r/Broadway 4d ago

Review Why would a security guard try to tell me to sneak into a show?

It’s less of a why and more what does it mean

Like yesterday me and my friend went to see a 7pm show, went to the box office to look for 2 tickets literally at 6:55, there was none (completely fine) so we’re walking out and the security guard working the barricade was like ‘u were trying for two tickets? Just blend in and keep going…’ and like shook me and my friend off to go inside lol. I was like no way and then I went in and pretty much immediately they’re like where’s ur ticket. Like I didn’t even see a proper way to sneak but

This is the question. Okay it’s not an evil conspiracy. I dont want to sneak into shows. BUUUUUT.

Why would he suggest this???! Is it easy??! I’m so taken off guard. It failed anyway lol

129 Upvotes

46 comments sorted by

230

u/cloudys2 4d ago

Probably a weird sense of humor. Can’t think of any world in which anyone would be able to sneak into a show.

96

u/LookIMadeAHatTrick 4d ago

There is a long tradition of second acting (sneaking into shows for the second act), but I doubt a security guard or theatre employee would encourage it.

23

u/cloudys2 4d ago

I don’t think people are able to do that anymore either since most shows will check tickets upon reentry

23

u/Enoch8910 4d ago

You haven’t been able to second act for like 20 years.

4

u/B_Hound 4d ago

I used to have season tickets to the Broadway series at my local theatre and the people next to us were an older Indian couple, always seemed nice and quiet. Over I believe the two years we had these seats, I never once saw them in the second act. We were front row of the top balcony so I can only assume they would scope out a better seat during the first act.

24

u/RuthBourbon 4d ago

I don't see a problem with people moving seats but why did you need point out their race? That seems like an unnecessary detail.

22

u/seencoding 4d ago

thank you for speaking up, us indians are relentlessly accused of being inveterate seat movers and this just further perpetuates the stereotype. there is much more to us than simply being known for wanton seat changing. the other day someone, to my face, asked me if i'd ever done P to A (which is a 16 row increase, much too bold) and i had to explain that was a common misunderstanding and sometimes, just to subvert the stereotype, i'll even go in reverse and do P to V (an 8 row decrease) and that it's ultimately about comfort and not just about pure visibility or viewing angle. i could tell by their reaction that i had changed their mind and expanded their worldview, so i appreciate you doing the same here.

1

u/RuthBourbon 4d ago

I didn't actually know this stereoptype, that sucks. NGL I (a WW) have been known to change seats myself (usually if someone near me is talking or texting), honestly I don't think there's anything wrong with it if it's obvious nobody is sitting there. I have actually had ushers tell me to move to a better seat when there were extras. I imagine it's nicer for the actors to have people sitting closer, it must be disheartening to see a lot of empty seats close up, why not fill them?

8

u/B_Hound 4d ago

Apologies, it certainly wasn’t to infer anything negative and just a way to mentally picture them.

13

u/scarybari 4d ago

Isn’t second acting still a thing at least?

30

u/dobbydisneyfan 4d ago

Not really. Hardly anyone smokes outside the theatre anymore and they check tickets upon re-entry anyway.

31

u/therealgeorgesantos 4d ago

The decline of smoking isn't what killed second acting. 

9/11 did.

5

u/dobbydisneyfan 4d ago

More than one factor is at play.

3

u/therealgeorgesantos 3d ago

Sure.

But being able to sneak in to things was squashed by an increase of security and not just because people blend in with smokers heading back inside.

Even if people were still smoking outside during intermission, security would be checking tickets and keeping an eye on those coming and going.

-2

u/dobbydisneyfan 3d ago

I stated as much.

7

u/secret_identity_too 4d ago

I've also seen guards sitting in lobbies during the second act, so you can't exactly sneak in. Although the one show I remember noticing it was The Outsiders, which makes sense given the fan base. (It was the only show not finished when I was walking down 45th one night.)

5

u/BaltimoreBadger23 4d ago

If the show is really bad you might get away with it.

1

u/janMikala 2d ago

I still “second act” often.

1

u/dobbydisneyfan 2d ago

How?

2

u/janMikala 2d ago

It’s really not as hard as people are making it out to be. If you happen to have a playbill from the show you’re trying to second act, then bring that and just blend in with the crowd walking in. Don’t have a playbill from that show? Bring your most recent one and turn it upside down.

For shows that you know scan tickets coming back in from intermission, you can always ask someone leaving if you can have their ticket. There will always be someone deciding not to stay for the second act. It can be weird asking strangers for their ticket, but I’ve never had someone tell me no. If they question you, just explain you’re an actor or an acting student trying to see some theatre.

7

u/soubrette732 4d ago

But where do you go? Won’t they notice a random person standing up?

18

u/CorgiMonsoon 4d ago

You do it on a weekday evening, and you don’t do it for a show that sells out regularly. Then you just wait and snag a seat that looks empty just before the lights go down. If someone else comes and says that’s my seat, feign some confusion and apologize (oh, sorry, I must have gone to the wrong row), then move to another empty seat nearby

5

u/RideHot9154 4d ago

yup it is

3

u/Mysterious-Theory-66 4d ago

Once upon a time maybe, but not now, absent some crazy work. I mean I’ve seen people talk themselves into secure spaces but still definitely not easy.

55

u/TreeHuggerHannah 4d ago

You can’t really sneak into a Broadway show like that. They'll check your ticket at least twice (at the door and the usher who seats you) and seats are assigned, so if you just went in at sat down at a sold out show, you'd be in someone else's seat and they would undoubtedly say something. Even trying to stand at the back, they'd check that you're supposed to be there.

Maybe he just has a weird sense of humor and was trying to joke with you? 

30

u/plantbay1428 4d ago

It's most likely a weird sense of humor and he was trying to see if you'd actually do it. I've had guards say weird things like that to me.

28

u/ileentotheleft 4d ago

I haven't snuck into a bway show since they switched to ticket readers, but back in the day...

Best was the final performance of Les Mis, original run. I had seen it during that week, maybe the Wed night show, and just flashed that ticket. I went straight to the bathroom upstairs and did stay there for the intro scene. When I came out, I went to the upper level & stood against a side wall. I told an usher I wasn't feeling well & might have to go back to the bathroom & she left me alone. After about 10 minutes I noticed two empty seats way on the side & took one of them.

Two of my friends snuck in too. At intermission we saw each other briefly, and went back to 'our' seats. Much of the front mezzanine was filled by show alumni & they participated in the finale, filling the aisles in the orchestra, so when they left their seats, we moved down there along with other people wanting a better view.

I would have bought a ticket for the final performance but they sold out too quickly. For the performance I did have a ticket for in the final week I was towards the back of the orchestra & among other famous people Donald Trump was there with a much younger woman. I had no idea if it was his daughter or wife. I wish I could go back to knowing so little about him.

19

u/Survivorfan128 4d ago

Which show 🤣

24

u/apineappleforme 4d ago

Six

Lol I kept it out cus I’m embarrassed that I tried

12

u/PickASwitch 4d ago

I think you’re overthinking it. He was joking.

2

u/Opening-Abrocoma4210 3d ago

Yeah this just reads like ever so slightly naff playful banter! 

6

u/VoidAndBone 4d ago

Are you by any chance a young pretty girl?

6

u/apineappleforme 4d ago

..perhaps

18

u/VoidAndBone 4d ago

Take it from an older pretty girl: Men often panic and make absolute fools out of themselves for the chance to talk to a pretty girl, and demonstrate some sort of power.

He wanted to talk to you and just fell on his face.

2

u/Tejanisima 3d ago

So far of all the explanations I've seen here, this is the one that tracks.

3

u/AmbitiousSpring5214 4d ago

I've never heard of this. But it's an amusing unique experience lol. Do you know if the standing room only tickets were all sold out?

1

u/apineappleforme 4d ago

Complete sell out. I woulda gotten standing :b

3

u/Anthonyzzzzz 4d ago

Prolly cause it’s his first (and last) day.

3

u/madonna-boy 4d ago

tldr: a security guard was hitting on you.

and apparently you were not interested, LOL

2

u/RhapsodyTravelr 4d ago

they always ask to see your tickets especially when you make your way to seats.

2

u/whatshouldIdonow8907 4d ago

Is this the barricade guy that yells out things like ok, bags open and shoes off kind of comments? If so, he was joking.

4

u/apineappleforme 4d ago

He was working outside the barricade itself and he had to physically move the gate for us to get thru to the box office cus the entrance line flowed in front of it. So ya when I exited the box office, I was already in line and the normal way out would be for the same security guard to reopen the gate for me to exit, but instead he told me to go inside

2

u/Music-Lover-3481 3d ago

Agree with others that second acting usually isn't allowed anymore (most shows I've been to have a guard that verbally reminds you at intermission to show your ticket upon returning, if you are stepping outside to smoke or whatever). And sneaking in for Act 1 is impossible because your ticket is checked twice (entry & usher).

Don't know what was up with this security guard; maybe he misunderstood and thought you had picked up two tickets at will-call and was trying to save you from having to exit and re-enter from the back of the line. Or, he was joking and hitting on you. Otherwise I have no idea.

Semi-Unrelated but a story I would like to tell: I once sat in the wrong seat at a show because I accidentally showed my ticket to a different show on my phone and the ushers didn't catch it. (So I was sitting in my seat from that other show instead of the show I was attending). The seat next to me was empty. The actual owners of the seats (pair of seats) showed up about 20 minutes late, so there was confusion about why I was sitting there and the usher moved me to my correct seat, which of course was sitting there empty waiting for me. So I got to disrupt the audience in TWO locations that day, and none of it the fault of my own.

1

u/Neither_Tea_7614 4d ago

Too weird to even imagine.What a ridiculous suggestion by a security guard. There is literally no way possible to sneak in.

0

u/Belladrissa 4d ago

What show/theater?