Times article regarding eating in the theatre — Page 4

"Before you know it, we'll have peanut vendors walk through the audience during the show: One More Dawn, One More Day, One Day...Peanuts, get your peanuts!"

Seriosuly, LOL.

Money is relative Wanna be but it also gives people an excuse to say "well, I paid X amount of dollars, I have the right to bring it to my seat". I also think that the general theater going population (tourists) don't really see the value of live theater as opposed to films. For instance, many poeple I know when they inquire how often I go to the theater are curious as to why I don't just spend 1/3 and see a movie. They don't see the difference so of course they are going to act the same way. On top of that, theaters are encouraging it which doesn't help at all. I've been lucky in that I've only had one worst theater experience and suprise suprise it was at a Disney show (Mary Poppins) in which they accomadated the rudeness of the tourists and appealed to their every wim. I was afraid to say anything at first but if it ever happens agian, you bet I'll say something right then and there. I learned my lesson.

"Some idiot VP named Jim Boese of the Nederlander Organization is quoted as saying 'It's a reflection of changing audience habits. This is part of a broader attempt to enhance the audience experience'. "

Oh and I can translate that statement:
"See, the Nederlander Organization really doesn't care about what the audience does in the theater as long as they are paying roughly up to $120 per ticket. if they pay, we really don't care how they dress, what they do or what they don't do. Money is the only object for us so we will continue to put crappy shows on stage and not really care what people say as long as they pay".

---

Updated On: 1/7/07 at 12:04 AM

It's true. The sense of entitlement in this country is reaching epic proportions. People having conversations about extremely private matters in extremely loud voices in public. People stopping at the bottom, middle or top of staircases to light a cigarette, make a phone call or pack up a stroller. People fishing for their metrocards at the turnstile, rather than having it ready. People cutting lines left and right. Putting their feet up on subway and train seats. Hogging chairs in crowded Starbucks (and other cafes) for their bags, and bags, and bags...

The list is endless. And now one of the last bastion of civilization is falling prey to the almighty dollar.

I know I'm being cranky here, but JFC! - if they can't stave off starvation for two and a half hours, why are they coming to the theater in the first place?

Rant over.

---

When I went to Evil Dead, they had concessions walking through the aisles, selling food, water and shots. Talk about confusing.

---

I do not approve of eating at the theater. and yet-

Those little ice cream cups they sell at London theatres, are not ALL bad. of course it was better if people were satisfied witht their bottle of water, but those ice cream cups are the next best thing IMO.

an ode to ice-cream cups:
they are small and can be finished pretty quickly (even during the intermission, and they are sounless. no wrappers on, little spoon included. they are consumed quietly and undistractingly. unlike nachos, or whatnot...
i admit, I DID have one ice cream at one show (of all London shows i've seen), and that was... quite okay...

bottom line: no food. if food, ice cream.

---

Everyone eating at their seats cannot possibly be starving. In fact, I'd bet none of them are. It's that as a society, we're conditioned to having a million things going on at once - we can't just sit and thoughtfully take in what's happening in front of us without eating, checking our cell phones, or talking to our friends/spouses/parents.

---

That's a great and amazingly true way of putting it Rath. I suppose it's no different than someone so...starving for a message that they have to check their messages and respond during shows.

But for the most part, I am one of those people. I've gotten so used to mulitasking--studying while listening to music, doing HW while taking notes and participating in class, etc, sometimes I find it hard to just do one thing. Sometimes while watching a TV show I find myself having to doodle or something, even if I am incredibly interested in what's going on in the show.

But that all changes for me when I go to the theatre. There's just so much to take in and pay attention to at theatre, talk about multitasking. Watch the actors, listen to the music, listen to the lyrics, notice the sets, watch the supporting character being funny in the back while the lead is singing, etc. It's just frustrating that society acts in a way that no longer sees theatre as such a special event.

I've always been an advocate of dressing down in theatre, and though that seems to be the least of the problems, I'm beginning to think that if everyone once again dressed up, people would realize it's inappropriate to put your feet up or throw popcorn or drink beer and stuff.

Maybe more and more I'll think of clever things to say to rude audience members. If you're mean and clever, they get pissed, but they'll listen. My personal favorite if necessary: "Excuse me, I did not pay so much money to hear YOU sing, could have done that for free...thanks"

---

It doesn't surprise me that the Nederlander Organization encourages people to buy and eat food in their theatres. Over the years I have noticed a distinct difference between the cleanliness and general conditions of their theatres and the theatres of the Shubert Organization. The latter are restored to their original beauty when needed(the Shubert and the Broadway come to mind)and are kept clean and tidy. I applaud their decision to not allow food in their theatres.Eating and drinking at the seats belongs at the ball park. It was unheard of during the "Golden Years", although audience rudeness with regard to talking has always been a problem. A retort that I once used when the people in back of me kept talking was to say to them, "I'm sorry, but the people on stage are making so much noise that I can hardly hear you." That stopped them.

---

"Before you know it, we'll have peanut vendors walk through the audience during the show: One More Dawn, One More Day, One Day...Peanuts, get your peanuts"

Um, I just said a few posts above yours that at my theater they're already doing that.

---

All those obnoxious FAT tourists most of you seem appalled by PAY your favorite actors' DAMN BILLS. Remember that.

Anytime I've been to London, they allow people to bring food to the seats and it's never been a problem for me.

"All those obnoxious FAT tourists most of you seem appalled by PAY your favorite actors' DAMN BILLS. Remember that."

And they can still pay those bills without shoving a bucket of fried chicken in their mouth.

---

"an ode to ice-cream cups:
they are small and can be finished pretty quickly (even during the intermission, and they are sounless. no wrappers on, little spoon included. they are consumed quietly and undistractingly."

While they may be the quietest food it still bothered the hell out of me. The guy behind me took his sweet time, getting it at the last possible minute before the curtain went up and then proceeded to eat it as slow as possible. Him scraping the spoon on the bottom of the cup everytime he went for a bite made a sound and it drove me insane.

---

Having worked in the U.K., I would like to say that just because it is common practice in London for ice cream vendors to hawk their wares in the theater, that does not mean it is something we want to encourage.

There are Londoners who believe that the real theater is in New York and that we take our theater seriously here. I suppose I would have to question that these days but as someone who has to try to do the best show I can for those who really want to see the show, I find it difficult to ignore the crinkling candy wrappers, swirling ice cubes, snoring patrons, cell phone photographers, and those who share tidbits and observations during the show as if they were alone in the theater, rather than sotto voce.

Perhaps my opinion will raise some hackles but let me just say that to defend any or all of these behaviors (or the house decision to allow these behaviors)is typically self-serving. We have become a society that wants what it wants when it wants it whether it is appropriate or not and while I may have to accept that as a performer I do not have to agree with it or believe it is a valid position.

I'd like to think that there are still some parents out there teaching the next generation about manners and respect. As for the person who is hypoglycemic, let me speak from personal experience to say that, as you have said, you can choose foods that do not have a strong smell, foods that you do not have to unwrap loudly and foods that are easy to pop in your mouth and chew without bothering the person sitting next to you or the actors.

With what I have seen from the stage in the recent past, I would not be surprised to see waiters serving hot food and cocktails to patrons in their seats by next year. Las Vegas: Here we come.

---