Rude Usher at Belasco Theatre

[aliangel531]

Posted: 8/1/14 at 11:20pm

this evening after seeing an AMAZING performance of Hedwig, we were verbally abused and stared at threateningly by a rude usher named "Louis" who was dressed in shorts, Hawaiian shirt and an ill fitting ushers suit jacket. We've never experienced continued rudeness like this from an usher, he stared at us threateningly while we waited on the souvenir line to buy a sweatshirt, continually saying "the shows over". Several people left the line because of his abusive behavior and spoke to the manager. If you've experienced a similar incident please contact the theater at [e-mail]

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/1/14 at 11:33pm

You shoudla been all, "Why you gotta be so ruuuuude? Don't you know I'm human too?"

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/1/14 at 11:42pm

You should definitely go on a public message board and bitch about it without letting him give his side of the story as to what you were doing that you needed to be treated the way you were.

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 12:38am

I saw this usher before and he was incredibly rude.

As for the message board comment from my darling Jordan... People bitch on message boards. I am stunned. Just stunned.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 1:14am

Well than you should join in, baby!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 1:18am

I dunno. I cannot imagine it was that dramatic. There are people without water. You'll be fine.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 1:28am

But...But...They were doing something they thought they should be entitled to do when the big mean grown up used an outside voice to them in an inside place!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 1:29am

The correct response would have been: "Bitch, I'm buying a sweatshirt."

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 7:12am

Ain't there no dignity left? A fella can't buy a sweatshirt in peace anymore... geez. And then, how the usher was dressed... what ever happened to dress codes in a Broadway theatre? Even the staff...I'm just shaking my head... I tell you, society's going to hell in a hand cart!

Were HEDWIG in some off-Broadway dump, you'd be on here all excited that even the ushers were into the spirit of the show... #firstworldproblems

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 8:29am

How does "The show's over" translate to verbal abuse?

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 9:31am

^^ It was the tone of which he said it.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 9:38am

"Were HEDWIG in some off-Broadway dump, you'd be on here all excited that even the ushers were into the spirit of the show.."

Hey now! Watch it son! Hedwig WAS in an off broadway dump, and that's why it's where it is now.

Hm[f, well I NEVER!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 9:51am

"^^ It was the tone of which he said it."

[dreaming]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 9:59am

To the OP: Grow a backbone. I'm guessing you may have been overstaying your welcome-they cannot leave until you are out of there. (And if you were sneaking a quick selfie or some other picture...you sure got less than you deserved.) Keep in mind they have a four performance weekend. (2 on Sat., 2 on Sun.) You must have been there quite awhile for someone to take notice of you. Was there anyone else there? (The only time I've ever been the only one in any theater was when I was working there.)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 10:08am

Here's what I hate - People can't even do their jobs anymore without kids like this having all the feelings hurt and then having to go on social media (I guarantee you it's all over this person's everything accounts) and complain and beg for sympathy about how they were so deeply wronged. Last night, I had an actor in my show come up to me backstage and ask me if I could see what was going on in the audience. I went out there and saw some girl on her phone in the front row playing Candy Crush, so I decided to just do something about it, myself. She proceeded to give me sh*t about disturbing her while she was trying to watch the show and started to raise her voice instead of just putting her phone away. And I actually stopped myself from doing what I SHOULD have done in that situation because I was "afraid" of her going all over Facebook, twitter, etc. and bitching about the show.

Sometimes I REALLY hate the world we live in now. If the usher used the bad-man-tone on you, you were doing something wrong. Get the f*ck over it. The world doesn't need to know about it. All it does is stop you from getting over something that would have otherwise taken you all of 1 minute to get over and you are probably still upset over it now.

Updated On: 8/2/14 at 10:08 AM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 10:40am

I have been on the receiving end of people who don't want to leave. I used to volunteer usher at a concert amphitheatre in St Augustine. Jordan, is correct when he states ushers cannot leave until the customers do. An older couple were hanging out at the front of the stage after the show was over hoping to get an autograph . Well, the performer was not coming back and had probably left the venue. I told the couple the show was over and they needed to make their exit. The man cussed me up and down. The real me wanted to cuss him right back, but I knew they would complain and I would be let go. I responded by saying "I'm just a volunteer". Then he proceeded to cuss me out more and tell me "to get a real job". I just walked away from them. Everybody needs to work with the public just once to see how entitled and nasty we have become. I actually quit months later because I was tired of dealing with the drunk obnoxious customers.

Updated On: 8/2/14 at 10:40 AM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 10:51am

Sorry, but didn't the OP clearly state they were waiting in line to buy a sweatshirt? It's not his fault either there was a big line, people in front who couldn't make up their, understaffed merch people, or a combination of all three? The usher may have wanted to leave, but don't lay it on the people in line. How about the theatre manager try to work with the merch people to get the line moving, or at least get them out of the house and into the lobby?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 10:54am

I'm not an usher but I see the way they're treated at my theater and it's disgusting. When they come to me alerting me of particularly nasty people, it's all I can do to not just kick them out.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 10:56am

Taboo, I am positive the OP left out at least one major fact in his sob story.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 11:01am

I worked as an usher years ago. While I don't know what the point of starting a thread to complain about a dirty look is, I might have been fired if I tried to get people to leave a merch line so I could get to the subway fifteen seconds sooner.

I think everyone who visits Broadway theaters regularly has a least favorite. Mine's the troll who looks like Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Neil Simon. Always rude.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 11:03am

Exactly. If all these people were waiting in line for purchases and doing nothing else, the usher would be at risk for losing his job. Something is missing from this story.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 11:08am

"Sorry, but didn't the OP clearly state they were waiting in line to buy a sweatshirt?"

Who knows if he was in line to buy a sweatshirt? We don't know if that's the truth or not. And if he WERE in line, why would the usher single him out to say the show's over?

Don't believe everything you read. Here or anywhere.

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 11:14am

To those bothered in this thread: never teach high school.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 11:16am

Patty, love your name. Gave me a laugh just now.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/2/14 at 11:46am

We have to remember that this is a generation of people who grew up with padded playgrounds and bike helmets, kneepads, face gear and protective shoes before they were allowed to get on a bike. They've never been hurt, never been allowed to experience anything "un-sanitized " so whenever they get a dose of the real world, it's a shock to them and they immediately have to go online and get as much sympathy as they possibly can in order to prove to themselves that they're perfect.