The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[JenM]

What is everyone's thoughts on the Spring Awakening Kickstarter campaign to get their Tony Award performance funded?

I'll admit I loved the show (both versions and have a tattoo of some lyrics) but something seems very off about their goal.

I loved the show, I'm thrilled they were nominated...but I have no interest in donating anything so they can perform at the Tonys. Just seems like a money grab to me.

 

[crazymama]

What is everyone's thoughts on the Spring Awakening Kickstarter campaign to get their Tony Award performance funded?

I'll admit I loved the show (both versions and have a tattoo of some lyrics) but something seems very off about their goal.

The $200,000 goal doesn't surprise me particularly. Shipping people, costumes and everything else needed to pull it off cannot come too cheaply. I would have loved to have seen this on Broadway... Tonys would be a close runner up! I wish them luck and will probably donate something towards it.

 

[rebeccam31]

What is everyone's thoughts on the Spring Awakening Kickstarter campaign to get their Tony Award performance funded?

I'll admit I loved the show (both versions and have a tattoo of some lyrics) but something seems very off about their goal.

I think it's weird/shady. The Kickstarter ends on June 11. The day before the Tonys. So obviously they will know whether or not they are performing before then, whether the Kickstarter funds are raised or not. So someone must be fronting the money, and we're to "pay them back"? Um, no. That said, I loved this production and I really hope they get to perform.

 

[AllisonK]

Can we chat about theater etiquette for a second? A friend of mine is currently playing the lead in Anything Goes at Goodspeed Opera House in CT. She is a professional actress who has been in the business for over a decade now and is currently on leave from her Broadway show to do Anything Goes. She tweeted this afternoon that during the matinee today a woman pulled out her knitting in the middle of the show and proceeded to knit while the performance was going on! In what world is this even close to acceptable? I onow a lot of people say my generation (and younger... I'm 27) can't behave at the theater... But from everything I've witnessed, that doesn't seem to be the case.

A few months ago I went to see the tour of Beautiful in Providence, RI. The group of ladies in front of my mother and I (they had to be older than my mother, who is in her early 60s) would NOT stop talking and singing along during the show, no matter how many times we politely asked them to be quiet so we could enjoy the show.

On the other hand, I substitute teach at a local high school and we took a group of 40 juniors and seniors to NYC about two months ago to see Something Rotten. We didn't even give them a basic talk on theater etiquette (although we gave them the educational guide off the show's website on the bus that morning) and I have never seen a more well-behaved, respectful school group at a show. Ever. Even when I went to shows as a high school student the group was never nearly as good as these kids were. Do you think that bad behavior is becoming more and more commonplace in the theater these days, or is it just me?

 

[elgerber]

I absolutely agree, bad etiquette is becoming much more common now. It is a HUGE pet peeve for me, makes me crazy!

 

[wilkeliza]

Etiquette has gone out the window. As much as I hate the bad etiquette a new thing I have experienced is actors and actresses making fun a patrons on social media. Sorry if you think someone's laugh is too loud or they aren't clapping enough. If they aren't being disruptive (cell phone, knitting, eating pizza, etc) then then you don't really get to dictate the audience's response. Some people just have a loud laugh. It is one of those things that use to stay back stage between cast and crew but thanks to social media is bleeding out and has caused me to stop following a few of my favorite performers on social media.

 

[wilkeliza]

The $200,000 goal doesn't surprise me particularly. Shipping people, costumes and everything else needed to pull it off cannot come too cheaply. I would have loved to have seen this on Broadway... Tonys would be a close runner up! I wish them luck and will probably donate something towards it.

An article from last year and the previous year said the most expensive Tony performance is roughly 250,000 and the less expensive ones cost 50,000. I don't see why they aren't doing it at the 200K mark. I can't imagine anyone paying that for a closed show to perform. Heck they could have 4 - 6 of the cast get up there and do song of purple summer with no set and just a guitar and that would cut their budget down drastically. I can't imagine where 50K would even go if that is what they did.

 

[Kimberle]

I've been going to Bway shows for a lloonnnnggg time. My observation is the "bad etiquette started several years ago when they started to allow you to take your snacks to your seat. In the "old days", you had to finish your snacks and/or beverages in the lobby/bar area. Now days, theaters have "barkers", like at the circus, going down the rows selling food and drink.

 

[SingingMom]

I've been going to Bway shows for a lloonnnnggg time. My observation is the "bad etiquette started several years ago when they started to allow you to take your snacks to your seat. In the "old days", you had to finish your snacks and/or beverages in the lobby/bar area. Now days, theaters have "barkers", like at the circus, going down the rows selling food and drink.

I agree. I also noticed it beginning when more "child friendly" shows started to be staged. We were appalled at the people sitting in back of us at "Beauty and the Beast". It was like exactly like the circus! Parents were passing "go-gurts" back and forth, the kids were laughing at the jokes attached to the packages, kicking the back of our seats, etc. It was a free for all!

We would never dream of attending the theater in shorts and tshirts. When we saw "Something Rotten", the man next to DD had on a tank top. He looked like a sweaty slob. If I'm paying the price of a Broadway ticket, I think of it as a nice night out. I like to dress up and have a pre champagne at Sardis!

I hate that snacks are permitted at the seats. And I hate when people are seated after the overture. I might be a theatre snob, but it's rude to disturb other patrons enjoyment of the performance as well as rude toward the performers.

 

[superme80]

Can we chat about theater etiquette for a second? A friend of mine is currently playing the lead in Anything Goes at Goodspeed Opera House in CT. She is a professional actress who has been in the business for over a decade now and is currently on leave from her Broadway show to do Anything Goes. She tweeted this afternoon that during the matinee today a woman pulled out her knitting in the middle of the show and proceeded to knit while the performance was going on! In what world is this even close to acceptable? I onow a lot of people say my generation (and younger... I'm 27) can't behave at the theater... But from everything I've witnessed, that doesn't seem to be the case.

A few months ago I went to see the tour of Beautiful in Providence, RI. The group of ladies in front of my mother and I (they had to be older than my mother, who is in her early 60s) would NOT stop talking and singing along during the show, no matter how many times we politely asked them to be quiet so we could enjoy the show.

On the other hand, I substitute teach at a local high school and we took a group of 40 juniors and seniors to NYC about two months ago to see Something Rotten. We didn't even give them a basic talk on theater etiquette (although we gave them the educational guide off the show's website on the bus that morning) and I have never seen a more well-behaved, respectful school group at a show. Ever. Even when I went to shows as a high school student the group was never nearly as good as these kids were. Do you think that bad behavior is becoming more and more commonplace in the theater these days, or is it just me?

Just what??!!! I am very thankful that the last show I did we had a very respectful audience. With the exception of my sister in law waving to me on stage. The last 2 shows I saw the audience was fantastic. I have been going to live theater since I was a child. I was raised to respect those on stage.

 

[wilkeliza]

I agree. I also noticed it beginning when more "child friendly" shows started to be staged. We were appalled at the people sitting in back of us at "Beauty and the Beast". It was like exactly like the circus! Parents were passing "go-gurts" back and forth, the kids were laughing at the jokes attached to the packages, kicking the back of our seats, etc. It was a free for all!

We would never dream of attending the theater in shorts and tshirts. When we saw "Something Rotten", the man next to DD had on a tank top. He looked like a sweaty slob. If I'm paying the price of a Broadway ticket, I think of it as a nice night out. I like to dress up and have a pre champagne at Sardis!

I hate that snacks are permitted at the seats. And I hate when people are seated after the overture. I might be a theatre snob, but it's rude to disturb other patrons enjoyment of the performance as well as rude toward the performers.

Eh on the clothing part. I don't see how some guy in a tank top altered your night. I often go in jeans and a t-short because I may get am hours notice for free tickets from producer friends. I don't always have time to run home and change and I'm not turning down those tickets.

If you can't stand snacks then definitly don't go to the west end. They sell ice cream at intermisison right to your seat.

 

[NJlauren]

Bad theater etiquette drives me nuts!

My worst experience was at Memphis, I was in the 2nd to last row and the people behind me translated the whole first act to another language!!! I have no idea what happened but they weren't there for act 2!

A close 2nd was at west side story when the person could find there seat after intermission and was walking all over. Then was udon a flashlight it cellphone to try and find her seat...

I have way more leeway for children's shows, example of I'm at Annie and a kid is singing or getting excited (especially during a matinee) fine... If I'm at blackbird, I expect a more adult less kid friendly environment.

Saw waitress tonight and really enjoyed it! Someone at the end of my row got reprimanded for taking video.

 

[elphaba91]

What is everyone's thoughts on the Spring Awakening Kickstarter campaign to get their Tony Award performance funded?

I'll admit I loved the show (both versions and have a tattoo of some lyrics) but something seems very off about their goal.

I think the figure is probably accurate - they have to pay for the right to perform, pay the performers, possibly some of their own hair/makeup/costuming/tech people, travel expenses (as a lot of their cast are LA based), probably a rehearsal space, etc.

However, the campaign itself irks me somewhat. It ends the day before the Tony Awards. They will not just show up the day of with a cheque in hand and be given a performance slot. That has already been paid for. The cast and any crew have it locked in their schedules. The hotels and flights have already been booked. Spring Awakening will be performing at the Tonys whether or not this campaign succeeds. I believe with Kickstarter you only receive the funds if you meet your goal. If they are short just before the Kickstarter deadline then the producers who have already paid all these expenses will likely (if they've got any brains) be 'donating' the balance. Finally, they claim that donations are tax deductible because Deaf West is a charity. That may be the case, but this production certainly was not a charity and there were other producers involved, including those who have already paid the necessary expense for the Tonys performance. Reimbursing some billionaire producer doesn't really sound much like charity to me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that a snippet of this show will be seen at the Tonys, but I don't really like how they're going about it.

 

[AllisonK]

Eh on the clothing part. I don't see how some guy in a tank top altered your night. I often go in jeans and a t-short because I may get am hours notice for free tickets from producer friends. I don't always have time to run home and change and I'm not turning down those tickets.

If you can't stand snacks then definitly don't go to the west end. They sell ice cream at intermisison right to your seat.

I have to agree with you on the clothing part. I usually wear nice jeans and a top/cardigan combo to the theater (and bring a sweatshirt or fleece) because I get cold very easily. Usually when I am in NYC I have been walking around the city all day (and have likely been on a bus/train coming in as well) so I want to look nice, but be comfortable as well. I've worn shorts on a few rare occasions as well - in the middle of the summer while walking around NYC and once to a show in Boston as I had been at a doctor's appointment in the city that morning, my mother and I picked up rush tickets to a show that evening and we walked around the city in between. I've been told by several friends that by wearing jeans to the theater I am being rude and disrespectful to the actors, but isn't bad behavior in the theater more rude and disrespectful to someone's performance than looking put-together, yet comfortable for a day of walking around/sightseeing?

 

[L&Lfan]

There really is no dress code for Broadway anymore. For better or for worse, depending on your viewpoint, but that's just the way it is today.
I always at least wear pants (no shorts) and a shirt with a collar (no Tees). Much like the Disney dress code for signatures (which again doesn't REALLY have to be observed except at Victoria & Albert's).

 

[L&Lfan]

Just got 4 CDs from Amazon of some favorite scores.

Lady, Be Good (2015 Encores recording)
Seven Brides for Seven brothers (2015 London Cast)
Fiddler on the Roof (2016 Broadway Cast)
Sweet Charity (1967 London Cast with Juliet Prowse)

 

[elgerber]

I am a bit of a stickler for dress at the theater. But I don't live in NYC. When we did see shows on Broadway, I did wear denim capris to one, because it was the middle of July and we were going to the Highline after the show. But yes, if people are touring etc, I do get that.
What I don't let slide, is three baseball caps in the first 3 rows of the orchestra for Book of Mormon last weekend. I see shows in Minneapolis, not a lot of people spend the day downtown touring, and then head to the show, so here it's much less ok in my head. And we have an amazing dinner theater in the suburbs that puts on incredible shows. One night there was someone wearing a stocking cap, at the dinner table and throughout the show. I didn't see any acceptable reason for that. The theater is not walking distance from anywhere, so if you are there, you drove there specifically for the show.

 

[SingingMom]

Eh on the clothing part. I don't see how some guy in a tank top altered your night. I often go in jeans and a t-short because I may get am hours notice for free tickets from producer friends. I don't always have time to run home and change and I'm not turning down those tickets.

If you can't stand snacks then definitly don't go to the west end. They sell ice cream at intermisison right to your seat.

It didn't "alter my night". It was poor taste. He was hairy and sweaty. Jeans aren't so bad, just the icky tank with all his hairy sweat on a shared armrest. lol

And ice cream at intermission is quite different than wrappers making noise in the middle of the performance. And yes, I HAVE been to the West End.

 

[crazymama]

American Psycho is closing!!! Waaahhhhh!! I really wanted to see it in August!! Hell's Bells!!!!!!

 

[NJlauren]

Boo on American Psycho... We wanted to go this summer too....