When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a performance? — Page 2

#26

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 3:01am

Worst experience: when the two girls in front of me audibly (VERY audibly, I might add) gave a "woo" during the first notes of "I'm Not That Girl." I just could NOT believe it. It wasn't anyone's last show, nor was anyone notable in the show in the first place.

It's absolutely absurd.

#27

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 3:58am

Worse time for me was probably the time at Rent when someone in the mezz yelled, when Roger (Tim Howar) first walked on, "Tim, I love you, your a** is hot!"

Or maybe it was the time (also at Rent) when people were being so obnoxious, singing, cheering, and shouting lines, that they got yelled at by an usher, the people sitting next to them, and finally house management who threatened to throw them out.

#28

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 6:18am

Well to be fair Viola, we should have expected it..they mooed during lotto.

#29

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 6:42am

the consequence of MTV staging legally blonde as a rock concert.

#30

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 6:57am

Thank you for starting this thread, I so agree. I was watching a video of LBB's last show as Elle and I just commented on how screaming at everything including stuff Laura wasn't even doing was really annoying....I got thumbs downed like 5 times. It's not a rock concert, it's theater, you can cheer but not scream and be like OMIGOD LAURA BELL/IDINA/KRISTIN/ADAM/ETC. I LOVE YOU!!!!!

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~One day, both of you will need my sympathies and will I be there...probably." - Robin De Jesus In The Heights

#31

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 7:56am

"the consequence of MTV staging legally blonde as a rock concert."

Well, the problem has been around longer than that, of course, but that certainly didn't help. Ditto the search for cast members of shows like GREASE on television.

#32

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 9:32am

Idina fans are pretty much a great offender of screaming. I just watched her YouTube performance at ALW's birthday and they were screaming almost all through her "Don't Cry For Me Argentina." Just once, I would love her fans to just respect her and not scream, 'I love you!' Let her finish her bloody song. Dip****s.
I'm seeing her in Toronto in November, my first time seeing her live and I couldn't be more excited! I just hope her fans keep it down.

Eden's last in LA was pretty ridiculous too. Megan was practically having an aneurysm trying to keep it together and patient.

But yes, I do agree when the audience makes it about them, its the greatest crime against the performer. Just so ridiculously rude.

#33

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 10:30am

As annoying as it all is, did anyone here see "The Color Purple"? I saw it twice and most of the audience (who clearly have never been to a show before) were TALKING TO THE CHARACTERS!

"Oh, no, he didn't." "Hit him girl," or "Oh HELLLLLLL NO" were some quotes I remember hearing from the "audience."

I'm not sure which is more obnoxious!

-Vincent

#34

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 10:42am

When Bette Midler was appearing at Radio City Music Hall in 1993, I went with my Mom and Dad. It was a great show with the exception of a woman sitting behind us who felt the need to scream after every number and laugh line uttered by Ms. Midler. She was middle-aged and obnoxious and old enough to know better. At intermission my Mom said "I'm having a wonderful time except for the squealing pig sitting behind me." The woman was much quieter during the second half. I know this was a concert and possibly more acceptable but I loved my Mother's comment. I have however encountered many a "squealing pig" during quite a few of my theatregoing experiences.

Updated On: 9/21/08 at 10:42 AM

#35

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 10:55am

I don't have a problem with people whooping and wooooing during curtain call and during the applause after numbers. I do that myself sometimes. What I have a problem with is the loud obnoxious type of screaming and hollering that certain fans do every time a song starts or something remotely interesting happens on stage.

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"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Updated On: 9/21/08 at 10:55 AM

#36

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 11:03am

Ugh, nothing was as annoying as when I saw Wicked on Broadway when Idina Menzel was still in it, it was like going to an Nsync concert, just awful, it's not acceptable for me. That's a reason for me to never see that particular show EVER again.

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"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-

#37

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 11:38am

OrdinaryJukebox - the racial slant of your post is quite clear.

#38

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 11:57am

Granted: sometimes the offender is not close by.

But people are generally pretty receptive when you just ask them to stop. I've had the opporunity to say to people recently, "could you stop interrupting the show with your screaming" or "could you not text message during the show as the light from your screen is distracting".. and tails between their legs, they did stop.

#39

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 12:29pm

I don't get it! How come, every time someone reports asking an annoying audience member to behave themselves, the conclusion to the story is "and they did"? Whenever I ask someone to "please be quiet" (I consider it less disruptive and more polite than letting a "SSSSSHHSHHSHHSHHHHSHHSHSHHHH!!!11!1!!111!!!" rip through the theatre), I always get the arrogant turds who get offended that someone could possibly be irritated by their behaviour, and simply up the ante!

What am I doing wrong? ;_;

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Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

Updated On: 9/21/08 at 12:29 PM

#40

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 12:40pm

id say it started post rent movie.

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<-- Gwen Stewart, SOLoist at the last show of RENT
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)

#41

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 12:45pm

I'm not necessarily complaining, because it was nice to see it with an enthusiastic atmosphere, but at the final performance of "Sunday in the Park with George," hearing people "woo" and cheer and scream after "We Do Not Belong Together" is something I never imagined I'd experience.

#42

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 12:50pm

I'm pretty sure it was common for crowds to scream and hoot and holler during Aristophene's greek comedies as well as during Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe's plays - so I would say it first became acceptable about 411 BC.

But in terms of Broadway etiquette, I think the screaming really started with the $20 front row tickets to RENT. Essentially, an entire generation of theatre goers have been groomed to think that loyal love for a production means screaming for the cast and the music.

Updated On: 9/21/08 at 12:50 PM

#43

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 12:50pm

Weez-

Maybe it's in your delivery?? I try to say things without any tone at all. No sarcasm, no disdain, just a simple request, like I'm asking them to pass the salt. Has it been 100% successful? No. But I'd say I'm in the high 80s. :)

#44

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 12:54pm

"I'm not necessarily complaining, because it was nice to see it with an enthusiastic atmosphere, but at the final performance of "Sunday in the Park with George," hearing people "woo" and cheer and scream after "We Do Not Belong Together" is something I never imagined I'd experience."

YES!!!!! Of all the screaming I listen to on a weekly basis (Average of 3-4 shows a week) that might have been the MOST obnoxious ever. And during the final song while I'm sitting there watching this beautiful scene for the last time, before the song even ends, these girls start their whooping. I was livid.

#45

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 12:54pm

That's how I do it. I'm so frightened of confrontation that I'm as polite as possible.

Maybe my problem is... they have to be REALLY obnoxious for me to say something, because I'm scared of people, and because I only ever say it to the REALLY obnoxious people, they're that obnoxious that they refuse. It's the only explanation I can come up with.

Unless I'm too polite. I've read plenty of stories on here of people being rude and getting results. ;D

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Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

#46

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 1:02pm

That's a shame, Weez. I guess you don't bring chloroform-soaked blowdarts as a back-up, like I do...

#47

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 1:12pm

Yeah, when I saw Wicked in L.A., there was a seriously deafening screech from fangirls in the audience during "Defying Gravity." Why do girls feel the need to SCREAM at the top of their lungs like a bunch of uncivilized cretins? Boggles the mind.

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Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

#48

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 1:17pm

In the 1940's. That's when it became acceptable. People would hoot and holler every time Marlon Brando walked on/off the stage in his first few plays. Sure...it's more extreme now, but it's been around for 60 years. It didn't start with Rent, Wicked, or Legally Blonde.

#49

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 1:21pm

I know, how racist of me to go to "The Color Purple" twice? Or, wait, I'm racist because I was annoyed at people talking to the characters during a scene? To say nothing of the fact that I didn't mention the race of anyone of these participants. So, maybe your assumptions are racist?

So, does that mean everyone else posting here is ageist for growing annoyed by the screaming teens?

-Vincent

#50

re: When did it become acceptable for the audience to scream during a perfo

Posted: 9/21/08 at 1:28pm

Ha ha....that's why it's awesome to see horror movies at the Magic Johnson Theatres in Harlem...for the "audience feedback" throughout the show. I didn't realize they did that during the Color Purple as well. That's awesome.