Author Topic: COMMUNICATION: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements  (Read 117971 times)

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tombo_17

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Re: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements
« Reply #45 on: Feb 04, 2008, 07:10 pm »
We currently have one of our actors go up and give the safety/cell phone speech to the audience. I absolutely love the part about cameras. It goes something like this:
"There is no flash photography or video recording of any kind during the performance. After the show the actors will be in front of the stage and you can come by and flash us all you want then." It always gets a laugh. 
"You should never lie to your friends"

Lizzie

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Re: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements
« Reply #46 on: Feb 05, 2008, 11:09 am »
I wonder if this might be a better solution ... ;)

http://www.thestage.co.uk/hamlet/?year=2006&week=41

kirstums

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Re: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements
« Reply #47 on: Feb 05, 2008, 08:11 pm »
That is brilliant!

djemily

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Re: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements
« Reply #48 on: Feb 07, 2008, 03:08 am »
When I did Seven Brides for Seven Brothers last summer at an outdoor theater we had the actor playing the Parson (who was a silly, cute, older gentleman with rosy pink made up cheeks) come on stage and welcome everyone yadda yadda and then ask to see everyones cell phone. He would pull his out of his pocket and wave it in the air and talk about how cool they are while the audience fumbled for their own. Then he would sternly say "now turn it off!". It got laughs every time, and I don't think I heard a phone ring during the 10 times the show ran.

Also, I don't think I would mind the embarrassment or guilt trip to the audience aimed in my direction. Shoot, I'd even make googly eyes to the audience from the booth if I had time and it got the job done.

And having thick walls in the theatre where my cell phone didn't work would not be an option for me. I've had mics go out during an emergency and had to call my ASM on her cell to give her instructions on how to handle the situation backstage.

Fitz

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Re: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements
« Reply #49 on: Mar 03, 2008, 04:23 pm »
Lots of good ideas here for the audience. I'm definitely bringing these to our preshow announcers.

Re: cast/crew phones. Whenever I'm SM'ing a show I make a group on my phone for the cast/crew who have cells. When the house opens I send a text message to all of them wishing them 'break a leg' or 'Your SM loves you' or 'I like candy' or 'Turn off your phone!'... I do something different every night. That way, if any of them have left their phones on ring, they know. The first night I do it can be funny because sometimes the entire backstage and dressing area explodes with 30 different ring tones, followed immediately by guilty laughter.

I always insist that crew keep phones on them and on vibrate if they have them, because I've also had headsets fail in the middle of a show.

Rhynn

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements
« Reply #50 on: Nov 04, 2012, 02:00 am »
Sometimes they just don't listen.  I remember one show the cell phones were interfering with the wireless mics so badly I had to go into the house and PLEAD with the parents and guests to turn them to OFF--not just to silent or even airplane mode!  It was the hardest moment of theatre in my life.
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I'm flattered, but the answer is still no.

On_Headset

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Re: COMMUNICATION: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements
« Reply #51 on: Nov 04, 2012, 02:51 am »
One of my local companies has recorded the noise of a cacophony of cellphones beeping and buzzing and tweeting, and just plays that before every performance.

The audience usually giggles, but the phones do get taken out and they are switched off.

 

riotous