Being on the road so much often leads me to forget how wonderful NY really can be and all it has to offer. Recently, with the help, or rather the push, of some friends, I revisited the magical world of the theater. In the last two weeks I saw November on Broadway with Nathan Lane, the Kirov Ballet at the City Center and Candide at the New York City Opera (and I can’t forget Curtains! with GT’s own Kim Krol a few weeks back).

November had more foul language that the Lower East Side on a Friday night and kept the audience rolling in the aisles. The Russian ballerinas brought the romance of the Romanovs to the stage and Candide entertained with good old-fashioned humor and the classic music of Leonard Bernstein. I’ve always loved the theater and especially the world of music. I dedicated a good portion of my life to it, even studying it in college, but never made it my whole life. Perhaps that’s why I have such an admiration for the arts and artists that bring their whole body and soul to the stage. Every night they are doing something they love, to entertain others. It is with that same admiration I am sometimes equally amazed of how rude many of the guests, who are privileged to see the performance, often act during or just after the show.

During November, two theatergoers got what was coming to them! The play had barely ended and the cast (4 in total) were taking their first bows and two people in the front row stood up and casually started to leave the theater. There was no sense of urgency, more the sense of “Let’s jet now and beat all these suckers to get to our car first.” Well, Nathan Lane was thinking the same thing and did what only he can do best - improvise! Just before they were taking their bows, Nathan Lane went to make a speech. As the two folks in the front stood up - right in front of him - he said, in his wonderfully sarcastic tone, “Well, folks, that’s a new one, a walking ovation! I guess they just can’t wait to get back to Teaneck and now, who can blame them.” Lane won the crowd over again. He then went on to ask for donations for a charity as people left the theater, I bet he received more donations that night than most, for calling out the two people who couldn’t wait an extra 30 seconds to show their respect to the performers who played their heart out for them!

I noticed the same behavior of many people after the other two performances I saw. What really got me upset was how people jumped out of their seats after the Kirov ballet where the performers danced their hearts out nearly flawlessly. I’m sure it left a reflection on the Russian dance company of what a NY crowd can be like. I think what got me most upset is knowing the feeling of being on a stage and seeing people leave their seats without an inkling of appreciation, sometimes I wonder why they came out of their living rooms in the first place.

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher