First Interstate Center for the Arts — Attraction in Spokane

I saw Broadway's Beetlejuice on January 2nd. I have been so excited to see this show since it was first announced that it would be coming to Spokane. It's been one of my favorites since I can possibly remember and I had begged my grandma to take my sister and I for months before we bought our tickets. As we entered the theatre, I was shaking with excitement.

The show itself was amazing. I loved all the actors and I was very immersed into the story until intermission. We were six rows back from the stage and a couple in front of us complained about me to an Usher. So when I returned to my seat, I was told that "It's good you're having fun but your laughing, CLAPPING and cheering is disturbing the audience. Remember, you're in a theatre."

First of all, my laugh is my laugh. Yes, I have been told it's a loud and powerful one. Yes, it has suprised people before. But I've been to plenty of plays and live theatre is one of the very few places I feel comfortable genuinely laughing. In a show like Beetlejuice, there are plenty of jokes to laugh at. And I was NOT the only person laughing at them.

Secondly, I was only cheering and clapping at the end of a musical number when there was breaks in-between dialogue.

I am a theatrical actor, myself and I am well aware of theatre etiquette. My family and I were not talking and only reacting when properly appropriate to do so. And my "obnoxious" cheering was for the actor's sake, as the more energy you give them, the more they give you.

But to be told that something I can't control, such as my laugh, is disturbing - that genuinely hurt my feelings. I mean, it's live theatre. Everyone around us was laughing and cheering too. You could hear the people all the way in the back of the theatre reacting.

Safe to say, it ruined the rest of the performance for me. I understand that the Usher is trying to do her job. But if the people in front of us were truly disturbed, they should have been offered to move seats. Not ruin another party's experience because they're bothered by live reactions to a LIVE performance. Especially when I too have spent hundreds just to be there and another couple hundred inside the venue.

Icing ontop of the cake, that couple was directly behind us as we left the theatre and I could clearly hear them continuing to talk about me. I went home crying tonight when I was supposed to enjoy this once in a lifetime experience.

If you can't handle a live reaction, don't go to...

At a recent production of "Newsies," we were very disappointed at the lack of professionalism at the INB.

The sound quality of the show was so bad, we could barely understand a word, as the orchestra totally overpowered the singers. We were not sitting in seats where the sound was obstructed--it was just very poorly mixed. We heard others complaining about this as well, and we notified two ushers. We were told there was nothing to be done. One usher did offer us hearing aids, which we declined. Two people in their mid-twenties do not want to go to a live theater and wear headphones. We struggled to hear rather than ruin the show's experience further by hearing it filtered through tinny speakers on our heads.

The biggest frustration came at intermission. It was a beautiful sunny day, and during intermission we went out a side door to take a walk. Ten minutes later we walked around to the front doors and tried to go back inside. An INB employee out there told us that we couldn't go in as there was a performance in process. We told him "Yes, we're watching it," and showed him our tickets. He told us, "It's no re-entry. Once you leave you can't come back." At first we thought he was joking, especially as at that moment, an usher inside opened the locked door for an elderly couple that had also been walking outside. But when I gestured to the door, he said again, "You can't go back inside once you leave. It's posted on the door."

We walked back around to the other side of the building and were able to re-enter there and watch the rest of the show. Later, we did see that there was a sign hanging on the front door that said "No re-entry." However, the door we left did NOT have a sign, nor did any of the other side or back doors in the theater. It was not printed on our tickets or on the program, and was not announced at the beginning of the show. Whatever reason the INB has for saying that if a guest wants to step outside for fresh air, they forfeit their ticket is beyond me. But even IF they want to make this a policy (again... why?), they need to make it abundantly clear to their guests.

I'm just grateful that not all of the employees were like Mr. Power-trip out front, as I did see ushers allowing guests back inside... because why wouldn't they?

It left a bad taste...

Loved the show but the workers at the facility were rude, discourteous, and we were downright appalled by their actions. Starting with the ticket vendor whom accidentally separated one of our seats in a different row and also placed us in handicap seating. I was quite embarrassed when an elder gentleman was in a wheelchair and had to shuffle down the row with the help of his assistant. On our way into the auditorium, we were unsure of where to go and an usher acted like he was going to look at our tickets then grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the side so the people behind us could go in. I was baffled and uncomfortable by his curt touch and brush off. Then to top it off, we were exiting the show an usher swung the door open hitting my husband in the middle of his chest which caused some uncomfortable chest pains and heavy breathing ( he had just had surgery a month before on his heart). She never even apologized!?! By this point I was fit to be tied but due to his difficulties I was focused on getting him to the car. We were dressed to the nines and out to celebrate but I feel it would have been more suiting if we were in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. So much for my perfect Birthday celebration! I've had better customer service at...