Woman Who Demanded ‘Wicked’ Spectator Stop ‘Sing-Along’ Applauded

The internet has praised a woman for how she handled an awkward evening at the musical Wicked.

Last week, the woman took to social media to share that she had gone to see the hit musical with her daughter and some of her daughter’s high school classmates. As the group settled into their seats and began to enjoy the show, their viewing experience was interrupted by a nearby spectator who insisted on loudly singing along to most of the songs in the show, she said.

“We had never seen it, but know the songs and were sooooo excited!! I can’t even remember how far in we were when the lady behind us starts singing along,” the woman, who goes by /u/White_trash-02, wrote on Reddit.

“The very last song and I literally cannot take it anymore. I turn around and say ‘could you not?’ Which of course prompts her to increase her volume. The BROADWAY STARS were absolutely incredible and I would love to see it again. Hopefully next time without the sing-a-long,” the woman, who is from Oklahoma, added.

Newsweek contacted the Gershwin Theatre and Wicked‘s London press office via email for comment and more information on their audience guidelines.

The Redditor said she had bitten her tongue earlier in the performance because of social anxiety and not wanting to cause a scene.

Newsweek spoke with the 38-year-old Redditor, who would like to remain anonymous, to learn more.

“I purchased tickets for Wicked through my daughter’s choir director,” she told Newsweek. “There were probably 30 or more people in our group. It was my first Broadway performance, but my daughter had been to others.”

She added: “A lady directly behind me began singing to the songs pretty early in the show. My daughter and I made nonverbal exchanges about it throughout the show, like eye-rolling and other gestures. She started again during one of the last songs, and by then I had really had enough.

“I turned to make eye contact and said, ‘Could you not?’ My daughter was immediately embarrassed that I had said something yet, at the same time, felt I was justified due to the annoyance.”

‘People Now Are So Wrapped Up in Their Own Worlds’

The woman said “nothing much” happened after the awkward exchange, and that she had still enjoyed Wicked.

“The lady booked it pretty fast leaving the mezzanine. My daughter and her classmates discussed the situation after, and they were all in agreement that her behavior was obnoxious. My daughter said it would be different if she actually had a good singing voice,” the woman said.

She continued: “I received a lot of great information for our next Broadway show, in the event we experience the sing-along again. I think it would be beneficial for something to be printed on the playbill regarding disruptive behavior.

“Then again, I don’t know if it would make any difference. People now are so wrapped up in their own worlds that consideration for others is very limited. Still, it was nice to see so many people come together and enjoy an incredible performance.”

The woman and her daughter are looking forward to seeing Chicago on Broadway in April.

What Do the Experts Think?

Newsweek spoke with Frank Thewes, the owner of Path Forward Therapy in New Jersey and a practicing therapist, for his take on the exchange.

“It sounds like this woman was holding out hope that the singing behind her would stop. It didn’t, she finally said something, and she did not get a satisfying resolution,” Thewes said.

Monica Vermani, a clinical psychologist and an author, also weighed in on the situation.

She told Newsweek: “Let’s also look at some of the main reasons why this woman did not speak up earlier in the show, despite the hundreds of dollars she invested in her evening at the theater. Let’s start with social anxiety disorder.

“Social anxiety disorder is also referred to as social phobia. It’s an anxiety disorder characterized by feelings of fear, self-doubt, and anxiety related to social situations. It causes considerable distress and often significantly diminishes an individual’s quality of life, and prevents them from successfully managing their life tasks and responsibilities.

“Social anxiety is not fear of people. It is all about the fear of scrutiny, judgment, evaluation and criticism of others. They might have been feeling socially anxious and apprehensive of receiving a negative evaluation.”

Vermani said it does not matter whether that “negative evaluation” comes from the singing audience member, the usher whom the Redditor could have bothered with her complaint or from fellow audience members.

“That audience member, after all, had paid to be there, too. How could she not be seen as a spoilsport by speaking up or complaining? This fear would have been compounded if she had not been aware of the rules of Broadway etiquette,” the psychologist said.

What Do the Comments Say?

Since it was first shared to Reddit on February 27, the post has been upvoted by over 12,700 users and commented on more than 600 times. Most Redditors engaging with the post have supported the woman and applauded how she confronted the singing audience member.

“Report this to an usher. Singers will be removed,” one user wrote.

Another user added, “Yes that is absolutely not ok.”

“There are some videos of ‘illegal singers’ being removed—usually a pretty spectacle—find them for your education and entertainment,” a commenter said.

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