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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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Broadway Audiences Berated for Bad Acting

Veteran theatergoers say manners are vanishing faster than ever

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(Newser) – Boorish audience members have been around for longer than Shakespeare's plays but veteran theatergoers say bad behavior is definitely on the rise, the Wall Street Journal reports. Audience members have been spotted passing around buckets of chicken, putting their smelly bare feet on the seats in front of them, and even asking actors to delay their monologues while they get settled.

Some veterans blame Broadway's hard times—and consequent lower ticket prices—for the bad manners, while others insist it's the people who pay top dollar who feel they can act however they want. But at least other audience members aren't shy about playing police. "It was like lions jumping on a rabbit," when a man's cell phone went off during a recent show, one theatergoer said.

During one of the intense silences during a recent performance of the play
During one of the intense silences during a recent performance of the play "God of Carnage," an audience member shouted "How about those Yankees?"   (AP Photo/Boneau/Bryan-Brown Public Relations,Joan Marcus)
An audience member stopped Tovah Feldshuh's monologue during the Holocaust play
An audience member stopped Tovah Feldshuh's monologue during the Holocaust play "Irena's Vow" to ask her to wait while he "got settled." She complied.   (AP Photo/The O&M Company, Carol Rosegg)
Actress Patti LuPone, right, stopped her performance in the musical
Actress Patti LuPone, right, stopped her performance in the musical "Gypsy" earlier this year to shout at an audience member who kept taking photographs.   (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)
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4 comments
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DarkFrancis
Jun 6, 09 7:04 AM CDT
It's not a movie, folks. There are people up there who have worked their butts off to give you a good show. There's little more off-putting onstage than cells going off, people coming in late, incessant talking, pre-empting gags, blowing tension, wanting to play audience participation in a drama...oh and cells off means OFF, not on silent... Reply
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Newser001
Jun 6, 09 11:48 AM CDT
Etiquette once was - You're late, you're not seated until a break... What to you say ushers, play, symphonies, ballet, and opera houses?
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DeniseVB
Jun 6, 09 10:03 AM CDT
I recently saw Rock of Ages where the audience was served drinks at their seats during the show. Since the play is set at an 80's Sunset Strip dive bar, I guess we were part of the show :) Great fun. My seat was $121 and worth every cent. Reply
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kyleleitch
Jun 6, 09 3:38 PM CDT
Newser001, it's true. I went to see Cats recently and for the entire first song, people were being seated while the show was going. Unfortunately, those tickets weren't refunded to me. I'm only speculating here, but I've noticed an increase in school-aged students attendance at productions; perhaps they carry their [lack of] movie theater etiquette into the theater? Reply
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