THEY DESERVE YOUR THANKS!
I believe David Ogden Stiers passed away at age 75. He will always be remembered for his TV work on “M*A*S*H”, though I have a different recollection.
One of my first Broadway memories was of Bob Randall & Stephen Schwartz‘s THE MAGIC SHOW at the CORT THEATRE in New York City (NYC). The show is largely forgotten these days even though it ran on Broadway for quite a few years.
During the show’s curtain call, a large party front and center left their seats and headed for the exit door. I vividly remember Mr. Stiers yelling at them and wildly gesticulating the whole time. Pissed. No doubt about it.
How rude for an audience member to neglect to thank the actors for their efforts. Yes, there is that rarity when someone desperately needs the restroom in order to rescue the bladder, etc.. In most cases, though, these ill-advised offenders just wish to pull out of the parking lot before everybody else.
It certainly would be nice if the self-centered audience members among us would behave as adults. Give a “thank you” gift to the actors who worked on their behalf. Applaud. Engage with them, eyeball to eyeball. Smile! It’s the right thing to do.
Looking Back Is Looking Forward…Snapshots of People, Performances et cetera (etc.) about the Way We Were
