Printer Friendly - Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-07 15:26:08
So last night we were seated in row G all the way to the side. They were great seats. Two rows directly in front of us there was a drunk and possibly drugged individual. He looked like a old Steve Buscemi. He was seated by himself. The two seats next to him were empty. However I am not sure but the two big guys seated behind him might have been there with him. The show starts. This man starts conducting with his hands. When Victoria Clark enters he starts applauding and turns around and starts motioning to the rest of the audience to applaud. After the prologue.. when the overture starts he starts his conducting in full force. All the while making faces and making some kind of loud groans. The two big guys behind him shoosh him down. He was quiet till the mirror number. Then the conducting started again and then full out singing. Someone yelled at him to shut up. He yelled back " I AM HERE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME". The two guys behind him shooshed him up again. He remained quiet but spent most of act 1 turning around and studying the crowd. Then at some point he got up and made aloud exit from the theater. During intermission some of us are commiserating and talking about " did you see that weird man". The two guys behind him are not there. We thought maybe they had all gone home. Act 2 starts. He tumbles in late to his seat and the two guys behind him follow. He again groans something and the two guys behind him shoosh him. And then the Loveland sequence begins. He is back to conducting with full force and groaning. And this time he is adding jerky head movements to the whole thing. Audience members in my section start yelling for him to shut up. Someone yells " that he should leave" One of the two guys behind him slaps him on the head with his program. He did quiet down during loosing my mind but started sobbing during the song. At curtain call he lept to his feet and started yelling bravo and brava. He ran to the side of the stage and was extending his hands up in the air as if asking to be lifted up ( like a baby). No one on stage looked his way. So weird.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 15:28:34
He enjoyed the show. Apparently you didn't. Let him have his fun. He paid a lot for a really good seat.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-07 15:30:15
I enjoyed the show. I actually loved the show. And he didn't pay a lot of money. Those side seats are discounted. And believe me if I was the one seated directly behind or on front of him I would have removed him very early on. That way I would have gotten my moneys worth.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Huss417 2012-05-07 15:33:20
"He enjoyed the show. Apparently you didn't. Let him have his fun. He paid a lot for a really good seat."
EatTheBrownie. I hope you are joking? I would have had an usher to his seat the first time he started up.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 15:35:55
"I hope you are joking? I would have had an usher to his seat the first time he started up."
Since when is giving a star entrance applause cause for usher interaction? Since when is trying to get an audience to join in applause cause for usher interaction? Since when is conducting from one's seat cause for usher interaction?
The only thing that could be of complaint was any talking he did during the performance. And that DOESN'T include his "bravoing" at any moment, which is completely appropriate if he felt that anyone's performance deserved it.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-07 15:38:22
He was talking. He was groaning. And he was obviously on something. The conducting was with very loud expressive hands going all over the place. This wasn't a enthusiastic audience member. This was someone in his own world. The grunts and groaning were very loud. Oh and he was singing at times. Full out. Oh and he also kept turning around looking to see how many were looking at him. I actually felt sorry for him. Poor thing.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 15:40:05
Maybe it was Stephen Sondheim.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by ABB2357 2012-05-07 15:42:08
Sounds like my former boss! I think he's a subscriber.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by CarlosAlberto 2012-05-07 15:43:52
I don't know what's funnier, DAME's description of the audience member's behavior or the fact that some of you just fail to see what EatTheBrownie is and fall for the bait he dangles in front of you.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-07 15:46:20
I see what EatTheBrownie is. Except.. he had the "special" brownie. 
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by SueleenGay 2012-05-07 15:47:16
Ya just can't take that Marc Shaiman ANYWHERE these days! 
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 15:49:08
Exactly. Her description of this man describes a lot of theatre composers to a "t".
Stop complaining. He wanted to "have a good time". Clearly, that bothered you.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by nealb1 2012-05-07 15:49:52
I'm so surprised that the ushers didn't speak to him, or tell him to leave.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by CarlosAlberto 2012-05-07 15:50:40
Yes DAME dear. It's that special 420 recipe courtesy of Ms. Alice B.
Except this one was left in the oven a bit too long. OVERBAKED. TOASTED. EXTRA CRISPY with a fair share of "nuts" thrown in for good measure.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by castlestreet 2012-05-07 15:53:18
The night I saw Mazzie in Next to Normal we had a drunk/high couple next to us- we were 2nd row center- again all through the first act they were beyond obnoxious- so at intermission they go out and get more to drink. Now remember- no Orchestra pit at the Booth- so we are literally 5 feet away from the actors on stage- for the first two scenes of ACT II they start making fun of Mazzie and Daniely on stage and mocking them out loud- no one is doing a thing and the people around us are getting very tense. Just when I was about to say something the person I was with reached over my lap, grabbed the guy by the leg and said "if the two of you don't shut up and sit still for the rest of this show we are going to have a big f***ing problem". For the rest of the show they didn't move a muscle.
It also probably didn't hurt that my friend kinda resembles Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs- but it was one of my all time favorite moments in a theater and Mazzie winked at us from the stage.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-07 15:53:54
Neal.. The ushers that theater always disappear right after the show starts. I had seen the show a few times before.. So I took the incident as something to remember the evening by. Will be back to see the show again a few times during the run.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by best12bars 2012-05-07 15:56:21
Oh, good!
I'm glad to hear PJ made it to L.A. for the show after all!
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 16:01:23
"for the first two scenes of ACT II they start making fun of Mazzie and Daniely on stage and mocking them out loud"
Well, that's to be expected. Marin can't sing pop music or belt and Daniely's vocal affectation is a cross between Sean Connery and a mentally handicapped person... They deserve all the ridicule they can get for their poor excuses of performances in Next To Normal.
"Just when I was about to say something the person I was with reached over my lap, grabbed the guy by the leg and said "if the two of you don't shut up and sit still for the rest of this show we are going to have a big f***ing problem"... but it was one of my all time favorite moments in a theater and Mazzie winked at us from the stage."
This is just whole other can of worms. Your companion could have been arrested for grabbing these people. He has NO RIGHT to EVER touch anyone regardless of how annoying they are. You're lucky they were intoxicated because that could have ended in a messy lawsuit. Secondly, you have no right other than to ask politely for them to stop talking. Anything more than that must be directed at an usher or theatre management. You have no right to threaten another audience member.
Clearly if one of your favorite moments ever in a theater involves assaulting and threatening other audience goers, you have no business attending Broadway shows.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by mar6411 2012-05-07 16:02:07
CarlosAlberto - you are so right. Thanks for the dose of reality.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by castlestreet 2012-05-07 16:06:48
Not for nothing Brownie, but when you do go to the Ushers or Theater Management, their usual response is "there isn't a lot we can do about it".
Case in point- this past March during a trip to Phantom on Broadway, there was an entire block of extremely rude people talking out loud, talking on their cell phones, texting, and arguing with each other during all of ACT I- several people around us, including myself went to not only the ushers, but also the Head of House- their response- "We'll keep an eye on them, but they are sitting in the middle of the row, so it would be kinda of hard to do anything about it during the show!"
Lighten up!
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 16:08:45
"Lighten up!"
And you still have no legal right to grab or threaten them. Both things are illegal. One is assault. The other is a threat.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by theaternut 2012-05-07 16:18:09
Next time just call the cops. They will arrest them for public disturbance.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 16:23:49
"Next time just call the cops. They will arrest them for public disturbance."
Enjoying a public performance is not cause for arrest. There are no signs in the theater that say no clapping, no talking, no anything. There is no announcement like there is in movie theaters.
And in regards to him being intoxicated, the theatre sells alcohol to be enjoyed on premises. So, he can't get arrested for that either.
But you CAN get arrested for assault!
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by BroadwayFan12 2012-05-07 16:25:10
People, don't feed the troll.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Huss417 2012-05-07 16:25:27
"I don't know what's funnier, DAME's description of the audience member's behavior or the fact that some of you just fail to see what EatTheBrownie is and fall for the bait he dangles in front of you."
I see that now but it was the first post so was giving the benefit of the doubt. But it only takes the one time for me. :)
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Playbilly 2012-05-07 16:39:00
I would have kicked his @ss. But, wait until "I'm Still Here".
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by EatTheBrownie 2012-05-07 16:40:47
"I would have kicked his @ss. But, wait until "I'm Still Here"."
I would have made you were arrested!!! :)
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by PalJoey 2012-05-07 16:41:37
I'm glad to hear PJ made it to L.A. for the show after all!
Sorry, no. I'm here doing Cycle Three of Wagner's Ring at the Metropolitan Opera.
It's sort of like an 18-hour version of Follies...
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Phyllis Rogers Stone 2012-05-07 16:44:40
Please tell me they've finally changed the color of your tunic!
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by castlestreet 2012-05-07 16:48:38
Oh my good God...
Brownie in a perfect world you would be so right on target... but we don't live in a perfect world.
We ponnie up in some cases hundreds of dollars to see these shows, and for those of us who live outside of the city the expense doesn't end there. We go, and time and time again end up next to countless sets of rude people doing exactly what we have been instructed by theater management NOT TO DO- talk, text, create distraction during the peformance- but because the theater already has our money, once that curtain rises, in too many cases- they just don't care. And I for one have had too many performances that I care to even think about partially ruined by other people who just can't get their act together in public to stand it.
I was raised by people who taught me if you went out into public and acted that way you had better hope someone didn't hit the "auto correct" button, and kick your a** for you. You can't rely on ushers, or The House Manager because they, as previously stated WILL NOT DO A THING!
Its one thing when it is distracting to the people in the audience, but as stated in my case, this was actually distracting the performers- and again- nobody does a thing!
Makes me long for the days of Merman!
So preach on about the law and other peoples rights- I should have the right as a patron, that when I drop ANY amount of money, but especially when I am paying premium prices to see a Broadway show, that if ruined I can't just pay another $10 and see again tomorrow like at the local movie theater, I should have an expectation that it won't be ruined by a drunk or disorderly member of the audience- and if it is- if the House Management isn't going to correct the situation- I don't care who does- as long as it is taken care of!
And if that makes me a bad theater-goer- then call me the Charlie Sheen of Broadway!
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-07 16:49:31
I once snatched a cell from someones hand during a performance. Not very smart on my part. But I was willing to be arrested. The self centered show queen in me sometimes just takes over and I have no control.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Playbilly 2012-05-07 16:53:25
Again, what's needed is a good, ole fashioned @sswhuppin'!! What's the worst that can happen to you? Ya end up co-hosting with Kelly Ripa?
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by castlestreet 2012-05-07 16:55:30
And this is where we get too free with our words- snatching someone's cell phone I don't consider violence or assualt- if the ushers had the balls they would have done it in the first place-for the record we are instructed at the start to turn the damn things off- God forbid someone miss a call, tweet or Facebook update! Its sad that people bring us to this in what use to be considered the "fine arts"...
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Broadwayhunk 2012-05-07 17:11:31
Bring back the ejection seat.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Gaveston2 2012-05-07 17:24:20
You can't rely on ushers, or The House Manager because they, as previously stated WILL NOT DO A THING!
I appreciate that "to intervene or not to intervene" is sometimes a difficult decision for theater staff. "Will I make an even bigger disturbance by accosting a rude patron?"
But I think ignoring bad behavior is very short-sighted.
We may be a dedicated bunch here, but how many people simply decide it isn't worth $140/ticket to deal with rudeness and distractions?
I know I used to see the majority of major films that came out each year. Nowadays I see the few that I want to see most and wait for the rest on TV. Part of the reason is spectators behave better at my house.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by tazber 2012-05-07 17:45:03
This is why there are guns people.
Stand your ground!
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by FindingNamo 2012-05-08 01:29:30
I'm glad it didn't happen at a performance I was at, but it was funny as hell to read about, DAME.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Idiot 2012-05-08 02:22:22
Still trying to wrap my head around "an old Steve Buscemi".
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-08 19:24:03
It was weird that I didn't get all confrontational. The incident might have been worth it. I will never forget it.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by BroadwayFan12 2012-05-08 19:35:16
What did you think of the show otherwise, Dame? How was Victoria Clark?
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-08 19:42:25
Oh I loved the show. I had seen it in New York. I loved Victoria Clark. She has such a beautiful voice. Her Sally was not as pathetic as Bernadette's. Not that pathetic was a bad thing. If anything her choices came out more truthful.. but a little on the bland side. Her Loosing My mind was gorgeous. . I still found myself drifting during Ron Raines numbers.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Kalimba 2012-05-08 19:52:03
Dame, was Victoria's "Losing My Mind" gown the same that Bernadette wore on Broadway?
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-08 19:57:00
NO! She looked beautiful. It was a beautiful blue gown.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Kalimba 2012-05-08 19:59:29
Thanks, I was hoping that they would have posted a photo of her in the gown.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by DAME 2012-05-08 20:00:54
From what I have read in the other threads.. they were probably still deciding on her gown when the press shots were taken.
Nasty drunk at Follies. Sunday night May 6.
Posted by Kalimba 2012-05-08 20:05:05
Oh, I didn't know that. I guess I haven't read through all of the threads.
