RUDE USHERS- Page 2

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:22pm

I think being an usher for Avenue Q would be the best job in the world. You could watch it 8 times a week.
I AM JEALOUS OF THE NAZI.

[Phantom487]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:22pm

Oh yea Mabel! We got thge talking to about touching the stage too! My friend got scolded for putting her bag on the floor and letting it touch the stage!

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:23pm

I have never won the lottery. I am so jealous of you!

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:24pm

Has anyone sat anywhere on the right (facing stage) aisle in the orchestra section at the Eugene O'Neil? There is a big, abusive woman who is by far the biggest BITCH of an usher I have ever seen anywhere. Does anyone know who this is? I've twice had the displeasure of being yelled at by her.

[Phantom487]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:25pm

Won on my first try.....lol...... keep trying! You're bound to win sometime!

[Matt_G]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:25pm

I know who you're talking about but she was on the left side of the stage when I went. She screamed at a woman who was on her phone before the show started. I was gonna pee it was so funny.

[tthomas76]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:30pm

Our group of 9 had a rude usher during Boy From Oz at the Imperial a Couple of weeks... She kept telling all of us to keep moving... Then acted really upset when I asked her for our freakin playbills!!! It was not even busy at that time!

Also, Eugene O'Neil during Nine... We got Standing Room Only and the Old man usher yelled at me because I started to pick up a playbill off the stack.. Then waited FOREVER to hand me one...

There's no need to be rude!

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:35pm

I've found complaining to management in front of the usher can be more effective. 'Get me your manager ... now' is better than writing a letter that they might dismiss.

I've worked in customer service plenty, I'm VERY lenient in this regards so if someone manages to tick me off, they must be doing a really crappy job.

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:40pm

I've seen Avenue Q three times now.

[broadwayinthebigcity]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:45pm

The ushers were not very pleasent at WICKED.
I was just taking my time looking at the Gershwin and a female usher pushed me and told me not to play around and go to my seat.
But at the Producers a woman told me (13 years old) well send you a blanket. i had no idea what that meant until I saw the show. I thought that was funny.

[CurtainUp2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:51pm

mamamia... when I read your post I almost lost it! I'm still laughing! When I went to see Beauty and the Beast an usher held me in a choke hold and knocked out my two front teeth!!!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 5:15pm

The ushers at Q are really Nazi's in disguise.
Just one woman in the Rear Mezz. She screamed at me.
The people I were with called her the nazi leader. She cracked a whip. It actually was very funny!

I know EXACTLY who you're talking about! She really is scary. Is it just me, or do they (or she) try to rush everyone out of the theatre once the show is done? I felt like if I didn't leave quickly enough, she'd release the hounds. Do they have to close the theatre at a certain time so the producers don't have to pay everyone for an extra hour or something?

The best ushers I've ever encountered were at the Public Theatre when I saw "The Normal Heart". They were so attentive and friendly, I really felt like they appreciated my patronage.

Updated On: 8/27/04 at 05:15 PM

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 5:19pm

Oh yes.
The ushers from the Normal Heart were so friendly.
They were great at Embedded and Caroline or Change.
A few knew me and were very friendly.
Updated On: 8/27/04 at 05:19 PM

[Phantom487]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 5:20pm

At the Boy from Oz back in July, I was sitting in the Balcony and there was this other woman who had an oxygen tank sitting a few rows behind me. I'm not sure what the problem was, but she needed to be seated somewhere else due to tank she had with her... I think there was no room fot it. Anyway, the ushers were making such a big deal about it and didn't want to do anything. The poor woman had to stand for almost 45 min before the show started and they moved her into the orchestra section. I felt so bad for her.... The Imperial staff is the worst I have seen yet.

[Derek2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 5:22pm

Majestic: I went to see Phantom and the show had just ended. The exit music didnt even start playing and the usher was like "Its over, you have to leave right now"...we were like ummmm ok. She liked pushed us along. My mom was so funny. She said "touch me again...." and the lady stopped. She was really rude though. You dont push someone out of a theatre when the exit music is playing. u shouldnt even PUSH them out at all

[OhSoWicked]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:30pm

At the Gershwin they had those new ticket scanner things...and my boyfriends went through but mine said error. I was so nervous I wasn't going to be let in or whatever (tickets totally legit, btw) and the usher was so nice - thank god. He was laughing about it with us.

However, upstairs when we couldn't find our seats the usher at the wrong door was rude. As if we were the first people to stop at the wrong entrance.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:53pm

At the Gershwin, I got to my seat before my parents did. When i saw them at the side door (that goes into the auditorium) they were told to go ALL the way around the auditorium to get to the right door. When they finally got to my aisle...the usher was really bitchy and had to inspect each of the tickets...when i was seated right where the usher was. My parents kept saying she didnt need to do this because "that's my son there and i know what my son looks like." The usher didnt care and kept giving them an attitude.

At the Golden...i too won the lottery and the usher kept coming up to the first row to keep saying "feet off the stage! dont touch the staircase!" She probably said that 5-6 times. I wouldnt say that situation is rude (becuase that reminder is needed) but it is excessive.

When i hopefully become an usher for Broadway in Chicago...i promose not to be rude

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:54pm

Hey, I never got Mrs. Nazi at the Golden. Not fair.

I brought in a Bath and Body Works bag, and all the ushers were asking for shampoo and lotion and then I chatted with some of them for awhile. They're great.

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:58pm

EXACTLY CHINKIE!!!

The ushers at the Golden when I won lottery were ridiculous. "Feet off the stage, the pits right there and kicking gets annoying, no cell phones, are they off?" Told us this about 8 times, literally. The people behind us were like "They asked you again!? JEEZ! We thought they were asking you to climb on stage!" I remember this woman with hardly any hair...very short almost bald who was a real bitch. Other than the ushers, the audience was the nicest at Q! We talked to everyone in our row and the row behind us before the show started.
Also, at the Virginia Theater for LSOH, there was a woman who made you take your ticket stub everywhere. I walked past her because I dropped my Playbill back farther, and she yelled at me for not having my ticket stub.

Crazy ushers...

The Gershwin ushers seemed to be the friendliest.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:00pm

yay! not alone.

[WiCkEd4LyFfE]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:24pm

On my chorus field trip two years ago, my class went to see Aida. My mom got into a fight with an old, ugly woman usher. My mom asked her to be a little bit nicer telling her that we paid good money for the seats, and the usher said, "Honey, this is New York no one is nice!!" Then my mom yelled, "We are New Yorkers too!" I was so embaressed. My fellow classmates were like good for your mom, that woman was a total B*tch!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:28pm

As far as I know, they have been like this for ages. I used to work at The Broadway Theatre in the late 80s (not as an usher) and some of the ushers were real characters. I do believe they have a union, so I doubt complaining will do any good.

[OhSoWicked]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 12:04am

How does one GET a job as an usher?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 12:09am

LOL Being a Broadway usher from time to time, this thread is definitely making me laugh! :) (Matt G--that was you!? Wow. Call me! )

I agree that there is never an excuse for ushers to be rude. However, it is fair to say that when there is a rush of people, we have to go into a very fast mode. I don't have time to smile and curtsy and send you off to your seat with a dance and a laugh. Sometimes, this may come off as rude, but it is really just the necessity of getting people in--because when we get behind, people get so pissed. (If I get stuck at the bottom of a section because people are CLEARLY blocking the aisle to let others in, I get the nastiest looks as if I should be able to jump over the people Matrix-like so that I can tend to them RIGHT THIS SECOND!)

And any of you who have worked with the public know how many people do not listen and do not behave. You would be amazed at how respectable behavior goes on vacation when people come to the theatre. We've had plenty of discussions about food and cell phones, but putting your things on the stage or any railing, or blocking an aisle or standing in the way of traffic or taking pictures are all things that are going to get you deservedly asked to stop. And, I am always polite the first time I have to say something, but believe me--if I have to ask a second time or if I have to get into a deep debate about WHY you are not allowed to do something, I may not keep my smile. And, trust me, if a patron crosses the line--I will get loud up in herre. But, I find it easier to be a nice usher--I'm an actor after all, so I can fake the happiness. And, it does make my job easier if I am in a fun and playful mood (right, Matt G? )

Playbills: Never take them from the stacks. And never get cranky when an usher tells you that the next usher will give one to you. We don't have piles and piles of Playbills waiting at our disposal. We have enough for our section and running out can be a pain in the butt.

Rushing you out of the theatre: Yes, if we have to stay past a certain time, that will cost the man. Also, when you leave, we get to leave. Don't linger. Get out! I have to get home and log onto here.

Remember that even though ushers are union and on Broadway--they don't get paid very well. And that alone, plus all of the normal things can make a person grumpy. And grumpy is ok. Rudeness is not. And no matter what should be, what is is that grumpy happens. It's NYC after all. So, just consider it part of the experience (unless it crosses the line).

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 12:15am

To be an usher, you should just apply with the various theatre owners--Jujamcyn, Nederlander, etc. It helps to have a connection.

After 30 shows, you have to join the union, which isn't on the expensive side.

If you are an actor, you will have to be a sub--which gives you complete flexibility, but also doesn't guarantee you anything regular. Otherwise, working full time is great--you stay on for 4 shows and for the other 4 shows, you leave 20 minutes after curtain.