In light of recent events, I'd like to take the time to make a post that is for everyone. It's about theatre audience etiquette. If you haven't heard, at last nights performance of the New York Phillharmonic an audience cell phone went off and the conductor stopped the show. You can read more here http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/new-york-philharmonic-interrupted-by-chimes-mahler-never-intended/?ref=music
So if you are planning a visit to NYC or are even just seeing a college or high school production, please follow these rules. Actors, directors, technicians, and other theatre fans alike will greatly appreciate you.
1.) To echo the sentiment above: TURN OFF YOUR DAMN PHONES. No, silent is not the same thing. You can make it an hour and a half till intermission without checking your twitter or text messages. (Trust me, I've done it. And you don't miss out on too much). Why doesn't silent work? It interferes with the sound system. And if it's on silent you can't tell if someone calls anyway unless you take it out with that annoying light. The actors can see the phone lights, you aren't hiding.
2.) If you came with someone, chances are you have planned to see them before or after the show, which means you do not need to lean over and talk to them during it. People are sitting behind you! That also means if you have a mild form of tourettes, try to get a seat in the back because it is hard to pay attention over your convulsing head.
3.) The curtain call is part of the show. Intermission happens when the lights come up. Unless you have an urgent appointment you absolutely cannot miss, be courteous to the people who poured their hearts out for you. Give them a clap.
4.) Piggy backing on 3, don't EVER leave in the middle of a show because you "are tired". You paid for a ticket! Take a nap before you go, drink a redbull, or continually pinch yourself, but don't leave! You wouldn't leave in the middle of a lecture, a business meeting, or a teacher conference would you? If you can sit through a movie, you can sit through live theatre.
5.) This is a strange, but annoying one. Don't complain about the ladies long restroom line. Face it, it's always going to be long and upsetting because the men never have one. But I counted last time I was waiting (for about 7 minutes) and 15 people walked by saying "Oh my, this line is so long, hope we don't miss the show!" Get there earlier and shut up. Prepare yourself for the line, we all already know it's long.
6.) Be active. Theatre only exists because of you. Sit up, listen. Laugh if it is funny or cry if it is sad. As an actor, you can feel the energy of the audience and it absolutely affects you and the performance.
7.) Finally, the people around you don't want to hear your opinions (unless asked), they have their own.
What's sad about these rules is they seem like common sense, and while many people follow them, I have witnessed all 7 of these things in the last 2 shows I've gone to!
I leave you with something completely unrelated...
My Audition Definition: "I perform 2 minute plays in rep"
So if you are planning a visit to NYC or are even just seeing a college or high school production, please follow these rules. Actors, directors, technicians, and other theatre fans alike will greatly appreciate you.
1.) To echo the sentiment above: TURN OFF YOUR DAMN PHONES. No, silent is not the same thing. You can make it an hour and a half till intermission without checking your twitter or text messages. (Trust me, I've done it. And you don't miss out on too much). Why doesn't silent work? It interferes with the sound system. And if it's on silent you can't tell if someone calls anyway unless you take it out with that annoying light. The actors can see the phone lights, you aren't hiding.
2.) If you came with someone, chances are you have planned to see them before or after the show, which means you do not need to lean over and talk to them during it. People are sitting behind you! That also means if you have a mild form of tourettes, try to get a seat in the back because it is hard to pay attention over your convulsing head.
3.) The curtain call is part of the show. Intermission happens when the lights come up. Unless you have an urgent appointment you absolutely cannot miss, be courteous to the people who poured their hearts out for you. Give them a clap.
4.) Piggy backing on 3, don't EVER leave in the middle of a show because you "are tired". You paid for a ticket! Take a nap before you go, drink a redbull, or continually pinch yourself, but don't leave! You wouldn't leave in the middle of a lecture, a business meeting, or a teacher conference would you? If you can sit through a movie, you can sit through live theatre.
5.) This is a strange, but annoying one. Don't complain about the ladies long restroom line. Face it, it's always going to be long and upsetting because the men never have one. But I counted last time I was waiting (for about 7 minutes) and 15 people walked by saying "Oh my, this line is so long, hope we don't miss the show!" Get there earlier and shut up. Prepare yourself for the line, we all already know it's long.
6.) Be active. Theatre only exists because of you. Sit up, listen. Laugh if it is funny or cry if it is sad. As an actor, you can feel the energy of the audience and it absolutely affects you and the performance.
7.) Finally, the people around you don't want to hear your opinions (unless asked), they have their own.
What's sad about these rules is they seem like common sense, and while many people follow them, I have witnessed all 7 of these things in the last 2 shows I've gone to!
I leave you with something completely unrelated...
My Audition Definition: "I perform 2 minute plays in rep"
