Patti LuPone on audience behavior — Page 2

HAH! The only way you could get me to actually dress up for the theater would be if it was a date, I had orchestra seats, or for some reason it was a really big deal. Otherwise, I tend to go to the theater when I feel like it. Like if I happen to have time that day, or I am already in the city and I have nothing to do for a few hours. Until then, I guess you'll just have to deal with my jeans!

Although I went to the opera recently and didn't dress up (I was originally going to go shopping) and I felt woefully out of place.

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I can so picture Patti sitting there, singing "By the Sea", cleaning her utensils, staring down the guy in the front row with a bewildered 'WTF?' look on her face. That certainly is a humorous visual.

What the crap is with selling candy and allowing it in the theater now??

First of all, it's ****ing distracting! All I hear is god damned wrappers rustling the entire second act. Second, nobody knows how to clean up after themselves and the theater looks like a garbage dump after the audience clears. It's disgusting. This is not a movie theater people, show a little respect both for the performers and your fellow audience member who paid one hundred damn dollars a ticket to ENJOY THE SHOW not listen to you chomp your freaking candy. Can people honestly not go 2 hours without throwing some garbage in their mouth? Seriously now.

I am also for dressing up when going to the theater. If you're going to see a show like RENT and Avenue Q, something laid back, then to each their own. But if you're going to see Patti LuPone or Chita or Maria Friedman than please show them a little respect by at least pulling out your NICE pair of jeans. I understand there are sometimes circumstances in which people have to come underdressed, but these days it seems like the majority of audience members are coming that way.

For christ sake, I saw people at shows in SWEATPANTS this week (and not even nice sweatpants, like crappy, stained, pilly, disgusting pajama pants.....I would be embarrassed to walk into a freaking Walmart dressed like that, let alone a Broadway theater). In my opinion, it's all about respect for the performers.

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Updated On: 1/20/06 at 12:56 AM

No, it's not hard to judge them, because regardless of the circumstances, it's RUDE. I don't care if they've just returned from war overseas, if they're that tired, they should be at home in bed, not in the front row of a theater, taking up a seat so many others would love to have and completely disrespecting the actors.

I've been uninterested in shows before, but I've never sat there tossing back peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and drinking beer like it's a freakin' baseball game, and used my dislike for the show as an excuse for my low-class behavior. It's about common courtesy.

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Wow, this is funny, because I was recently thinking about this the other day when I was in the front row for Hairspray. At some point I became conscious that wow the actors can see me very well, and though I wouldn't eat or anything, took extra care to kind of sit nicely and just decided to make sure I smiled the whole time. I felt like it's great in a show like that to be able to see someone smiling the whole time. Though I have gotten better about the dressing, like sometimes I say oh let me wear my jeans w/ the flower on them or the khakis, they're a little nicer than others, I still say I think the other aspects of not having your cell phone read, eating, being noisy, etc is more important than being dressed up.

But sometimes when you are in the first couple of rows even if you wouldn't sink to these levels, I think it's important to remember how much the performers can see you and just make the slightest bit of extra effort possible.

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"But if you're going to see Patti LuPone or Chita or Maria Friedman than please show them a little respect by at least pulling out your NICE pair of jeans. "

HUH? So people should decide whether or not it is ok to wear jeans based on how much respect is owed to the performer in the show? I hardly think that there is more of a reason to wear "NICE" jeans to Sweeney Todd simply because Patti Lupone is in it.

I wear jeans about 95% of the time I go to a theater. I guess I wear what could be considered "nice" jeans. I always wear a button down shirt with it. I in no way see how this would be distracting to the performers or anyone in the theater. I am a VERY respectful audience member. So much so that I even make sure I am mindful of moving around in my seat so as not to disturb the people behind me. So why does it matter that I wear jeans?

People who show up in sweats are people who probably would prefer they weren't there anyway. Same thing for the people who are disrespectful, showing up drunk, etc. Forget what they are wearing, it would just be better if they didn't come.

I love Patti's rant, but, it's not like this isn't anything new... even though it's damn funny.

Audiences have been "misbehaving" in theatres ever since Broadway began! Hasn't she ever heard the stories? Some are legendary.

Stritch tells one about Merman throwing the drunk out of the theatre during "Call Me Madam.

My own (sadly departed) friend was in a play (as a young teen) with Thomas Mitchell in 1936. He stopped a performance and started yelling because two ladies were full-on knitting with shiny, "clacky" needles in the front row. He told them to finish the row and then please get the hell out of the theatre.

To Patti, I would say, "This is not new... and it's not going to change... ever. Most people get it, but there are always a few who are never going to. But it certainly isn't an indication of the theatre dying, or the sad times we live in."

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Updated On: 1/20/06 at 10:02 AM

although i personally dont endorse the wearing of sweatpants, one must remember in some cases people of very little means save months to go see a show and i think as long as they behave and dont smell bad (like the performance of IN MY LIFE where i had this guy sitting two armpits away from me oi) its ok. not everyone has the means to buy good clothes..or even appropriate..i believe if they are behaved..let them show up. theatre teaches.

I love what Patti has to say here. Its not only the money they're wasting, but your at a broadway show act/dress like it! I think if it happens 'out of nowhere,' there is a certain set of circumstances BUT generally, when I'm out and about in NYC, I try to dress my best anyway. I'm all for comfort in the home, but NYC is one of the fashion capitals of the world and I find that people who dress better carry themselves with a certain pride that people respect about New Yorkers. This goes for people going to the theater as well. I love nothing more than going by theaters and seeing children from the 'burbs or elderly couples 'all dolled up' to see a show. It shows respect to your surroundings, the actors, and ya just look spiffy!

I feel like she's commenting about the general etiquette and style of theater-goers. Go to a local mall, it's sad. Nobody knows the virtue of dressing just to go out for the simple things. I too have seen people sleeping. It seems like it's a result of one person being dragged (normally by their wives) to see a show and dose off, and being in the front row means they're probably loaded. Perfect example:

Light in the Piazza - 2005.09.10
It being stadium seating and my seats being in the Orchestra I could see the people in the front row on the perimeters of the stage. There was a woman, all in black, all plastic-surgery-ed up and her meat-ball (and I use that culture specific term purposefully) with his arms propped up on his stomach and DARK BLACK SUNGLASSES ON in the theater asleep the entire second act.

My mom tells me about her grandmother ALWAYS being dressed, whether to go to the supermarket, drop her at school, or clean. I wish that was still around today.

I think jeans in the theatre is horrible. What happened to people liking to get dressed up? It just looks nice. In the work place and at the theatre the clothing has become to casual. It is nice to dress up! It looks good and I believe it is respectable. Even if you are seeing Patti Lupone or the 500th different Maureen in Rent you should dress up!

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by some of your commentary some of you have never been on a poorer side of life..

I've worn jeans on more than one occasion to the theater in NYC---I ride Greyhound for 7 to 10 hours (friday night) go to 2 shows (Saturday) and ride Greyhound for 7 to 10 hours back home. I don't have a hotel room to change in (though I know a few bathrooms I can use!), and I travel light, since the sole purpose of the trip is to see 2 shows. If I stay overnight, I do try to bring a skirt to wear, but most of my trips are 12 hours.
I've have front row for Sweeney in February, but since it is an extended vacation, I'll dress up! But sometimes jeans are a necessity for me.

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Updated On: 1/20/06 at 01:16 PM