Ushers & Security Guards Roaming Around Theaters While Talking, Texting etc.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 10:15am

Is this a fairly new phenomenon? I mean, I can always remember there being a time or two with an annoying employee at a theater but it does seem to me that in the past few years theater employees have become, not so much rude, but totally lacking in knowing how to do their jobs. They seat people and give them playbills just fine but once the performance starts, they're like five year olds. Running back and forth talking, in and out of the theater, hovering behind you (which to me is the absolute worst), and now texting.


This past week I've seen quite a few shows and have become furious a few times.

LYSISTRATA JONES - The Walter Kerr has by far the rudest employees. I've said it on here before but they have no idea how to do their jobs. They run around in the back of the house talking and laughing, not caring that they're not whispering. One usher the other night apparently knew two people sitting next to me in the mezz so she sat down right in back of us and was talking to them the entire second act while sharing candy and when she wasn't talking, she was texting. The others were in and out and in and out and in and out of that LOUD door on the left side of the rear mezz. It's not a silent door so they MUST know how loud it is when it's opened every 30 seconds.

FOLLIES - The doors going into the mezz need to be altered. I've said this for years. They are SO loud and these ushers (like the ones at the Kerr) are in and out and in and out and in and out for the entire show. You can hear them opening and closing halfway down the mezzanine for 3 hours . Why can't an usher just be stationed inside the theater for the entire performance? They stand in the back talking and the other day when she was bored with the show she texted throughout it. With about 20 minutes left, (I was in the last row) one usher came in stood right behind me, resting his head on the ledge next to mine. I turned at one point and it scared the hell out of me. This man's head with inches from mine and he was just staring at me. It was like something out of a horror movie, I seriously almost screamed. It's called personal space, you dipshlt.


A few other theaters are as guilty as these are such as The Shubert and the Broadhurst where the security people think once a show starts it's time for them to talk on their phones.

But I guess my point to this is, why aren't ushers trained on how to behave anymore? Or at the very least why aren't the rules enforced? Half the "shushing" I hear now in a theater is directed at ushers and security people. It's all just so stupid.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 10:29am

The doors going into the mezz need to be altered. I've said this for years. They are SO loud and these ushers (like the ones at the Kerr) are in and out and in and out and in and out for the entire show. You can hear them opening and closing halfway down the mezzanine for 3 hours.

Yes!! I've had the same problem there. It's so effin annoying. Especially when they do it during a quiet/dramatic moment. Grrrr.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 10:34am

Did you complain to any of the house managers? Just curious to see what their reaction would be to it. Personally, I've been rather lucky and haven't had any problems like this but the only way to change anything is if they receive a lot of complaints about it. Maybe a mass email to the managers of the theatres would help.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 10:36am

Joe, I stopped going to house managers a long time ago. Their verbal form letters mean nothing. They might as well just say to me

"Dear Sir or Madam, we are sorry for your experience in your theater and we promise we will look into your concern and take whatever action is needed so that you will continue to have an enjoyable experience in our theater. Thank you for taking the time to write and express your concern.
Sincerely,
House Manager"

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 10:43am

The ones that hover are probably hoping to catch bootleggers...



I was annoyed a bit at Follies back in September with the ushers in the orchestra going in and out of the doors. Idjits.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 11:05am

Interestingly enough, at the Oriental in Chicago while attending Rock of Ages (with twinbelters...WOOT!), I noticed a woman pull out her phone and check her texts or email or whatever. Within about 30 seconds, an usher came down the aisle and insturcted her to turn off her phone. I was mightily impressed. Probably because it should be the norm, but it's actually quite rare. And it didn't happen again. It was handled quickly and quietly with no fuss. Seriously, that man should get a bonus.

[AMH]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 11:11am

I'm fairly new to the Broadway scene, so I haven't attended that many shows...yet. That said, I didn't notice any of this going on at the performances I have seen. I sat in the orchestra during Follies a couple weeks ago and thought everyone behaved appropriately. But I'll have to keep an eye out for this.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 12:17pm

I am amused at how often ushers get blamed for behavior that is actually often caused by other theater employees. Yet they are the only ones who ever get in trouble/blamed for it. Merchandise, security, bar staff and cast/crew are often going back and forth through the house during the performance as well (an usher may or may not be coming back or going to their break, or scouring the house looking for cameras upon instruction, etc.) Not saying there aren't ushers who don't do that, but in my experience it is rarer that noise from the house is from an usher than it is from other staff. In fact, I would argue that most distractions are caused by bar staff and erchandise staff than the ushers. Those staff members are frequently going through the house at many theaters, because they don't have much to do suring the performance.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 2:48pm

Walter Kerr employees do suck. They are absolutely terrible. During American Idiot, at the St. James, one time I had rush seats in the last row of the orchestra and it was during a snow storm, so there were empty seats in a better seat on the isle a few rows up. The usher heard my friend and I talking about moving and yelled at us for even considering it. The people never even showed up (her concern). Then during the performance she was just chatting with her friend off to the side, occasionally pointing out audience members and clearly talking about them.

The Broadway Theater, though, has some great ushers. There is an Asian lady, I wish I remembered her name. During both Shrek and Sister Act she has performed her duties, and managed the audience with some strictness, but it was never rude or mean. There is another African American lady, usually in the back of house right who is the nicest person. When I wanted an extra playbill, she handed me 3 or 4, told me where the bathroom was and just had common courtesy that others lack. I find the bar tenders are often rude, but most of the merchandise people are great. At the Belasco during WOTV, a merch guy in the mezzanine was so kind, giving my friend and I information on the show's production history, what's happening after the show closes, etc.

There's my rant. Maybe the Jujamycyn company needs to get rid of all of the employees, top to bottom! (sorry, had to use a quote from a show that is playing another Jujamcyn theate)

[gypsy4]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 2:59pm

The Staff at The New Amsterdam was kind and generous.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 3:07pm

Jordan-I have yet to have that problem.

For the record, I like an usher who takes their job very seriously. I LOVE a theatre run like a tight ship.

I love ushers who scold slobs for putting their coats on the mezz railing, putting their belongings on a stage and taking photos, etc.

There is an African American female usher who works at the Booth who I am in love with. She is a wicked bitch if you are a moron, but she is soft as butter when you talk to her.

She ripped a guy a new one who placed his coat onstage at Other Desert Cities but then proceeded to have the loveliest conversation with me as she recognized me from all my visits to Next To Normal.

I told her I adored her and she said, "people get more foolish by the day and someone has to remind them how to be respectful in the theatre."

Proper theatre behaviors starts with the tone of the ushers. If they treat it like a free for all, its all over.
Amen.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 3:33pm

I got reamed out by a patron after I asked him to place his jacket on the back of his chair (it was on a railing). He threw it on the chair behind him. When I asked him to remove it from there and put it on his chair, he got up and demanded my name so that he could complain to my superiors about how I was a pain in the ass. I shut him down with the help of some other patrons.

Love me, Bettyboy, love me!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 3:33pm

"There is an African American female usher who works at the Booth who I am in love with."

I know exactly who you're talking about and I adore her. She should work at the Kerr for one night and whip those ushers asses into shape.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 3:59pm

There is an African American female usher who works at the Booth who I am in love with."

Her name is Marjorie and she is absolutely my favorite usher on all of Broadway. The woman has serious respect for the theater and takes her job very seriously. She is big into theater etiquette. Like Betty said, if you behave poorly in the theater, she lets you know it (she once told a patron who tried to bring Starbucks into the theater, "Are you out of your mind? You must not go to the theater very often!"), but if you are a true theater-lover, she is absolutely one of the kindest, gentlest souls.

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 4:03pm

I've encountered this problem a number of times in recent years in Broadway theatres.

I don't recall it happening off-Broadway.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 4:49pm

Adam, thanks for giving me her name. I have to send her a holiday card. I love her.

To the guy who laid his coat on the stage she said, "What is wrong with you? Are you aware that is a STAGE! Show some respect sir." She then proceeded to smile and wink at me. I was immediately smitten.

[AMH]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 5:06pm

There is an African American female usher who works at the Booth who I am in love with. She is a wicked bitch if you are a moron, but she is soft as butter when you talk to her.

This woman sounds amazing! I'll have to go see OTHER DESERT CITIES just so I can see her in action.

[ghostlight4]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 5:13pm

I wished she'd been at the Longacre earlier this week when I watched a woman in the first row use the stage as her personal space to set her purse, umbrella, and show program while removing her coat and getting settled. Or the man at the LAByrinth space last weekend who walked THROUGH the set, tripping on a floor-mounted light (which he looked at as if it had been the light's fault), which a technician then had to come out and readjust. Or the young woman at the United Airlines Theatre last month who pulled a bag of potato chips out of her purse mid-act and crunched away, oblivious, as if she were watching a ball game on TV. People are unbelievable, and I'm always thankful when ushers set them straight.

But, to address the original topic — yes, I have encountered the occasional noisy theatre staff member (and the equally annoying "noisy door" usage), but, as someone else pointed out, it's rarely been the ushers doing this.



Updated On: 11/18/11 at 05:13 PM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 7:02pm

Jordan, At Hugh Jackman, Sunday, the security were extremely annoying. Constantly talking to each other and moving about this place and that place. I was standing at the back of the orchestra, so they did all this within view. My $26.50 may not be a big deal, but the customers who paid for the last two rows of the orchestra, I'm sure could not have been happy. On another note, shouldn't the ushers have some knowledge of the cast of the show? At Follies, I asked two ushers if a cast member was in and they both told me they did not know any of the cast members, except the four leads. I'm sure on a brand new show this can be forgiven, but night after night seeing the same show, they should have some knowledge.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 7:05pm

I could care less if Ushers know about the cast in a show as long as they do their job, shut the fvck up and stay still (unless they need to go somewhere) while the show is on.

And in another thread I just posted about my utter hatred for the Broadhurst security.

[Elder Katt]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 7:54pm

Updated On: 11/26/13 at 07:54 PM

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 8:25pm

There's an obnoxious house manager at the St. James that I wrote about a few years back. It still puts me in a bad mood whenever I see her there.

[Elder Katt]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 8:52pm

Updated On: 11/26/13 at 08:52 PM