audience callbacks- the ones you want, the ones you don't

[BARussell]

A performance of Circle Mirror Transformation which if you know anything about it has some intentional long pauses, there is a point where there is nobody on stage for 20 seconds or so and  nothing is happening. Well this particular theatre is known for the abundance of blue hairs. One of them during one of these long pauses yelled "Someone missed their entrance!" Also since it's a small thrust theatre during one scene when characters were kissing a lady very close to them kept saying "ewww".

[Mac Calder]

Not a callback - but I cracked up anyway. I was "guest" SM for a musical a couple of weeks ago - long story involving a sick SM and an ASM with no desire to ever call a show... any way... It was Cabaret, I know it well enough, so all good.

Standard pros arch venue, pit with orchestra, 3 monitors on the balcony rail for conductor cam and a kid sitting front row center. Kid figures out that the camera he can see goes to the monitors on the rail. He has a bit of fun making hand shapes and waving at the camera - I can see from my feed on the SM desk and I figure that once the show starts, he will forget about it.

Kid gets bored by half way through act one. Our Hitler Youth takes to center stage, he had been instructed to look straight at the monitor center balcony rail as a focus point. Kid makes bunny ears and hand signs behind the conductor. Hitler Youth chokes back a laugh and tries vainly to continue. Kid starts to pull faces. Hitler Youth chokes back another. Song ends, Hitler Youth power walks off stage and cracks up in the wings. Guest Stage Manager looses it shortly after.

[killerdana]

These both happened quite a while back...

I was in the audience for "Take Me Out" on Broadway.  Sunday Matinee.  Sitting in front of me are about 5 wealthy-looking older women.  I knew the show contained a significant amount of nudity and was wondering if they would be offended.  At the first shower scene one of the women turned to her friend and asked, "How can I take him home?"

I also used to house manage at a theatre in the round where the first row of the audience was practically sitting on the stage.  In one scene of the play (so long ago that I can't remember which show) the phone was ringing.  An elderly woman from the front row picked up the phone, said "hello," and then turned to the lead actor and held it out, saying, "It's for you."