SECOND ACTING - Is it still done?

[sinister teashop]

"Second Acting", for those who don't know, is the act of discretely walking into a theater during the interval to see the second half of a show without paying for it.

I'm older and can afford to pay full price which I am happy to do. But when I first started going to Broadway shows and couldn't even afford a discounted ticket I often Second Acted them. Is it still done?

[theaterkid1015]

As a poor younging, I've seen my fair share of second acts. Don't know how common it is.

[capnkidd]

Yes, thogh it isn't as common as it used to be, in my opinion. Interesting question. What makes you ask this now (just curious)?

[sinister teashop]

What makes me ask it now is that younger people are worse off economically, en masse, than we were when my generation was young. But when I was younger there was, I think, a kind of complicity among theaters and arts institutions to let younger people into the theater during intermissions as long as they were discrete about it. I wonder if that's disappeared.

[capnkidd]

I don't think it has, entirely. Seems to me if you pick the right shows, and you're discrete, they look the other way.

[dramamama611]

However, there is now student rush and lotteries which give opportunity to see shows (from the begining) for a much smaller price tag.

[bobs3]

When I was in college at NYU in the 1980s my friends and I used to second act shows quite frequently. We would wander in with the intermission crowd that was outside the theater smoking. If no usher was looking we would grab a Playbill from the stack next to the aisles and go up to the mezzanine or balcony and wait for everyone to return to their seats and when the house lights lowered we would look for empty seats. Of course we knew better than to try this tactic at SRO shows (Cats, La Cage aux Folles, The Real Thing, etc.).

The best was three act plays. I saw the second and third acts of NOISES OFF and laughed my ass off. Wish I could have seen the first act since I heard at the time that was the funniest of the three acts. Oh the woes of being a college student living on a limited budget.

[winston89]

The only show I ever second acted was Come Fly Away. But, generally speaking, it's hard to do. This is because back in the day when it was more common, they didn't check tickets upon reentry. Now, if you want to go out during intermission to smoke or get some air, you have to bring your ticket with you.

Granted, they might not look at it as clearly as they would if your'e entering when the house opens up. There have been times where the simple act of me reaching into my pocket for my ticket was enough to come back after intermission.

[sinister teashop]

I don't think I've ever been asked to see my ticket when returning after the intermission.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

I tried to do it once at the Vivian Beaumont, but the house was fuller than I expected, so I wasn't able to find a seat immediately and chickened out.

[dreamz]

Sinister well I guess you haven't been to a Jujamcyn house lately.

[bestfreakinshoes]

I've done it. But I suppose talking about it will only get more theaters to crack down on it, won't it?

[THDavis]

I just don't get why a theatre would spend it's time and resources trying to restrict entry to a poorly selling show's second act to a younger, respectful crowd. That being said, there are also plenty who might abuse it or not be respectful, but I like to think anyone who knows about second acting would be low-key and respectful.

[FindingNamo]

Yeah, it's the same exact thing as a young person photocopying sheet music and giving a filthy rich composer some exposure.

[Mildred Plotka]

I went outside at intermission of Anything Goes and left my ticket at my seat. The Roundabout staff stopped me at the door and wanted to see my ticket. I gave them my exact location, but they were still skeptical (I had a Playbill in hand, too). I eventually rolled my eyes and walked into the theatre. I assume 2nd Acting is happening if they are wanting ticket proof upon return. The performance was also sold out, so I'm not sure where they thought I was going to 2nd Act the show from.