Standing O's?

[QMAN03]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 10:57am

I've witnessed a very strange thing this week. In all of my past trips to NY, there have always been standing ovations. Always. But this week I have found there haven't been that many. Now granted, it may be because I am seeing more plays than musicals for the first time in my life, so that might be it. But it's still kind of dissapointing (or gratifying because people are finally showing their true feelings). Here's what I have witnessed:

Lieutenant of Inishmore - The show is so great, everybody stood. Pretty normal for me.

Altar Boyz - A standing O which I completely disagreed with. But whatever. I noticed alot of tweens there, so that might have been it.

Three days... - Suprisingly, no standing O which I loved to see. It didn't deserve one, so it didn't get one.

Festen - I stood, but not alot of people did. Maybe the subject matter and the intensity floored people.

Rabbit Hole - Would have gotten a complete standing if the actors didn't stop to ask for charity for aids. Still 3/4 with only one box.

Awake and sing - No standing O which I probably agree with. I didn't stand, so I guess people felt the way I did.

I don't know if this is a new thing for people not to stand when they don't like a show, but I think I like it. Has anybody else noticed this?

[mortgageguy79]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 11:02am

I have noticed that too...I hope that people are actually starting to only give out standing O's to the shows that deserve them. For far too long people have been standing just to stand. Three Day totally did not deserve a standing O and I was so happy to see that only a handful of people stood.

So, I totally agree with you...I really hope that throwing standing O's to people just to throw them has come to an end.

[QMAN03]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 11:31am

But it also has a down side. When I saw AWAKE AND SING last night, I think alot of the cast was mad about the lack of a standing O, so they didn't come out of the stage door.

[mortgageguy79]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 11:49am

That is a downfall....I would love to go and meet Lauren Ambrose and Mark Ruffalo!

On a side note...is it worth seeing at all? I am kinda wanting to go catch a matinee soon.

[Bruce Memblagh!]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 11:59am

Several things recently I have seen not resulted in SOs which is absolutely right when it is not deserved. I have overheard conversations at the stage door with actors who have moaned about the lack of one, while failing to grasp that is could be well down to them that they never delivered that night. Oh the egos!

I hate it when, as an audience member, there is an expectation sometime with those around who seem to almost take offence that you are not joining them in the SO. I had one person last year at Rent [I love this musical - one of my favourites] who said to me along the lines of "this is a work of genius - what's the matter with you? You have GOT to get up" to which I replied, "No dear, I do NOT - this might be a good musical but the cast really did not do it for me this time"

I get the impression a lot of folk are incapable of thinking for themselves and would give an SO because everyone else is, and not on their own terms. I guess they would stand if Bush got up and performed the National Anthem through his sphincter if if made them feel as though they belong with the crowd!

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:02pm

I never give one unless I feel a show and a cast deserves it. And I definitely don't stand just because someone else is standing. That's just silly.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:11pm

I don't give one either if I don't think it was deserved. And If I do, I usually now try to stand right away for the entire cast as opposed to standing when the leads come out for their curtain call. There are times I will not stand until supporting members of the cast come out that I really enjoyed. Also, If an audience is on their feet and I am not, I won't stand until the entire cast is onstage just so I can see them all (As my view is blocked by the standing audience).

[ken8631]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:20pm

For "Lestat", not a single person stood in the orch. Didn't derserve it. For "Three Days of Rain", about 1/3 of the orch stood. Still didn't deserve it....

"Jersey Boys" and "Pajama Game", all stood, deserved it!

[Lenexajones]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:31pm

When I was in NY two weeks ago Sweeney Todd and Wicked both received well deserved full standing O's. Doubt, on the other hand, only had a handful of people stand. Local theater here in KC: everything gets a standing O because people start leaving the theater at the first bow and you have to let people out of the rows (rude!). Half are gone for the final bow.

[Lenexajones]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:32pm

When I was in NY two weeks ago Sweeney Todd and Wicked both received well deserved full standing O's. Doubt, on the other hand, only had a handful of people stand. Local theater here in KC: everything gets a standing O because people start leaving the theater at the first bow and you have to let people out of the rows (rude!). Half are gone for the final bow.

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:35pm

When I saw Light In The Piazza, no one stood until Margaret came out, and I was surprised because I defintely thought Aaron Lazar's and Katie Clarke's performances deserved ovations.

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 12:36pm

I completely agree with everything uncageg said. That is how I behave with respect to standing ovations.

[pdjennings]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:15pm

See ... now, I'm the exact opposite. I'm always up -- right away. It's my opinion that any cast, no matter how imperfect, deserves the honor and respect of a standing ovation. *shrug* That's just me, I guess.

It's kinda like when there's an opening act at a concert -- you might not care for them at all, and didn't come to specifically see them, but they deserve your attention and applause for performing for you, regardless. Even more so in a smaller, theater setting ... because they can look right back at you hehe
Updated On: 3/31/06 at 01:15 PM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:18pm

Uncageg, I totally agree and it makes sense. Just as long as you don't yell at those who do stand up and block your view

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 1:30pm

Certainly there is an expectation that you applaud and remain in the theater to show respect.
A standing ovation is supposed to be different, to indicate greatness, or a particularly moving experience.
It is simply not the case that every performance of every show "deserves" a standing ovation. If that were true the entire exercise is meaningless.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:18pm

wickedrentq - I don't yell at those people. I am usually chatting with the person I am at the show with or getting my coat together to put on. But I don't leave the theatre until the curtain call is over. I feel that no matter how good or bad a show is, out of respect I wait until after the curtain call. And I have only left a show at intermission once.

Updated On: 3/31/06 at 02:18 PM

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:34pm

Man, the idea behind standing ovations has always been awesome to me. Like, not only did I feel compelled to stand up and applaud this show, but the rest of the theatre does, too. It's such a great, unifying sort of feeling. (I imagine it's a pretty good feeling for the performers, too!) But yeah, in the last couple of years, I noticed people would stand at ANYTHING. I don't get it. Maybe you think it's polite or that, however bad a show is, it's nice to give the performers their due--but that's what regular applause is for. You should always applaud, IMO, but gving everything a standing O only lessens the impact when you see that something that really deserves it!

But I do hate when everyone around me is standing and I'm sitting and I can't even see the stage. I mean, it's really awkward for me to just be sitting there, applauding for a curtain call I can't even see.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:37pm

No that's not what I meant uncageg. Like sometimes I stand up right away when the ensemble comes up, when hardly anyone does. Twice I've been yelled at by people behind to sit down because they can't see.

[LorelaiGilmore]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:40pm

I always give a standing ovation, mainly because I'm short, and if one person normally stands up, if they are somewhat ahead of me, I can't see.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:41pm

Standing Ovations are all too common on Broadway.

[Calvin]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:42pm

The last three or four shows I've seen did not have a standing ovation, which was refreshing.

The last standing ovation I did which I thought was deserved was Sweeney Todd.

[timote316]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:45pm

If I don't like the show, but I like a particular performance, I will stand for that performer.

When I saw Sweeney, I litterally jumped to my feet. It deserved it.

Theater in Boston is somewhat the opposite - I've seen many touring productions there, and most of the time no one stands. There have been a few times (I Am My Own Wife, for Charlotte in Sweet Charity) where I've been the only one standing.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:57pm

As I said, If I am not standing, I am usually chatting or getting prepared to leave so there is no reason to yell at the people in front of me. I do worry about standing and blocking the view of people behind me if they are still seated but so far have not been yelled at. Now there are times I do want to see the stage and will just stand without applauding. Dr. Dolittle was just here in Denver and got a standing O the evening I saw it. It really did not deserve one. I stood just so I could see Tommy Tune. Because he is Tommy Tune.

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 2:57pm

My biggest pet peeve is when an audience gives a SO simply because
-the actor was the lead performer
-the character had the most lines
-other people are standing
-the actor is a "name," and the audience is applauding their career rather than their performance

I, personally, give a SO to performers when I feel they deserve one - regardless of their resume or the size of their part.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 3/31/06 at 3:04pm

I've never been to a performance of "Sweeney Todd" that didn't result in an instant complete standing ovation. The show deserves it.

Other shows get some as well. I always stand up if the majority of the people around me do, even if I feel the show doesn't FULLY merit a standing ovation (like, for example, Wicked). It's rude to ask people to sit down, and I like to see the performers take the curtain bow. So I stand as well, why not? If everone stands, I'll only stay seated if I TRULY hated the show.

I've seen the standing ovation craze die down a bit, and it's a good thing. Giving one to EVERY SINGLE show diminishes the whole point.