WICKED audience.... WTF????

[Quiche2]

So today I saw WICKED for the millionith time. I was sitting in the rear mezzanine, and a row down from me was an awfully rude man. Throughout all of Act 1 he was texting, and the bright light from his phone really disturbed me. During "Something Bad", I told an usher. The usher warned him, and he kept on texting. At intermission, she confiscated the phone. Just as intermission was ending, and the downbeat started, he actually pulled a pack of cigarretes out and took out a cigarette and lighter. The usher immeadietly stopped him. I was appalled at his rude behavior, and I hope I never have the displeasure of meeting him again. Also, during the curtain call, when the whole cast gave their final bow, he said something obscene about the cast which I will not state.

[JamesBroadwayWiner]

Wow...some people. And I thought the half of the audience at Wicked who came back to their seats two scenes into Act II were rude...

[Quiche2]

Ikr. Some poeple just have no ettiquite. I think there's a thread about other people's experiences with stuff like this, and some of it is just appauling.

[EponineAmneris]

The audiences at PHANTOM are full of people like him.

[Wynbish]

[Quiche2]

STOP STEALING MY GIFS.

[aasjb4ever]

[ClapYo'Hands]

[sbflyfan]

We have forgot-ten ou-r pub-lic man-ners.

[winston89]

I don't believe that the ushers have the ability to confiscate a cell phone. Just on that alone, I don't believe that your story holds water.

[dramamama611]

I'm kind of with you, Winston.

[CHOOKA]

We must have much stricter theatre 'rules' here in Australia.We are told before the show starts to turn off phones etc.There would be no way that texting would be allowed in the theatre.It is rare for someone to talk or 'sing-a-long'--they would be speedly sushed[?]or removed.[I was an usher for years].This comment might cause a response but I have noted that even though Australians are mostly receptive to theatre,they let the performers perform, where I have found,generally,that American audiences are not content to be an audience,but are after attention on themselves. I blame reality TV.for'educating' the younger generation on behavural[I know that is spelt wrong] patterns.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I'm with Winston. This whole thing sounds made-up. I'm surprised so many people are indulging the OP.

[JoeKv99]

As Elaine would say "Fake, fake, fake....FAKE."

1) The Usher confiscated his cell phone?
2) The usher was able to make it to his seat to stop him before lighting a cigarette?
3) During a curtain call you were able to overhear an obscenity muttered by someone in the row ahead of you?

You lie worse than Paul Ryan. WTF?

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Don't know whether this story is true or not, but I have seen a phone confiscated by an usher at a theatre (or attempted, rather). Saw "Rent" back in July and before the show an usher thought she saw 2 people take pictures. The first one (who I also believe is the only one who did) deleted the pictures in front of the usher, then she (the usher) started demanding the second guy to do the same. He said he didn't take any and was showing her, but she didn't believe him and asked for his phone. He refused and they went back and forth a little (he was not being aggresive) and then she asked him to come with her and escorted him out of the theatre.

I thought it was ridiculous that an usher was allowed to confiscate someone's phone, but this usher sure thought she had the right.

So, whether or not this "Wicked" story is true...ushers confiscating phones (or attempting to) definitely happens.

[winston89]

There is one big difference. Having an usher make sure you delete a picture, is not the same as confiscating a phone. Nor is it even close to it. I have volunteered at New World Stages before, and that is their policy when they see someone taking a picture on their phone. They have the person delete the picture right then and there in front of the usher. But, they don't confiscate the phone. In case you weren't sure, confiscating means to actually take away from someone, which is not something that the ushers have the power to do.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Winston, I am perfectly aware of what 'confiscating' means. I am not sure you read my story all the way through - after the guy was showing the usher that he didn't have any pictures on his phone, she asked the man for his phone, to take it away, because she still didn't believe him.

[winston89]

I did read your story. And, at no point did the usher take or attempted to take the patron's cell phone away from them. Standing over them while they delete their pictures is not confiscating a phone, nor is kicking out someone for taking said ilegal photos. Those are the two things that you claimed happened in your story. Plain and simple, an usher doesn't have the power or ability to up and take someone's cell phone from them just because they aren't using it properly in the theatre.

[JoeKv99]

An usher can tell a patron to leave- an usher can NOT "confiscate" a patron's phone.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

I have absolutely no investment as to whether you believe this story or not, but, to be clear, I did in fact say "He said he didn't take any and was showing her, but she didn't believe him and asked for his phone."

She was, quite clearly, trying to take his phone from him.

I also thought it was ridiculous, as I know ushers do not (or at least should not) have the power to take someone's phone from them, but, from my perspective, it seemed like this usher got frustrated that she was being proved wrong (as this man was showing her he had no pictures on his phone). I think her frustration turned into her stepping over her line of power in asking to take his phone.

[Wynbish]

I think the usher dealing with the picture takers only asked for phone so she could verify or delete the pictures.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

It was quite clear she meant to take it away, not just look at it. The man was not being difficult or aggressive and was very plainly showing her his phone and the pictures on his phone.

As a side note, after she took him away, he came back to his seat a few minutes later, just as the show was starting.

[artscallion]

The original story is fake.

[JoeKv99]

The original story is fake....but that gif is amazing!

[ArtMan]

I volunteer usher at three different venues in Florida. None of these are associated with the other. We are told , the usher can take a cellphone if the auduence member is nonadhering to venue policy. I have never done this, (not that I was afraid of confrontatio)but because I feel a paid employee should do this, not a volunterr. My point is there are situations that a usher has been told to take a phone.

[Fosse76]

Ushers have absolutely NO legal right to confiscate anything, at any time. As a matter of fact, NO ONE outside of law enforcement has such a right. That applies to every state. It is considered theft of personal property.

That said, I have seen ushers at the Neil Simon (during Hairspray, at least) confiscate cameras and phones when they saw someone take a picture.

Also, no usher on Broadway has the authority to ask someone to leave. They do, however, have the authority to ask them to leave their seat to talk to a house manager or security personnel.