It’s often said that the theater is a sacred space for performance arts. When watching a play or any form of performance, the audience is required to follow strict rules so they won’t disrupt the show. Sadly, there are still those who don’t adhere to these rules.
Earlier, Lea Salonga tweeted about rude audience members while watching Fun Home. This sparked a discussion among avid theater-goers on showing respect to the performers, as well as other audience members.
With the holidays rolling in, going to the theater is one of the best ways to celebrate. So better brush up on some etiquette before anything else.
#1 Turn off your phones
This is one of the main things they’ll announce upon sitting down. Phones can disrupt the sound system, and if you don’t mute them, they’ll obviously distract everyone in the room. Not to mention that if you text during a show, the light from your screen will also be a distraction. (And no, texting inside your bag isn’t going to help, either.)
You might be thinking: “They allow phones in the theater anyway.” Still, that’s not an excuse to use it during a show. This also brings us to our next point.
#2 Don’t take photos
I once sat next to a guy who kept taking photos of a play, and it was so rude. Lea also called out a front-row audience member who did the same at Fun Home, saying that she’s violating copyright rules by taking photos and posting them on social media.
She even points out that they’re considering confiscating phones for the next show.
#3 Grab a meal before heading to the theater
Let’s call this an unspoken rule so you won’t have to bring a bag of chips inside the theater. The loud crunching of chip and loud rustling of plastic bags are unwanted noise. So let everyone enjoy the music without hearing you snacking away.
#4 This is not a sing-along
Okay, we get it, you’re a big fan of Miss Saigon and Wicked so you know all the words to their songs. That’s great and all, but please don’t sing along. It’s the same when people keep reciting every line in a film while you’re watching. And you know how irritating that can get.
#5 The ushers are just doing their job
When an usher calls your attention, don’t be mean to them. More so, don’t act like a snob just because “you paid good money to watch the show.” Face it, you broke the rules and got caught doing them. So just sit tight and enjoy the show without doing the things we mentioned above.
Photo courtesy of Lea Salonga’s Instagram account
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