A Night at the Theatre

There is nothing more magical than live theatre. Those are real live human beings up there on stage, working there asses off to entertain you. There are no retakes. There is risk. And no matter what happens, the show must go on. (Unless, of course, Spider Man gets carried away on a stretcher. Poor thing!)

Everything about live theatre is special. Each aspect is created by human hand (no CG here) and is presented to you in real time, night after night. The music, the hand-built sets, the costumes, the lighting, the timing, the blocking, the choreography, the singing and the script; all delivered in those magical, transformative spaces we call theatres. It’s quite amazing when you stop to think about it.

We owe the ancient Greeks an eternal tip of the hat for this gift. And we New Yorkers have the luxury of living at the center of it all. How lucky! An evening at the theatre is one of the greatest nights out you can have in this city. This is why I am saddened when people show up in jeans and sneakers. Come on people, get it together! Make an effort. Don’t you get it? When you show up like a schlubb to the theatre not only do you deprive yourself a part of the experience, but you kill off parts of the ambience for everyone else.

The lights go down and we suspend our disbelief, ready to be taken in to a story — to laugh, to cry, to be dazzled! We can show our respect by dressing for the special night, coming on time, turning our phones off, not coughing or sneezing or hacking up a lung, listening intently, saving our applause for the end of each act, not crunching loudly on snacks, keeping silent while the show is in progress, and rising to our feet at the end of the show for a standing ovation to show appreciation for an especially good performance.

Consider, for a moment, that we, too, must play our role. We start by getting dressed in our own costumes, hair, and makeup for pre-dinner cocktails — off to the bright lights of Broadway to enjoy and show our support for an art form that is so vital to our city; to transport ourselves, if only for a little while. And then, finally, to end the evening with a late dinner at a cozy restaurant, exuberant with inspiration and enamored by the company with whom we just shared this wondrous experience. So next time you go to a show, please appreciate the moment. And behave and dress accordingly!