So is it okay for audience members to sing along during musicals?- Page 5

[Lot666]

Posted: 5/29/19 at 2:36pm

LxGstv said: "Dominique Morisseau who wrote the book for Ain’t Too Proud actually retweeted the article in agreement, she wants the audience to participate in her shows."

Thanks for the warning. Now I know that I should avoid any production she's involved in.

[Lot666]

Posted: 5/29/19 at 2:47pm

Dancingthrulife2 said: "What about mouthing the lyrics?"

If this distracts you, I can only assume that you're watching the faces of the audience rather than the show.

 

Posted: 5/30/19 at 2:58am

At the end of his life, not many things could bring joy to my long-time love, but "South Pacific" could.  I nearly went broke buying tickets for it because it made him so happy.

Sometimes too happy. As anyone who's seen it knows, "Some Enchanted Evening" is one of the first songs that Emile DeBecque sings. This was the Lincoln Center production, with the golden voiced Paulo Szot, who won the Tony for lead actor in a musical. 

One night my beloved started singing along with Paulo -- loudly -- and he was a terrible singer to boot -- as everyone around us quickly "shushed" him.   He stopped, but looked around at all the shushers and said, in a loud stage whisper, "But I know all the words!" 

I squeezed his hand, and nodded my head giving him a look that told him I loved him but he should be quiet, and he got the message.  I apologized to our seat mates during intermission, where they could see he wasn't well, but could also see how much he loved being there.  It did make for an awkward moment, but I still tear up when I remember him saying, "But I know all the words!" 

Updated On: 5/30/19 at 02:58 AM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/30/19 at 4:07pm

SweetLips22 said: "I certainly hope that one day I will find the right occasion to use 'black hole of stupidity'--that is a GEM."

You can always use it to refer to our current White House. Thanks, SweetLips22.

[vanbrig]

Posted: 5/30/19 at 4:12pm

LizzieCurry said: "I really think it's case-by-case."

I also consider it on a case-by-case basis. There's definitely a lot to consider, so here's my opinion. When you're at the theatre, you’ve entered into the world of that show and should be respectful to both that world and the patrons around you. If it’s a show where participation is encouraged, like Summer, then (whether you like it or not) that is a part of the show’s world, and you would be quite the jerk if you shushed an audience member for singing along. If it’s not explicitly stated, then singling along is a big no-no.

In the case of this article, I haven’t seen Ain’t Too Proud so I can’t make an accurate judgement of who I feel would be in the wrong. If audience participation was actively encouraged during that particular performance (for example, via an announcement like the one in Summer), then the man definitely had no business shushing the author’s mother. If that wasn’t the case, though, then the guy was perfectly in the right, in my opinion. If it isn’t explicitly stated at the performance that audience participation is encouraged, then to be honest I don’t know how I feel about the tone of Dominique Morisseau’s tweet. Participation is not the norm for the vast majority of Broadway shows, and you can’t expect everyone to know that yours is different unless you make it obvious. Shockingly enough, not every audience member is gonna read the playwright’s tweets before seeing a show.

[LxGstv]

Posted: 5/30/19 at 4:29pm

I’ve seen Pipeline, which was a play written by Dominique Morisseau, there was actually a slip in the playbill stating the playwrights vision that theater isn’t a space to sit and observe quietly, that participation was actually encouraged. I thought it was a bit weird at first, but afterwards I assumed it was because at one point during the play, the audience gets addressed like a classroom, so I just thought it was for that specific scene.
The show actually had a lot of quiet intimate moments and I could not imagine anyone reacting loudly to those parts. But I guess she’s ok with it if it happens and it interrupts the scene.

Much like Lot666, I’ll just avoid any future productions she’s involved with.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/30/19 at 7:14pm

I think that singing along with the songs is another illustration of how unpleasant it can be to attend certain performances. I paid to see the actor on-stage sing, not the off-key person two seats from me.  If I can reach the person, I admit to getting pretty ugly, and it usually works.

I know this should be in another subject, but on a similar note (distraction), I attended Tootsie last  week...and had the person behind me rattling a potato chip bag repeatedly through the first act.  Ugly looks did no good and I couldn't reach the person to tap on their shoulder (invading someone's personal space during a performance generally works...you get to enjoy the remainder of the performance, and also have the satisfaction of knowing that you have embarrassed the other person).  Sell, I was about to complain about the issue when I discovered that the theatre SELLS POTATO CHIPS.  So, you pay all that money, and can really be distracted because the theatre needed to make $25 more a performance.  As far as I am concerned, the person who sings along is just as bad, maybe mores, that the idiot rattling his / her bag far longer than it should take to finish the damn thing.

At least, no one will ever be singing along with the Tootsie songs...I am surprised that the performers are capable of singing some of those songs. 

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 5/30/19 at 9:24pm

Lot666 said: "Dancingthrulife2 said: "What about mouthing the lyrics?"

If this distracts you, I can only assume that you're watching the faces of the audience rather than the show.

"

Read my FULL post before jumping to your smart-seeming, snarky comment.

[vanbrig]

Posted: 5/30/19 at 10:33pm

I mean, I read your FULL post and I had the same thought.

Updated On: 5/30/19 at 10:33 PM

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 5/30/19 at 10:52pm

JudyDenmark said: "I am sitting here with my jaw on the ground that there are answers here other thanABSOLUTELY NOT.

So... absolutely not. Not in a jukebox musical, not in a classicmusical, not ever. Ever! How is this even a conversation?!?! People paid money to see the talented actors on stage, period."

 

I could not agree more. I saw this thread and didnt bother opening it because I was sure it was just 4000 clever ways to say "of course not." STUNNED to see that people here think there is any instance where I, who paid hundreds of dollars to see professional performers sing certain songs, should have to listen to YOU sing along in my ears because... you want to? How obnoxious and self-centered do you have to be to think ANYONE else wants to hear you sing? Even if you have a glorious voice, its distracting and irredeemably rude.  (I'm not a fan of jukebox musicals, so maybe I am missing the point here, but since we can always hear the original music at home, we are paying to hear talented people sing these songs in a new/different way- seems even more ridiculous that sing-alongs would be welcome in that setting.) 

To be fair, I've never really encountered this except at RENT a few times-- and each time I was one of many who quickly and angrily shut them up. But whether its Cher or Mamma Mia or a monologue from King Lear, no one- really no one- wants to hear you sing. Once you accept that reality, singing along because you want to is really quite selfish. 

 

[Lot666]

Posted: 5/31/19 at 10:50am

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Lot666 said: "Dancingthrulife2 said: "What about mouthing the lyrics?"

If this distracts you, I can only assume that you're watching the faces of the audience rather than the show."

Read my FULL post before jumping to your smart-seeming, snarky comment."

I did read your FULL post before responding, and I maintain that if you're watching the faces of other audience members instead of the performers, then you probably chose the wrong show.

[denali.fire]

Posted: 6/1/19 at 3:32am

Gee.  I stand up and tap dance along with the music.  I see nothing wrong with it because I spend my money for a seat and I can do what I want when I want because it's all about ME !

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 6/1/19 at 10:12am

Updated On: 6/1/19 at 10:12 AM

[3GamesToLove]

Posted: 7/28/19 at 7:22am

 

Dancingthrulife2 said: "What about mouthing the lyrics? I attended a performance of the Oklahoma! revival, and since the house was fully lit, I could see a lot of the older audience members who probably grew up with the material mouthing the title song. Now it wouldn’t be much of a distraction if the house is dark (although I personally find a show more enjoyable if you choose not to do so), but unfortunately because of the design choice it does take something away from the performance on stage that is more brooding than the jovial moving faces you can see across from you."

 

When my wife and I saw Great Comet, we sat at one of the tables right in the middle of the stage. A few songs in, we noticed a girl just a few tables over who was ENTHUSIASTICALLY mouthing along to every word. We noticed this in the number where two characters come sit amongst these tables, and the girl was mouthing the words at Gelsey Bell/Denee Benton right in her face. She was in her late teens/early twenties. This completely took me out of this scene where a cast member was SEATED DIRECTLY NEXT TO ME. Fortunately I was able to ignore her because heads, etc were in the way most of the time, but it happened throughout the first act, including Dust & Ashes, where this girl was mouthing the words directly back to Pierre IN A SONG THAT CONTEMPLATES SUICIDE.

Luckily, during intermission we heard someone from the show tell her to knock it off. Cast members and/or audience must have complained. She was seated basically center stage so I’m sure everyone in the audience could see her.

[enjoyable2]

Posted: 7/28/19 at 11:33am

NO. It is never okay to sing along. If you think you may be tempted, then  sing along with the cast album 24/7 for as many days prior to attending the actual performance as you need to quell your narcissistic impulses. No one in the theater pays one cent to listen to YOU but they pay hundreds of dollars to listen to THEM.  

 

[jagman1062]

Posted: 7/29/19 at 11:17pm

I agree with the posts with people saying it's never okay for audience members to sing along at a show unless they're invited to do so or at curtain regardless of whether it's a book or jukebox musical.  I attended a performance of the 2009 revival of West Side Story and a couple behind us sang the entire score - E.N.T.I.R.E  S.C.O.R.E - regardless of glares and requests to be quiet.  It made for a miserable experience for my friends and me.  Similarly, a woman sitting behind me at Movin' Out knew every Billy Joel song ever recorded and felt free to sing along, also despite prompts and requests to stop.  What's worse was she started dancing in her seat which caused her to kick the back of my seat more than a few times.  Her husband sitting next to her tried to calm her, but she kept telling him she was there to have fun, apparently at the expense of others around her.  So, NO.  

 

Updated On: 7/29/19 at 11:17 PM

[magictodo123]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 7:51am

To the person who said you should be paying attention to the actors on stage, rather than audience members...from a glowing phone to people singing along, there are always distractions that take people out of the moment of the show. I'm always engrossed in what's happening on stage. But sometimes, especially if the singing patron is next to you, it's very hard to ignore. I'm not saying it's not easy for SOME people, but I'm pretty sure it's a major distraction and annoyance to anyone in the immediate vicinity. Unless it's a special sing along performance (and when was the last time that happened?) audience members should leave the singing to the actors on stage.

If you question it, you probably shouldn't be doing it. 

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 8:16am

Never sing of course, I just bump my head a tiny bit or tap my feet if its really that catchy. 

[rosheider]

Posted: 7/31/19 at 8:24pm

Went to the movies to see Rocketman.  The theater was very sparsely filled, but sure enough, there were too older people that sat in back of me.   He started right in with a very loud monologue about his medications or some such, punctuated by loud snorts.  The lady, whenever anything would happen or about to happen would loudly sigh, like an ohhhhh sound - every damn time.  Even after I went and bought artery clogging treats and sat elsewhere, the snorts and sighs continued to "entertain" me. You just never know what weird habits people may bring into the theater, but hopefully they will choose loud orchestral passages before breaking into song.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 10:15pm

If the cast is going to encourage the audience to sing-along before the curtain call--exception really well-done numbers like PIPPIN's "No Time at All"--I think we ticket-buying patrons should be warned before they accept our money. Just as they warn epileptics about strobes, nervous people about gunshots, everybody about smoking on stage, etc. (I realize these latter warnings vary from performance to performance.)

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 2:05pm

I went to the Pittsburgh CLO production of Rock of Ages, which is the kind of show that encourages a participatory atmosphere of hooting, hollering and (at times) singing along. But they didn't really set up that atmosphere well enough that audiences felt comfortable doing it, so the "let me hear you!" moments fell flat.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 2:27pm

People are gonna be maaaaad at me during Six..

[LxGstv]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 3:03pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "People are gonna be maaaaad at me during Six.."

Or you could wait for the sing along performance instead of ruining someone else’s evening...

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 3:10pm

LxGstv said: "YvanEhtNioj said: "People are gonna be maaaaad at me during Six.."

Or you could wait for the sing along performance instead of ruining someone else’s evening..."

I was kidding. -_-

[Impossible2]

Posted: 8/2/19 at 3:18pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "People are gonna be maaaaad at me during Six.."

LOL

I just came to post 'I imagine Six is going to be a nightmare for this'!