SA Stage Seating Rules

[ChiChi]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 12:49pm

I looked to see if there was already something on here about this but I wasn’t successful.

Anyway. Saw the tour of Spring Awakening a couple of days ago. I noticed that a few minutes before the show started an usher came out and started a reading what seemed like a long list of rules for those sitting on the stage? What are these rule?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 1:35pm

I've never seen the tour, but on Broadway they tell you where to go if you need to exit the stage, remind you that cell phones and electronic devices can interfere with the microphones onstage and to put them in lockers, the people in the front need to watch their feet, at intermission you have to leave the stage, etc.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 2:33pm

and my guess is on the tour the ushers are newer to the process and don't want to forget anything.

They tell you the rules on Bway, too. Big one; don't touch the water bottles!

[ChiChi]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 4:24pm

Thanks

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 6:55pm

Does anyone else think the whole "leaving the stage" thing at intermission is strange? I went to see it recently (and obviously sat on-stage) and it seemed kind of amature-ish to have stage hands blatantly come out to deconstruct the "stomping floor-boards" and instert the tracked platform. Believe me, I loved, LOVED the show and have seen it neumerous times, but that part always kinda dissapoints me and makes me feel like I shouldn't be able to see it happening. I don't know.

As far as rules, one biggie is: don't touch the actors. I found this kind of hard because I had the seat right next to Hunter Parrish (Melchior.) I'm glad I saw the show before because it was hard to focus that time. Haha

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 6:59pm

Don't sing along, don't touch. Etc etc. And don't wear flashy or outlandish clothing.

I have a list at home somewhere. (I was onstage once.)

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 7:04pm

"Does anyone else think the whole "leaving the stage" thing at intermission is strange? I went to see it recently (and obviously sat on-stage) and it seemed kind of amature-ish to have stage hands blatantly come out to deconstruct the "stomping floor-boards" and instert the tracked platform."

No, I didn't find it strange at all. That's how things are done with this show. So what, you had to get out of your seat for 10 minutes, 15 at the most.

[galadriel_freak]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 7:06pm

how else are they going to make the one and only set change in the show if they don't have stange hands come out a do it? and they don't insert the track... they just reveal it.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 7:19pm

I think it would be more strange for them to all of a sudden add an act curtain to "hide" the change.

It's never bothered me. Actually refreshing to see humans do the work instead of just a button being pushed!

They don't talk about your clothing at The talk....that comes when you are on line and have purchased on stage tix.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 10:09pm

RuprechtJr. would've had a heart attack at Baz Luhrmann's La Bohème. How DARE not the entire thing be smoke and mirrors!

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 10:37pm

I knew that as soon as I posted my thought it would get berated with snarky comments. Listen, I love set designs and inner-workings of things, I just thought is was odd how all of a sudden people just come out and start deconstructing part of the set. It's not bad, just unexpected. I can't urge to you how much I love this show. I'm not complaining by any means. I've seen the show five times now and never had a complaint, besides a simple thought about the set change at intermission. Maybe "dissapoints" was the wrong word choice.

-gladriel_freak: "how else are they going to make the one and only set change in the show if they don't have stange hands come out a do it?" Well, I could name close to 100 other shows that have numerous set changes done without being seen.

-LizzieCurry: You'd think for a production by Baz Luhrmann everything would be smoke and mirrors, based off his movies.

Anyway, now that you know what I truly meant (not that you even care anyway) this board can go back to being the fun-loving, welcoming, and friendly place it's always been...oh, wait...

(this comment was sarcastic. need to clarify important; more complaints would be made otherwise.)

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 10:38pm

You'd think for a production by Baz Luhrmann everything would be smoke and mirrors, based off his movies.

You would, but you would be wrong.

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 12/18/08 at 10:44pm

"You would, but you would be wrong."

I usually am.

Another random, probably easliy answerd, question. On tour, do Moritz and Wendla just enter from the sides during "Those You've Known" instead of thru trap doors? That was another cool thing to see up close, the trap doors and the circle-jerk/grave pit. Does anyone else find that funny? The same pit they use to burry a friend is also used to jack off in? Kinda poetic...not really.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 4:37pm

There were no trap doors when it came through tempe. If there was an actual grave hole for Mortiz there doesn't appear to be one on tour.

Is the track for the movin platform very well hidden because it didn't look like it was on a track and because I left during intermission I didn't see them come out and make the changes.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 6:50pm

Bump

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 8:14am

I'd assume there would have to be two tracks (one on each side of the platform for eveness.) Tracks are getting smaller and less noticable now, so maybe from the angle you were looking at, you might not have been able to see them. Especially with all the decorative branches. Does anyone else love that the platform is inverse colors of the normal stage? Where the trunk on the stage is light, the trunk on the platfrom is dark.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 1:25pm

I wonder if they give/mail out a list of onstage rules when purchasing onstage tickets for the tour? My friend and I sat on stage after getting the tickets in the am day of (we were in the rush line) and the box office gave us a detailed sheet of rules with specific instructions to read it carefully.

[Cearsgk]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 12:52pm

We didn't get any instructions with our on-stage tickets for the tour at PPAC in April. We sat on stage on Broadway several times. The first few times we got instructions with the tickets, then none later. Early on they said to wear dark clothes without writing on them. Later on we saw people wearing just anything. Also the usher said if you've seen it before, don't tell your seat mates what is going to happen, duh.

I sat next to John Gallagher the day he won the Tony. At one point he FLEW from that seat to the stage, like a bird. First he was here, then instantly he was there. Pretty cool.

BTW, I just can't imagine what Spring Awakening will be like at the enormous PPAC, never mind being on stage.

[heo1128]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 8:41pm

Re: mailing list with tickets

I think on the tour (or at the Des Moines stop, at least) you must purchase your tickets at the box office. You can't get them online. They probably give you the list when you buy them.

[Okayfine]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 3:24pm

The rules on Bway have actually become simpler over time. It sort of boils down to:

(1) Always remember that you are NOT part of the show, so don't try to attract attention in any way or touch anything. This is also why you may not have anything on stage, such as Playbills or cell phones.

(2) If there's an emergency & you need to leave the stage, take a particular route & an usher backstage will assist you.

Every single rule or instruction pertains to one of those two things.