Sunday, April 30, 2006

Pressure to stand or not to stand?

Have you ever felt pressure to stand up and clap at the end of a performance? Do you only stand when the performance has been extraordinary, or are you forced up because "everybody else is" or even because you want to see the actors? I've seen standing ovations for shows that in my opinion were not worthy. I know that in community theater there are a lot of parents and friends that want to show support, but does the standing O become meaningless, if it's done for less then exceptional performances? I'd love to hear what you have to say...

Here's a little article on topic from the NY Times:

"There are New York snobs who love to beat up on Broadway audiences almost as much as they love to beat up on Broadway shows. They condemn theatergoers for being undemanding (hence the popularity of jukebox musicals), unwilling to be challenged (hence the empty seats at serious plays) and far too quick to give standing ovations to less-than-extraordinary performances."

Link

Technorati tags: Hudson valley theater

No comments:

Community Theater in the Mid Hudson Valley of New York. Information on shows, auditions, and our general adventures onstage, backstage and in the audience.