Theater Tips for the Audience

Did you just buy tickets to the show you have been dying to see? Before you go to the theater, here are some pointers to help you and those around you get the most out of the experience.

Some friendly reminders

While these tips seem may seem like common sense, it never hurts to be reminded:

• Arrive approximately 30 minutes before curtain. Many theaters will not hold your reservation and will give your seat away just before the show begins. Most theaters will not allow you in once the show has begun. If they do, it is usually at least twenty minutes into the performance, at which point other audience members do not want to be disrupted as latecomers climb over them to get to seats.
• Eat before you arrive. While movie theaters sell chips and candy, such noisy foods and wrappers are not taken to as kindly in a theater.
• Don't forget to turn off your cell phone! For individuals on call, please include your seat location when leaving information at your office or home. Please advise the Box Office or our Front of House Manager if you are expecting a call. We cannot stop or interrupt a performance, but an usher can locate you with proper information.
• Flash photography is a danger to the performers, especially in a show with a raked (tilted) stage or one where scenery is moving about. The flash bulb going off in the darkened theater can be very disorienting to an actor who needs to be concentrating on not getting hit by moving platforms.
• Don't forget that the actors can hear you if you talk too loudly. For that matter, so can the people sitting around you. This also goes for the sometimes-hard-to-resist need to sing along when you know the score. Shhh!

Bringing children to the theater

Seeing a live performance can be a wonderful experience for a child. There are some things you should remember when taking a young child to a show:

• Be sure that the show you are taking your child to is appropriate for children. If you are concerned about a show's content, call the theater and ask if it is appropriate. Some shows do not allow children under a certain age in.
• If it is your child's first experience at a show prepare her ahead of time for what she is going to see. For pre-school or early elementary aged children, find out as much about the show as possible and discuss it with your child.
• If you have an easily frightened or nervous child, you may want to remind him that what he will see on stage is pretend. Talk with him about the fact that actors are just people playing dress-up.
• Teach children to be good audience members. This means not talking during the show unless asked to by an actor. If the show contains audience participation the performers will usually lay down the ground rules, so if they ask the kids to raise their hands, remind your child to raise his hand and not call out.
• If you have an unruly or crying child take her into the lobby to settle down.
• After the show don't forget to talk about what you saw with your child!

Meeting the actors

After a show it can be fun to meet the actors or get autographs. In a small theater you can ask an usher or box office personnel to notify an actor that you are there. Some important things to remember are:

• In general, actors are happy to meet audience members and love to hear when you have enjoyed a show. However, don't forget that while you were sitting back enjoying the show, the actors were working hard. They may be tired or on their way somewhere and may not always have time to stop and chat.
• Even though actors appear larger than life on stage many of them are quite shy in real life. Please be understanding if an actor does not make himself accessible after the show. In particular, very famous people who are often in the public eye avoid the crowds altogether and do not leave from the stage door.