Sweeney Todd yesterday...cell phones and Patti LuPone

Well I have never experienced this type of situation in all of my theater going life and I hope never to agian. I "attended the tale" (sorry couldn't resist) yesterday and student rushed it. I ended up getting front mezz which I was thrilled about. The show started off great until Perille's Miracle Elixer bit. Just as Donna started her bit, a cell phone started to ring. Unfortuanatly, it didnt just ring once, it rang four or five times. At about the 4th ring, Patti looked at the orchestra and very seriouly said "answer it already". I almost audibly gasped. It was just horrifiying and if I were the person, i'd be scared out of my mind!
If that wasn't enough, during another portion of the first act, a cell phoen went off agian. Now this time, you could see the whole cast just look down in dismay. Michael had teh razor up and he just let it fall to his side, Patti shook her head and Donna looked horified. It was just a disturbing expiernce and speaking from an avid theater goer, it was very hard to get back into the show.
This of course, didn't affect the amazing experience that I had yesterday seeing it for the 5th time but it was a saddening experience. I know there is talk about movie theaters electronically disconnecting all cell phones and I think this should happen in broadway theaters as well. If a person can not turn off their cell phone after the announcement then something should be done.

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I know it's "unprofesional" to break character like that, but good for them. Make the people who didn't turn off thier phone feel like $#!t!

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the whole breaking character really surprised me coming from Patti. I don't know though. Its a thin line you have to cross, especially in this production where alot if not most of the dialogue is directed towards the audience.

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Ushers should have the authority to come in and remove anyone whose cell phone rings during a performance. It's no different than standing on your chair and screaming at the top of your lungs.

Richard Griffiths will take care of those clods, though.

Breaking charcter from Patti doesn't really surprise me. If you read her Web she vents about her frustration with the rudness of the audience, this just sounds like the straw that broke the Divas back.

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Well i've said it before but I'll say it agian....this cast is the best cast currently on broadway. They are TOP NOTCH!

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I found the audiences both theatre lovers and tourists became annoying more and more.

Last week, I went to see Light in Piazza. One guy kept exhale loudly though out the show. It’s especially loud when it’s at the quite moment.

As much as I dislike bad behavior tourist audience, I’m annoyed by extremely sensitive audience as well.

My experience with other audiences have not been that positive recently and I don’t think it will get better.

I think Patti was wrong. It's not her job to do that, let the ushers deal with that and she should just worry about staying in character, which is VERY hard because I've experienced this many times when performing.

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I'm not going to say whether its right or wrong but I will say that Michael had a look of shock on his face.

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WickedGeek, please tell me you did not just compare your acting skills to those of Patti LuPone.

Good for her. People that are selfish enough to ruin the show for the rest of the audience deserve to be publically called out.

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Umm well first thing first, I could be a better perfromer than her, because you don't know who I am. And I'm not doing that at all.

I just thought it was in poor taste to break character like that, just my opinion, you don't have to share it.

I just re-read my post and don't see how you get me equaling myself to her. If you're confused on my post, PM me.

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Updated On: 4/13/06 at 11:20 AM

I would have been pissed if i was there not for the fact of the self ring but for Patti being tasteless like that. Yes i understand people are stupid and don't turn there cell phones off but you have no right as a person to cut someone down for a mistake they made and degrade them as a human. ( Yes i do consider ordering someone around degrading). She is not paying to teach manners. She is played to perform a role in a show.

Personally, I think breaking out of the character in this production does not have a big effect. I love this production.

The performers face the audience often and it's like they tell us the story.