Two Drunk Women Kicked Out of 'Rock of Ages'--10/2/09

[LesMizazz]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 2:20am

Tonight was my first time seeing the show from a partial view lotto seat. I enjoyed the show a lot, but right off the bat I was distracted by two girls in the very front seats of the house (right in front of the stage). They were standing in their seats and being incredibly rowdy, moreso than you should for a Broadway show.

Apparently, more people were distracted and the usher had to come over and tell the girls to stop their flailing-like dancing. It didn't seem to stop them, so then the House Manager got involved. Still didn't stop them, so the Stage Door security came over and first it was one and then two of them. The security guy spent a few moments talking to them and then walked away, but again, the girls started dancing and being obnoxious.

They finally brought in a cop and the girls were a little resistant but finally got up and were escorted out of the theatre by the cop, the 2 security guys, the House Manager, and an usher.

It was really funny, because they were escorted out right at a convenient time for Constantine to ad-lib and say "this song is dedicated to the two drunk girls who are leaving".

At the Stage Door afterwards, the security guy was saying the were just being very obnoxious, drunk, and uncooperative, which is why they were escorted out. They did not pay attention to the people who were trying to stop them, they were knocking over their drinks onto people, and apparently they were getting too close to the actors.

And since it was my first time, I had a moment where I thought the escort was a part of the show (especially when Constantine commented on it).

[scott68]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 2:25am

How weird that two trashy drunk girls were thrown out of a show that encourages trashy drunkenness!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 2:28am

I bet they ended up second acting Wicked.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 2:34am

Just last night Seth was talking about the audiences at Rock of Ages. He had some Toxic cast members and they were discussing how you can bring drinks into their theatre as well. Jonathan Root talked about how polite the Toxie audiences are about their drinks. Seth didn't really say anything specifically other than to discuss a guy who had sat front row at ROA with a huge bag of candy. But it was quite obvious that he didn't care for the ROA audiences at all. And that's a big reason why I've been dragging my feet about seeing the show. If I see a show it's to see the show - not have drinks spilled on me, listen to people singing along, or what not.

Updated On: 10/3/09 at 02:34 AM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 3:02am

LOL, these ROA stories are too funny!

But I think laughed harder when some user said they threw up on their seats or something like that...LOL!!!

I am dying to see this show.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 4:57am

Eris, After having seen the show a couple of times on Broadway I can tell you that it isn't like the audience is rowdy drunk and passing drinks constantly across a row etc. In fact there is minimal distraction from the waitstaff who are selling the beers. For the most part people are very mature about the whole process and the whole thing has changed dramatically between its off Broadway run and the run on Broadway with regards to the drinks. When it was at New World it was as if the drinking and partying came first and it was as if the show was just there in the background for people to pay attention to when they wished. On Broadway, the people are there for the show but look at the whole notion of being able to bring a beer to their seat to be an added bonus.

Yes, there are times during a given performance where the audience gets into it and cheers at a given point in the show or get into the rock music. However, it is very clear from watching that the cast is enjoying that kind of reaction and it is very clear that they enjoy it when it does happen.

[TheresaG]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 5:49am

I agree with much of what Winston posted above. But I can also say that I saw the show a number of times off-Broadway when the audience was well behaved. There were some incidents that occured there, but not every time.

And it has been a decent acting audience every time I've been on Broadway. The show is a lot of fun, well worth seeing.

[BlueforBroadway]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 7:57am

Having been to the show both on and off Broadway, I can agree with Winston. I think the New World Stages was definitely heavy in the drink selling business. There was much more in the seat drink purchase.

At the Brooks, I see the waiters get the drinks before the show and at intermission. Then they make one pass up the aisle per act to make sure everyone is set.

I've not see the show as much as some, but I can say I have only been to one show where someone was obviously drinking more than he should have.

I'm glad those girls were removed from the audience.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 8:09am

Trash welcomes trash. Broadway got what it wanted and now has to deal with it's ugly repercussions. If you want class instead, there is a first rate production of THE ROYAL FAMILY right across the street. Oh, but wait...classy isn't cool anymore. How disgusting!

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 8:23am

one night last weekend they threw 6 people out for pretty much the same thing. I was in SRO with a friend and we set the over/under on the number of people being kicked out that night at 12. there was a rather large group (3-4 rows) of people in the back of the house left orchestra. they were routy before the show and apparently one woman started a fight with another woman who had complained about them.

[saveusmike]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 8:56am

Eh I cant say I really agree with the comments about it not being that distracting.

I am basing it off of my one time seeing the show but I heard similar stories from others here as well..

My first time seeing ROA a group of middle aged drunk white women were sitting right next to me and my friend. Througout the entire first act they (along with other people) kept getting up to get beers which is EXTREMLY anoyying if you have to stand about 5-6 times during just one act. Not only did they keep going to get beers but they found it nessecary to sing and dance for every song the SORTA knew the words too.


At intermission a older woman got a usher to complain and one of the women saw who told the usher and she kept shouting at the older woman from her seat how she was a "rat" and she needed to "lighten up"

All this happend during the same show where a woman with a pink wig found it nessecary to stand up and dance for every song, she was in the first row mind you.

Me and my friend had no idea if she was in the show or whatever the case.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 9:06am

Trash welcomes trash.

Please. Rowdy drunks at a Broadway show or even a national tour is nothing new. When I saw Rock of Ages, nothing like this occurred.

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 9:19am

saveusmike: being friends with the "woman in the pink wig" and having seen the show many times with her, she does not dance "during every song". if anything it was "Don't Stop Believing" when, you know the actors come out into the audience and encourage audience members to stand up.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 9:28am

When I saw it, two drunk bitches kept throwing drinks at the audience from their box seats. It was kinda funny but trashy.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 9:38am

Drunken or just plain bad disruptive behavior has no place in the theater and management should immediately remove anyone displaying it.

It doesn't matter what kind of show it is. If people are getting drunk from the theater bar, management needs to seriously slow down the sale of alcohol.

The two times I went I didn't see bad or disruptive behavior. If I had it would have bothered me too.

ROA management: It's your show, take control d*mn it!

[leefowler]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 10:01am

I'm I the only one who would really like to see Rock Of Ages, but I'm afraid of the drunken ill-behaved audience a show like this inevitably attracts?

[singtopher]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 10:01am

According to friends who work for ROA, this happens every now and again.

[NakedMaid]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 10:03am

Guys! Remember MOST of these people are coming to the theatre ALREADY drunk.
Its one of the issue that has been discussed since day one! There are monthly meetings about these issues and the management has not given up on trying to fix the problem.
There's a really blurry line between what is encouraged by the producers and what is grounds for annoyance from surrounding patrons.
Singing along and dancing in the seats is something the producers want!
Drunk patrons is NOT what they - its just really difficult to tell the difference sometimes.
In all of the instances mentioned in this thread, management and most times the security have intervened. Which means the problem patrons are being taken care of. But you can't tell me that you've never been to another bway show where people weren't rowdy or seen patrons kicked out! I have a MUCH worse time at wednesday matinees hearing the blue-hairs repeat every line or the sound of those damn hearing devices not working!
I'd hate for people not to see this extremely fun show because in a year of running (bway and off) there have been a 10 or so incidents.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 11:11am

And this is why you don't have alcohol vendors walking up and down the aisles of theatres!

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 11:16am

It's just a return to the "old style" of theater, which was an experience and event as much as a show.

Shakespeare did it, the opera did it, but now it's a "sit, be still, be quiet and watch the show like a movie theater" type of thing. Is it better? Sometimes, sometimes not.

And I didn't realize that they encouraged singing along and dancing in the seats during the show. I thought it was just something someone did. It's interesting to know there's still a show with that anarchic, "Rocky horror all year 'round" feel.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 11:33am

Thank you for posting this. It just reinforces what I think about ROA and the people who go see it.

[Leia947]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 11:58am

I believe that was me who told about the girl who threw up right behind me. All over the floor and seat. It's a shame that people's stupid behavior take away from the show... because it's not as horrible as people seem to think it is. It's actually very fun. I do think they need to stop the drink service to the seats.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 12:05pm

Gee, drunk, trashy, sluts at a trashy show. Surprise, surprise. They should have thrown them out at the first instance of acting disorderly.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 12:34pm

How come overly drunk people end up in the front row dancing obnoxiously? I had an experience with drunk people as well dancing obnoxiously in the front row - at Chita Rivera: A Dancer's Life out of all shows!

Updated On: 10/3/09 at 12:34 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/3/09 at 12:42pm

It just reinforces what I think about ROA and the people who go see it.

Really? Please elaborate on your opinion of every person who has seen the show.