So a vent fell on somebody

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 8:09am

How long before she sues and it becomes the Jane Smith Theater?

[Lynnespock2]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 11:33am

What time is it now? Lawyers started talking 10 minutes ago.

[jpbran]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 1:30pm

Wow, this is vague even for this board.

Details?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 1:45pm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=958919&dt=59&boardid=1

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 2:24pm

Who stage manages a show where a f*** object falls on an audience member and doesn't stop the show?

Updated On: 3/4/08 at 02:24 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 2:27pm

There was less then 10 minutes left in the show...I'm sure they would have stopped it if it were necessary.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 2:34pm

Oh, love, if an object falls on an audience member, there could have been 30 seconds left, and anyone with good judgement would stop the show - it's just not right, sorry.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 2:36pm

I totally thought Patti was gonna stop!

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 2:42pm

I agree, they should have stopped the show either way.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 2:45pm

Merman's ghost.

[Corine2]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:06pm

That is really sad and terrible. I hope the audience member is alright.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:10pm

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/falling-object-creates-real-drama-on-broadway/index.html?hp

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:18pm

The show SHOULD have been stopped. Especially since it wasn't just one person who was affected by the vent falling, it was her that was hit, but those around her were obviously more concerned about her than the show, then there was the doctor who checked up on her...I mean all those people paid to see the WHOLE show (including the last 10 minutes, hell, a lot of people see GYPSY precisely because of the last 10 minutes). I'm sure that they won't be getting refunds or tickets to another performance because they weren't hit. I can't believe the SM didn't stop the show.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:19pm

I thought Patti was going to stop the show at one point. She definitely had one eye towards the balcony. The rest of the cast was telling people at the stage door that they were taking their cues from Patti with regards to that. They knew something had happened, but they were going to follow her lead.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:23pm

From TPP — The woman was definitely in her 20s — she was here from LA and staying in a hotel here. I did hold the plate, and I remember finding it very heavy. I have an 8 pound dog and it was much heavier than that -at least 10 or 12 pounds but maybe more. It was a little bigger than steering wheel…..Think of something that looks like a giant hubcap but much heavier and thicker…Remember this is a cover for a diffuser so it had vent like openings in it. It came down and hit her flat on the head, ricocheted off and then the edge hit my friend, but it wasn’t moving as fast when it hit my friend. It is truly a miracle the woman wasn’t obviously hurt or bleeding but honestly, we don’t know if she has an internal head injury. She was confused and scared. I also find it surprising that she wasn’t knocked out. She was just lucky. The fact that you heard she was just “shaken up” is definitely the message theater management was putting out — they were alarmingly casual about the whole thing.

— Posted by Bruce Kimmel
------------------------------------

I'm very much against people suing just because they can, but I'm SO upset at the production's team decision to just let it be.
Sorry, heavy objects falling on audience members is a major issue- how did they even know there weren't more coming? They are sounding so unprofessional at the moment, worst than amateur.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:25pm

And, correct me if I'm wrong, but...why would they leave anything on the main actress' hands as to whether the show must go on or not? The woman is in character, and has no clue what is going on! The theater could be falling apart for what she knows, she probably can't see anything. Appalling.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:30pm

Not to make light of the situation, but if I were that lady, I would not sue. However, I would make a fuss until I am allowed free tickets in orchestra and a meeting with Patti where I can touch her face.

But then they'd probably arrest me or something.

Seriously though, that is intense. And unexpected.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:34pm

Of course she should sue.

I once heard about a show that just kept going even when a patron had a heart attack in the aisle!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:38pm

"And, correct me if I'm wrong, but...why would they leave anything on the main actress' hands as to whether the show must go on or not? The woman is in character, and has no clue what is going on! The theater could be falling apart for what she knows, she probably can't see anything. Appalling."

Obviously, stage management or the house manager could have stopped the show anytime they wanted to. I think the cast was referring to themselves onstage. In other words, none of them were going to say, "We're going to pause for a moment." But, if Patti had said it, they'd have gone along with it.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:42pm

And on opening night, no less.

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:49pm

I wonder how soon after the incident the management found out that something had happened.

[BNN]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 5:54pm

Well if anything good can come out of this, it is the amount of jokes and reviews that will likely feature the words "bringing the house down, literally."

But on a more serious note, this is easily the most bizzare opening night story I have ever heard.

[thespian geek]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 6:07pm

I'm sorry, I realize she's Patti LuPone and that something like this should obviously be in the hands of the Stage Manager, but if I saw commotion like that in the house from the stage -- like Laura fully admitted seeing something FALL -- I don't think I could stop myself from walking off-stage and telling the SM. Yes, it's in the middle of a performance, but that's just ridiculous. That person could be up there dying for all they knew, and better safe than sorry? No one was paying any attention to what was happening on stage, as they were all distracted by her crying and being hysterical over getting smacked in the head with a big piece of metal!

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 6:19pm

It's entirely possible that Patti didn't see anything. She was in her zone and the section was what..mezzanine?

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 6:29pm

It was in the balcony. I don't think Patti did see it, but it was impossible not to hear the crash and the commotion.