Should changing seats at intermission merit a public flogging?

[April Saul]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 12:38am

Had to get people's take on an experience I had yesterday at a Broadway show. I was seated halfway back in the orchestra but at intermission, noticed open seats in the first two rows.

Decided to take one in the front after folks on either side confirmed that nobody was in it and settled in...until, moments before the second act began, a couple behind me started yelling that I should move, that I would be blocking their view and I had no right to sit there. Did I mention that I'm five-foot-two?

Had they asked me nicely, I would never have even taken the seat, I had no intention of disturbing anyone. Even as I turned to assure them that I would change seats, they kept at it. "WE PAID $171 FOR THESE TICKETS!!" the man boomed. "WHAT DID YOU PAY FOR YOURS??"

As quickly as possible, I slunk back to the row behind me, which meant that a ton of other people had to stand up so I could escape my tormenters.

But it was really awful...and felt somehow class-ist, as though I'd crashed the first-class section of a jet in order to change a baby's smelly diaper or though I'd clambered out of steerage at the Titanic and was trying to cut in the life for a lifeboat!

Am I crazy? Is it that unreasonable to move to an empty seat, especially in the front where it might even be nice for the performers to have actual faces to play to? True I hadn't paid for that seat, but those folks didn't own it either. Whenever I've done this, I've tried to be as considerate, as possible--realizing that people may enjoy having the extra space around them--and wind up pretty much asking their permission, as if I'm visiting their home!

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[Kad]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 12:44am

Their reaction was uncalled for and inappropriate.

I honestly see no problem with people moving up at intermission. I know some house staff don't like it, however. Other patrons, however, have no power over it, so long as you aren't taking a seat that has been occupied (which you did not).

[threetwoone]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 12:52am

I've moved up (or left or right in a row for a less obstructed view) at many shows. I usually approach a *friendly looking* usher at intermission and ask them if it's alright. Nearly 100% of the time people around me have no problem with it, but one time I did receive some comments from people behind me. I just told them that I spoke to an usher and was that it was alright. That shut them up.

But no, you shouldn't have been treated as such and don't feel like a criminal for doing what you did.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 12:58am

I have changed seats at intermission plenty of times, and I'll admit I'm always a little anxious that a situation like this might pop up. Those people sound dreadful.

[binau]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 1:09am

Which show was this out of curiosity?

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 1:17am

"WE PAID $171 FOR THESE TICKETS!!" the man boomed.

Did you ask them if that price included the seats in front of them and if so show me the ticket? That should have shut them up.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 1:35am

I mean, I see their point, but you're 5'2", so unless you have a huge amount of hair, then I don't see the big deal. Most Broadway stages are set so high, the first couple of rows will be looking straight up anyway.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 1:40am

But their "point" is a ridiculous one. They didn't go to the theater fully expecting the seats in front of them to be empty so they have no reason to be upset that someone is actually in front of them.

[bobs3]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 4:28am

When I was in college (the early 1980s), I went to a Wednesday matinee of a play or musical (can't recall name of show or even the plot). I had a half-price ticket in the rear mezzanine (TKTS -- when you could get a half-price ticket for less than $10). The front mezzanine was nearly empty. Shortly before the house lights went down, the ushers in the mezzanine encouraged everyone in the rear to move down to the front. Saw the show in the first row of the mezzanine with an aisle seat which was great because I have long legs and was able to stretch them out into the aisle.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 5:12am

The few times I've moved have also included the blessing of an usher. But you could have also told him you watched the 1st act from the rear because you were late and chose not to interfere with other patrons enjoyment of the show. (When a person is an a$$, they don't deserve reason or the truth.)

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 5:19am

I'm in the minority here, but, I don't consider theatres 'open seating'.

Without the blessing of an usher, or other house staff, I don't think it's our right to just change our seats.

That doesn't excuse bad behavior, however, on the part of the patron who demanded that you not occupy the empty seat. But, the house manager should have been contacted in advance.

Updated On: 5/4/12 at 05:19 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 6:00am

Seats were meant to be sat in.

For all those people knew, that was your seat and you arrived late.

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 7:21am

I see nothing at all wrong with changing seats at intermission if there are open seats. And, as long as you're not texting, talking, or disrupting the people around you, I need to quote Joy Behar and say "So what? Who cares?" you moved to an open seat. It's not like you held a gun to someone's head and said "GIVE ME YOUR SEAT!!!"

One time at HAIR there were two empty seats in the 3rd row on the right, and the woman sitting next to them even offered to move her coat/purse so I could sit in the seat closer to the center. I, of course, declined and said the aisle seat was fine. Didn't want to bother her.

I think these people were just peeved someone else showed up and ruined their "living room" experience of not having anyone else in front of them.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 8:24am

I'm sure the couple was arguing the principle of it all. They felt like they paid a lot of money for their seats and some Clyde came in and gets a deal that they didn't. Of course, unless they saw your ticket, they have no idea that you could have come in late and had to sit in the back until intermission. I would have been mad if you were 6'2 and completely obstructed my view. Having said all that, we all really take a chance when we chose our tickets. Many times, I buy a far less expensive ticket and hope to move up closer during intermission. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't but I took the chance. I get more peeved when people go to their seat after the show starts!

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 8:26am

Did you ask them if that price included the seats in front of them and if so show me the ticket?

I said the same thing once, when someone tried to chastise me for taking an empty seat at intermission. It was a similar situation to this. I turned around and said, "did your ticket come with a guaranteed unobstructed view?"

As Kad implied, only an usher can tell you that you cannot occupy a vacant seat. An individual patron has no right or power to say anything to you. If something like this happens again, tell the person that they should either go complain to an usher or be quiet. (And yes, it does strike me as blatantly classist that the first thing out of their mouths was how much they paid for their tickets--clearly, they were trying to show you that they belonged up front and you didn't for monetary reasons)

Updated On: 5/4/12 at 08:26 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 8:30am

They were completely out of line. What a bunch of boors.

I'm sorry you had to endure such humiliation.

Parenthetically, I have a request for you. Please post more often. I've always enjoyed reading your opinions.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 8:40am

I've changed seats countless times at shows, but never without consulting an usher first. If you had asked for and received permission from an usher to change seats, "Bite me" would have been an appropriate response to your tormentors.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 8:46am

I've moved down many times during intermission. It seems logical that the performers don't want to look down on empty seats, anyway.

Here's a topper, though. I'm only 5'6 1/2" and had a first-row aisle seat at OTHER DESERT CITIES during late previews. A presumably short elderly man who sat down directly behind me actually asked me to either move or slink down in my seat!

Not wishing to cause him agitation, I briefly slumped down, muttering to myself how stupid this was. But when the lights went down I slowly eased back up to normal, comfortable position.

He muttered once or twice and that ended it. I realized during intermission that I should have said he could get a booster cushion from an usher. But wow, that was a new one on me.

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 8:50am

^ As someone several inches over six feet, what you describe has been a constant occurrence in my theatergoing life. You get to a point where you just have to say no. I can't control my height. But unless the older man was severely short or slumped, I can't imagine a 5'6" person would so greatly impair his view.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 8:52am

I'm 6'3", so you can only imagine how many times I've been asked to slouch. Given the legroom in most theaters, it's not an option for me. While I try to be sympathetic, there's not much I can do about my height or the construction of the theater.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 9:37am

I've moved down more often at poorly attended baseball games than at live theatre, but both times I consider how short the people behind me are. And both times I get nervous.

Reason? I'm 5' 1" and if I'd spent Act 1 with a luxuriously empty seat in front of me, I'd be a little miffed that someone taller moved during Act 2. Granted, because I AM that short I'm likely not going to get in anybody's way, but still.

Either way, no, in general I don't think it's a problem to move down, and I definitely don't think you need to be yelled at like that in public.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 10:55am

I guess I could see someone thinking it wasn't "fair" that they paid for better seats and you didn't but still got one.

On the other hand, with all the discounts available for various shows, there's no way to know what anyone paid for their seat.

Plus, if you'd sat behind them, I doubt they'd have given a sh*t. So I do think it was more about their sense of entitlement than anything.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 11:23am

Entitlement goes both ways. The plain and simple truth is that OP didn't pay for that seat, and didn't have a right to sit there simply because it's empty - however - most ushers will be happy to upgrade you, if only you ask. If OP had done that, then those obnoxious fellow theater-goers wouldn't have had a leg to stand on.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 11:26am

I agree about asking the usher.

But even failing that (and those folks had no way of knowing the OP hadn't asked), I just don't see the motivation for trying to make someone feel bad, when they're not misbehaving in any way.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/4/12 at 11:50am

I agree it was absolutely none of their business, and "yelling" is never called for in any case. I did find the OP's plaint just a leetle overdramatic, and I found that off-putting. Seriously: "escape my tormenters"? Made to feel as "though I'd clambered out of steerage at the Titanic and was trying to cut in the life [sic] for a lifeboat!"?

A couple of boorish patrons complained, perhaps noisily, about her taking a seat they felt she wasn't entitled to. No matter what, they were wrong, of course - but the entire incident was avoidable, and it's unfortunate that OP allowed them to make her feel bad.