Performance Etiquette

So this is when I had attended HOLA! at the Rainforest Theatre (you should check it out when its on again) and there were some things the disappointed me...not in the performances (which were creative and fun to watch) but in the people attending the show. I will just state some of the things that should not be done at any event that occurs in an enclosed space within the dark. Here are some things to not do and why:




Cellphones - Honestly, I understand we all have emergencies but if your phone is out for the entire show then you may as well not be there. You are not the only person who paid to see the event and you are a distraction to everyone around you who wants to actually participate within the moment. It goes without saying that talking on your cellphone during the event is grounds to have everyone else there throw you down a flight of stairs.




Flash Photography - Okay, we ALL would love to have pictures of our friends or amazing things on stage that happen but there are several reasons to keep your flash OFF. You are distracting the persons on stage; they have worked hard for this event and that distraction could cost them a valuable step which could ruin the performance (and their confidence for that matter). You could be killing the illusion of the performance; at HOLA! there was one point when the stage was dark and the dancers were outlined with glow sticks. It was amazing! ...until some wonderful persons decided it was a good idea to take pictures with flash thus ruining the illusion. If the people who are having the event are recording it for a dvd release then you have ruined their footage and cost them time as well as money. Wouldn’t you hate if someone did that to you?




Screaming - There are parts of a performance where you see someone you know and you want to let them know you are there but screaming their name profusely while they are on stage is not the way to do it... You may cause them to lose focus, anyone near or around you is having their experience tainted and if it’s being recorded you have murdered their finances with the editing that will have to be done in order to get rid of your annoying voice. Feeling proud of yourself yet? Try instead to catch up with them after the show but until then clap (maybe holler) once the act is done. Seeing them after the show is more important.




Saving Seats - I love sitting with my friends during a performance but sadly that will not always happen. If it is close to curtains up and your friends aren’t there yet then they may not be coming, so do not keep someone else from sitting down; they have the same rights to see this event as you do. Also saving a row of seats for people who are not even in the theatre yet is just asinine and selfish. Sitting next to new people is a part of the experience so enjoy it and catch up with your friends later.




Honestly it seems that people are thinking more about themselves and their enjoyment with no regard for anyone else; it is a selfish way to live. Everyone has the right to enjoy themselves but not at the expense of others. You are not just an individual, you are an individual who is part of a community; respect and take care of your community, it will do the same for you.