Joined: 12/31/69
Nomusicalsforme said: "Just confirmed cancellation with Telecharge. Tickets can be refunded from the box office. Now debating between The Humans and Disaster for tonight. All suggestions welcome.
I saw Humans but sat upstairs and didn't connect with the show at all -- so don't sit upstairs -- and they took all water bottles away at the door (though gave them back after -- lined them up on the bar and then it was a free for all trying to retrieve your own bottle). They have a lot of rules at that show (no late seating, if you leave you aren't allowed back in, and the water bottle fiasco). Disaster is silly, but at least they have no strict rules!
Got mine at the box office so had to go there for the exchange. The issue you a credit and then you buy the new ticket.
Saw THE HUMANS this afternoon. Brilliant and devastating. Loved it.
Is it strange that they haven't been using the past two days to rehearse Audra's understudy? Instead they cancel 3 previews? Seems weird. That's a lot of money to refund. Maybe others in the cast are sick too, but Audra's the only high profile cast member to warrant a press release that names her.
They have, but I'm guessing they decided that two days of rehearsal was simply not enough.
really thought they'd have a show tonight - at least with Audra's u/s going on. They might be better off cancelling the rest of the week now and resuming on 4/2 as planned.
Nooooooooo! I have tickets for Saturday Night! And I'll already be in the city as I'm seeing Bright Star in the afternoon!. It'll be slim picking for me to replace my tix for another show! (Especially if they only cancel a day at a time.)
Than being said, hoping for the best for Audra to return to good health.
christinelavin said: "I saw Humans but sat upstairs and didn't connect with the show at all -- so don't sit upstairs…"
You seem to be the only Human (heh) to think so. Most people I've spoken too have enjoyed the show just as much if not more from the mezzanine because of the two-tier set. Sorry that you did not connect.
"They have a lot of rules at that show (no late seating, if you leave you aren't allowed back in, and the water bottle fiasco)."
Many shows have late seating policies or those of such you describe. Water bottles are never allowed in the theater. Whether they catch it or not is another story. But this is nothing new.
Swing Joined: 3/23/16
I don't think it's weird - people are both paying to see the show to see Audra and as other people have posted on this thread the show seems to be going under massive revisions during previews - i doubt they're wasting the time.
I saw Humans from seat G4 in the mezz. Perfect view and me and everyone around me seemed to connect with the show. The woman next to me who I really didn't talk to much turned to me at the end and said "I need a cocktail and I feel the need to call my family". I was pretty choked up afterwards.
I got a ticket for this Monday but didn't make it. So glad they cancelled the performance. the question is, I've lost the physical ticket. Is there any way I can get my money back?
Where and how did you purchase the ticket? That will determine what can be done.
dramamama611 said: "Where and how did you purchase the ticket? That will determine what can be done.
"
I bought the ticket directly from the box office with a discount code.
Chorus Member Joined: 11/14/15
I had a $55 tickets that I bought with a discount code. They refunded me the money for the tickets from tonight and i was able to repurchase at the same price point for the week after opening.
Saw Disaster. Riotious. Dont sit on the sides in the front of the orchestra, but a ton of fun.
Dancing -- did you pay with a credit or debit card? That would be the easiest way for them to track your ticked down for you.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
GreasedLightning said: "christinelavin said: "I saw Humans but sat upstairs and didn't connect with the show at all -- so don't sit upstairs…"
You seem to be the only Human (heh) to think so. Most people I've spoken too have enjoyed the show just as much if not more from the mezzanine because of the two-tier set. Sorry that you did not connect.
"They have a lot of rules at that show (no late seating, if you leave you aren't allowed back in, and the water bottle fiasco)."
Many shows have late seating policies or those of such you describe. Water bottles are never allowed in the theater. Whether they catch it or not is another story. But this is nothing new.
I have been going to Broadway shows for 30+ years -- and I always have a water bottle and it's never been confiscated once -- til The Humans. I swear! When they told me I could get it back at the bar after the performance I was skeptical -- but yes, all the confiscated water bottles were lined up and it was up to us to figure out which was ours (I was lucky that mine was a new brand -- Niagara -- and I spotted it quickly).
I was sitting way up, two rows from the top, over to the left (as you look at the stage). Maybe it was (as Dame Edna liked to describe) "an acoustic trough" because not one but TWO audience members (one in my row, a few seats away, the other in the row behind, also a few seats away) got up and left during the course of the play -- one five minutes in, the other about 30 minutes in. I couldn't see details of the actors faces and every now and then I missed a line of dialogue. Acoustics can get tricky sometimes in such a situation. There were some lines that the orchestra section roarer at that the upstairs audience in my section didn't --
I think it's human nature that over the course of 90 minutes if you don't see the actors' faces well, and every so often a line of dialogue isn't understandable -- the audience member in that situation is not going to get the full experience. My hearing is fine and my eyesight (with glasses) is good -- my experience for that particular play in that particular theater was not the best. I'm glad yours was fine. But I would not recommend sitting too far up in the mezzanine off to the side -- and I think the two who left would concur.
One other thing that affected my experience -- and this is my own personal quirk and my active imagination (yes, my bad) -- I never read programs before a show (always after). I want the story to unfold on the stage -- I don't want to know which actors were in this play or that play or how many times on Law&Order. None of that matters. I just want to watch the story unfold. So all I knew was the title -- "The Humans." At the door, when they took my water bottle and also announced, "No late comers will be let in. If you are not in your seat when the lights go down, you have missed it. If you must leave your seat at any time, you will not be allowed back in to the theater."
To me that signaled the show was going to be a thriller -- no water bottles because you might be startled and spill water on your seat mates. No coming in late because every detail is so specific that there can't possibly be a distraction that could take your eyes off the stage even for a moment. And if you must leave -- you can't come back in because that would also be a distraction that might ruin the experience for everyone around you. Combine those strict rules with the heavy strange noises emanating from the apartment above at the beginning of the play -- along with the title, "The Humans," well I guess my imagination ran wild and expected some kind of Twilight Zone or "Wait Until Dark" thriller. I still don't understand confiscating water bottles. Tonight I saw "The Color Purple," and I showed them my water bottle and my knitting -- even said, "Just a water bottle and knitting," and not only was I let in -- they were selling wine up and down the aisles.
I guess every theater has it's own rules. And I'll be more careful where I sit the next time I go to the Helen Hayes.
Broadway Star Joined: 9/28/15
The reason why they don't want water bottles in a play is because they make a lot of noise when used and it would make the dialogue that you are already struggling to hear completely inaudible, while distracting the actors. I'm sure you wouldn't make noise, but a lot of people don't realize the distraction. It's a thing that you'll probably start to notice if you see more plays than musicals.
There was someone behind me at a show that kept squeezing their water bottle and the sound was really distracting. I think they should just make people toss them at the door.
dramamama611 said: "Dancing -- did you pay with a credit or debit card? That would be the easiest way for them to track your ticked down for you.
"
Yeah! I'll drop by Music Box when I see Waitress this Friday! Thanks for you help!
Broadway Star Joined: 9/4/13
TerrenceIsTheMann said: "The reason why they don't want water bottles in a play is because they make a lot of noise when used and it would make the dialogue that you are already struggling to hear completely inaudible, while distracting the actors. I'm sure you wouldn't make noise, but a lot of people don't realize the distraction. It's a thing that you'll probably start to notice if you see more plays than musicals.
"
That's funny because they sell water at the shows. In those very same water bottles.
If their actors voices are so low that they're worried a water bottle might make them completely inaudible to the audience...use microphones!
I'm stunned about the water bottle thing. I come into the city for Wednesday matinees from Western NJ, and always have a small backpack with a bottle or two of water. No, I never drink them during the show, but nearly always they check my backpack on entering and clearly see the water bottles. I'm always ready to say they are for my train or bus ride and I won't be using them during the show, but I've never been questioned.
By the way, I did that for The Humans, and again, clearly the guy could see a bottle of water in my pack, but nothing was said about it. Is it because I appear to be a "refined old man"? LOL
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SHUFFLE-ALONG-to-Resume-Preview-Performances-325-Audra-McDonald-Comments-20160324
An update. Sounds like this mean's tonight's performance is cancelled, too.
So Playbill is now reporting that tonight's performance has already been canceled, but that previews will resume Friday. http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-39-s-shuffle-along-cancels-thursday-evening-preview-will-resume-friday I guess when my train arrives in New York Friday afternoon I'll find out for sure whether my tickets for Friday night's performance are actually any good.
Do we think Audra's understudy is going on tomorrow, given her comment about hoping to return to the show soon?
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
I don't think they're cancelling previews because her understudy isn't ready. They're cancelling shows because most of the audience would ask for a refund if Audra is out.
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