Should I complain to Roundabout/AA theater, would you?

[Hellob]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 3:39pm

So I saw LDJ Sat matinee and the older married couple behind me talked the whole time like they were sitting at home. I did a few of the turnaround glares to no avail. Then during the last 1/2 hour when the brothers are having their deep and drunk talk, these 2 start discussing the playwright and his life like they are in a college course. I finally said "my god, will you stop?". The husband got very aggressive so I left my seat, before I could tell the usher anything, he's handing me off to another usher who brings me outside. I said I'm not trying to leave, I'm trying to tell you that these people won't stfu. So that takes 5 mins, he brings me back but I have to stand against wall in orch rear for the remainder. 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 3:40pm

Did you ask for the house manager?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 3:41pm

Definitely complain!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 3:45pm

Turnaround glares never work with these people. They just don't get it because they see nothing wrong with what they're doing.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 3:47pm

That's terrible, Hellob. Sorry to read about it. Absolutely worth voicing a complaint.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 3:48pm

Yes, you should complain. It's strange to me that the usher's first instinct was to take you outside. 

[SweetLips]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 4:00pm

Why were you the only one to complain--what about the others' sitting next to and around these annoying patrons?

[10086sunset]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 4:32pm

Sorry to hear of your experience Hellob.

I would complain.

Your situation was handled horribly. 

[Hellob]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:01pm

I asked for the house manager but I was left waiting for 15 minutes and couldn't wait any longer bc I had to get to 35th to check into my hotel, get ready and be at the opera by 7:30ish. 

I think the usher in my section assumed I was trying to leave and that's why they were trying to get me out quietly and quickly. Then when he brought me back in he was like "shh" even though I wasn't making noise. Then having to stand against the wall rows away from the seat I paid for was degrading, not to mention that the usher who took me into the lobby never asked where I was sitting or where the talkers were. 

I think the people sitting next to them were annoyed but the 2 seats next to me were empty so idk if the people further down heard. 

Do I send a letter to Roundabout or AA or both? 

[Steve C.]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:02pm

I've been to the AA more than several times recently and have never had a problem as bad as yours. Maybe one reason they took you out and made you wait was because of the intensity of the actors/play. I had a problem with someone turning their phone on repeatedly and they came and took her phone. The ushers and house manager have always been attentive and helpful. It's actually one of my favorite theaters. We have tickets to Long Day at the end of the month and I'm sure it should be fine.

(And Yes, a good STFU does work most of the time)

[ArtMan]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:06pm

SweetLips said: "Why were you the only one to complain--what about the others' sitting next to and around these annoying patrons?

 

Because most people sit on their ass waiting for someone else to handle the problem.  Hellob,  I had thought you lived in the city.  If you could, I would have dealt with Roundabout in person.  Since you can't, write them a letter or phone.  I wouldn't deal with American Airlines management.  I had a complaint, completely different.  When I came into the city I went directly to Roundabout offices to speak in person.  The guy I met with was very courteous and professional and resolved my issue.  Of course, this had to do with a phone sale employee taking close to an hour to complete my over the phone ticket transaction.  I've dealt with specific theater management before and got no where.  I complained to the House Manager at the Marriot Marquis, because his ushers were slamming the doors during the performance of Evita.  He did absolutely nothing..

Updated On: 4/11/16 at 05:06 PM

[Hellob]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:07pm

ArtMan said: "SweetLips said: "Why were you the only one to complain--what about the others' sitting next to and around these annoying patrons?

 

Because most people sit on their ass waiting for someone else to handle the problem.  Hellob, since you live in the city I would go over to the Roundabout offices and talk to someone in person.  I had a complaint, completely different.  When I came into the city I went directly to speak in person.  The guy I met with was very courteous and professional and resolved my issue.  Of course, this had to do with a phone sale employee taking close to an hour to complete my over the phone ticket transaction.  I've dealt with specific theater management before and got no where.  I complained to the House Manager at the Marriot Marquis, because his ushers were slamming the doors during the performance of Evita.  He did absolutely nothing..

 

"

I don't live in NYC, I live in Orange County. 

[ArtMan]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:10pm

Sorry, I was in the process of editing when you responded.

[Just_John]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:14pm

I always have to (semi) loudly call people out to put phones away or stop talking during shows. Shushing or a glare almost never solves the problem.  "STFU/ Put the phone away right now or I will go and get someone to escort you out of here" always does the trick.

[Hellob]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:14pm

Steve C. said: "I've been to the AA more than several times recently and have never had a problem as bad as yours. Maybe one reason they took you out and made you wait was because of the intensity of the actors/play. I had a problem with someone turning their phone on repeatedly and they came and took her phone. The ushers and house manager have always been attentive and helpful. It's actually one of my favorite theaters. We have tickets to Long Day at the end of the month and I'm sure it should be fine.

(And Yes, a good STFU does work most of the time)

 

"

I agree it was because of the intensity of the play  and I did have an older gentleman ushering my section so maybe he wasn't noticing things happening? He was a nice guy but not really on the ball, so to speak. He didn't even let me say anything he just led me to the other usher who led me out. I'm sure it has happened but it seems unusual for a patron to want to leave after putting in 3 hours, they were so concerned with me possibly disrupting others that they didn't even think I was the one being disturbed. It was just an overall weird situation. 

[Hellob]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:16pm

Just_John said: "I always have to (semi) loudly call people out to put phones away or stop talking during shows. Shushing or a glare almost never solves the problem.  "STFU/ Put the phone away right now or I will go and get someone to escort you out of here" always does the trick.

 

"

I did tell them to stop and the husband told me to shut the hell up and said to his wife, "who the hell is she?". So stfu doesn't always work bc I got punished instead lol

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:48pm

I agree that kindness or genteel behavior -- the methodology of the past -- doesn't work much now.  The new normal in public behavior is built on a sense of entitlement, a "need" to speak to the person adjacent transcends the audience's right to silence. It's a bizarre idea that the experience is deeply personal, and so therefore must be accommodated.  Someone once said to me, "I am whispering!"  It happened to me recently at "King and I," when an Apple watch caused mayhem, and I was treated like the root of all evil for simply raising the LTC announcement requesting silenced electronics.   

 

Since I'm seeing "Long Day's..." on Wednesday, this whole thread is making me anxious.

Updated On: 4/11/16 at 05:48 PM

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 5:52pm

At a performance of Noises Off! over the winter (which was, coincidentally, also at the American Airlines), at the top of the second act, the woman sitting directly in front of me neglected to finish whatever text she had been working on during intermission. About two full minutes into the act, with the screen still distractingly bright, I tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to stop. She then angrily shoved the phone into her purse and gave her husband next to her an incredulous look. It's as if I was the one who had done something wrong. And my asking her to put it away was as gentle of an audience member request as you can get.

Updated On: 4/11/16 at 05:52 PM

[EthelMae]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 6:02pm

My God, I feel so bad for you Hellob. So while you were going through all this, those a--holes were watching the rest of the play. Unreal. It's beyond me now. I saw a show the other day. An usher came down the aisle to tell someone in my row to turn off their phone-she had obviously seen the light of it. I was on the aisle so the usher was right beside me. It was disturbing but I thought, hell, let her do her job and stop this jerk. Well, the jerk showed her it was a game she was playing, not recording or taking pictures. A real smart one. The usher left and came back during intermission to remind her about her phone. The usher couldn't even get this one's attention.

You can write or call management but the fact is the moment in the theatre is over for you. Lost. These people don't respond to a "sshh" or "please don't talk" because if they did, they wouldn't be causing the disturbance in the first place.

I pray everytime I go to the theatre that it will be trouble free. Good luck in your quest for some salvation.

Updated On: 4/11/16 at 06:02 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 6:04pm

I'm not really sure what you'd complain about. You say that you waited until the last 30 minutes of a four hour play to do something. If you say they were talking non stop, that means that they'd already been talking for over three hours before you alerted the staff of a problem. So again, I'm not really sure of what you'd complain about. 

[mpkie]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 7:51pm

What a terrible situation. I know crappy theatre behavior can ruin a whole theatre experience, even when you try to not let it. It is definitely in your right to voice a complaint. I would complain to everyone LOL! But be realistic in that you probably won't get a response or resolution. So it's up to you if you want to let it go and go the zen way instead. Which will probably save yourself the effort. But most of us have got your back whatever you decide and we totally commiserate, Hellob!

[Hellob]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 8:08pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I'm not really sure what you'd complain about. You say that you waited until the last 30 minutes of a four hour play to do something. If you say they were talking non stop, that means that they'd already been talking for over three hours before you alerted the staff of a problem. So again, I'm not really sure of what you'd complain about. 

 

"

I would complain about how they wouldn't even let me complain, took me out into lobby, made me miss more of the show, took no interest in dealing with the people and made me stand in the back of the theater. I don't really see why the fact that I waited so long is a bad thing. I was trying to ignore them, the burden isn't on me to police the theater. 3 hours is when I finally had enough. I put up with it as long as I could. They were on an aisle and if the usher was being more attentive.... 

[EthelMae]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 8:13pm

OMG Pthespian! That is unreal. This is my second post on this thread because it's become my pet peeve-to put it mildly.

You don't only get your performance ruined, the person causing the disturbance threatens to kill you or at the very least blames you and wonders what your problem is.

I don't know folks. I was in a Starbucks today and two people almost killed each other over who was where in line. 

Updated On: 4/11/16 at 08:13 PM

[jen_in_toronto]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 8:34pm

The entitled behaviour of theatregoers is just getting insane. I was at Eclipsed on the weekend and a young girl in front of me pulled out her phone and started taking photos. I tapped her on the shoulder and she immediately looked flustered and put the phone away but I was nervous her parents were going to come for me afterwards. Didn't happen thankfully...I almost once got caught in the middle of a fight between audience members over the constant checking of phones and one woman got very irate over being touched on the shoulder by the other. I find ushers to often be ineffectual and we were sitting in the middle of the orchestra.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 4/11/16 at 9:08pm

PThespian said: "I believe a lot of the ushers at the AA are volunteers. They might not have known better. 

"

Roundabout uses volunteers to get people seated and hand out Playbills, but once the lights go down they just become audience members. Anyone you speak to during the performance will be a staff usher.