Traditions when seeing a show- Page 2

[Plum]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 3:59pm

Since I usually go to shows in chunks- seeing something like 5 in a week, then none for 2 months- I get the "same Playbill" situation a lot. It's annoying. :)

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 4:13pm

When I lived in New York growing up (I'm currently a senior in college), I had several rituals. I almost always went with my mom (isn't that cute?), and we often at at Oolie's. I'd usually go in the two big theater stores, Theatre Circle (an awesome place), and the one at the Marquis Theatre (which was usually a disappointment). After each show I'd make sure I got a couple copies of the Playbill, as I was a big collector. I still keep up with my collection from time to time, and probably have somewhere between three or four-hundred different shows (of course I only saw some of these, many I bought on eBay or got from a Broadway insider I knew). I miss Broadway! I'm going again this April when I visit my brother at NYU...

[kec]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 4:24pm

Like a few others, I like to get to the theatre 30 minutes early. Get to my seat, look at the program, and do any other "necessary" things prior to the curtain going up.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 4:56pm

I always gather as many Playbills as I can, including ones that people near me have left. Hey, if they don't want them, I'll take them!

I also always buy the large programs that they sell. I LOVE to look at those! When I saw BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, I bought the large program and I remember seeing pictures of the Toronto cast that had some small actress playing Belle. Her name was Kerry Butler. A few years later, I hear about her playing Audrey in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and I remembered the name, so I checked the program and there she was! Who knew she would turn out to be one of my favorite actresses??

[B.B. Wolf]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 4:58pm

I say a prayer for the performers as the lights are going down that nobody will get hurt.

If they fall flat on their ass, sing poorly or forget lines and make a fool out of themselves, hey that's show biz. Just so long as nobody gets hurt.
And, no, I wasn't there when Idina fell in the hole. So there's your explanation why it happened.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 5:00pm

I almost always arrive early as to read the Playbill cover to cover.

[babygiraffeboots]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 5:33pm

Does standing up quickly the second the lights start to flicker so my horribly crappy knees don't lock or hurt to much while I sit there count? I'd say going to the stagedoor but I don't do that for every show. I also have a tendancy to make sure I know whose playing all the leads, I'll cumpolsively look back an forth through the playbill examining the cast. My ocd would probably kick in way too much if I set specific tradtions for every show so I just try to enjoy everything around me as much as possible. One thing I love about seeing a show, it lessens my ocd a bit. I know I'm crazy.

Updated On: 2/23/05 at 05:33 PM

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 5:52pm

I too like to arrive early for a show (I got to the theatre to see peter pan with ONE minute to spare, and I was really stressed). I like to take my time climbing the stairs (if im in the balcony) and looking around the theatre. I then skim through my playbill and see if anyone is absent or not. I get my binoculars in focus and just look around my surroundings. It gets me in the frame of mind to get ready to watch the show instead of rushing to your seat out of breath.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 6:10pm

I also like to arrive early. Then the there is the Ladies Room issue. I always go before because you can forget about that at intermission. While I was growing up, I used to call my grandmother in Brooklyn to tell her about the show. She is long gone and I miss those calls to her.

[lvpblues]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 6:14pm

I usually raid the music stores along Times Square for a couple hours beforehand and then have a grilled chicken caesar salad - a personal tradition.

[ElTico68]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 6:17pm

Well... whenever I'm going to see a show (B'way or tour):

Dress up nice... not suit/tie nice, but no jeans/sneakers either

Listen to the cast recording on the way there

Nice dinner beforehand and some nice place... not too heavy 'cause you don't want to fall asleep during the show

Definitely drinks afterwards to chat about the show.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 10:13pm

Umm...let's see...since I bought them, I always where one of my 4 Broadway shirts to any show I go to...Wicked, Rent, Avenue Q, or Miss Saigon. If I'm with a friend, we usually stop by the Toys 'R Us superstore before the show. And if i go with my mom, I'm always no less than 40 minutes early-we drive and she says she always has to take traffic into account so I'm doomed to always be early. I have no problem getting there when the doors open but it's really annoying sitting and waiting half an hour waiting for the doors to open. Oh well, it's still worht it to see a show I guess.

[LyTeMyCanDyI]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 10:21pm

I forgot a few...
I will read through every cast members bio and see if I've seen them before. If I'm with a friend, I'll talk non-stop about how person X was in show Y and was fabulous, but person A who I saw twice in Shows B and C was dreadful. Then I'll tell whoever I'm with to please turn off their phone. Lately I've been goingwith my friends, so I'll call my mom to tell her I'm in the theater and beg for a ride home. Before the show, I go to Toys R Us and use their very clean, uncrowded bathroom. Then I get to the show as early as I can to sit anxiously and wait. I almost missed Wicked becuase my mom drives slow. Since then, I get there early. Ok...done.

[centerstage]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 10:27pm

When I go to the city with my friends we always stop to eat at Ruby Foo's on 51st(?) Last Feb, we went to Little Shop (It was our first time seeing a show all together) and we had the option of Ruby Foo's or TGI Fridays, so we went with Ruby Foo's and it stuck. My friends mom always drives us in, and recently our trips have included her grandma and her aunt, whom I have adopted as my own (sorry dear) Depending on the show, how late it is, what day it is, who was in the show, and what we are doing tomorrow, we usually go to the stage door.

When I go with my family, we ALWAYS eat at Trattoria Trecolori (they know us by name, its so nice to walk into a NYC restaurant and be greeted with welcome back mr & mrs and family) WE always park at the hippodrome, and since my parents prefer matinees because they dont keep the lil sis out to late, we have begun to go to stage doors too. My dad LOVES it!

Edit: and of course, I always get a t-shirt or a cd, b/c I LOVE my b-way souveniors(spelling sooo wrong!) and I always donate to BC/EFA if its the right time of year. My parents like to get the posters, but we only managed to get the autographed Man of La Mancha one...I LOVE IT! My little sister wanted the I <3 Anatevka shirt, but she didnt understand you dont wear it...

Updated On: 2/23/05 at 10:27 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 10:28pm

I usually stop in Theater Circle or Broadway New York just to have a look around; get to the theater at least 45 minutes before so im first in line and #1 in the bathroom, get to the seat and steal a dozen or so playbills while the ushers arent looking.

[LittleRed00]

Posted: 2/23/05 at 10:30pm

I always try to look nice, and get there a half hour before the show (it never ceases to amaze me how many people just can't get to the theater on time!). Then I make sure everyone who came with me has turned off their cell phones, I buy a souvenir program, go to the bathroom (learned the hard way after almost missing "Forget About the Boy" when I saw "Millie" because of the line for the bathroom!!), then read as much of the Playbill as I can, starting with the actors' bios. And I always make sure I can see...I'm 4'11", so I always make sure the person in front of me isn't too tall, and I usually end up switching with someone I came with...but always before the lights go down!