From: mckenzi@ecf.toronto.edu (MCKENZIE ROBERT NEIL)
Subject: RE: Theatre Behaviour
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility
Distribution: rec.arts.theatre
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 21:52:33 GMT


  I am a House Manager of a theatre in Stratford Ontario. This discussion
  touches a nerve.

> Food? Drinks?
>    ***
> ... uncomfortably in their seats they quickly finish ripping open the
> package.
> I just wish they'd come up with some equally strict rules about eating
> inside the theatre.

  My ushers are instructed to ensure that anyone with food eats it
  before entering the auditorium. Anyone with food already inside must take
  it out and eat it, OR take it out and throw it in the garbage. We don't
  enforce these rules for fear of excess litter - we do have maintenance men --
  we want to eliminate the crinkling of wrappers or tearing of candybar paper.
  I also insist that people who want to eat those candies in the annoying
  little cellophane wrappers must take them out of the wrappers before
  entering the theatre. Otherwise, they are considered to be food. It
  amazes me how many people complain when asked to take food out
  of the auditorium, but the number of people close to that person who heave
  a great sigh of relief as he/she takes the food away doesn't.

> Why do people continue to treat the theatre as if it were a trip to
> the movies? Thankfully, some theatres have begun to implement strict
> rules about latecomers.

  We have a STRICT never-to-be-broken rule about latecomers. If a person
  arrives at the theatre as the doors are being closed (usually 3 minutes
  after the scheduled starting time), they are LATE. The scheduled late call
  depicted by the director is usually 10-15 minutes into the play at an
  official scene change. If a person comes past the 1st late call, they
  are put in seats at the back on another scene change, and cannot go to
  their seats until intermission. Many people are upset when told
  they have to wait, and always want to 'sneak into the back of the theatre'.
  Neither the actors, nor the 2,000 other audience members who arrived in
  time would appreciate not being disturbed by five or ten people who
  'left just a bit too late'.

> As for babies, I'm not against bringing them (well, ok, sort of) but I
> think the parent should always be seated on an aisle.

  Again, we have a STRICT never-to-be-broken rule about babes in arms.
  Absolutely no-one may take any babe in arms into the auditorium to see
  a play. We will refund the money of the baby's ticket (if they
  bought one) and the ticket of the person who will sit out and babysit.
  Any borderline baby-toddler is not acceptable. The actors and Stage
  Management, as well as the other audience members, want EVERY person in
  the auditorium to focus on the play. The theatre is not a place for
  babies -- some sudden noise, sound effect, strange lighting effect, or
  even an actor's voice, can spur crying fits. TWICE this year, we've had
  groups try to take a baby in. They tried to assure me that their baby
  NEVER cries or makes a sound. I flatly told them "NO". So both
  times, someone sat in the lobby with the baby. Both times, the baby started
  screaming during the first act. One of the times, the baby was screaming
  so loud, the parent had to take the baby outside because we were afraid
  it could be heard inside. Hmmmmmmm.

  If you want to go to the theatre, please leave Junior with a babysitter.

Rob McKenzie
mckenzi@skule.ecf.utoronto.ca
Newsgroups: rec.arts.theatre