A Plea to All Ushers
I saw "Rent" at the State Theatre last Thursday. It was amazing. But this post is not about that.
This post is about the audience.
As I've gotten older, I think I've become something of a theatre snob.
(It IS ridiculous that the theatre was selling things like hot dogs, popcorn and soft pretzels in the lobby, but maybe that's another post.)
I personally believe that when you go to the theatre, you should dress nicely, you should be attentive during the show and you should applaud when the show is finished. Right? Is that too much to ask? I guess so, because the audience at the show was CRAZY.
My BIGGEST pet peeve is people on their phones during shows. And there were so many of them! Texting! Snapchatting! Taking pictures of the stage WITH THEIR FLASH ON!
And this wasn't just a single person. There were multiple occasions, and that's only from where I was sitting in the rear balcony.
Only once did I see an usher come over and flash their little flashlight at someone taking pictures. Plus, I didn't even hear them say to turn off phones before the show. And although it was so bad here at the State Theatre, I know it's not just here - it's theatres everywhere.
We need to do more. Seriously, we pay to watch actors pour out their hearts through song and dance. The least we can do is just pay attention. It's not that long unless you're, like, seeing "The Iceman Cometh" or something. Your text can wait until intermission. Or if it's really that important, go out into the lobby. But please don't try to come back to your seat after. That's even MORE distracting.
I ask this of all ushers everywhere. Please do more! I have so much respect for ushers - I could never be one. I would yell at EVERYONE (but quietly because I'm not about to disrupt the show). I'm just so sick of everyone around me ruining my theatrical experience. I wished so many times that an usher would come over to tell the people around me to stop. I can only give so many dirty looks!
Ushers, please tell people to put their phones away and shut up. It makes the show better for both the audience and the actors. And the audience...put your phones away! Shut up! You probably paid good money to be here, so just enjoy the show! But do it quietly. :)
This post is about the audience.
As I've gotten older, I think I've become something of a theatre snob.
(It IS ridiculous that the theatre was selling things like hot dogs, popcorn and soft pretzels in the lobby, but maybe that's another post.)
I personally believe that when you go to the theatre, you should dress nicely, you should be attentive during the show and you should applaud when the show is finished. Right? Is that too much to ask? I guess so, because the audience at the show was CRAZY.
My BIGGEST pet peeve is people on their phones during shows. And there were so many of them! Texting! Snapchatting! Taking pictures of the stage WITH THEIR FLASH ON!
And this wasn't just a single person. There were multiple occasions, and that's only from where I was sitting in the rear balcony.
Only once did I see an usher come over and flash their little flashlight at someone taking pictures. Plus, I didn't even hear them say to turn off phones before the show. And although it was so bad here at the State Theatre, I know it's not just here - it's theatres everywhere.
We need to do more. Seriously, we pay to watch actors pour out their hearts through song and dance. The least we can do is just pay attention. It's not that long unless you're, like, seeing "The Iceman Cometh" or something. Your text can wait until intermission. Or if it's really that important, go out into the lobby. But please don't try to come back to your seat after. That's even MORE distracting.
I ask this of all ushers everywhere. Please do more! I have so much respect for ushers - I could never be one. I would yell at EVERYONE (but quietly because I'm not about to disrupt the show). I'm just so sick of everyone around me ruining my theatrical experience. I wished so many times that an usher would come over to tell the people around me to stop. I can only give so many dirty looks!
Ushers, please tell people to put their phones away and shut up. It makes the show better for both the audience and the actors. And the audience...put your phones away! Shut up! You probably paid good money to be here, so just enjoy the show! But do it quietly. :)
Comments
Post a Comment