Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte- Page 4
Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
#75Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:03am
Lot666 said: "poisonivy2 said: "Lot666 said:
poisonivy2 said: "Some of these "guidelines" are common sense but others are purely a white man's idea of etiquette. For instance, "no one under 25"?"
What does being 25 years old (or younger) have to do with being white?"
"My 13 year old has her au pair while me and my husband enjoy a night in the theater.""
I don't see how thequoted scenario supports your claim. You seem to be implying that only white peoplecould possibly afford to pay forchildcare; that sounds awfully racist to me."
No I'm saying many of her rules are a white man's idea of etiquette and behavior. Bringing your child to the theater if the child is mature and well-behaved is harmless. But there is a subset of rich white people that would never dream of taking their children on an evening out.
Theaters themselves sell snacks and drinks urge theatergoers to bring them back during intermission. You can't eat or drink in the theater is again a white person's construct of etiquette.
It reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara's mammy forbidding her to eat at the BBQ.
#76Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:05amHave you SEEN how many white people are chomping down in act 2 or rattling their icy drinks?
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#77Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:24am
Let me try to be clear. I am the one who wrote about reaching in the mouth, grabbing the gum, and taking the tongue and choking you with it while I was at it. The original piece is funny and full of hyperbole. Hyperbole that any person with a little intelligence and common sense could decipher. I was commenting in the spirit of the piece and then got into a back and forth with someone that obviously didn't get it. Would I ever actually do anything like that? It has crossed my mind.. not necessarily with those exact actions, but if you put me on the edge.. who knows. The point being that besides it being courteous, and considerate of others, you should practice common sense and good behavior in a public social place as the theater. And one of the reasons you should do this is because many of us have been put on the edge far too many times and you never know to what extend someone will react. As you can tell.. there are many of us who feel we should confront someone who is disturbing our enjoyment of the theater. And @Poison.. you have been here long enough so please don't play dumb. Your comment is racist. It is.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
#78Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:46am
See American Theatre Magazine’s Facebook page with a link to the article for a truly crazy comments section.
Emma Couling, a theatre critic for New City Chicago, continues to be the most obnoxious of the well-intentioned but misguided “woke warriors” who has evidently made it her mission in life to make up for her white guilt by getting offended by everything and positioning herself as morally superior to those who “just don’t get it.”
I’m sorry, but when did not talking during a play become a “white thing?” This is not a race or class issue. This is a universal behavioral issue.
#79Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:49am
How you read racism into people under 25 shouldn’t see “serious” theater is, quite frankly, hilarious. While I don’t agree with her on this point, she’s simply saying young people who will be bored by King Lear or Three Tall Women would be best to see Frozen or Spongebob where they won’t be bored, fidgeting and distracting to other audience members. It’s about maturity level, not race, class, gender, sexuality or anything else.
You think she’s suggesting a 24 year old needs a babysitter?
Of course there are exceptions, as we’ve seen with a ten year old who loved the last Crucible revival, but her argument would be more compelling if she had said 10-12 should be the “general” threshold for more serious fare, but know your own kid’s inclinations and capabilities to focus and not be disruptive.
Are you arguing that kids of all ages should be taken to see every show? Would you bring an eight year old to King Lear?
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#80Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:51am
WhizzerMarvin said: "How you read racism into people under 25 shouldn’t see “serious” theater is, quite frankly, hilarious. While I don’t agree with her on this point, she’s simply saying young people who will be bored by King Lear or Three Tall Women would be best to see Frozen or Spongebob where they won’t be bored, fidgeting and distracting to other audience members. It’s about maturity level, not race, class, gender, sexuality or anything else.
You think she’s suggesting a 24 year old needs a babysitter?
Of course there are exceptions, as we’ve seen with a ten year old who loved the last Crucible revival, but her argument would be more compelling if she had said 10-12 should be the “general” threshold for more serious fare, but know your own kid’s inclinations and capabilities to focus and not be disruptive.
Are you arguing that kids of all ages should be taken to see every show? Would you bring an eight year old to King Lear?"
Whizzer who are you responding to? My racist accusation was meant at only one poster in particular.
Edit. Just re read . Sorry Whizzer. My bad.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
Updated On: 6/29/18 at 11:51 AM
#81Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:59am
DAME said: "Let me try to be clear. I am the one who wrote about reaching in the mouth, grabbing the gum, and taking the tongue and choking you with it while I was at it. The original piece is funny and full of hyperbole. Hyperbole that any person with a little intelligence and common sense could decipher. I was commenting in the spirit of the piece and then got into a back and forth with someone that obviously didn't get it. Would I ever actually do anything like that? It has crossed my mind.. not necessarily with those exact actions, but if you put me on the edge.. who knows. The point being that besides it being courteous, and considerate of others, you should practice common sense and good behavior in a publicsocial place as the theater. And one of the reasons you should do this is because many of us have been put on the edge far too many times and you never know to what extend someone will react. As you can tell.. there are many of us who feel we should confront someone who is disturbing our enjoyment of the theater. And @Poison.. you have been here long enough so please don't play dumb. Your comment is racist. It is."
Are you even aware of what's going on in this country? Where minorities have had the police called on them for simply being in Starbucks? And we have ppl here who think it's okay to hit or assault someone in the theater? Sorry that is white privilege.
Cape Twirl of Doom
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
#82Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:00pm
I’m sorry, but when did not talking during a play become a “white thing?” This is not a race or class issue. This is a universal behavioral issue."
The only person being racist is poisonivy2. Apparently she thinks minorities can't control themselves in a theatre, since she thinks it's racist to want theatregoers to not talk, use cell phones, or be obnoxious during shows.
ETA: yes. We are saying it is perfectly OK to inflict grievous bodily harm on someone just for chewing gum. Why, just the other day I said I would kill for a burger and I then went out and murdered someone! You sure know how to understand language.
"It's Phantom meets Hamlet... Phamlet!"
Updated On: 6/29/18 at 12:00 PM
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#83Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:02pm
poisonivy2 said: "DAME said: "Let me try to be clear. I am the one who wrote about reaching in the mouth, grabbing the gum, and taking the tongue and choking you with it while I was at it. The original piece is funny and full of hyperbole. Hyperbole that any person with a little intelligence and common sense could decipher. I was commenting in the spirit of the piece and then got into a back and forth with someone that obviously didn't get it. Would I ever actually do anything like that? It has crossed my mind.. not necessarily with those exact actions, but if you put me on the edge.. who knows. The point being that besides it being courteous, and considerate of others, you should practice common sense and good behavior in a publicsocial place as the theater. And one of the reasons you should do this is because many of us have been put on the edge far too many times and you never know to what extend someone will react. As you can tell.. there are many of us who feel we should confront someone who is disturbing our enjoyment of the theater. And @Poison.. you have been here long enough so please don't play dumb. Your comment is racist. It is."
Are you even aware of what's going on in this country? Where minorities have had the police called on them for simply being in Starbucks? And we have ppl here who think it's okay to hit or assault someone in the theater? Sorry that is white privilege."
No one here thinks it is ok to hit or assault people in a theater. Your interpreting things in a convenient way to start argument. And you know that.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
#84Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:11pm
poisonivy2 said: "Lot666 said: "poisonivy2 said: "Lot666 said:
poisonivy2 said: "Some of these "guidelines" are common sense but others are purely a white man's idea of etiquette. For instance, "no one under 25"?"
What does being 25 years old (or younger) have to do with being white?"
"My 13 year old has her au pair while me and my husband enjoy a night in the theater.""
I don't see how the quoted scenario supports your claim. You seem to be implying that only white people could possibly afford to pay for childcare; that sounds awfully racist to me."
No I'm saying many of her rules are a white man's idea of etiquette and behavior. Bringing your child to the theater if the child is mature and well-behaved is harmless. But there is a subset of rich white people that would never dream of taking their children on an evening out.
Theaters themselves sell snacks and drinks urge theatergoers to bring them back during intermission. You can't eat or drink in the theater is again a white person's construct of etiquette.
It reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara's mammy forbidding her to eat at the BBQ."
poisonivy2, yours are the only racist comments in this thread. You seem to think that people of any race other than Caucasian should be allowed to diminish the theatre-going experience for other patrons because only a "white person" would consider such behaviors as have been cited here to be unacceptable.
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#85Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:13pmWell this went in a unexpectedly stupid direction.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#86Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:15pm
Kad said: "Well this went in a unexpectedly stupid direction."
Yup. But stupid can be scary. Very scary.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#87Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:15pm
DP
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
Updated On: 6/29/18 at 12:15 PM
#88Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:16pm
Dame, Sorry, I was responding to poisonivy. And I am still interested in his/her answer as to whether she would take an eight year to King Lear.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
Moderator
Leading Actor Joined: 1/23/06
#89Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:17pm
Hi again everyone, we are going to lock this thread down for a few hours, because it seems to have gone off the rails more than once. The article was written with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek hyperbole, and some of the posters here have engaged with it in that same vain, which there is nothing wrong with. However, the tone seems to have been missed by others who assumed that it was more literal than sarcasm.
There also appears to be a discussion of privilege and perspective that has arisen during the conversation, which seems to be appropriate and healthy on this topic, but the confusion and heightened emotion over the over-the-top nature of the article and replies seems to be getting in the way of that being constructive.
So, we will unlock the thread later this afternoon when hopefully we can get back to discussing the topic(s) at hand with a little more level-headed approach. We appreciate those that have tried to keep things civil and on topic.
Cape Twirl of Doom
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
#90Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:17pm
Kad said: "Well this went in a unexpectedly stupid direction."
Yup. But if someone can't cry "racism!" at everything, how can they ever score all those woke points?
"It's Phantom meets Hamlet... Phamlet!"
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#91Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:18pm
Moderator said: "Hi again everyone, we are going to lock this thread down for a few hours, because it seems to have gone off the rails more than once. The article was written with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek hyperbole, and some of the posters here have engaged with it in that same vain, which there is nothing wrong with. However, the tone seems to have been missed by others who assumed that it was more literal than sarcasm.
There also appears to be a discussion of privilege and perspective that has arisen during the conversation, which seems to be appropriate and healthy on this topic, but the confusion and heightened emotion over the over-the-top nature of the article and replies seems to be getting in the way of that being constructive.
So, we will unlock the thread later this afternoon when hopefully we can get back to discussing the topic(s) at hand with a little more level-headed approach. We appreciate those that have tried to keep things civil and on topic."
Cool .
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
#92Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:25pm
WhizzerMarvin said: "Dame, Sorry, I was responding to poisonivy. And I am still interested in his/her answer as to whether she would take an eight year to King Lear."
No I wouldn't. But I've seen plenty of kids at serious musicals and they behaved fine. My first trip to Bway was when I was in middle school and we went on field trips to Secret Garden and Guys and Dolls. Sorry it is a very white person idea that theater is strictly an adults night out venture and cant be a family activity.
#93Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 4:28pm
Poisonivy, But no one on this thread, nor the author of the article, ever stated or implied that Broadway/theater should not be a family activity. Guys and Dolls is the epitome of musical comedy; Secret Garden is very appropriate for families/teens/youth. Neither of these represent the “serious drama” (read: straight dramatic plays) that the author was referring to. Her example was Three Tall Women, which is really not a family activity suitable for most younger kids (they would be bored, no?) How is it a “white person idea” not to bring children to Iceman Cometh, The Flick and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The only parents I’ve seen attempt to bring the rare child to a “serious” drama like that ARE white people, and they let their bored children play games on their phones the whole time.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
bk
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
#94Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 4:50pm
As always, thanks for the laughs. Some people on these boards wouldn't know funny if it hit them in the face. The article was a humorous rant. Period. Anyone who can't see that needs to have their head examined, seriously. So, I understood exactly what "Dame" was doing and it, too, was humorous and meant that way. But then, what ever would we do without our faux outrage of the day, and our cliches of the day (I was just waiting for "white privilege" - and if the author had been a male I'm sure that would have been appended onto white privilege along with "old"
. And the usual cry of racism slapped onto things that have nothing to do with it, and then doubling down on it - I mean, honestly.
As to bringing a child to the theater - I brought my child to see plenty of shows, from the time she was eight on - not only shows like Annie, but Hello, Dolly!, Dreamgirls, Pippin, Deathtrap - she LOVED them, couldn't get enough. She never was bored, she never looked at her cell phone due to the fact that they did not exist but since she never looks at it NOW when they do, she would not have, she dressed nicely because she knew it was special when we went to the theater, never disruptive - a perfect theatre patron and a lot more perfect than some of the yahoo adults I see behaving like cretins, and that includes kids, screaming teens, middle-aged people, and, yes old people who are the WORST now with their cell phones. I had one eighty-something year old next to me who could not stop looking at her Instagram account - seriously. And she would not stop or fully shut down her phone until literally the house lights were out and stage lights coming up, after which she put it, fully lit up, in her purse. And yes I said something and yes she didn't pay any attention because, as you'll read here every day, people are entitled to do anything they damn well please anywhere they damn well please.
#95Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 4:52pmHumor about theatre etiquette is white privilege.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
BroadwayRox3588
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/5/16
#96Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 5:41pm
#97Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 5:49pm
Hmm here is a much more reasonable, less abrasive and obnoxious guide to theatre etiquette:
http://etiquette-ny.com/broadway-theater-etiquette-dos-and-donts-for-proper-decorum/
Same rules, but one applies to this thread.
15. Do not be a prissy Miss Manners. Although a person’s behavior may be inappropriate or disruptive, do not take it upon yourself to be the manners police.
It's live theater. You are not entitled to have the perfect, silent theater experience. It doesn't happen. If you go outside anywhere, be it the subway/restaurant/theatre/ballet/opera there will be other people and those other people will not always be perfectly behaved and live up to your standards of behavior. If you find it that intolerable that someone next to you is chewing gum, stay the **** home.
At Angels in America I was seated next to a man who said that he was here to see the play to see how "the devil" thinks. He was talking about Tony Kushner being the anti-Christ and how he needs to see how someone like Kushner thinks so he can vanquish those types of people. It was incredibly weird but you know what? Live theater, you can't choose your seatmates. I found it interesting that he'd sit through an 8 hour play if he was so against its ideas but whatever.
And in my experiences at the theater the people who have felt it okay to hit, push, shove, or curse out another theatergoer have ALWAYS been white. Because if you're a minority and you hit, push, shove, or curse out another person in public, the cops are getting called and you're going home in handcuffs. That IS white privilege.
bk
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
#98Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 5:56pm
As everyone here has pointed out to you - EVERYONE - the only racist comments going on here are coming from you, friend. You should have stopped long ago, but instead on you go. And you know what, I AM entitled to have a perfect theatre experience without suffering fools and idiots - you bet I am. And until B'way became the circus I had it - every time, every place. I know this is a horrifying thought for you but there was a time when cell phones didn't exist, there was a time when theaters did not hawk food like people were at a baseball game - yes, that time is gone, but people have become insufferable, entitled little twits and frankly they deserve to be called out on their bad theater behavior and bad theater behavior transcends race, creed, color, and any of your stupid buzzwords.
#99Sit down, shut up and clap: A guide to theater etiquette by Amanda Duarte
Posted: 6/29/18 at 6:00pmThe article is definitely meant to be a humorous Miss Manners. Amanda used to be my neighbor. Read her Drag Race recaps in the NY Times to get a grasp of her humor...Ru even re-Tweeted her recap of last night’s finale.
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