Theater Etiquette-GRRR — Page 4

Now I go to the theatre all the time. I've seen just about everything in New York and London and I always make a point of dressing smartly, mainly because I never have to dress up and it keeps a night at the theatre special.

Many times my outfits have been commented on by other patrons. At The Drowsy Chaperone in NY and Crazy For You in London I wore striped blazer and wingtip shoes and people thought I was in the show and was going to suddenly jump out of my seat and join in.

At La Cage Aux Folles in NY I got a comment from the stage (from one of the dancers) about my outfit and at The Boy From Oz my suit got me a part in the show! Hugh Jackman said he thought I was one of the smartest blokes he'd ever seen in a theatre, he got me walking up and down the aisle like a model, I danced with him (bumping and grinding) and he even got me to give him a kiss!

So sometimes (especially if you don't mind being the centre of attention like me) it pays to dress up a bit.

People are offended by jeans at a broadway show? Have you folks that have a problem with jeans looked at the GAP/Guess/Express price tags these days?A nice fashionable pair costs about the same as a ticket does these days!

Updated On: 3/14/08 at 11:06 PM

Updated On: 5/7/09 at 11:40 PM

I see Phantom of the Opera just about every other week it seems like and I ALWAYS wear jeans.

While I completely understand where people are coming from when they talk about how back in the day everybody dressed up and all that, I am starting to resent that notion for theater-going.

I think of going to theater as an everyday regular thing. I dont like to think of it as a special night or an occasion that warrants formal or even semiformal dress.

Common sense dictates that you won't roll around in mud before you go to a show, but, thankfully Broadway is no longer a place of elitism, tuxedos, and blue-haired old ladies. So come as you are--and think of Broadway not as a fancy exclusive place--think of it as an artistic, creative world where you can dress how you want.

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I think texting during the show is the most annoying thing ever. Tonight at Gypsy, there was a girl who was clearly uninterested in the show (looked like her parents forced her to go) and she texted the entire show. There's nothing worse than watching Patti get ready to do "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and then seeing a bright light in the corner of your eye. VERY distracting. The ushers spoke with her parents at intermission, but they didn't seem to care. The girl wiped her phone right out and someone yelled, "Put that away!" The phone never came back out.

Common sense dictates that you won't roll around in mud before you go to a show, but, thankfully Broadway is no longer a place of elitism, tuxedos, and blue-haired old ladies. So come as you are--and think of Broadway not as a fancy exclusive place--think of it as an artistic, creative world where you can dress how you want.

Finally, a theatre etiquette thread that touches upon A NEW AND INTERESTING TOPIC.

I think there's definitely something of note here -- those who think the notion of "theatre isn't special" is good, and those who think it's bad. It makes me think of the marketing for Baz Luhrmann's La Bohème -- you lure in non-opera fans by saying it's not like all the other operas, and yet you alienate the opera fans by saying it's not like all the other operas. You can't please everybody.

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It's interesting, it's not like I don't think theater isn't special anymore because I go frequently. I do think it's special and I feel privileged I get the opportunity but I suppose I don't equate that with having to dress up to show my respect for theater. I show my respect by going and being a good patron.

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Now I wish I'd worn pajamas to The Pajama Game!