Theater Etiquette

Going to a live performance is a special experience, one that you will remember for a long time. A production team puts in many long hours and a lot of hard work to mount a performance for an audience.  If you keep in mind common courtesy for the performers as well as your fellow audience members, everyone’s theater experience will be optimized.  What follows are a few reminders for attending the theater.

Please Arrive Promptly
Even better – arrive early. Make an effort to arrive at the theater 30 minutes before the show starts.  Sometimes unexpected circumstances make it impossible to arrive on time.  However, if you arrive late, you must wait patiently until there is a break in the act, performance, or symphony.  Do not argue with the ushers about having to wait, they are just doing their job.  Unless noted otherwise, all Schwartz Center events begin at 7:00p.m.

Dress Up – If You Want To
We have no official "dress code" at the Schwartz Center, but you can get as dressed up as you like.  Our patrons usually dress in business casual attire. Years ago people got dressed to the nines to see a show. Nowadays, when everything is more relaxed, so are the standards for Theatre. People tend to consider it part of the experience to put on a nice suit or dress. But for most performances, simple, neat, clean clothes are perfectly acceptable. Even jeans, are seen as long as they're clean and don't have holes. However, cut-offs, flip-flops and bare feet are still not acceptable.

Please Bring Children To Age Appropriate Productions
Most performances are not staged with children in mind. Very young children can have difficulty sitting still and keeping quiet through the performance. Infants are always a no-no in the theater.  Save your children’s theater going experience for a performance intended for children.  During such a performance, prepare your children beforehand by telling them about theater manners.  Explain that they should be quiet, sit still and not disturb others around them.  Have them use the restroom before the performance begins.  If your child disturbs the audience, take them to the lobby. 

Cell Phone, Pagers and other Electronic Devices
Turn off all cell phone, pagers, watch alarms and other electronic devices BEFORE the performance begins. If you forgot to turn off your cell phone and it rings during the performance, immediately turn it off, do not answer the call.  You can always check for messages during the intermission.  If you must take an emergency call, leave the auditorium and only begin speaking to your caller once you are away from the rest of the audience.

Cameras and Video
No photography or video taping of any kind is allowed during any performance.

Please Do Not Eat Or Drink In The Theater
No food or drink is allowed in the theater.  Munching and crunching is considered rude and food crumbs, wrappers and soda cans cause a mess in the seats.  This includes chewing gum and candy! Please save the snacking for intermission.  Also, unwrapping cough suppressants can make a lot of noise.  Please do not unwrap them during the performance.  If you suspect you will need one, have a supply on hand already unwrapped.

Coming and Going
Please do not enter or leave the auditorium during a performance unless it is an emergency.  It is the option of the theater to prevent audience members from entering the auditorium until intermission or at least an appropriate time in the performance, ie: applause.

During the Performance
Laughing at jokes or applauding after a well performed song, or dance during a scene is encouraged.  Do not talk, whisper, sing or hum during the performance. Applause after each scene, act or at curtain call is also appropriate.  Also, please refrain from kicking the seat in front of you, putting your feet on the seat, or hanging your legs over the seat in front of you.

Please Remain In Your Seat Until The End
Some audiences leave the show when it is nearing the end because they want to beat the crowds that will be exiting.  Please stay seated until the very end, that is, the end of the curtain call or until the lights are on.   It is extremely discourteous to the performers to head for the door before the performance is entirely ended.