THE COLOR PURPLE Previews — Page 5

I had an experience unlike any other yesterday (Thursday). For those of you who were there and heard a fight break out in the orchestra 5 minutes into the show, I apologize. I'm mortified. But I was involved.

I was sitting behind a group. One was wearing a ridiculous hat he refused to remove despite blocking half the stage. The other started taking photos when the show began. I asked her to stop, she cursed me out, threatened to kill me, shoot me, hit me. Lots of witnesses. I went and got the ushers, who NEVER came down front and never did a damn thing. This woman spent the entire first act turning around and whispering she was gonna "Get" me at intermission. I got security at intermission. Despite multiple sources confirming she threatened to shoot and kill me, she was scolded and allowed to stay for the second act. She spent the entire second act dancing and singing along completely over-the-top, and turning around to see if it was bothering me. And, yes, sneaking photos of the show.

I spent my day emailing/calling/tweeting Telecharge, Shubert Org and Color Purple. Their staff was SO lazy and inept, it's astounding. They did absolutely nothing to fix the situation and just allowed it to continue.

It would be nice if they bother to invite me back and apologize, but I'm sadly not expecting much.

I bought my ticket the day they went on the ADVANCE sale. It was a very early Birthday gift from my mom - she knew that it was the one show I was desperate to see. It's a shame that nearly half a year of anticipation had to lead up to such a disappointing night. 

PLEASE do not let the ushers allow the bad behavior to continue. It's upsetting and frustrating, but PLEASE don't be afraid to speak up because of people like this. None of us should have to deal with it.

^ Wow, I'm so sorry that happened to you! Hearing things like that is infuriating. I hope they get back to you and attempt to remedy the situation.

That is absolutely horrifying.  I'm so sorry that happened!

"Seconds after they sat down, the man reached onto the stage and moved a large set piece over to improve their view. This wasn't good enough, so the man got up again and moved it further over."

You've go to be f*cking kidding me. 

Updated On: 11/13/15 at 10:34 PM

Id sue

I believe anyone can lose it at the drop of a dime. If you're going to reprimand (speaking in general terms, not about theatertrash) a total stranger, you should prepare for whatever consequences may arise. I don't think it should have anything to do with color, you never know how ANYONE is going to react.

There should be no hesitation. It's not the ushers job to confront a patron like that. In a situation involving any kind of threats, verbal or otherwise, the public safety manager should be immediately notified and he or she would be the one to take control of the situation not the usher.

Interesting we only hear about bad audience behavior at this show. Never seen such strong comments about other shows.

Not to pull the racial card, is it simply the type of audience member that attends this show is not the typical theater goer? 

Updated On: 11/14/15 at 07:42 AM

I would normally respond and say that their race AND mine has nothing to do with the conversation. But since they accused me of being a racist and referred to me as "white boy" about 20 times, I guess it does have a lot to do with it. I reminded them that had I been a racist, I wouldn't have spent so much to see The Color Purple. 

I'm not blaming their behavior on their race, though, because I don't believe the two are linked. There are badly behaved people in EVERY race/creed/etc.

And for those asking, I got the ushers because I didn't know where to find the security guards. The ushers promised to send the security guards over - no one ever came for all of Act One. At intermission I sought out the house manager who then sent a security guard over. They placated me, treated me like a child, and allowed a woman making violent threats to stay for the second act. It was appalling. A total nightmare. And some of the worst behavior in a theatre I've ever seen. 

To be entirely honest, ArtMan, I was mortified, beat-red, and very upset. I'm 29, was by myself, and felt incredibly uncomfortable. She got so loud when I asked her to put her phone away that actors on stage were looking over at us. I was mortified and didn't want to draw any more attention away from the stage and to us. 

What was so troubling about it wasn't her initial response, but the continued behavior. Constantly turning around to whisper she was gonna "get" me", telling me I better run when the show was over, flipping me the bird over her shoulder, leaning to her friends and whispering "I'm gonna beat the sh*t out of that fag". It was really just out of control.

While you're right, I probably should've demanded that they called the police, between being embarrassed (I go to theatre at least 5x a week and nothing like this has ever happened to me) and being frightened that it was them against me, I just sat in my seat and took it. What I don't understand is why the house manager and security team didn't call the police. Once the people next to and behind me confirmed that she threatened to kill, shoot and hit me, that should've been their next course of action. But instead they said they'd be right in the corner under the right box, watching, and ready to intervene. They stood there for the first song and then I watched them walk away. That's when she started again. By that point, there was 30 minutes left in the show and I didn't want to disturb the other people around me - who had been disturbed enough - anymore. 

And ljay, I agree with you that I should've been better prepared for the consequences. But why shouldn't we be allowed to ask people to turn off their phones, or take off their hats, or stop talking? At these prices, there's just no excuse for putting up with that kind of BS.

Has anyone from the production/theater/Telecharge responded to you yet?

I know it offends our Liberal and Progressive sensibilities, Evic is absolutely right:

The Black population, generally, does not go to the theater regularly, and thus is unfamiliar with theatre etiquette. It isn't racist to point it out, and reflexively labeling such commentary as "racist" is a surefire way to make sure that nothing ever gets done about it. 

I applaud Iluvtheatertrash for actually standing up to this woman and saying something, because most people wouldn't. And I'm willing to bet that the theater management will do absolutely nothing about it, no matter how many complaints they receive, because somehow someone will criticize any measures taken to combat the issue as "racist". 

If patrons are reaching up onto the stage and moving pieces of the set, that is a potential safety issue for both the actor and the patron, and theater management should do something about it. If people are being loud and disruptive during the show, theater management should do something about it. The problem is that if more and more stories come out like this, and people complain, and the management forces the ushers to crack down on them, I can guarantee that someone, somewhere, will twist it into an issue of "why is the management at an all-black show that is attracting a huge black audience being extra-harsh on that audience?"

And the answer will be, inevitably, that the theatre management is somehow "racist". Call me a pessimist, but that's how I see this playing out, should these issues continue.

Yes, different cultures do react to theatre in different ways. On the whole, serious theater-going is NOT a part of Black American culture, unless a touring "Chitlin' Circuit" show comes to town. They simply don't have years of experience and education as far as etiquette. Of course, I stress that this is speaking in generalities (although it should be quite obvious).

As a performer it is a double-edged sword. Sometimes a majority Black audience can invigorate a show, as the instant feedback and expressiveness can really make things fun. On the other hand--and reports from "Fences", "Trip to Bountiful" "Streetcar" can attest to this...hell I was sitting behind someone eating both fried chicken AND popcorn at Bart Sher's "Joe Turner" revival--a lot of times it can get way out of hand, and disrupt the experience for both performers and audience.

Updated On: 11/14/15 at 10:53 AM