Shows at Night vs. Shows at Daytime

[James2]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 8:58am

Do you think that there are certain shows that are better seen at night than in the afternoon? What I mean by that is that in which there is not much contrast between the tone/colors of the show and the amount of light outside the theatre. LoveMusik, Company, and Sweeney Todd come to my mind.

[theperformer]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 9:50am

I think Grey Gardens, Company, and Wicked are all better seen at night.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 9:57am

It's a strange thing, but I don't like matinees, for exactly that reason.

[istillbelieve24601]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 10:10am

I see a majority of matinees, and I like them better, because I don't get home at midnight and I'm usually wide awake for the show.

That being said, I hate performing or being on the crew for matinees in community theatre. There's something so wrong about coming out of the theatre after spending three or four hours in it and realizing the sun is still shining. When it's still light out, you realize that life has been going on while you were inside the theatre. But when it's dark out, it's easy to kid yourself time and the entire world stopped so you could do your show.

Wow, I just got really philosophical...

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 10:25am

I think a more interesting question would be--are there any shows that are actually better seen in the daytime? I usually catch matinees so it's doesn't bother me so much, but whenever I make it to an evening show it feels a whole lot more special. There's something to be said for showing up at a theater at 1:30pm and catching a show--it feels nice and spontaneous--but walking out of a theater and into the nighttime...it feels like your whole day has led up to the show, and (hopefully) it's been a perfect ending to your day (it doesn't even matter if the show is technically an evening show--a winter matinee of, say, Les Miz finishes when it's dark out, and you can feel the difference).

That's true of almost every show I can think of...so what show is actually better in the daytime?

[Midnight Radio]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 10:40am

Spelling Bee?

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 11:16am

matinees are the devil!

[keen on kean]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 11:24am

I am stuck for the moment with catching Wednesday matinees if I want to get to the theater at all - work schedule and commuting issues. I must say that Wednesday matinee audiences seem to be an odd mixture of enthusiastic knowledgeable patrons (in the minority) and a huge number of elderly people who come in on buses and prefer to be entertained rather than provoked. God bless them, they are paying for tickets, but they are not terribly responsive.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 11:29am

I've never seen a matinee of a Broadway show. I like evening performances so much more, I love to end my day with a show and have it be the last thing in my mind before my head hits the pillow.

To do something after a Broadway show other than go home and fall asleep just seems crazy to me for some reason.

:)

[jenna2]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 11:32am

For me, the only good thing about going to a matinee is the possibility of seeing two shows in one day. (I don't get to New York very often, so I have to cram as much theatre in as possible!)

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 11:42am

I'm a little bit of a night show snob. I don't like going to matinees on a two show day because they have to save more energy for the night show. During the night show on a matinee day, they can just give it whatever they have left and not have to hold back.

That's just my twisted logic, but I like seeing shows better at night.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 11:51am

That's exactly right; most show's I've seen and been in, the energy has been much less. But you don't realize it because it's still early for the audience too. At night, the audience is wide awake (unless you woke up at like 3:00 in the morning), and so is the cast.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 12:24pm

The only exception is Sun. matinees where there is no evening performance.
Otherwise, I prefer evenings.
THe energy is higher usually and the audience tends to be better.
(more responsive)

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:05pm

I've noticed energy levels being higher during evening performances for some shows, even if it is a two show day. For some reason, it feels strange seeing shows during the day.

[jg4892]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:12pm

Often tines I've noticed higher energy in the matinees. Maybe it's because even if they're saving themselves, they're doing it for the first time that day.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:14pm

I love your philosophy, istillbelieve24601.

[HumATune]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:45pm

I don’t know if I prefer evening shows or not, but the nice thing about the matinee is that I’m not exhausted afterwards. I am not a night person at all, so I always try to catch a nap somewhere before seeing an evening show.

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:52pm

theatre feels like more of an event when you go at night, but I have nothing against matinees. Sometimes (especially if you do not live in NYC) it is more convienent to got to a matinee.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:55pm

I like matinees too specially Sunday Mat. My only problem is the crowd, if you know what I mean?-J*

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:58pm

The reality is that, audience response and interaction with the performers aside, the show should be just as good during the day as it is at night.

I know that I personally tend to avoid the second evening show. Even though I know what it's like as a performer doing two shows in one day, and five shows in one weekend as is now often the case, I still feel bad for them. Many times, you can see energy lagging or hear notes that are lower than they're supposed to be.

I see a huge number of shows at Wednesday matinees. I find the audiences to be very old and very rude, but it's the time that works best for me.

[justagirl2]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:59pm

I can't stand matinees. I don't even like going to movies during the day...I love the feeling that you've spent your entire day in anticipation of the performance. I like how SDav put it.

[jv92]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 4:03pm

Matinees are alright. I'll go to them. The audiences aren't really great. They eat, fan themselves with their program, talk through the show, etc. at some shows. Sometimes they don't. It depends. However, it's best, in my opinion to go to the theatre at night. I do that more often.

[sweetdisaster]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 4:12pm

I agree with what someone said about how a night show is more like going to an event. I've always preferred night shows, but find that now I mostly end up going to matinees because it works best with my schedule and traveling back and forth. There's something about going to the theatre at night that I just like better than during the day. No special reason, but I just feel like the audience (and sometimes even the cast) is more into the show.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 5/28/07 at 4:32pm

I dont like shows during the day either but it means seeing two in one day. As I am planning a trip in september i am seeing Les Mis during the day (to see SA at night) and its weird I am seeing this during the day. Its just a differnt feeling I think during the day.

Posted: 5/28/07 at 7:33pm

I really have never liked matinees--for movies either, and as a performer I have never had a really great time performing in a matinee.

However I agree if you're trying to cram as much into one day as possible you have to do matinees (my first big trip to London I saw 9 shows in 7 days--obviously that way)