So, this happened at Streetcar tonight...

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:39am

During the first act, a lady in the first row was videotaping on her cell phone. The ushers found her, told her to stop, and made her delete the video. Then, at the end of the show (I mean the very end -- the final, dramatic scene), she started recording again! From the front row! Without missing a beat, and without breaking character, Daphne Rubin-Vega just leaned down, said, "Give it here," and took her phone away, then continued on with the scene as if nothing had happened. It was pretty amazing, and she got huge applause. Everyone was talking about it after the show on the way out. Definitely an interesting night at the theater!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:46am

LOVE IT.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:49am

YES, Daphne!

[E.Davis]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:52am

That is cool.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:53am

That's a ****ty situation all around. They should have just kicked that lady out in the first place.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:57am

I kind of agree, but on the other hand, I guess they thought they had dealt with it and resolved the issue. Who could predict she'd whip the phone out again at the end?

However, it's people like this that make me wish Broadway theaters had blacklists.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:59am

Ha ha. That's awesome.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 3:26am

Excellent. (That's pretty much what I say when I confiscate a phone at school.) LOVE IT.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 7:44am

But they didn't have cell phones in the 50's!

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 7:48am

I'm sure Stella just wanted to borrow it long enough to call the "men in white" for Blanche.

Good for Daphne. I hope the woman never gets her phone back.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 8:14am

How luponic of Daphne!

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 8:15am

MAJOR props to DRV... and the ushers.

[Huss417]

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

That is great. But I know how people went crazy when LuPone did this that she shouldn't have and such.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 8:46am

Patti stopped the show for several minutes and went on a tirade. The two situations are completely different.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 8:51am

As I recall, unless I'm thinking of a different event, LuPone broke character to chew out a man taking photos, and it went on for a bit, when the man was actually supposed to be taking photos.

Daphne was dealing with an audience member who was recording, was definitely NOT supposed to be doing that, as she had already been reprimanded once, did not break character, and dealt with it so quickly and smoothly that she did not interrupt anyone's enjoyment of the play (except perhaps the woman who was filming).

Similar situations, but totally different reactions. I think Daphne handled it the best and most professional way she possibly could.

[Huss417]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:12am

I would have loved to have been there when the woman asked for her phone back. Did DRV take it off stage with her?

And I agree not the same as LuPone but the audience did applaud when she did it so took the audience out of the moment.

Personally if I was there I would have also said something to the woman after the show.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:15am

I really think the penalty for this--and for talking during the show--should be tasering.

Ushers should be given stun guns and instructed to shoot first and question later.

I don't want bloodshed at the theater, but I want those who disturb my concentration destroyed.

[Huss417]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:24am

@PalJoey

Love the Stun Gun idea but some of those ushers can be trigger happy.

" I said you can take One Playbill." Zap

"I said skip two seats then the next two are yours." Zap

"I said see the next usher" Zap.

Hey I might want one of these as well. :)

Updated On: 5/24/12 at 09:24 AM

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:29am

Did DRV take it off stage with her?

It looked like she did. On my way out, I overheard someone asking an usher about getting her phone back, but I am not sure it was the same woman (though it must have been, right?) and sadly I did not hear the response.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:40am

Good for Daphne. That is unbelievable. I think once someone gets busted they are asked to leave. That would impact them.

It's like when I've asked someone to stop texting or put their phone away during a show and they do for a while and then bring it back out. I'm like, "what planet are you from?"

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:46am

Ugh, the entitlement!! Good for Daphne!

Didn't Laurence Fishburne snatch a cellphone from an audience member and stomp on it during THE LION IN WINTER? Or was that just a rumor?

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:51am

Fishburne was mid speech when a phone began to ring. When it didn't stop, he simply inserted "Will you turn off that fvckin' phone" into the speech, and continued.

The photographer in question during the now infamous LuPone incident was not sanctioned, and the audience applauded then, too.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 9:58am

(Why is this thread centered instead of left-aligned?)...

Back on topic, I'm surprised they didn't escort the offending woman out.

I'm on board with the taser idea!

Updated On: 5/24/12 at 09:58 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 10:15am

The idea of giving an usher a taser is scary because some of them are a bit mentally unhinged.

Updated On: 5/24/12 at 10:15 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 11:09am

How about a joy buzzer?