Santa dropped off an early family Christmas present… ANNIE tickets at the Pioneer Theatre Company. We went on Christmas Eve Eve and had an awesome time.
On the drive up to the play we discussed play manners.
Here are the basics of what we covered:
Dress nicely. Not necessarily church dress but nicer than school or play dress.
Be on time. No one wants to miss part of the show while late comers scoot passed them.
If you must scoot by people to get to your seats, be careful not to step on toes and say “Excuse me.” I think it is kinder to face the people as you go by rather than having your buns in their faces. (This is the English way as well.)
Turn off cell phones. A ring in the middle of the play distracts the audience and the performers.
Usually there is no food or drink in the auditorium. You don’t want to hear chewing and smacking and crinkling while you are trying to watch a play.
Clap at appropriate times- after a musical performance or at the end of an act or scene. A good rule of thumb for kids is don’t be the first one to clap or the last one. Follow the audience if you are unsure when to clap.
Don’t fidget, talk or kick the seat in front of you. You want to be courteous to your seat neighbors.
I think we are officially hooked on theatre and I can’t wait to go back to another play to practice our manners and have a great cultural experience.
Thanks Santa for thinking outside the box on our family gift this year!