Why are audiences so poorly behaved these days? — Page 2

Pre-show announcements seem to be in vain, as well.


I always shiver a bit when there isn’t one, mentally preparing for the inevitable alarm or phone ring. But I’ve been to a bunch of shows lately WITH an announcement (some even with the added reminder of a Playbill slip AND ushers holding signs) and phones are a problem, regardless.


No one gives a sh*t. It’s awful.

Updated On: 6/20/25 at 12:38 PM

The mention of movie theaters just reminds me of the Florida movie theater shooting that started because one person was texting during the previews (not even the movie) and devolved into popcorn throwing and then the shooting. That was 11 years ago. People are terrible, have been for a very long time, and thank goodness for the metal detectors at Broadway theaters. (At least shushing people is unlikely to get you or the ushers shot, which you know would be a real risk otherwise.)

BentleyB said: "I also blame parents who do not teach their children any type of theater etiquette. At Boop! there were two teenagers texting and videoing the opening number. The usher came 3 times during it and told them to put the phones away, the 3rd time the girls looked at their mother and said, "What's her problem?" The mother just laughed and shrugged her shoulders. I finally had enough and said, "The reason she is doing that is because it is not proper to use a phone during a performance and why everyone around is annoyed.""

What was Mom's response to you?

I do think it’s gotten worse since covid, but I don’t think it’s because of covid. I think we’ve been on this downward trajectory for decades. The way people acted in the teens was so much worse than the aughts, which was so much worse than the 90s. That’s when I started seeing shows but I’m sure people who saw shows before that would agree.

When I saw Rent in the final year (2008), the people behind me talked throughout the entire show. I saw Aladdin circa 2013 and the people in front of me took out a full hoagie and proceeded to eat it during the first act. At Something Rotten in 2015 the woman a seat over from me scrolled through Facebook throughout the entire show.

I can’t remember the last show I’ve seen where someone wasn’t annoying me with their phone, their talking, their food (a bag of chips? really?), their singing along(!!!).

I was at a comedy show at a large venue this week and the second someone took out their phone a security guard came over to them and told them to put away their phone and to enjoy the rest of the show. I wish Broadway ushers were given the power to take any issues into their own hands. It was amazing. (Well except for my friend who has a serious alcohol problem and proceeded to not shut up during the second half despite all of her husband’s efforts because she was convinced a woman in our row knocked over her tiny cup of wine when in reality I think she had just drank it already. And I’m sure the alcohol being sold at Broadway Shows doesn’t help anything either.)

I mean, our culture's in the crapper - obviously - and this is just part of it. Many factors are easily identifiable - the de-socialization caused by digital tech, an influx of 'concert shows' meant to attract a younger audience, wine throwing reality TV, etc.. We're just really tacky these days.

I can't help but remember how and when I was taught to behave in a theatre. I was introduced to Broadway in the seventies. I had to wear a coat and tie and my behavior was on LOCKDOWN under threat of severe repercussions. That became my normal (minus the tie - ditched that thing). I'd guess that the primary offender here is precious 'not MY little angel' parenting.

What do y'all do when someone’s legs keeps crossing over into your space and they let them rest against your leg unless you move?

It becomes this really obnoxious and uncomfortable unspoken challenge and it seems to be happening more and more on airplanes and at the theatre.

Luckily, I have never experienced what a lot of you are describing (knock on wood). Saw Glengarry on Friday night. Full house that was enthusiastic, but no phones, no talking. Afterwords, the stage door was jammed. Lots of excitement, but no pushing or yelling. Everyone remained calm and the stars were all very gracious. I go to enough shows…this still feels like the norm. People dress a lot sloppier, but that’s a different discussion.


Now airplanes on the other hand…

DAME said: "Say something directly and politely. "


Unfortunately this is a now a high risk action to take. Like quizking said, people are just ready to pounce and are more than willing to make an uncomfortable situation downright nightmarish, even scary.

I've had some limited success in a comparable legs touching situation with this:

"Man, we are really packed in here. I wonder if we can figure out how to create enough legroom for both of us."

It has yet to provoke a confrontational response, but it hasn't always led to any meaningful change.

Updated On: 6/22/25 at 10:06 AM

Wanna be my date, SmokeyLady?

At Redwood I had to share half of my seat with the leg of the patron next to me, who shook said seat the entire time. At Gatsby I sat next to and in front of two straight couples who loooooved giving commentary. I turned around once and kindly asked the couple behind me if they could stop talking, and the man of the couple laughed in my face and talked louder.

Our president is a narcissist, our mayor is a narcissist. Why wouldn't our theatergoers be? It's allllll about them. This is THEIR theatregoing experience, not mine or yours. They're learning what's acceptable and testing limits through our leaders, who are very unconcerned with any kind of decorum or kindness. I also can't imagine the pandemic helped. I so enjoyed going to the theatre and seeing movies much more before the pandemic.

When I have good theater experiences like some posters indicate, I asked myself if I woke up in a parallel universe that morning. I had stated in a thread on the same subject about six months ago that I had stopped going to the theater because of the situations people mention here, but I did go back and in the period of 3 months saw about 15 shows, including a few where the understudies for the leads were on and thus cancellations meant that there was space between people. Of those dozen plus shows, I only saw phones out in a few, and one incident where the woman behind me in the second act wouldn't stop talking, obviously because she had a beverage at intermission.

Minor issues compared to what other people are talking about, but a few that did irritate me lightly. There were worse incidents way back of course, but it's a crap shoot when it comes to audience, and is indeed far worse on planes which is why I do not fly anywhere anymore regardless of circumstances in my life. Now that I've got my fix, I'm limiting my show choices to just once a month, and it has to be something that I have to see, not just want to. But I say this is a subject that should be broached about every 6 months just to remind people that they are not the only ones in the audience and their ticket doesn't mean that it is all about them. It's stressful enough to get there and get home without having a situation inside the theater that ruins a $100 plus experience.

The worst memory has to be the young woman at an Off Broadway play who ate a whole chicken dinner that stunk up the Mitzi Newhouse, unfortunately seated right next to me. I hope people who commit these atrocious behaviors read these threads and realize that one of the comments on them is referring to something they did.

Updated On: 6/22/25 at 12:34 PM

Is is 100% the phone. You put the phone away, or silence it and people need to move their hands, eat, talk, whisper. They can’t function without the phone.