Sweeney Todd yesterday...cell phones and Patti LuPone- Page 5

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 11:04pm

WickedGeek...please do not ever join a debate team. You've contradicted yourself about 10 times. Also somewhere in the midst of trying to tell us that we're fools, you've only made a fool of yourself. I'd just back away and realize that you said something that was, well, not right...

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 11:05pm

WickedGeek...please do not ever join a debate team. You've contradicted yourself about 10 times. Also somewhere in the midst of trying to tell us that we're fools, you've only made a fool of yourself. I'd just back away and realize that you said something that was, well, not right...

But, who are we to say anything, sicne we apparently need to take reading classes?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 11:25pm

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.

God, I would be horrified if that happened to me. Mainly because my ringtone is Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Eek. I think I'll take the battery out of my cell phone when I see that show, just in case.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 11:29pm

I can't imagine the embarassment.

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 11:48pm

*sigh* Three phones during Three Days of Rain tonight. That's, like, one for every day of rain.

[LouW95]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:01am

Cell phones, talkers during the show, seat kickers, candy eater snd other rude behavior are becoming more common each week. It seems the remote control generation cant sit still and focus on a performance without some food, talking or moving.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:32am

I hate the behavior commonly displayed in anything having to be respectful to others. I won't even step foot in a movie theater and I'm even noticing it in regular theaters, which are supposed to be even more sacred, about 90% more I believe

I love Pattis attitude against that person, I think they are totally wrong and I honestly get so mad whenever I have to personally deal with one in my presence, it is a pain for EVERYONE. However, the one thing I disagree with is Patti taking it upon herself during a performance where she has to create a character to step out of 1800's England and bring herself into an audience that has cellphones. I don't know, its my personal opinion that the ushers handle the physical audiences while whatever is going on onstage has to create for me a new world with new characters. Its hard for me to get taken into a story when the storytellers brings me out of it by giving more attention to something I am already trying hard to ignore. By having them deal with it, that is what ultimately makes me lose focus.
If I was there, I probably would have laughed like "Oh my God Patti LuPone is kicking his ass!" (However, I'd prefer it if she did Merman style!). However, if I was a first timer to the show, I would probably be really pissed at both of them. She has good intentions, but she needs to remember when it is time to do that. I understand it is hard for her and probably annoys her, but it shouldn't be that hard to restrain herself and think about the integrity of the story

*DISCLAIMER* The above thread contains thoughts only belonging to C is for Company and are not in any way meant to offend anybody. The opinions= not facts, are being said on a public forum which is the purpose of one in the first place. Thank you

Sorry for the sarcasm but after seeing what people said on this thread, I'm actually nervous about saying my 2 cents, my opinion. Don't kill me please.

Updated On: 4/14/06 at 12:32 AM

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:38am

yay for Patti! It completely breaks an actors concentration if you attempt to ignore it and kills the moment. I am happy to say no cell phones have ever went off during any performances I have attended * I can't say the same for the shows I was in*

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:39am

Typically actors DO ignore it and if they can handle it, it keeps the moment intact. But by purposefully dragging the audience out of it, I think thats one of the worst case scenario things to do

PS: I wish I had your luck with no cellphones ringing in an audience

Updated On: 4/14/06 at 12:39 AM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:13am

Patti breaking character didn't ruin the show. The idiot that let their phone ring for so long that someone HAD to say something screwed it up for everyone. Don't put this on her, the show was already ruined once the phone started to ring.

Updated On: 4/14/06 at 01:13 AM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:23am

Whenever a phone rings in the theater, no matter how annoying, just stare intently on whomever is speaking and just focus as hard as you can on that. Phones absolutely suck in the theater, nothing is worse than a person who doesn't know enough to turn it off during a show. But the least you can do if they aren't around you is to just try and ignore it, or if it is that bad go seek an usher to immediately handle the problem.

[Cenoern]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:23am

If you are able to watch a show unfazed by the ring of a person's cell phone in the audience, you are one of the lucky few.

For the rest of us normal folk, the fault is on the idiot who left the cell phone on. Patti did well.
Updated On: 4/14/06 at 01:23 AM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:27am

Alright then, I guess I just have more of an immunity to distractions when I'm in a theater, I like to be immersed in what I am watching.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:31am

What happens when the person answers their phone and starts speaking? Then which speaking person do I stare at?

I think getting up to find an usher- especially if you're in the middle of a row or something- is much more disruptive than a cell phone ringing. Not to mention the resulting conversation with an usher in the back of a theater. I think it's completely ridiculous to lecture us on what WE should do when we're the ones whose theatre experience is being ruined.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:35am

Umm I'm giving you a suggestion on something that is disruptive for a lot of people isn't lecturing. You have proven yourself to be really nasty and pretentious whenever it comes to something relating to me.
You immediately take everything I say to offend and it bothers me getting responses like what you jstu gave me when I'm offering up alternatives. Just chill out

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:42am

If you would look, I've had the same exact response to everyone else in this thread that suggested Patti is at fault for breaking character. It's not about you personally, it's about your opinion.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:50am

Well in that case I am considerably less offended, I would rather you dislike one opinion I hold rather than me as a whole(lets hope that isn't the case either). Sorry you don't like it, I just have different expectations I guess? idk of what should have went down.

But alas, her actions make no difference to how much we love Patti and for having the balls to stop cell phone offenders one patron at a time

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 9:29am

*sigh* Three phones during Three Days of Rain tonight. That's, like, one for every day of rain.

I can't believe that, this is crazy. I really wish theatres would block cell phone signals. I really don't get how hard it is to just shut the damn thing off.

Oh, and Skittles, we're just expressing our opinions, I don't see why you need to argue it, as if your snide remarks are going to get us to conform to your thoughts.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 11:16am

It's stupid for some of you to be making such a big deal that she broke character.

Those damn Wicked witches broke character atleast several times a week at a performance. Everyday you read this board, there was a different post how they broke character, over the most STUPID stuff.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 11:25am

OMG I know. I think Shoshana and JLT were the worst. Though you're making it sound that you brought them up to prove to me that people the I like do it too. haha

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:22pm

ljay, please don't compare the acting choices made in Wicked to Sweeney :) that would be like comparing how Gwen Verdon and Melanie Griffith were in Chicago! And I can attest to the latter and lets just say it took me 2 years to want to go back and see it! lol

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:25pm

and then see it like 3 more times!

[lilprima2b]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:45pm

On the subject of Sweeney audiences, I saw it from the first row in the orchestra on Tuesday (BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE, just for the record) and before the show, the house manager told our row that the cast was asking us not to eat during the performance. I was kind of horrified that they had to even ask that... I didn't realize it was common practice to EAT in the theatre.

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 12:50pm

I wish theatre bars would stop selling Lemonheads, mints and the like. Good gracious, can people not go 90-120 minutes without stuffing their face?

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 1:06pm

I don't get it either. It's so distracting, everything they sell.

Twizzlers : That stupid rapper . . .
Lemonheads : People try to get one out by tilting the box and it makes SO MUCH noise!
Milk Duds: People drop them and they stain the rugs.
Ahhhh, I wish they only sold water bottles . . .