ROA Drinking... — Page 3

And for all these "ROA Fans"... the open bar policy will likely lead to audience members pre-gaming (or pre-theatring ) before the show.

What about a group of 5 who come piss-ass-drunk and get another 2 drinks at the theatre and are absolutely wasted...

I know people think audience members will be able to rock out and be sensible, but with alcohol in the mix, does that ever really happen?!?!

Well, everyone here is saying that it is a Rock Concert...

I never said the bar was staying open during the show, Charleston. The MAIN POINT to my post was none of us now what the hell they are going to do about this problem but the one thing we know is that the production agrees it is a problem (as do I!! I hate the drunken idiots getting up, talking, etc...) and they are planning to do something to fix it. I'm not a shill I just think this thread is premature and stupid until we know what the REAL problem is at the Brooks!

^^^ "Well, everyone here is saying that it is a Rock Concert..." ^^^

Nice advertisement, SimpleSong.

Does ROA pay you by the letter?

Snarky - my apologies but based on your posts and reactions, that's what it appeared to be implying.

A thought has come to me and I would like to share it with you lovely ROA schillers.

Whether it be a rock show or musical, people will pay in upwards of $99 to see this "party". Many people will go because it's a Broadway musical, because it does feature a talented cast (and wonderful ensemble), and because it does have an interesting jukebox concept.

My bet is that THESE people, myself included, will enjoy a cocktail prior to the show but plan to attend sober. Your stereotypical assumptions are telling me that everyone who goes to see this show are alcoholics and partiers.

This I know is not true. You schillers and supporters and ROA goonies should tread lightly; you may offend some of the decent ROA fans who don't find the need to view it as a "rock concert" but, rather, an actual musical.

MAMMA MIA, for example, is a fun sing-along show. For the finale there are people dancing in their seats and down the aisle. That's fine. 95% of these people are sober and showed some respect, during the show, by not standing up and walking around.

Regardless of what happens, the ROA team knows they can't survive on ticket sales alone. They will create some ridiculous marketing ploy that will either include an open bar for the entire evening or seat-side service.

That's fine. If they feel they need to get audience members hammered to enjoy this piece of ... art... then that's how it will be. I will say, however, that it's sad this show can't be viewed on its own artistic merit (regardless of what it is based on or about). It's sad that we now have to go see Broadway shows, hammered, with extremely low expectations.

Life will go on and the show will probably close within this year but it's a sign of the direction Broadway is going in.

There's a reason people have the choice to go see an obnoxious rock concert rather than a Broadway show. There should be a difference. But drink away, ROA fans, and enjoy the Broadway spotlight. It will fade out soon enough.

"The waiters tended to be well behaved, but drinks and money had to be passed down rows and the servers had to be flagged down, as in a restaraunt, and then drink orders given.. which of course involves having to speak OVER the show."


Thank you for giving the details of that. That seems absolutely atrocious and terrible.

It's a Broadway musical. It's in a Broadway house. Not a rock concert at an arena.

Think about other fun jukebox rock musicals that have come to Broadway... yes, they're fun and lack artistic merit but people weren't TALKING over the music and actors.

That's so innapropriate.

How sad.

To put it mildly.

Unless they stage the show in a space such as the Zipper or other "table" space, I think the idea should really be scrapped. There is just no way to have the drinks served and WATCH, or even see, the show.

Even in many cabaret venues I have been in, you are asked for a list of your orders before the show so that they will know what drinks you want and not have to ask during the show and keep disreputions to a minim. At most you'd have to nod and raise a finger to signal for another..

It's been awhile since I was at NWS but aren't their floors uncarpeted? I would think cleaning a spill off a uncarpeted floor is a whole lot different and less expensive than cleaning one off a carpet. I'm not so concerned about people overindulging and misbehaving (though that would greatly annoy me) but rather damage to the theatre and the disruption of having to pass drinks and money along the rows.

I'm concerned that they'll, eventually, have to rip out the carpeting and seats because they're stained beyond saving.

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If they're anything like the cups sold at Hairspray then I'm still worried lol

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You guys can argue back and forth til the cows come home, but I think I'm one of only a few people who witnessed exactly what goes on in ROA on close to a nightly basis.

A mountain is being made out of a molehill.

1. The waiters were as innocuous as was humanly possible, stationing themselves in the recesses of the house inside an emergency exit. When they saw a patron signaling them, they'd run out, CROUCHING, and take their orders. When they returned with the drinks, they were also crouching, and if the patron was not on or near an aisle, other patrons passed the drink down. There were no complaints about having to do that. There were no people having to stand or leave their seats at all, because of the drink serving plan.

2. Any complaints about rowdy patrons due to alcohol were few enough so that the producers kept the plan in practice. They aren't a stupid group of producers, and if they thought the drink practice was keeping people from seeing the show, they would have stopped it.


eta: quite frankly, the whining and complaining here by some is making me say just don't go to the damn show already-save yourself any added stress.

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Updated On: 2/19/09 at 04:55 PM

this conversation is so silly. we're all making assumptions based on what we did or didnt see happening at NWS, which may or may not be how they do things in the Broadway house. As I said before, no one knows how things will go until its tried. And when its tried Im sure things will be changed as necessary to try to make the most people happy.

Placing drink orders before the show and having them delivered to you during the show, like they do at Seths Chatterbox, sounds like a good suggestion.