When tech doesn’t get thanked...
I recently went to see a play at a large professional company about three hours from the city I am currently living in.
It was just my mom and I as we like to do a ‘girls trip’ every year to spend time together as my schedule is always consuming me and I don’t really have any free time.
So the story:
At intermission I stand up to stretch for a moment and look back at the (very large) booth, make eye contact with the stage manager and give her a smile and wave.
My mom then asks: Do they thank tech in curtain call here?
Me: I would hope so.
Intermission ends. We watch the rest of the show curtain call comes, the actors bow, wave to the audience then walk off stage.
Me: Uh, excuse you, director.
Mom: What?
Me: They didn't thank tech
Mom: Why?
Me: No idea but I’m gonna thank them.
Mom: Please don’t embarrass yourself.
I then turn around and face the booth (mind you there are about three rows of people behind me until you hit the booth).
I start clapping and making the little heart sign with my hands.
A few audience members look at me confused then look back at the booth.
Audience member: Oh there’s a crew member back there.
Me: Yeah that’s the stage manager, the show does not run without her.
Audience member: Do you know her?
Me: No, but she deserves and applause too.
Audience member: Ah, *Walks away*
Mom: Are you done? Can we go get desert and a drink now?
Me: No.
I then proceeded to go to every crew member I could find cleaning up and thanked them telling them they deserved to be thanked in curtain call. They all quietly agreed.
As I was leaving, I filled out a little comment card.
That said: “At the director: Thank your tech in curtain call! It doesn't matter if some of the audience won’t understand the gesture, but it is incredibly rude to not thank your crew and tech in curtain call. It ruined the show for me.”
My mom saw what I was doing and insisted I not fill out the card but I did. They’re anonymous anyway.
If I go to a theatre and they don't thank tech in curtain call. I will make a small scene.
Thank. Tech.
It takes two seconds.
