FOREVER.” And I felt so bad having to tell her “Yeah, the Annie revival closed in 2014 but Wicked could be fun!” 

Another one is someone saying “I just saw a show ON Broadway!” and me saying, “You went to New York? Oh, how was it?” And they say “Oh no, I didn’t go to New York!! I saw it at the Fox in Atlanta!” And I’m like okay yes you saw a broadway show but you saw a national tour girl! Not on Broadway! I know it’s sounds so stupid and pretentious but it occurs so often! 

There are so, so many examples that I can’t think of off the top of my head. Oh, also while walking into Aladdin on a school trip, one of the kids asked one of the teachers how long it would be and she said, “30 minutes, perhaps an hour.” And I thought to myself, oh wow should I tell them? Hahaha OH and none of the people with me had any idea that you had to turn off your phones and were genuinely surprised when I said you could get in trouble for it being out during the show. They left the show thinking the ushers were so tough and strict and crazy for reminding people to put away their phones.  

Updated On: 7/15/18 at 03:33 AM

[msmp]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 3:53am

poisonivy2 said: "I once saw a couple walk out of Hello Dolly! because they said Donna Murphy looked too much like Hillary and it made them uncomfortable. They said "It's like looking at Hillary onstage." I wanted to say to them "You realize she's not actually Hillary right?""

...what on earth? There's not even a vague resemblance!

[pg1287]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 10:38am

The Lion King uses real animals 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 11:19am

To be fair, it was adapted from the 1960s film of the same name, which is possibly what’s got people thinking it must be a revival.

Unlikely.  If that were the case, every Broadway adaptation of a film would be confused as a revival: HAIRSPRAY, LEGALLY BLONDE, SCHOOL OF ROCK, PRETTY WOMAN, THE WEDDING SINGER, etc. 

No one ever called/confused those as revivals yet THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE was and still is confused as such.  

[Br0adway]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 4:21pm

I took my family to see Anastasia in May and was asked “do all plays have this much singing?”

[morosco]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 4:27pm

One night at SOR while out in my break in front of the theater I had to explain to a nice lady that there are over 40 Broadway theaters. She thought there was just one....the Broadway, and that Fiddler in the Roof (which was playing there at the time) was the only Broadway show. 

I've heard many people say the same thing.  Thinking there is only one theater in NYC where Broadway shows play.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 4:34pm

Once at Phantom a couple of years ago, I overheard some people who were excited to see “the guy from 300.”

[mplstheatrefan]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 4:34pm

A few friends of mine thought that there were Broadway theatres all over the country, with a couple in every state.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 4:35pm

I’ve also heard many people say they saw Idina and/or Kristin in the tour of Wicked

[Br0adway]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 5:12pm

I saw Waitress last Saturday and this older couple behind me had this conversation:

Husband: Do you know what the show is about?

Wife: It’s about the life story of Sara Bareilles. She starred in the show and wrote the songs and the script for the show. Didn’t you know it’s about her life before she became famous? How she was a waitress and then got pregnant by her abusive husband. Isn’t it tragic?

Husband: It says here (points to Playbill) that it’s based on a movie.

Wife: Well that book you’re pointing to must be wrong because it’s not based on a movie.

It kept going and going and going until the cell phone song came on. A good 10 minutes.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 5:27pm

Not quite the same thing, but a favorite story. A friend was waiting for a friend on 46th St a few years ago when the Addams Family was at the Lunt Fontanne. Bebe Neuwirth was leaning against the building. A tourist family came by and asked her to move (and she politely complied) so they could get a picture of the poster - of Bebe Neuwirth.

[rg7759]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 7:55pm

i suppose this isnt the worst, but seeing bernadette peters in hello dolly and saying 'i smell a tony'

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 8:11pm

Not quite the same thing, but....was in London for a very short visit and desperate  to see Sarah Brightman in Aspects of Love only to be told she was out for a time doing something else.

I was speechless thinking that she just had to be there just because I was. I carried on like a demented queen asking all these silly useless question because of cause it was all about me until the prissy old queen[yes they're everywhere in England] at the box office said, Sir ! [I wouldn't have been surprised if he had said Madam !], We are selling tickets for Aspects of Love, NOT Sarah Brightman---I bought one and slunk off.

I adored the show and wept buckets at the end I was so moved by the story,[went and bought the book] the performances and the music[without Sarah Brightman].

Edited out Elaine Paige for Sarah Brightman as a very wise contributor corrected me [thanks].

Updated On: 7/30/18 at 08:11 PM

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/16/18 at 11:25am

oncemorewithfeeling2 said: "My aunt also really convinced that Meatloaf was playing Count Fosco when she saw The Woman in White in London."

Now, that could've been really interesting.

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/16/18 at 11:27am

During the first intermission for Angels in America, a man seated behind us remarked to his companion that "there hasn't been much music so far" and he wondered "when the singing was going to start".

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/16/18 at 3:48pm

rg7759 said: "i suppose this isnt the worst, but seeing bernadette peters in hello dolly and saying 'i smell a tony'"

That was just a code word. The man was telling his wife that he knew she farted.