Song, dance....Steeler jerseys?
Going to the theater is not like going to the movies. Each performance is different. You cannot go out and buy a DVD of the performance and watch it later. Seeing a performance from high in the balcony is different from seeing it at the orchestra level. And even if you see the same show several times, each time will be a different experience.
Last night I saw "The Phantom of the Opera" for the gazillionth time. (I think it might have been the eighth time.) And, while I loved the show, the audience made me want to scream.
It's more noticeable with popular shows like "Phantom" and "Wicked," but it's started creeping into more and more performances: The rude audience members who seem to don't know theater etiquitte.
I can overlook the way people dress, as long as they're dressed neatly. So, you in your jeans and T-shirt, you're okay. I can even overlook you in your Steelers jersey. I mean, there was a game right before the show.
It was the candy-unwrapping, drink-slurping, gum-snapping, texting, photo-taking, and getting up during the performance that drove me nuts!
These things annoy me during the movies as well, but at least you know that you can see the movie again. Also, it can disturb the performers on stage. You do know that the show is being done live in front of you? Seeing how many people act, I am guessing that they don't realize that.
And the theater staff has become too scared of angry patrons that they are afraid to enforce many theater rules, so those of us who are frequent theater-goers are stuck dealing with these awful people.
I use the dirty look. It doesn't usually work. When I saw Wicked a couple years ago, the dirty look didn't work on a woman who was loudly eating next to us. But a woman in front of us actually turned around and said, "Do you mind? Some of us are trying to watch a show." I was surprised when the loud-eater put away her candy (angrily) and was quiet the rest of the performance. Although she did loudly complain at the end of the show about the "rude" lady who dared to tell her to quit eating!
There are times and places to be rude. Since when has it become okay to be rude whenever and wherever you want? I've seen it everywhere, but, please, could we try to keep it out of the theater?
Last night I saw "The Phantom of the Opera" for the gazillionth time. (I think it might have been the eighth time.) And, while I loved the show, the audience made me want to scream.
It's more noticeable with popular shows like "Phantom" and "Wicked," but it's started creeping into more and more performances: The rude audience members who seem to don't know theater etiquitte.
I can overlook the way people dress, as long as they're dressed neatly. So, you in your jeans and T-shirt, you're okay. I can even overlook you in your Steelers jersey. I mean, there was a game right before the show.
It was the candy-unwrapping, drink-slurping, gum-snapping, texting, photo-taking, and getting up during the performance that drove me nuts!
These things annoy me during the movies as well, but at least you know that you can see the movie again. Also, it can disturb the performers on stage. You do know that the show is being done live in front of you? Seeing how many people act, I am guessing that they don't realize that.
And the theater staff has become too scared of angry patrons that they are afraid to enforce many theater rules, so those of us who are frequent theater-goers are stuck dealing with these awful people.
I use the dirty look. It doesn't usually work. When I saw Wicked a couple years ago, the dirty look didn't work on a woman who was loudly eating next to us. But a woman in front of us actually turned around and said, "Do you mind? Some of us are trying to watch a show." I was surprised when the loud-eater put away her candy (angrily) and was quiet the rest of the performance. Although she did loudly complain at the end of the show about the "rude" lady who dared to tell her to quit eating!
There are times and places to be rude. Since when has it become okay to be rude whenever and wherever you want? I've seen it everywhere, but, please, could we try to keep it out of the theater?
Labels: Phantom of the Opera, rudeness, theater, Wicked
posted by Beth @ 10:24 AM
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