Seeing Shows By Yourself

[STUCKinOH]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:24am

I'm just curious to see everyone's opinions/experiences.

This winter I am coming to NYC again with a couple friends.. I'm the only one who's a die-hard theater fan, so they'll see a couple shows but I am looking to see a show at every possible time slot during our stay.

How do you feel about attending shows alone?

I might just be thinking it's a bigger deal than it actually is because I have always been with someone at any show I've gone to.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:27am

This has actually been discussed many many times here. I'm pretty sure that most people here didn't mind doing it. I know I'm in that category. There is nothing wrong with doing it, and don't let anyone else tell you different.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:28am

It's great! If you aren't going on a Friday or Saturday night... often I find other people sitting around me doing the same thing... especially Wednesday matinees...! You get to focus on the show... which is really the point... isn't it?

kmc

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:33am

I love it. My family isn't into theatre as much so usually when I do bring someone I end up having to pay for their ticket since there seems to be a general understanding that they'd rather be elsewhere. It's a lot cheaper if I just go by myself.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:40am

There's no special someone in my life, so I often go alone.

I then go home to my teddy bears and discuss what I thought about the show.

Just kidding about the teddy bears.

Guess you know why I'm alone. :P

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:44am

nothing wrong at all, I've done it a bunch of times:)

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:45am

I'm 15 and I started going to shows alone this summer. I am sick of waiting for other people to decide if they are going to come or whatever and it is so much easier to go alone. I am not a seat snob, and a lot of my friends are. Half the time they complain because I get the cheapest seats. I also get to see a lot more shows and also get to see shows more than once. It is good relaxation time and it is nice just to not have to deal with anything, and escape for 2 hours and a half.

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 2:45am

i do it all the time. if the show has a lotto i try to find someone else who is alone and partner up. i've actually made some great new friends doing that.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 5:17am

I go alone all the time now. None of my friends or family members like theater as much as I do. Sometimes I don't even bother asking anyone anymore because they'll just say no. Even the couple of people I know who would go... they don't have good taste. One time there were 5 of us in the city on a Friday night. My friends wanted to see The Wiz at City Center, but I didn't want to so I went to see Blithe Spirit by myself instead (and I don't regret that at all - thank god I didn't have to sit through the Wiz and got to see Blithe Spirit!). And sometimes I get better seats and/or get seated by other students on their own or single-goers. Plus, it's just easier to go on your own so you don't have to worry about the other person's schedule and having to agree on seeing something you'd both like. And as CSonBroadway said, it's nice to have that time for yourself and escape for 2 and a half hours.

I wish I knew someone who loved going as much as me though. And someone to discuss the show with during intermission/afterwards, but I'd rather go by myself than miss seeing the show.

Updated On: 7/22/09 at 05:17 AM

[Coraline]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 5:23am

I go alone a lot mainly because it's cheaper. The people that I sometimes go with always want to buy tickets ahead and pay full price. The best they will do is go to TKTS. I for one always utilize rushes, lotteries, and things like that - they like to actually have a safe ticket and know that they are in a good seat, where as I just like to see the show and don't really care where my seat is. I'd much rather possibly see the show for $25 than know I'm seeing the show for $65 - I can always try to catch it another time.

[heo1128]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 5:26am

As others have said, I'm the only one I know who's REALLY in to theater, so I am often by myself. I would definitely recommend it! I'd much rather see a show by myself than a. know my friends would rather be doing other things than seeing a show, b. force my friends to spend $75 on something they don't want to do and c. have them whine and moan about the waste of time the show was.

Bottom line: GO FOR IT!

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 5:28am

I always see a show by myself(with the exception of a few lotto wins or rushes). It's easier to get only one ticket and you don't have to worry about if the person you are with is having a good time. Plus I like to sit in partial view or in the last few rows of the mezz(balcony) and if I was with someone they would just complain anyway that they can't see or they are too far away.

Updated On: 7/22/09 at 05:28 AM

[stuckinoz]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 5:44am

i often go by myself, usually just because the ticket availability is better for singles, and because i spent interval lining up to go to the bathroom anyway lol.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 6:45am

When I make plans, I make plans. If some one else decides to join me...wonderful. If not, wonderful. I find I'm more likely to find a better single seat than a pair.

Often, when a group of us go, we just pick a date and then each go ahead and purchase our tickets individually -- that way the price difference is no big deal. We GO to the theater together (and usually dine beforehand together), we meet at intermission and then, obviously, after the show. Who needs to physically sit together anyway? And then we don't have to worry about who owes who what money.

I am coming to NYC in a few weeks and over that week about 6 other friends are coming in and out of the city. At NO time are all of together, and so keeping our plans organinzed is crazy. We all have preferences to what shows to see and what late night gigs we have interest in. So we all make our plans/choices known and the others that are interested join in as desired. I'm sure a few things I'm doing will be on my own.

The ONLY thing I miss when I see a show alone (which IS about 50% of the time or more) is having someone to talk about the experience with...whether to glow about it and sing its praises or to questin things or to totally dog it! That's why I hang out here!!!

Oh -- another plus: I almost always end up chatting with someone sitting near me, I've met a lot of delightful folks that way -- none that I stay in touch with, but lovely nonetheless.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 6:59am

If I didn't go alone, I'd hardly see anything. Just go, and don't worry! Everyone's there to watch the SHOW, not comment on fellow audience members who appear to be friendless. :P

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 7:52am

At any given Broadway performance, there are probably dozens of single theater goers. I usually go with my wife and/or daughters, but I have gone by myself. Like others have said, you'll often get a much better seat when you're by yourself.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 8:25am

I've gone with my parents and older sister a couple of times, but they just don't seem to have the passion for it, like I do. I personally want to talk about the show once it's over, but talking to them feels like a brick wall sometimes, and I end up wondering if the really liked the show. Other people have made comments about seeing something more than once as well. I think if it were Wicked or Disney, they wouldn't think anything of it. This is why I go alone most of the time.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 8:47am

I see shows by myself all the time, and have for years, and have absolutely no problem with it. I'd rather do that, than attend something that someone else isn't going to enjoy. I gave a friend of mine an extra ticket to Ragtime that I had, and he went on and on about how much better he would have done at directing this production that I happened to love. I knew then and there that I would never attend something with him again, as it really took away my enjoyment of the show.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 8:53am

I actually perfer to go alone most of the time. When I go into the city I do my won little thing, I go to certain stores (the Broadway merchandise stores), I do fun things to waste time waiting for lottos (ride the Marriot elevators) While I'm waiting for the show to start I can look at my Playbill and the sets or curtain and stuff like that, I don't have to talk to anyone. I also just like to be alone sometimes. And now it's much easier to see more shows, when I was younger I either had to have a friend or a parents around but now I'm 14 and can do whatever I want alone.

[Broadwaygal5]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 8:58am

Although my husband and I see lots of shows together during the year, I alone subscribe to Roundabout, 2nd Stage and LCT, so I usually go by myself to all those productions.

Go for it!!

[iflip4musicals]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 9:00am

Dcr, we've probably seen eachother many times because that's what I do in between lotto and a show, or just during down time. Do you go to the store at the Marquis?

Anyway, I agree with everyone here about seeing things alone. I'm up on the city by myself every summer, and if I didn't go alone I wouldn't see anything. I too make friends at lotto, and people behind me at rushes seem to like me more! I do like seeing things with people though. My sister is as big a fan as I am, and usually has some great input. I also like going with my non theater friends and watching their reactions, or listening to what they think.

But unlike Cap'n, I do tell my stuffed animals about the show I saw! (I kid)

[Cabchic]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 9:04am

I've seen many shows by myself. I have friends who are into theater now who go with me but sometimes I want to see a show again or don't want to wait until their schedule is free so I will go solo. I've missed shows in the past waiting for people to be available.
I do like to stage door at shows though and I'm partial to pics with the cast over autographs. I always feel weird asking a stranger to take the pic for me though. So that is the one thing I don't like about going solo.

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 9:19am

I've never done it before, but am going to start soon. I love sharing the theater experience with people and being able to talk about the show after, but sometimes, I just NEED to see something and can't get someone to go with. So I've decided to give it a try.

[kissynose]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 9:20am

I love this thread! I thought I was the only person out here that goes to shows alone. I agree with all the commnets here. While I do love someone to come along and discuss the show with me I have missed many shows waiting for others to have time to go. Also I see so many shows that I sit in cheaper seats and so many people I know want to sit in"good"seats.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 7/22/09 at 9:29am

I don't get it - why would you "make a big deal out of it"? Do you think people will be staring at you thinking "he's alone. What a loser." If you want to see something, see something. Who cares if you're by yourself? It's stupid to miss something you want to see just because someone won't go with you.