The horror of standing ovations on Broadway. It's getting awful. — Page 2

I have occasionally stood to see the curtain call and for no other reason. But I will typically only stand for a performance that wows me. At CHAPLIN, I stood when McClure came out - because he is astonishing and deserved it.

---

I'm sure that some people stand up because they loved the show, but I think more stand up simply because, as PalJoey said, it's the new way of applauding. I saw the obligatory standing ovations in the Midwest before they started happening in New York. There was an article about them in our local paper. The journalist asked someone why he always stood and was told that the actors might think he didn't like the show if he didn't stand. I don't know why applause stopped being enough. I find it hilarious when actors and others promoting a show will cite the standing ovations as evidence of the show's quality. I mean, what doesn't get a standing ovation? I stand up because I like to see the curtain calls and, occasionally, because I loved the show. It bothers me that there is now no way to recognize and pay tribute to something truly exceptional.

Applause becoming a convention as opposed to the expectation that applause will be withheld if you are not WOWED is fairly new also. Conventions change over time- all the complaining in the world won't fix the fact that as time goes on, standing ovations will probably replace applause as the polite curtain call convention. But if that happens, audiences will develop a new way of showing extreme appreciation as opposed to simple respect for effort spent.

As someone who has never been physically capable of giving a standing ovation (i.e.: paralyzed), it's interesting for me to read these different perspectives. I've always worried that I looked disrespectful for being the only one not standing, & it's actually made me feel quite self-conscious. Buy hey, I guess I've just been on-trend all these years without even knowing it!

I'm in a tour right now, and there are almost always a few people who decide not to stand up. Nobody likes seeing it, because it means we didn't manage to touch those people, but it happens. Few performers are going to take offense to it, but in this day and age the implication of not standing is clear.

Pretty simply, standing o's have become good etiquette in 2012, and not standing sometimes seems a bit pointlessly contrarian to me. I tend to stand in recognition of the performers' and creative team's hard work and talent, if nothing else - I've gone to see shows (Chaplin comes to mind) where my friends and I were bored to tears, but when curtain call came we all stood and applauded.

I think standing ovations are given out to easily, it used to be something had to blow you away to get you up on your feet yet anytime ive gone to NY to watch a show it seems the audience just stand for the sake of it (When i watched Dracula the musical it got a standing ovation....i mean really?)

It's quite different here in the UK, other than the crappy jukebox musicals that get you up by doing a megamix at the end people only seem to stand when the work makes them stand. In recent years ive only stood for American Idiot (a few weeks ago on tour, phenomenal, the audience just lept up and would not stop applauding) and Parade

---

I agree with Pal Joey: standing ovations for everything have become the convention and we might as well get used to it.

At the very least let's stop congratulating ourselves for our superior taste in refusing to stand. Standing is optional, but smugness should be avoided.

Have to say last week when I saw Whos Aftraid of Virginia Woolf? the were only a few standers, there was however a thuderous applause and people shouting "Bravo!". Seemed a delightful change!

---

While I try to only stand for things I believe deserve it, I am never upset that others are standing even if I am not. I also find it hard to NOT stand quite often (one reason being wanting to see the curtain call) as, if the performers gave their best, I want to show them my appreciation. Even if I didn’t enjoy the show, if the performers were up there working hard, I will stand for them (the last one I can think of is “Kinky Boots” – did not think the show deserved a standing ovation but that hard-working cast sure did).

One time I did not stand up was after Patti’s “Rose’s Turn,” although for different reasons. I was in the front row with my mom and sister and when she received a standing ovation we remained seated. However, not because I didn’t feel like she deserved the standing ovation, but rather because I was so blown away I could not stand up. That was the only experience I have ever had like that I wish I could have expressed to Patti my reasoning, as she was probably wondering why the 3 in the front row did not stand.

This thread also reminds me of encores…encores are now expected, rather than demanded by the audience.

I don't care either way if people do this or not. Though, I have stood up at shows if I couldn't see the curtain call. But, that's all that means to me if I hadn't planned to. Interestingly, If I've sat in the very front row of theaters with really low stages and that row was so close to the stage, I don't like to stand up, even if I really liked the show. It just feels weird being practically face to face with the performers. That happened at Xanadu at the Helen Hayes Theatre.

---

This subject has been discussed several times here.

Wholly apart from the merits, or lack thereof, of the shows being accorded these standing ovations, there's the far more important question of courtesy- or in this case, discourtesy-- to the patrons behind you, who either will not be able to see the curtain call, or who will be forced to stand as well, whether they liked the show or not.

Yes, yes..... I know... courtesy towards others: how archaic a notion.

I think that's a fine standard, dramamama, and I certainly don't think you or anyone should be forced to stand.

But at this point, the standing "O" has become so conventional, I have begun to think in terms of what sort of statement am I making by NOT standing along with everyone else. To some degree, the statement is relative: Did I really dislike this performance so much that I have to be the only person who refuses to stand?

Interesting thought, Gaveston.

But I will stick to my guns, I was told a standing ovation is for excellence and that's when I'll wholeheartedly give one.

---