Proper Audience Etiquette for Attending a Play

For whatever reason, you have plans to watch a play soon. Maybe your friend's in the cast, your parents forced you to go, somebody bought you tickets as a birthday present, or you simply like or are curious about theatre. But going to watch a play differs from other types of spectatorship, like heading to a soccer game or even a movie theater. There's certain theatre etiquette you have to follow to avoid humiliating yourself and/or getting yourself kicked out of the building. Here's how to behave in the audience during a play:

Dress for the occasion: High school and black box theatres generally call for more casual attire but most theatres require dressy clothes---anywhere from stylish downtown attire to ballroom gowns and tuxedos, depending on the venue. If you're not sure how fancy a theatre is, do your research and go shopping if necessary.

Arrive early: Just because a show begins at 7:30 a.m. doesn't mean that you should walk in then. If the seating's open, meaning based on who comes in first, arrive at least half an hour in advance; if the show's especially popular, you might want to come an hour or even two in advance. If seating's assigned (check your ticket for a seat row and number), you don't have arrive super-early but you should show up ten to fifteen minutes early in case there's a problem with your seat. Maybe you were assigned a seat that's already taken or somebody's mistakenly sitting in your seat. Maybe fewer seats than you reserved for your party are actually available. Mistakes happen frequently enough that you don't want to risk missing the opening scene. You also want to allow enough time to use the bathroom or buy refreshments.

Follow the theatre rules: Always turn your cell phone off or put it on the subtlest vibration setting possible. Most theatres do not allow smoking, food, drinks, or cameras. If you have questions about what is and what is not permitted, ask an usher.

Avoid talking during the play: The only exceptions to this rule are if there's an emergency (obviously) or if the play demands audience interaction. Plays requiring such interaction, however, are rare and usually take place in black box theatre. Save your commentary for AFTER the play is over, in which case you can rant and rave as much as you'd like. That's one of the reasons why blogs exist; treasure free speech but know that there's a time and place for it. Most of the audience members probably don't care what you think, anyway.

Behave appropriately during intermission: Intermission is not the same as half-time in football. Do not get loud and rowdy. If you must use the restroom, politely exit your row (always excuse yourself and try not to step on anybody's toes) and politely return. Follow the same procedure if you'd like to grab a snack from the concession stand or go outside to smoke. If you're allowed to bring food back into the theatre, eat it quietly so as not to disturb those around you. The theatre is not the place for loud slurping or crunching.

Applaud even if you hated it: You don't have to clap until your hands are red but show some appreciation for all of the artists who worked to produce the play. Very few plays are so wretched that they deserve no applause, anyway. But are there plenty of mediocre plays? Remember, you don't have to give a standing ovation, just some polite applause. On this topic of audience reception, any form of jeering is out of the question. It's never appropriate to boo. Leave the performance if you must but don't embarrass the actors or, more likely, yourself.

Know your limits at the reception: Not all plays have a reception afterwards but the ones that do usually host one opening night. Probably the most important advice in this respect is this: don't overstay your welcome. Very few receptions last beyond an hour for anyone but the cast. As an audience member, that doesn't include you. Another important rule is to avoid hording a lot of food during your first run-through. Surely there are plenty of pretty pastries and yummy cheeses set out for you to try but don't pile your plate up too high. Go ahead and fill it and go through the line again if you'd like more food. Save some for the people behind you; they paid for their tickets, too. The exception to this rule is if you're the very last person in line, in which case you can probably get away with grabbing a lot because you're picking over left-overs anyway.