Recently, over winter break, I went to Universal Studios for a few days in Orlando, Florida. On the last night, my family went to Disney Springs and ended up seeing Cirque Du Soleil's "La Nouba". If you haven't gotten the chance to see any Cirque Du Soleil shows, I highly recommend going to at least one of them. They are truly amazing and so unique.
Through out the show I noticed something that seems to happen during so many shows, movies, etc. People in the audience were either texting on their phone, talking to one another, or some other very rude thing. As a performer, this is one of the rudest things an audience member can do. It is not only disrespectful to the show, it is disrespectful to the performers, countless hours of rehearsal and work, the art, and not to mention the audience members around you. You didn't pay money to talk to someone who is sitting next to you. You payed money to see a performance and if you want to talk then don't buy a ticket to the show.
It is not only disrespectful, but it is very distracting to the other audience members and performers. If someone is trying to watch a show or movie and there is a bright light coming from the person next to them's phone, it is hard to pay attention to the show or movie because their mind is on that distracting light coming from the phone. As a performer, it is very distracting to see someone on their phone or talking to someone else in the audience. Your trying to balance so many things on stage as a performer and looking out into the audience and seeing something out of the ordinary at the time can really throw you, although you have to be able to continue and not let it throw you.
You are witnessing someone else's work that has been worked on for a long time. It doesn't matter how big or small the show is. It is a piece of art and someone worked on it.
Support them by turning off your phone, not silencing, but turning off your phone for a couple of hours. It's disrespectful, distracting, and is not a good way of showing support at all.
It is a privilege to be an audience member. Don't take it for granted. You payed the money to see the piece of art, not to talk to someone else.
