Sweeney Todd yesterday...cell phones and Patti LuPone — Page 4

This isn't nearly as bad, I suppose, but the last time I saw Bernarda Alba, when the house lighst went down and the show was about to begin, someone decided to open up their obxnoxiously bright, blue cellphone and text message someone or something. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but the theatre is TINY, in a semi-circle, and this person was SMACK in the middle! It practically lit up the whole audience...it was ridiculous.

Add me to the list of paranoid patrons with phones. I check at least half a dozen times while I'm there.

And kudos to Patti. I realize it could be easy to forget to turn your phone off before a show, but not when there is always an announcement beforehand instructing you to do so.

I was at The Wedding Singer Monday night and this happened. I student rushed so I was in first row center of the orchestra. About ten minutes into the show the girl beside me's phone rang. Instead of feeling embarassed, she and her friend thought it was hysterical.

Also, when I was at the first preview of The Drowsy Chaperone, I had the luck of sitting behind a school group. I overheard them talking about how someone in the show is affiliated with their school, or something to that effect. Anyway, these young kids were chatting, eating candy, and text messaging like it was no one's business. Eventually the man a few seats down, who appeared to be an avid theatre goer, verbally gave one of the girls a nasty slap down. It was pretty funny.

You haven't seen drunk at a theatre until you've seen Jersey Boys on a Friday night. Those Jersey people come in so liquored up, the lobby literally wreaks of alcohol after the walk-in.

Bravo to Patti!

No matter how many reminders there are, at least one cell phone goes off during every show I see. Sometimes the people are embarassed and shut it off right away. Sometimes it rings 4-5 times. A couple of times people have answered it, and like previously stated, to say they're seeing a show...[name of show], it's ok, etc.

But once this was the worst...someone answered their phone to have a conversation! Nothing to do with the show just was chatting away...I finally went to get an usher and she got off when she saw the usher coming. Ulgh!

What exactly is the job of the usher in terms of cell phones going off? I want to say I don't think they're doing their jobs since this happens so much, but I don't know the authority they have. I think people should be thrown out of the show if there cell phone goes off, and this should be listed and announced all over the place. Knowing that, a mistake wouldn't even be okay.

It doesn't ruin the show, but sometimes it can ruin a great moment in the show.

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Something similar happened the Saturday before last in Threepenny. Lauper stopped singing in the Middle of Mack the knife when a phone rang and said "someone answer that phone." There was a huge round of applause.

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Why are people so stupid?

People who have a ringing cell phone merit a just punishment. They should be made to listen to Yoko Ono recordings for a whole day. THAT should cure them of their nasty habit. from Roman in Austin, Texas

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I've always said that if a person's cell phone goes off during a performance, they should be pelted with playbills from the audience, much like a stoning. They'll get the idea.

EVERYBODY paid to be there. Just because that guy paid for his ticket, it doesn't give him special privleges over everyone else.

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"She is being paid to ACT so she better start doing it and not worrying about a man's manners.

Also, he payed his ridiculously high price so she should GET OVER IT!"

I don't know -- this is the entitlement excuse I totally disagree with: "I paid $100 so I can sit in my seat and do anything I damn well please." Not true. The rest of pay the same amount of money and we're there to see a show, not to listen to someone else's obnoxious ringtone. It's called common courtesy, or civility, and it applies whenever you choose to place yourself in the public sector. If you want to sit at home and listen to that brilliant, carefully selected ringtone, be my guest. If you're sitting in front of me in the theater, turn the goddamn thing off, or I will ask you for my $100 back.

I understand that people make mistakes, for whatever reason, but I'm willing to bet a cell phone goes off at least once a week in this theater, and I would imagine she just had enough.

Updated On: 4/13/06 at 10:49 PM

I'm definitely one of you all who checks to make sure my phone is turned off several times before the show. I can't imagine how horrifying it would be to be the one to disrupt the show.

Are you afraid it's gonna turn back on?

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You people need to take a reading class.

I said he pays, what I did not say however is that since he pays, he can do as he pleases. He is worng to have his cell go off, no doubt.

Ummm yea, really stupids. Almost as good as your "hes not the only one that paid."

Like I didn't know. I thought the deal was one guy pays and the rest sit.

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I can only imagine HOW that person must've felt when their cell phone rang. Not that I feel for them in the least, they DID have the nerve to keep it on and let it ring again. I just would NEVER EVER EVER want to be in that situation, and to be pointed out by Patti LuPone!

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