Why do people in the audience think they can sing during a show?- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 9:48am

There was a woman at 9 to 5 in front of me who had her phone out texting. I leaned in and told her to put it away which she did. A few minutes later she pulled it out again. I reached over her and put my hand over it and told her it was mine if she didn't put it away.

Homie don't play dat.

[James885]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 10:32am

At The Little Mermaid I was behind a family with two kids who decided to sing along while their parents did absolutely NOTHING to silence them. Me and my friend had to ask them several times to stop singing.

Equally irritating are the overzealous fanboys/fangirls of a show that have seen said show 10 million times and know every word of the book and the songs as well as every step of the staging and choreography so throughout the show they make snide comments like "oh he missed that step" or "she ad-libbed that line, the line is supposed to be..." I was in front of someone like that during Spring Awakening and everyone around him at one point or another told him to be quiet.

[Trainwreck]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 1:09pm

The other night at Chicago, the lady directly behind me sang along to every song. I was so frustrated. I am surprised I didn't say anything. I am even more surprised I didn't just turn around and say "SHUT THE F*CK UP!"

Edit: I'm not sure I understand the annoyance with texting though. My phone doesn't make any noise when I text, nor does it light up very bright. I also keep it down low when I text, so I'd be shocked if anyone around me even noticed.

I've never texted during a show (save for during intermission), but if I did I'd be shocked to have people annoyed by it in my case...

Updated On: 3/15/10 at 01:09 PM

[TreyKenyon]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 3:23pm

Even if your phone is quite/dimly lit, it can still be annoying to people. I personally get annoyed with texting, as well as the people who come in like 15 minutes late just for the mere fact that it is disrespectful to the actors. Not to mention the fact that they probably dropped at least $100 on the show, so for pete's sake get there on time and focus on the show lol.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 3:28pm

I'm not sure I understand the annoyance with texting though. My phone doesn't make any noise when I text, nor does it light up very bright. I also keep it down low when I text, so I'd be shocked if anyone around me even noticed.

In a dark theatre, a screen in the audience that you may think isn't that bright in lighted conditions is as visible as if you'd just lit a match.

[WickedlyEdna1962]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 3:43pm

Trainwreck let's not forget the actors, too. Besides being distracting to the audience, it's also distracting to the actors. Really though aside from distracting, it's REALLY incredibly rude.

[Trainwreck]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 4:36pm

I sort of understand. In any case, I just try not to do anything at all during a show, because they cost well over $100 here and I just want to get my money's worth.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 4:43pm

A good friend of mine had the iPhone shortly after it came out when we saw Avenue Q together. He kept it on the dimmest setting and was sitting in the aisle (and was just awaiting one text from a friend), but had we been at a show I'd actually liked I'd probably have told him to cut it out.

[luvbrdway]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 7:36pm

I have this "evil eye" look that I give my kids, which they know means they better knock whatever they're doing off. I give the same look along with a slow shake of the head "no" while also mouthing the words "Don't sing". Works every time.

[Fanb]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 10:35pm

A woman a few rows behind me at Finian's Rainbow started to sing every time Kate Baldwin had a song. Unfortunately she was a bass baritone. I wanted to tell her to shut up, but once I took a look at her I was afraid she'd beat me up.

[KimmySwimmy]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 12:12am

I went to see In the Heights tonight and the guy behind sang along throughout the show. I could hear other people singing along, but they were kind of mumbling and definitely not as obnoxious as this guy. He made a point of emphasizing certain parts like "Sigue sigue!" and by emphasizing I mean I think he thought he was in the show.

I actually found the audience around me to be quite rude. The guy in front of me turned to his young son and said in a loud voice, "Wasn't that great? So powerful!!!"...after every song! Really? And why do people laugh when Kevin sings "And he slapped my face" during Inutil...is that supposed to be funny?? He definitely doesn't sing it that way...I don't get it. sorry...i just got home and needed to vent a little.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 12:17am

So did you speak up, or just stew?

[KimmySwimmy]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 12:26am

I stewed. I know I'm not helping the situation by not saying anything, but it's not my style. And oddly enough I found the women the two guys were with to be quite frightening...they could have both taken me.

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 12:40am

In answer to the question: Because they are uneducated as how to behave while attending a performance in a theater. It is extremely rude to sing, text, talk, etc. unless requested by the performer. PERIOD!
Updated On: 3/16/10 at 12:40 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 12:44am

I stewed. I know I'm not helping the situation by not saying anything, but it's not my style. And oddly enough I found the women the two guys were with to be quite frightening...they could have both taken me.

ALWAYS speak up. There are other people out there who are waiting for someone else to do something about it -- BE THAT PERSON. You had a room full of witnesses if anything happened.

Updated On: 3/16/10 at 12:44 AM

[GatorNY]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 9:35am

Not a NYC theater experience, but along the same lines...my partner asked a mother daughter duo to quit talking at the movie screen in DC. It was ok during the previews, but once the film started, they we thought they had to be quiet. Well it didn't go well. They made it very clear that they were calling "their boys", "their crew", whatever and decribed us to them so that after the show, these guys could shoot us! We left.

[DryMartini]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 11:36am

I'm always at a loss when this happens. Someone was singing in the audience once and finally someone said very loudly, "Would you shut up?" It was so jarring, but at least the person did shut up.

[Craww]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 11:39am

At The Little Mermaid I was behind a family with two kids who decided to sing along while their parents did absolutely NOTHING to silence them. Me and my friend had to ask them several times to stop singing.

I had a similar but opposite experience. In front of two ladies with kids, and the adult women were singing and their children did nothing to silence them. (I kid.) Seriously, the kids were pretty well behaved for kids, but the mothers were acting like it was their living room and laughed hysterically every time I kindly told them to STFU. Had to be moved to the right box during intermission.

I'm surprised I haven't seen more singing along all the times I've seen Rent. The only time? Somebody was able to control themselves for the entire show, except they must have had some Pavlovian 'Shave and a Haircut' urge to complete "AND A BRA". I was more amused than annoyed.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 12:45pm

The first time I saw Hair the lady aside of me sang very loudly and very bad. I didn't go back to the show for over a long time because of her ruining my experience.

Just this weekend at the Wicked tour in Virginia the lady aside of me was singing along and her mom kept shhhh'ing her which was worse than the singing plus they were eating candy the whole time. At Next to Normal last night a young guy and girl talked throughout the whole thing and the girl was singing. They got some evil glares from me and the people in front of them.

At the theatre in Virginia where I saw Wicked they sold popcorn that you could take to your seat. I know they are laid back there but that was ridiculous. It's a theatre not a movie theatre.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 1:22pm

I'm deeply disappointed in the amount of wimpiness being documented in this thread.

[Trainwreck]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:43pm

I'm not too afraid of the people around here. I'm fine with telling them to shut up. The problem is that my girlfriend wants me to not cause any ruckus. So rather then being threatened to be beat up, the threat is sleeping alone. AND THAT CAN'T HAPPEN!

Ok, that's over-exaggerated, she probably wouldn't care that much.

[Fanb]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 7:31pm

Ok LizzieCurry. You have inspired me. Next time I am definitely standing up to that big, big woman who seems to sing during every show - and look out the next time someone's cell phone rings during a performance! - Some jerk totally ruined The Pride. Their cell phone rang 3 times!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 7:36pm

"I'm deeply disappointed in the amount of wimpiness being documented in this thread."

Amen. I'm a nice guy. Ask anyone who knows me. However in situations like the ones mentioned here, I'm the guy that makes these people (tourists most of the time) go home and say they can't believe how rude New Yorkers are. I have no patience for the talking, the texting, the unwrapping or the singing. Why can't people just sit down quietly for 2 hours without having to stuff their faces or talk to/deal with anyone else in the outside world?!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 7:43pm

I just don't understand it. I mean, I have my own timid moments, but I've come to realize if you don't do anything, then nothing will change. But if you do something, then it just MIGHT change.

Especially in a situation like this, which is deeply irritating but generally harmless in the long run -- the chances of you starting a fight are extremely low, and the chances of you being killed are even lower than that. So you're willing to just sit there and stew and let some oblivious and/or rude person ruin it for everyone in earshot?

I don't get it.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 7:49pm

Maybe I'll just speak to everyone around me before the show starts...and that way everyone knows the area around me is a "no sing-a-long zone".