SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?- Page 2

[ILoveMyDictionary]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#25

Posted: 5/23/07 at 6:09pm

"Mayer noted that European nobles used to have the privilege of sitting onstage, but the practice ended in the seventeenth century"

http://www.playbill.com/features/article/105646.html

Updated On: 5/23/07 at 06:09 PM

[Unknown User]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#26

Posted: 5/23/07 at 6:17pm

I sat onstage for Inherit the Wind two weeks ago and it worked for me. First, the seats were cheap; second, I sometimes nod off in a darkened theater, and I figured the novel perspective would keep me awake (it did); and third, I know this play pretty well and seeing it from behind made it more interesting. It's a gimmick, and it increases revenue...might keep some shows going a bit longer.

My favorite thing about that seating was getting a very close look at the costumes. Some of them were simply exquisite.

[HollyImposter]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#27

Posted: 5/23/07 at 6:24pm

Sitting onstage at Xanadu was really fun because it's a show that you really can't take seriously so when the audience breaks character and notices you it just works for the show and it really pulls you in.

At Cats it made even more sense because the cats act like real cats around you and they stayed in character and the whole show is about telling people about these cats, not cats just living their lives to they acknowledge the audience that they are teaching about cats.

[gymdudeva]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#28

Posted: 5/23/07 at 7:17pm

I just a thought: Most Broadway houses are older and the stage and seating are not very flexible for other configurations. I guess this is a way to give a little of an in-the-round feel...

I think they really had to tear the theatre for Cats, didn't they? It's kind of neat to see something at Circle in the Square, for example, with a different seating arrangement...

[Jon]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#29

Posted: 5/23/07 at 8:36pm

re: Equus -

In the original production, there were four or five rows of seating upstage center, in a semicircular arrangement. The bottom row was occupied by the cast members, who all entered at the opening of the show remained onstage as spectators when they were not part of the action.

[Fenchurch]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#30

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:25am

I believe that Copenhagen had onstage seating as well.

Like I said, for a good argument read some theater scholarship about it before turning completely off to it (Im talking to you, Munk). See why people are doing it before dismissing it as a gimmick. Personally I think the idea of the a proscenium is old and antiquated and it annoys me.

"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." -Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl

[neddyfrank2]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#31

Posted: 5/24/07 at 12:34am

For some shows it really adds to the shows because it fits within the concept of the show. Like for The Wiz at the La Jolla Playhouse it went with the concept of the audience was in OZ.

[wickedrentq]

re: SITTING ON STAGE.....WHY?#32

Posted: 5/24/07 at 8:55pm

I actually think onstage seating helps promote good audience behavior. First off, cell phones, bags that make noise, etc, aren't allowed on the stage (at least in SA). Second (from what I've seen) the people on the stage are aware they are on the stage and are much less likely to talk, sing along, etc with the show. If the whole audience sat on the stage, I think we'd have a very well behaved theatre audience.

But HAS anyone seen terrible behavior from anyone sitting on the stage for any show, out of curiousity?

"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli