On April 11th, many students from South High and other schools in the city are going to be able to see the Broadway musical Come From Away for free at the Hanover Theatre. Come From Away is a musical based on the true story of a town in Newfoundland called Gander. This town was the recipient of 38 planes that held 7,000 passengers in the week following 9/11 when all planes were ordered to land unexpectedly at Gander International Airport.
Through this opportunity, students have been able to see many Broadway shows in the past such as RENT, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and Hadestown. All of these shows, including Come From Away, are either Tony Award nominees, or Tony Award winners, which is one of the highest honors any show can receive. Additionally, all of these shows have deep meaning behind them all, and educate the audience in an entertaining way.
Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to be able to immerse myself in the performing arts, whether that be as a performer or an audience member. I believe that every person should have the opportunity to be able to see a play or musical, and I am so happy that students in Worcester are being given the opportunity to, especially if they wouldn’t be able to normally.
However, even though many students are seeing a show for the first time, this doesn’t mean that the rules of the theatre are omitted from them. In the past, I have seen many students engaging in behavior that as a performer, can be deeply disrespectful and distracting to the people around them and on stage. So as the time comes closer to our departure to the Hanover, I thought it might be helpful to share some of the cardinal rules of theatre etiquette so everyone can have an enjoyable time.
Rule #1: NO PHONES! In my opinion, this rule is the most important rule of all theatre etiquette. Keeping your phone off and away shows the performers the respect they deserve, and by doing this, you are also showing respect to the people around you.
Rule #2: NO TALKING! This rule is almost as important as the first. Before the show, during intermission, and after the show, talk all you want, but as soon as the lights go down, end all of your conversations. If you need to speak to someone next to you, do it in a whisper, and keep the conversation very minimal. By staying quiet throughout the show, you are once again showing respect to the performers and your peers, but you are also doing a favor to yourself: you can enjoy the show in peace!
Rule # 3: MINIMIZE BATHROOM TRIPS! When you get to the theater, everyone will be in line for the bathroom, so do yourself a favor: go to the bathroom before you leave school. Trust me, nobody wants to have to wait in an enormous line, and nobody wants to have to move during the show so you can walk past to get to the bathroom. This will minimize distractions for everyone in the room, performers and audience members alike.
Rule #4: KEEP CHEERS TO A MINIMUM! I am going to be honest; it’s hard to say when to cheer during a show. All I can say is that it is okay to cheer at big moments, and to cheer after musical numbers, but other than that, keep the reactions small. It can be distracting to the performers, but it affects the other audience members as well. If a person is cheering too loud, and too often, it may make it hard for someone to hear what is happening. Trust me, the theater nerd next to you will thank you.
Rule #5: ENJOY YOURSELF! I say this from the bottom of my heart. For many, this experience is one that many may not experience again, so immerse yourself in the experience. It won’t be one you will forget soon.
