Broadway Actor Wrongly Accosts Audience Member...(Again)

[@MurderMuffinRawr]

My issue with actors breaking the fourth wall to call out audience members is that it breaks a show that people have paid $$ to see.

[@erinm7645]

I know it's frowned upon (and illegal) but I kind of appreciate the pirated videos because I usually can't afford tickets to shows. I think a good solution to fix both problems here is to have a professionally shot and recorded version on some sort of streaming service like Disney did with Hamilton. That would make it more accessible for the majority of theater lovers that can't travel or afford tickets. I'm sure it won't happen because like you guys said, those that could make these changes aren't listening, but I think this could bring them more money...

[@meba444]

I feel this! While I totally understand why it’s bad and illegal and why the actors would be furious, bootlegs have also been the only way that I’ve had access to theater. I live in Norway. All performances are done in Norwegian, and aren’t translated. The chances that I’ll have the money (and the time) to go to London and West End to see a show, let alone NY and Broadway? Next to zero. I would love to be able to pay for watching it, so having a professional filmed one that you can either pay a streaming service for, or buy online would be wonderful!

[@sabinajoh]

Yeah I understand too, but without the videos I would’ve never seen any broadway musicals except hamilton on disney plus. If you aren’t able to watch the show anyway those videos make it more accessible. Tbh there’s room for a pro shot AND a show, it’s different

[@HopeGardner3amed]

As an autistic person who is poor, I would like to add that pirated versions are the least overstimulating also.

[@darth_kal-el]

@@sabinajoh RENT has a pro shot that’s of the 2008 final broadway performance. It’s available on KZbin. And to purchase from iTunes.

[@darth_kal-el]

This is why a streaming service needs to exist where they have proshots have broadway musicals. When each music would be available would be something that would have to be figured out but it would reduce piracy and make it much more accessible to people of all Socioeconomic backgrounds and all over the world.

[@kweet13]

Disabled is not a bad word. Terms like "differently abled" are not looked well upon by the vast majority of disability activists. Please keep this in mind for future disability/accessibility content. Thanks for covering this topic and bringing more awareness! One other thing you could do if you have to do a follow up on the situation is show what the captioning devices look like. This can educate your audience of theatre goers and prevent us from being extra people glaring at Deaf/hard of hearing people thinking that it's a phone/tablet. Thanks again for covering this topic!

[@iheartbohoboys]

Thanks for addressing this. Love your videos. One small thing: I’m disabled, and while I’m certainly not speaking for everyone in the community, myself and other disability activists I’ve worked with object to terms like “differently abled” because they center able-bodied experience and can read as patronizing to disabled folx.

[@kweet13]

Echoing this as an able-bodied person who is passionate about disability activism

[@chelseaisbored]

i agree, it treats the word disabled like a dirty word and it’s not

[@hanahoffman1877]

Yeah I feel like the term “person/people with disability/disabilities” because the person comes before the disability

[@amymarks6615]

Agree

[@AuthorE.LSummers]

I am blind and agree with what you stated. I feel like our community is a easy target or overlooked at times

[@emilymatthews5210]

You are so right about performers needing to be informed about accessibility devices. A friend of mine who is diabetic has been called out repeatedly during a show we’re were watching for having her phone ringer on. In reality it was her dexcon letting her know that her blood sugar was high. She was super embarrassed and I was livid. I informed the staff as well as the person onstage (politely after the show) and he still asked if there was any way she could silence it or turn it down. Seriously someone needs to educate people on safety and accessibility devices.

[@xhappyponyxwasmyoldname1395]

Idk if this is viable for your friend, but my boyfriend has a dexcom, too, and he was actually able to set it to vibrate mode so that it wouldn’t make noises like that during performances, shows, etc!

[@Naaoomz]

I wish the need for bootleg recordings would be solved. I live in a whole other ass country, I could literally NEVER see a broadway show. How can people like me also enjoy a show that writers, directors and actors put their heart into? Why won't broadway productions record an evening of their show to sell to people like me, who can't afford a 1500 dollar plane ticket, accommodation and tickets to the show? I would gladly pay 10 - 30 USD to own a recording for my own personal use.

[@fangyu.228]

Agree🥹

[@moviemelody2210]

I really appreciate that you guys (as a theater fan and Broadway actor) have decided to address the conversation pertaining to disability on Broadway. As a disabled theater fan I thought I’d give you insight into my experiences 1. Depending on where I sit there is a lift for my wheelchair to roll up on so I can see the stage better. Unfortunately, even with this lift I am rarely able to see curtain calls because obviously everyone stands up and it blocks my view. 1. I’ve NEVER heard an announcement prior to shows that pertain to disability. Also I realize you meant this with the utmost respect for people with disability but I just wanted to to tell you that some disable bodied people (myself included) might not like/appreciate the term differently abled. This is because it sounds like the person saying it is trying so hard to point out “they don’t see your disability” which just points out the fact that the person is disabled more. Theatre respect: I agree that recording a show is a breach of respect for the actors unfortunately, even with the measures taken to prevent them I don’t think it will ever go away because people don’t care as it’s not directly affecting them. that being said, I don’t think it’s the actors job to take it upon themselves to stop mid show and call out an audience member. Sorry for the TED Talk

[@hannahremmel9550]

As someone WITH a disability your TED talk was great.

[@moviemelody2210]

@@hannahremmel9550 haha thank you:)

[@hannahremmel9550]

@@moviemelody2210 I just wish well meaning abled people would stop coming to the defense and using triggering words. This should be made a big deal about but by the community that it offended.

[@moviemelody2210]

@@hannahremmel9550 I agree, but it is nice that people outside the disabled community (able bodied people) are also finding that this needs to be talked about because then change might actually happen as they are a bigger percent of the overall population. On the plus side, it’s a good way for us disabled people to teach able bodied people about what goes behind living with a disability because I feel that well-meaning able-bodied people are coming to the defense and using triggering words because they are uneducated about this topic and don’t know any better. Education is Key!

[@hannahremmel9550]

@@moviemelody2210 education is key. 100%. I had a whole response but you’ve summed it up really well. I was the idiot trying to get in the way of your TED talk.

[@meba444]

While I really like the idea of having phones put in a locker during a performance, I would like to mention an accessibility issue that might come with that. A lot of disabled people rely on their phones to give them updates on their health (their pulse rate, their blood sugar levels, etc). So in this scenario, people would have to bring in a note from their doctor or something to be allowed to bring their phone in because it is a medical device. As a disabled person, it gets annoying very quickly having to go to my dr to get notes all the time. And on top of that, I would suspect that would get really expensive in the US. While I agree that something needs to be done, I don’t think the answer is as obvious as it initially might seem.

[@ava-cn6ct]

This^^^

[@marycrawford3891]

Thank you for addressing accessibility in theater! However, to echo what others have said, having phones in lockers would likely lead to even more access issues. Personally, I use my phone for a number of disability related purposes, including adjusting settings on my wheelchair that can't be changed anywhere else. Often, the go to solutions companies come up with for exceptions is a doctor's note which is discriminatory, humiliating, and really places a huge burden on disabled customers. To me, an honor system is the only acceptable way for companies to handle accommodations, and while it sucks, I just can't image abled people not taking advantage of that in the phone in locker scenario. The people who are recording the show are already people breaking laws and making others' lives harder for their own benefit, so I doubt they'd be deterred by an honor system or the knowledge that their actions are often used as justification for discriminatory policies against disabled people. I think its also important to elaborate on why companies asking for "proof" is so bad. Getting a doctor's note requires me to waste my own time and my doctor's time, requires me to disclose medical information that the company has no need or right to know (and that is not being asked for from abled customers), and requires me to pay for a completely unnecessary medical appointment and make plans much further in advance than abled people since I have to factor in scheduling an appointment, seeing my doctor, waiting for her to write a note, and waiting for the company to receive and process the note. It also just feels incredibly unfair that the people being punished for the problem of people lying about needing accommodations are the people not lying about needing accommodations.

[@HulaHula667]

I know I’m late to this, but I just want to add that my Doctors charge for non-essential paperwork/letters/notes and this would definitely count as non-essential to them.

[@taramulholland8049]

So glad you guys decided to talk about this on the channel because it's such an important discussion but just a couple things I wanted to add as a theatre usher in some of the biggest theatres in my country. 1. First and foremost, as much as it is a security issue, at least in Australia, it is very much the usher's job to be looking out for and approaching patrons for phone use amongst various other things. That does not bother me one bit (and actually makes work a little more interesting). With that said, it is never ever the actor's job to confront or approach an audience member about this kind of stuff. Mainly because, even if it's not a captioning device provided by the theatre and thus something the production staff may not be aware of, disabled people often use other forms of technology to experience theatre in the way they need to. And almost always, the usher in that area will be aware of that during the show. In our theatres' actors may often see things in the audience that they believe are recording devices of some kind and the protocol they follow is to report that to stage management as soon as they get off stage, production will inform the front of house staff through whatever communication channel and the front of house staff will then handle it. As is their job. 2. My second point is mainly about the locking up of phones which I understand wholeheartedly. However, numerous people often require their phones with them for a variety of reasons such as adjusting the volume and channel of their hearing aids through an app, checking glucose monitors, etc... So the idea of locking up phones may be somewhat flawed, or as least not as simple as possibly thought. I've totally just ranted but I had a lot of thoughts about this entire situation so thought i'd give some insight from the perspective of an usher :)))

[@LottieBruce99]

People shouldn’t have to lock up their phones just to see a show. Others have pointed out it’s an accessibility issue where phone apps can be used to monitor health etc. but also people need their phones so they can be contactable. They may have left their kid with a babysitter and treated themselves to a trip to the theatre but the kid has gone and broken their arm, the babysitter needs to be able to contact them. Their dad could actively be dying or simply they need to text their Nan to remember to take their meds. You can’t expect the audience to give up their phones because a few can’t be trusted. But it also isn’t the actors job to police the audience, and they definitely shouldn’t be calling out the audience from the stage whether it be discreetly or very publicly. Now I get it’s gonna be hard to do this depending on a lot of variables (how often they are off stage, how many people are in the wings able to pass on messages etc) but if an actor were to notice something they should try notify someone in the wings to pass on to the ushers. Then the ushers can investigate and go see if it is an illegal recording or if it is an accessibility aid they already knew about. I mean in theory the ushers are trained to spot and deal with these situations (granted depending on the theatre it can be hard to spot) more discretely. Bootlegging is a real issue but I reckon it would be far reduced if more pro shots were filmed and released. Like I live in the UK but not near london and not in a place where tours ever come. That’s forgetting the Broadway shows we haven’t got (looking at you Beetlejuice). But we are luckier than most, I have been able to go to london to see Hamilton and Wicked and Heathers and Nottingham to see Book of Mormon, others all round the world don’t even get that. Bootlegs are made because they are in demand. There isn’t even a market for them, people put them out there for free for fellow theatre lovers for the people who could only ever dream of seeing these shows either due to geography or to economy because when even the cheapest seats sometimes cost £50, people would rather go for the poorly shot video of the back of someone’s head while putting food on the table. I love theatre but it can be so alienating to those without money. But nothing is going to change, prices aren’t going to come down (I mean the actors are phenomenal and still need to be paid but shouldn’t be docked pay to solve this issue) and bootlegs will continue to be made. Comedians get their shows filmed, they get dvds and Facebook lives etc. so their shows get other forms of media and people from round the world get other ways to experience it without having to travel and pay for (arguably cheaper) tickets. Bootlegs will continue to be an issue unless more proshots become a thing and it is common to be able to buy the dvd of the show alongside the cd of the soundtrack. And I mean a proper pro shot like the Newsies one with Jeremy Jordan not a film like Dear Evan Hansen I would totally buy a dvd of a pro shot Beetlejuice or Be More Chill or Mean Girls. Also I think actors would benefit from Pro Shots as keepsakes also. I once saw Carrie Hope Fletcher mention in a video that while she thinks bootlegs are annoying if you notice them being filmed at the time, as bad as it seems if she never noticed them being filmed she loves being able to see bootlegs of her roles a few years down the line as it’s almost like a keepsake. She found one of her as a child she didn’t know existed and now has that to look back on with her family (don’t quote me, I’m paraphrasing here from memory). But if filming pro shots became common it would mean actors would also have keepsakes and things they can look back on in the future

[@Frantasia]

This this this so much this. I would be willing to pay a full ticket price for a dvd, but I just cannot spare the money to get all the documents needed to travel abroad, book the plane tickets, a place to stay, and THEN the tickets on top. And this is without costs to provide for myself. Then having hearing issues as well, everything just becomes… not worth it anymore. Being able to rewind to listen to something 4 times to finally understand is just superior, or for Dear Evan Hansen, there even was a bootleg with subtitles. That was the best musical experience I’ve had until Hamilton, because I was able to fully experience it - sound, visuals and the meaning.

[@Obby004]

Yes to all of this

[@ungracefulgrace02]

This!!!! I personally wouldn’t be comfortable locking my phone away during a 2 and a half hour show! I see most theatre shows in London, which is about a 1/2-hour journey from my home town, so if my phone was locked away whilst I was seeing a show 2 hours away from my family, they wouldn’t be able to contact me in an emergency if they needed to! Plus, I use my phone during the interval to check on any messages I got during the first act, because as a rule, I never use my phone during a show unless I absolutely have to, and even then, it’s beneath my seat with the brightness as low as it can go. I agree with most of what Sam and Ryan said, but I don’t feel the need to have my phone on me all the time because of some internet-obsessed “can’t be without my phone” mentality. I need my phone on me because I would hate to miss a friend or family member saying they’d been in an accident and were now in hospital, just because I locked my phone away at a show 🙃

[@Prior2Popular]

This is such a perfect explanation of everything I was thinking throughout this video. You should not punish the group for the sake of a few individuals, and if we had pro shots, it would get rid of a lot of the piracy issues PLUS would give the show more notoriety. Maybe it’s just me, but if I’m going to spend hundreds of dollars to see a Broadway show, I wanna know I’ll enjoy it. So in my mind, I feel I’m more likely to go see a show I already know I’ll enjoy because I’ve seen a bootleg of it. AND one of the big reasons theatre kids who aren’t rich enough to fly to Broadway every summer KNOW so many Broadway actors and shows, is BECAUSE of these bootlegs! Heck, I wouldn’t know about Ryan if I hadn’t watched a bootleg Heathers 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@leahh8560]

this is such an interesting time for this discussion. i just saw the tour of fiddler on the roof and they had a screen slightly to the right of the stage that close captioned the entire show. i personally am not in need of this device but i thought it was super cool. i did look at the screen several times throughout the show if is missed or understood a word or too. i loved that it was there for people who needed it and even for myself. i have never seen another show do this but i now think that they all should.

[@tomorobo4472]

Recently, I saw a production of School of rock in Sheffield and there was a screen with the script so people can read along if they missed what the performer said or are hard of hearing. It's not at all distracting and I think they should make it a common thing in all theatre shows. (i didn't even notice the screen thingy was even there)💀

[@IfItComesInPink]

That would helpful for everyone, not just deaf people! Sometimes I can’t understand what they are saying and I can hear perfectly lol

[@tomorobo4472]

@@IfItComesInPink yeah idk why i said it like that. lemme fix it💀

[@giovannagreeff2153]

My daughter is Deaf, and has cochlear implants that flash green and red. The light sits on the processor on her ears but sometimes when she's watching a play, I worry that someone will think she's recording the show. Calling anyone out as an actor is unnecessary. It isn't their job to call people out from stage. It's inappropriate.

[@giovannagreeff2153]

Also, I thought people would have learned after COVID that if we don't come up with backup plans and enact them, that an emergency could completely shut down Broadway. Have someone streaming the performance every night where people can pay a discounted price to watch it. They could rake in so much money, and take out any steam on bootlegs. Why would I want to watch a bootleg when I could pay $20-50 to watch a good live peformance?

[@inthecaseofunderstanding1047]

While I appreciate your insight on the nature of theater piracy and the effect that it can have for both audience and performers, I think the thesis of the public reaction towards both Patti and Lilias has been that policing of theater policies is not up to actors (and especially not other audience members). There are ushers and security who are responsible and informed enough to keep track of what is going on. And if something slips by them, then that is just an unfortunate oversight. It does not mean that others without the authority or knowledge of policies are granted the right to come in with vigilante policing of the audience.

[@darceyhenderson5760]

Can we appreciate that Ryan is wearing the one and only HANNAH BAYELS’ merch !!!!!!!!!!! Love it sm. love you guys endlessly and your positive messages and all round love and effort you give into the channel. Love you all xxxx

[@adsenelise]

Ryan wearing Hannah’s MERCH is such a slay

[@carolinarangel6322]

I would agree 100% if all the Broadway shows had screenings (like Hamilton and Newsies have). I live in Brazil, the only way I can see Broadway shows is when people post ilegal videos on KZbin. I'm not obliviant towards the actors' rights and the actors' need to be respected. I just feel like people like me who cannot access Broadway in any other way are met with a very hard issue. I'd like to see Sam and Ryan discuss about the access of people from outside the US.

[@monicagrace9536]

To me, I feel like the issue with bootlegging shouldn't be solved by somehow taking the phone away. Bootlegs exist because of how elitist theatre is and how difficult it is to watch a broadway show. The discussion of classism applies here, too. Bootlegs don't stop people from going to see a show in person, speaking as someone who watched a Hamilton bootleg and watched it in person when it came to my city. Trust me, bootleg watchers WANT to watch it in person, you think we enjoy watching the low quality grainy videos? Of course we don't! But bootlegs are all we _have_ because we just can't afford to buy a ticket to watch the show that we want to (especially becomes difficult when the show we want to watch and are currently a fan of isn't even actively performing). Poor people should be allowed to enjoy theatre, as well as people who live internationally! Theatre should become more accessible before we start limiting phone use.

[@lostgirlcosplay14]

Apparently Patti was told about the photographer during Gypsy but forgot and later apologized. Just found that out on another youtube channel 😂

[@mikaelanaccarato5329]

I love that you guys addressed this. I’m a teacher of the Deaf and theater lover. So many important talking points that you have so gracefully used your platform to address. Love u guys🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻

[@YouGiveMeWings]

As a person with disabilities (I'll echo the sentiment of "differently abled" because again, that implies that you can SEE the persons disabilities and as someone who ALL their disabilities are invisible... it sucks to have to explain yourself over and over!) Anyway... Why do people need to be TOLD in advance about specific ASL interpreters or captioning devices on specific nights? It should just be assumed that at every performance, there could be a person with disabilities there - and you do your job as if that is the case. You shouldn't just be "behaving" in an accessible way when you're told to. I don't feel comfortable enough to ask for accessibility options because people will literally tell me "you don't need this" because I look like I don't. And "locking up phones" is ridiculous. Phones have come too far and do too much to just throw out a blanket statement of "if you can't be away from your phone you shouldn't be at a Broadway show". People now discern where their blood sugar is at through an app linked to their pump; the heart rate monitor on an apple watch has helped me predict an asthma attack before, and others cardiac problems. There's also the issue of babysitters needing to reach parents, etc. People might argue about movie theatres expecting devices to be turned off - but lets be realistic. They're not. For these reasons, and honestly - yes because some people are jerks and can't respect the movies - but hopefully would respect an actual actor on stage. But if not - I don't think it's appropriate for an actor to stop the show and verbally accost them - sure they could be an asshole and doing something illegal - but they could also be getting a diabetes alert that could potentially make them pass out if they ignore it. Also - again, as a person with disabilities, bootleg copies of productions is literally the only way I've seen several musicals. I was fortunate enough that Rent, Chicago, West Side Story, Dear Evan Hansen, etc have been made into actual movies so I can watch it at home - but the others I can't watch at home? Yes, I have illegally watched them. Do I feel bad? Yes, but as an Australian and again - person with disabilities, it's the only way I can watch without disrupting the actors by needing to go to the toilet constantly, squirming because my sensory/hearing needs mean I have to be able to adjust positioning and be able to grab my inhaler and use it without fear of annoying someone, or having them think I'm reaching for a phone to record them on.

[@charlieisvibin1377]

i think that the production/theater managers definitely need to do a better job communicating these things to actors. i also think that a preshow announcement talking about accessibility devices would also be a good thing to do. however because not everyone can afford to go to broadway having videos accessible of performances is something a lot of theater fans rely on to get to experience theater. i know bootlegs cause a lot of issues and they definitely show disrespect for the actors so i think there should be pro shots available to rent online for a reasonable price. i feel like that could be a solution to accessibility for people who can’t afford broadway.

[@sammykbop6217]

I think one of the best ways to cut down on the bootlegging in Broadway is to find a way to make theatre more accessible. I would absolutely pay to watch a taped version of a production straight from the theatre. We need a Broadway+ streaming service lol

[@pasqualefappiano7563]

Never saw you guys before... I'm impressed. You're smart, well-spoken, funny, and informative. As you probably know, Broadway has been referred to as the Magnificent Invalid, since before I was alive. (I'm 63.). As such, it is, shall we say, not ready to grapple with the reality of the 21st century. That reality includes lack of undivided attention, shortening of attention spans, sense of entitlement, and loosening of dress codes. My point: It's surprising that live theater, on Broadway and off, continues to be supported, given that the culture in which it thrived no longer exists. End of speech 😉. Thanks for the video. Keep up the good work. Love from CT. Ron L.

[@alyssag8041]

While I totally agree that the bootlegging practice is very illegal, very distracting, and very uncouth, I have mixed feelings about it. I’ve lived in Texas my whole life, and I’ve been a theatre person (actor and more) my whole life. There are some productions that I would not have otherwise been exposed to had I not found some version of them online. And as you guys pointed out, Broadway tickets are EXPENSIVE, not to mention travel. We need more pro shots, and an easy way to distribute them that benefit the productions.

[@alyssag8041]

But to your point of not feeling valued because of these practices, I totally agree with you. As a person aspiring to be in professional theatre, I can’t imagine being in your place and not being able to say or do anything about it in those moments on stage. Especially when most actors are trained to keep going and don’t stop no matter what, I imagine it feels like you’re trapped. And that’s not okay.

[@torijeri]

I love your videos so much and I agree with everything you said. I’d just like to tell you that many disabled people, me included, don’t like to be called “differently abled” I can’t speak for all disabled people but I’d just like to let you know for future reference. Back on the subject, I genuinely think if the theater industry made theater more available by pro shots or more accessibility for disabilities and people who can’t afford live theater, there would be WAY less bootlegs being recorded. I think the theater could easily solve the bootleg problem with accessibility. Also ryan that sweater is 10/10

[@luxy8703]

I agree with you that it would be great to do more pro shots. I understand the reluctant of some. They may have the idea it will stop people going but I don’t think that is true, for most theatre goers. We love the theatre and you won’t get your buzz from watching it on screen. The feel, that theatre smoke smell you get, that only people who love theatre seem to know what you mean, everyone else looks at you blankly , when you say that! One good thing that came out of the pandemic, was being able to watch concerts and theatre on line. Suddenly the world became easier and more accessible for people, like me who are disabled. I have actually been bed bound since covid struck, which can be challenging at time! Theatre stuff keeps me positive. Also, people who live very far from theatres as well, who can’t afford to travel because of either time or money, putting stuff online makes theatre available to people who may not get an opportunity otherwise to experience it. Other than pantomime, I didn’t get a chance to see live theatre till was 16 and saw west side story, it changed my life. When I had children , when other parents took their kids cinema , I took mine theatre from the age of 4 to see Joseph and his dream coat as their intro to live theatre, and their love of theatre was born. My son had already worn the video out by this stage so I knew he would sit happily through a performance of it! I am really missing live performances at the moment and. Hope one day I can return to watching live. For now I have bought a subscription to national theatre at home and wish I could do something similar for musicals which is my passion as they just make me happy! 😊

[@torijeri]

@@luxy8703 yes exactly! If anything it think doing more pro shots would make people want to see the live show even more. I’m really happy theater has been something that brings you joy. It certainly is for me too. Idk if you’ve heard of starkid, I’m thinking if you like theater that you have or have an idea but their whole company is built on the idea of accessibility and they film and post all of their musicals on their KZbin with subtitles. They really kept me going through the pandemic. My fav shows of theirs is Twisted, a Wicked/Aladdin/Disney parody musical, and the guy who didn’t like musicals, a very meta original horror-esque musical. Their hatchetfield series is perfect for Halloween time.

[@callumwarren115]

A very spot on take. As others have mentioned however please avoid using euphamisms for disablility such as differently abled. For the majority of disabled people in UK, US Europe etc. Such euphamisms diminish our disabilities as not existing which inturn means that youre saying you dont see all of us. Plus its often brought from a place of uncomfortableness or misinformed kindess that by saying disabled your hurting people. This isnt true disabled is the correct word to use. Now as for the story/situation itself, i cant imagine how annoying it must be dealing with rule breakers during performances and you were right in that not all theatres do their duty of informing cast/staff and audience members. Sadly ive not had the luxury of going to many theatre plays. Aside from some when i was young and at school but they were more pantomime shows. I really wanted to see hamilton live but it never came to where i lived. Then by sheere luck disney said "hey weve made a movie which is just the show recorded for Disney plus" i think this is something we should encourage more as i think it enables everyone to enjoy theatre even if you arent physically there. Putting our minds together solutions will be found that hopefully benefit everyone including disabled folk like me. Much love from UK ❤️

[@MsVickster12]

It's the truth that most problems in our society, as you said, comes down to not respecting and valuing our fellow humans.

[@nujoseph]

Thank y’all for starting this conversation. The locking the phones away thing is interesting. Madonna did it for her last tour and got so much sh*t about it. It also didn’t stop people from bringing a second phone or sneaking a GoPro into the theater to record it anyway. When y’all talk about accessibility, it is often better to think of solutions that break the walls down and not put more up. If we are going to compare Broadway to the NFL, then you have to also acknowledge that those “performances” are televised and so every mistake they make is broadcast to millions of people. So maybe another solution could be that all Broadway shows are broadcast on a network - to some degree.

[@mygalpal9630]

I just saw Lion King on tour and they had ASL interpreters in the front. It was really awesome to see them there.

[@beyedoc]

I admit, I would be kind of pissed seeing a Broadway show and having someone break the magic like that.

[@TheLauren1113]

I don’t think I’ve ever heard an announcement about close captioning devices - I’ve never thought about it. I have seen many Broadway shows, touring shows and local productions but have not come across this type of device. I noticed that some shows have accessible performances though, so maybe that’s why. However, when I saw Hadestown on Broadway a few months ago, the guy in front of me was filming on his phone and it was distracting. I was going to complain to an usher at intermission but the usher saw him and stopped it - twice. The second time, he was threatened with removal. I was so glad but I was very irritated with then phone because it was interrupting my view of the show.

[@quietkidinclass]

Ryan’s monologue is the moment. No further discussion

[@Dracubecca1600]

Ily both sm. Thank you Ryan for making pink and green, this song has shown me light on any day. I love it more than words and soothe my soul. Thank you so much. Sam. I admire your optimism and aspire to be as positive as you. Thank you both for everything even thought we don’t know eachother

[@mirazenker1203]

Could not agree more with you

[@catfeldman3614]

here’s my fun little upsetting breakdown of the lack of accessibility on just broadway there are 28 shows currently on broadway 13/28 have captioning of some variety in a handheld device 11/28 have prerecorded audio descriptions 0/28 have interpreters available 0/28 offer relaxed viewings for the autistic community but at least they’re mostly wheelchair accessible am i right? meanwhile most theatres at mirvish in ontario have captioning, hearing devices, audio desciptions (some of which are available live), and offer nights with relaxed viewings or interpreters. it might be a difference in the policies of the ada vs. the aoda

[@MichelleSinTO]

It’s good to know that about Mirvish. We are season ticket subscribers and this video had me wondering how Mirvish did with accessibility. I’m only familiar with it from the perspective for accessibility for physical disability (I use a cane). Interesting comments in the video about phones being locked up during shows. I’ve never had that happen here in Toronto, at comedy shows or theatre and am curious about how it works. I can only think of how congested it is trying to leave theatres, how many patrons use the side exits at Royal Alex, for example, and that it would take so very long to get people out, pick up phones, ensure correct phones to the right people, & then leave. Such a hassle! Plus, they now do programmes on the Mirvish app, so it’s actually encouraging phone use. So many differences between Broadway & Mirvish (for those not in Toronto: Mirvish productions owns most of the theatres in Toronto, including all of the really big ones, & could really be referred to as the Canadian equivalent of Broadway. Shows often start here before moving to Broadway (like Come From Away), which is why it’s so interesting to see such significant differences between the two. Another huge difference - we don’t do the whole “stage door” stalking thing. When we encounter actors we recognize from the show, they mostly get left alone to do what they need to do between shows, like grab food, aside from “great show, really enjoyed it” type comments as we walk past.)

[@sabahk]

@@MichelleSinTO it's true that stage dooring is not a huge thing like it is on broadway but I've done some stage dooring at mirvish theatres! (pre-pandemic of course)

[@amandas2168]

Got it love it when there is drama for no reason don't assume things people they definitely need to make theater more accessible

[@celerystick-bn1yl]

Theres also the fact that so many productions and honestly theatre as a whole is very inaccessible to those without the funds to buy tickets if it werent for illegal recordings. And i wish more producers would release footage and proshots for fans who just cant access broadway

[@kaleyrose47]

Just wanted to say you guys always bring me the extra serotonin I need during the week/month! Thank you so much!

[@sunnyhalfblood4504]

I am someone who is deaf but I don't see myself as "disabled" but instead someone with a disability, I feel like there are different connotations with that so that's something to keep in mind when referring to the community of people with disabilities and what words they like to be identified with such as the use of "differently-abled" I don't think that's a proper term I think but I can't speak for everyone. I also think that closed captions on a small screen somewhere in the theatre would be very beneficial for so many people, not just deaf people. There is an echo in the theatre that can make it hard for people to understand dialogue and songs. As a theatre-lover I can miss some things and it can be hard so often times I have to have a good background on the show so I understand the lyrics and dialogue.

[@lunadepti]

I know most people are against slime tutorials but without them I wouldn't have found any musicals. When Heathere off Broadway, rtc, mean girls the musical, etc were touring i was very young and could've never seen them. The musical theatre fandom would be much smaller without them

[@TuberoseKisser]

This is why I don't like actors that do this, people paid money to see a musical not you getting pissed at one audience member. It's toxic honestly because you make mistakes like this, you shouldn't be trigger happy over recording especially if it ends up being a device for disabilities. Imagine focusing on a small group or individual instead of the audience that is actually appreciating the show. Edit: disagree at 13:11 if there's an emergency be it at the location or at home then you should be allowed to have access to your phone. A solution to this problem is to have people meant to keep watch specifically for filming, during times like this I don't think anyone can afford to not have their phone on them.

[@hs1loverry]

ryan with the hannah bayles merch for the win !!!

[@zombiesandteaparties]

On the topic of phones during shows Cabaret in the West End (and Sleep No More in NYC, if I remember correctly) place stickers over your phone camera so you can't film anything inside. This is mainly to keep the mystery behind the production but it feels like a happy medium for addressing the problem of bootleggers. I dunno, I feel like lockers are a bit extreme?

[@maximillianfradiani2996]

Another thing that would reduce bootlegging of theater would be Pro Shots and and creating a streaming service where people could easily access them. It would spread the reach of theater and give more people the ability to see these great shows. Streaming has reduce piracy in music and in film and television by making everyone more affordable and widely available. If Broadway where to do this it would reduce bootlegging. Would it take some of the magic from theater? I don’t know. Maybe. Would it reduce the number of people going to theater? Possibly but probably not because just like nothing beats watching a movie on the big screen. Nothing beats watching a broadway play on stage be it on on Broadway or a tour. And it’s not like broadway is all that against selling pro shots. RENT has a pro shot of the final broadway performance. HAMILTON has the pro shot on Disney. I could go on. This would expand the research, make everything more accessible, make everything affordable, ensure the creators and performers are getting compensated and would reduce piracy and bootlegging like it has in another industries. If you want to say the proshot isn’t available until the show closes. Fine. Or it’s not available until a year after the show began. Fine. There are some things that could be ironed out on that front but this would help solve the bootlegging issue

[@linzzz519]

I wish people would follow the rules and/or theaters would come up with a solution like you talked about, that would protect the actors. At the same time, if an actor stopped a show and started yelling at the audience, I would ask for a refund and leave. I’ve paid for at least 2-3 shows that were professionally filmed and released for a period of time, and I’m happy to do that as well.

[@lene_m.r7778]

I was in a Theater once in Austria where there were little screens on the back of the seat in front of you that captioned the Show👍

[@tylerj7298]

So, I saw Waitress on Broadway and the person in front of me was on their phone playing a game. I was so annoyed 😑 it was extremely rude

[@gabrielleduplessis7388]

I heard about this on another channel. I do not blame the actress for reporting it because it harms people’s jobs when the audience bootlegs something. Although as a hard of hearing person myself, I always wanted tele captioning for stage performances like a screen we can look at it something. I kind if want to ask what app this audience member was using. However, this should have been emailed, but considering that people don’t respond in a timely manner, it makes sense why the audience member winged it. I also do not understand why it is difficult to provide accessibility considering how much money is paid on effects alone. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but I would want something that can help me understand the actors. When I saw Wicked, I am lucky my mom gave us great seats where we could still see and hear the cast, but of course, some things were inaudible and faint. So pro no bootlegging, but also pro accessibility for hard of hearing and deaf people and physically “disabled” as well. Everyone should be able to enjoy this medium. Edit: recording device not app.

[@Justlov4]

As someone who has worked in a theater and also is a lover of theater, I think there should be pro shots of shows like they did for Hamilton and Shrek and stream it. That would fix people who cannot attend the theater because of disabilities, pricing, etc. Even if they didn't do that, when I worked at the theater they had specific dates for captioning and interpreted performances so there was no confusion. If there were any problems, the performers would tell stage management who would then tell the house manager and he would handle it. It should never be left to the performer who should be able to do their job. That being said since Patti is notorious for calling out people, I feel like other performers feel like they should be doing the same thing but when they aren't the legend status of Ms. Patti it comes off as rude. Just a lot of miscommunication that needs to be fixed.

[@luxy8703]

Where Patti has done things, there has been a little bit more to those stories than what has been reported at times. The mask thing, they were asked repeatedly apparently by front of house and the covid safety staff , which they chose to ignore and then deliberately put there mask on top of there heads and stupid places and this is what made here shout at them so well deserved. Regarding, the disabled stuff, I totally agree and echo what others have said. I much prefer the term, disabled, other terms can be frustrating to say the least and actually set us apart from other people as though we are different. One thing people don’t realise also is how people can be made to feel when people shout out to them for using a disability device or treat them in a certain way them feel bad in any other way. It can cause anxiety for anyone, but especially for people who may be just getting used to their disability or doing something new, or exploring a new environment. We don’t expect people to get it right all the the time, but when they get it wrong it can have really damaging effect unfortunately. My daughter is autistic alongside her physical disabilities but the rare times she or I mention that , the instant response, is doesn’t look or sound like she is! It is so frustrating. People are so Ill informed on what autism and adhd is particularly in young women. She has to work so hard to deal and fit in with society which hasn’t been easy. She adores theatres but it was a process, especially as she found the loudness of clapping so difficult when she was younger. She is amazing and learning to cope with her varied disabilities but the world isn’t helpful to people with neuro disabilities especially. It can be scary. It can also prevent you from then doing something similar in the future and have a major impact on you. I love how impassioned you sound. We feel like this about disability and theatre. We get a lot of theatres can’t be totally acceptable because of the age of the theatres, but attitudes should be able to change. Love you guys. You make me smile , which I need due to the state of the uk currently.

[@emmaberkowitz823]

Great video! Quick note on “differently abled”: I just wanted to gently let you know that as a person with a disability I don’t care for that term because the word “disability/disabled” is one more accurate and two not a bad word. ALL LOVE ❤ You are both wonderful!

[@thelaurenwatt]

i was sitting behind someone at wicked (broadway) recently and noticed they were using a CC device !

[@disableddramaqueen9602]

Yes please use disabled unless the individual you were referring to tells you otherwise but the overarching term for the community that’s excepted is disabled and only disabled ps. I’m also currently getting a degree For musical theater and my ultimate goal in life is to be on Broadway one day so this is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart but other than that one little mistake I think this video is very well done good job

[@gabrielleduplessis7388]

Maybe this is me being stupid, but I did not know theaters provide these captioning devices. Wish I knew that when I saw a stage show.

[@erolibrahimovic2681]

I have a question: What are your thoughts on people filming curtain calls? Is it technically bootlegging still, or not really bc the show is technically over? I’ve seen people do it a lot (and have formerly participated in it), but I have very mixed feelings about it, especially in regards to the recent controversy, and wish to be educated on the matter

[@HunterPanoch]

I usually take a quick photo of the full-cast-bow and that is the extent of what I do. I just like having a small memory and I also like knowing who MY cast was.

[@TicTac27]

No it’s perfectly legal

[@iamcorinward]

Surly even if it was a recording devise she should have told the stage manger who could then tell foh not break character and call out someone

[@HopeGardner3amed]

About the locker thing, they do that at jobs and school as well.

[@hungrywallaby]

Here's asuggestion: if devices for the hard of hearing are given out by the theatre, make them a bright color that stands out. As for lockers for cell phoned, great idea; but will theatres pay for them? Maybe as an incentive put a charger inside the locker.

[@spellboundbylove7721]

It's so sad that we live in a society where people can't even function without their phones... TEAAA thanks for the vid

[@one-vv2ks]

people love to protect the theatre experience, but there's plenty of theatre lovers, especially kids, who might never get the chance to see it live. there would be significantly less praise for broadway show bootleggers if broadway did proshots (or whatever it's called) because people will still buy tickets for the sake of seeing it live. it could be done where for x amount of years the show was only available to be seen live. and then after that time period was up you could put the "shot for streaming" version on a Broadway streaming app or something.

[@cgygflkj]

They're always all over the place 😂 it's very interesting to watch

[@theakwardactor9788]

3:55 I believe the audience member said that they are hard of hearing

[@jancpete]

I am curious what your thoughts are on the interpreter being “fired from Lion King for not being a person of color”. Isn’t that denying accessibility for deaf people.?

[@emmak1605]

You guys are my favorite people ever and as an aspiring actor Ily even more ❤️ Yea I love when you talk about bway stuff 😂

[@neivilde.1242]

I went to a lot of comedy shows this summer, and for the john mulaney show they were all out and you had to lock up your phone in a little pouch thing, but for the hasan minhaj show they just told you to turn it off. And i went to a musical as well (notre dame de paris) and we were just told to turn it off as well, no lock or anything. So yeah idk consistency was not present

[@brittanygabbard6971]

Thank you for addressing this!

[@MuffyVanderbilt]

Feels odd to have such negative opinions on bootlegging but then also telling people to check out the patty audio bootleg 🤣

[@nataliamarques4682]

ryan with hannahˋs merch 💙💜 i love a good easter egg kkkkk

[@shutupheather3047]

Omg I’m early I love your videoooos ❤️❤️❤️ Also thank you for addressing this because it’s good to know what the tea is ☕️☕️☕️

[@thecrappygamer1522]

How do you guys feel about recording the curtain call??

[@lilliealicea8002]

Quick jump in to say- please say disabled. It's not a bad word, it's just a netral statement :)

[@dewainalexander6615]

Did she ever apologize?

[@corapalanski9479]

i spy the hannah bayles merch 👀

[@pricelesseditz1168]

IM SUPER EARLY! I am mindblown! HI SAM & RYAN :P i have been obsessed over boardway now because of you two xo Sending love and happiness from the UK 😄

[@pricelesseditz1168]

edit: i spy Hannah Bayles merch?! MERCH! MeRCH

[@madinatuleshova6292]

As much as I love your content, I don't think you guys are looking at the situation from a completely unbiased perspective. I do think the issue with privacy in theatre is important and it's definitely disrespectful and illegal to use recording devices. But, an actor shouldn't have intervened and called out someone who she THOUGHT was using a recording device. At the end of the day, it's in issue thats prevalent everywhere since phones are such big part of any person's life. I understand that you guys wanted to protect an actor from all the criticism she's getting after it's been revealed it wasn't a recording device. But, the way you dismissed how it's not actor's job to be policing phone devices is very much saying how you think Patti's and this actor's actions are okay. What could have been done is actors letting someone within the administration know something they've noticed. Putting a disabled person on blast in front of audience of hundreds of people can be embarrassing, shameful and extremely uncomfortable. P.S. it’s kind of important to note that producers apologized to Samantha, not Lillias herself

[@juliabaez804]

I love you Guys in your Content and I agree with almost everything but the comment about the phones is unfair . you can speak on how inaccessible it is because of how expensive tickets are in such that factors into things. You have parents who are leaving their kids and need to be able to be contacted if something goes awry. You have younger people is the fire possibly alone . You have people who use there phone for chronic illness or disability purposes. I am a huge fan of theater I was just in Broadway less than a month ago seeing a show that was incredible and I enjoyed every second of it. I would’ve felt extremely uncomfortable as someone who is not from the city and a younger person if I had to lock up my phone for the entire show. Not because I was recording not because of any nefarious reason just because god forbid anything happen , I have people who may need to call me, plus I use a phone connected to a heart monitor. That blanket statement feels kinda judgmental personally

[@darth_kal-el]

Pro shots and releasing them would reduce bootlegging. Putting them up for sale or creating a streaming service for 10 to 20 bucks a month or something. That would eliminate bootlegging. You could make it so the it doesn’t go up until the show closes or if it’s a long running show ir goes up at any point. This would solve a lot of issues.

[@jelly_vids6285]

wait why does ryan kinda look like diggy from liv and matty???

[@slayerliciousscoliosis7506]

maybe look up who played diggy? (definitely not ryan)

[@Anime_theatre_lover]

He actually was Diggy! He made several videos about it :)

[@spellboundbylove7721]

I still don't get the whole daddy thing but okay😂😂😂

[@Anime_theatre_lover]

That’s the name of their Fanbase :)

[@RabbitBabbitt]

Thank you ❤.

[@MarkingTheEarth]

I love these videos

[@bels3873]

I don't care if I'm referred to as 'differently abled'. Disabled/differently abled, it's a different way of saying the same thing to me. I care more that zero shows on Broadway accommodate my disability - let me sit at the damn table, THEN I'll worry about the language being used.

[@CanadianChick811]

Speaking as someone with a disability the term "differently abled" discounts all the hardships the abled bodied community puts on disabled people by forcing them to live in a society that doesn't account for them. Please never use the term again. Thank you.

[@livaliberte4275]

Hannah merch!

[@julianasuarez7687]

didn’t you guys make a video reacting to your favorite bootlegs like a year ago? i totally understand everything you said about why you shouldn’t record a broadway show but you can’t condemn ppl for recording something after having publicly monetized the product of what you’re criticizing

[@ROCKYHORRORHURRAH]

14:01 the thing with that idea is a lot of modern musicals have things at the end they ASK you to film. I’ve seen Joseph and SIX live and the Joseph and SIX megamix are amazing and they allow you to film. (I filmed so much of the show when I saw six live becahse they took down the only slime tutorial I could find) another thing, they should do what they did with Hamilton instead of making people commit literal crimes just to be able to watch musicals. I was around 6-7 years old when heathers was happening (off broadway) without the slime tutorials I’ve been able to find my love for the show never would have grown to the size it is today. I fully agree with everything you guys said but a lot of shows would have a WAYYYY smaller fan base without slime tutorials.