Theater Etiquette Tips

Theater is a collaborative art from the moment the director picks up the script to the moment the curtain falls. As such, it is the responsibility of the audience member to be aware of the impact his or her presence has on the finished product. Though you can typically be assured of a performer's full preparedness, it is still important to remember that they are human and, even in the midst of a well-rehearsed performance, can be distracted.

I have been an enthusiastic theatergoer for a very long time, and although the theater is no longer an event to which we wear elaborate gowns and sharp tuxedos, there is still an accepted etiquette that should be followed as closely as possible, out of respect for the actors and fellow audience members:

• Always arrive on time

  This is as much out of consideration to the performers and fellow audience members as it is for your own best interest. Many theaters have strict policies regarding late seating that have to do with when there is an appropriate break early enough in the show to slip latecomers in as unobtrusively as possible. If you arrive after the show has already begun, do not be surprised if you are told that you must wait until intermission to take your seat. You can check on a theater's Late Seating Policy by calling the box office ahead of time.

• Turn your cell phones off

  Don't just silence them or put them on vibrate, turn them off. A vibrating phone in your purse or pocket and you rummaging through said purse or pocket in order to acknowledge the call can be just as disruptive as ringing during a particularly quiet scene or poignant moment. Additionally, since text-messaging has become so popular, the glow of a silenced phone can be distracting to other audience members during blackouts or other lowly-lit sequences.

• Refrain from verbal criticisms or affirmations

  If something strikes you has funny, please laugh as unabashedly as you please! Indeed, if something is touching, sigh, or startling, gasp. But do not turn to your neighbor to comment on what is happening on stage. Applause, of course, is always welcome in praise or support, and cheering has also become common-place with the advent of rock-operas. So cheer your heart out! Just don't talk during the show.

• Never take any photographs or video recordings of the performance

  Not only is this extremely illegal, it is also disconcerting for the people on stage. If they aren't feeling particularly strong about their performance on any given night, I am sure they would be devastated to see that sub-par performance show up in a video on YouTube. Don't do that to them.

• Unless it is an emergency, do not leave the theater during the show
  

  If you rise from your seat to use the rest room or make a phone call, you may not be let back into the theater. At smaller venues, this is usually to look out for your safety, particularly when performers are using audience entrances and exits as stage entrances and exits. If you anticipate having to get up in the middle of the show, talk to an usher beforehand to see if you can be seated close to an exit.

• With children, make sure that the show is appropriate for their age

  There are many wonderful opportunities for children to see theater (places such as The New Victory Theater and Tada! Youth Theater offer many opportunities for kids to see quality shows, as do most of the Disney Theatrical Productions). But don't bring your five-year-old to see Moon for the Misbegotten.

• If you do not enjoy the show, feel free to refrain from applauding
  

  You should feel free to refrain from standing or applauding during curtain call, but I still happen to be of the opinion that it is exceedingly rude to walk out before the conclusion of the performance. At the professional level, even a bad show requires a lot of hard work, not just by the actors, but for the designers, musicians, administrative staff, Front of House and concessions staff and crew members. That work deserves respect, even if it doesn't earn praise.

The rules above are not meant to make you feel as though theatergoing is a stuffy, out-dated experience, but rather to ensure that you, and the performers, have the best night at the theater that you can. If you prefer to chat during a show, snack loudly on chips, and get up for a multitude of bathroom or cigarette breaks, rent a movie.