Falling in love with theater (and learning its etiquette)
Actor Vino Mabalot says the fulfillment of doing theater comes from telling a story in front of an audience that “feels and breathes with you.” But every so often, just as you’re about to deliver a heartrending line, you catch, in the corner of your eye, someone “wapakels”—or worse, a phone hoisted in the air.
As the theater scene grows more mainstream, etiquette has become a recurring point of contention between seasoned theater-goers and newer fans who may be unaware of the medium’s written and unwritten rules.
For those more accustomed to attending concerts, recording a key scene may be a natural impulse. Some can’t help but sing along with the actors in jukebox musicals. Fans of celebrities crossing over to the stage may give random shoutouts to their idols.
And the morning after, a heated debate had already lit up social media.
They can see you
This is something Mabalot, and fellow actors Sheena Belarmino and KD Estrada, are no strangers to. Of course, the show must go on amid possible distractions. But don’t mistake their focus for obliviousness. No matter how hard you try to hide your phone to sneak a few seconds of footage, believe them—they can see you.
Take this moment Mabalot had during “Tabing Ilog: The Musical”: “The adults in theater tell us that we won’t see the crowd because the lights are so bright. But eventually, your eyes adjust, and you see everything… One time, I noticed someone in the very front row holding their phone in a certain way to record. I had to tell the stage manager afterward.”
“Medyo nakaka-challenge siya. Like, ‘di ka ba makikinig?” he says, laughing.
Some think that a slightly obscure phone is discreet; others think they can get away with an open laptop—on full brightness. The first time Belarmino encountered such an act of brazenness during “One More Chance: The Musical,” all she could think of while performing was, “Ay, ganun!”
“I was like, ‘Nakakaloka naman ‘to, ginawang cafe ang theater!” recalls Belarmino, who currently stars in the ongoing run of “Spring Awakening” together with Mabalot. “I understand that maybe you really need to work, but don’t do it in the theater, where you’re meant to watch the show. At least step out of the theater.”
Live in the moment
It’s really just a matter of common courtesy—if not a little common sense. “It’s not just about respecting the performers onstage, but also your fellow audience members who paid for the experience. They’re there to have fun, learn something, and take in the whole performance,” she tells Lifestyle Inquirer. “Onstage, kitang-kita lahat ‘yan, but you have to keep going.”
Or you can think of it this way: The few hours you put your phone away are a few hours you live in the moment. And if you must have proof of your theater outing for social media, consider doing it during the curtain call, which is becoming more and more accepted.
“Just go experience the show live. These people worked for months, day and night, so it’s nice if you could appreciate that and keep it in your memory,” says Estrada, one of the main stars of the ongoing stage adaptation of “Bagets.” “Always try to stay immersed.”
Not to say that you have to sit through the entire show holding your breath and sitting ramrod straight. Feel free to laugh, clap, or cry. That’s how they know they’re doing their job—or when they need to do a better job.
“Seeing the audience’s reactions can really help. You’re able to gauge if they’re satisfied or not. Or if there are scenes that we have to improve next time,” Belarmino says.
“If the audience feels flat, somehow you get more inspired to do better and elicit a reaction from them,” Estrada adds. “It can be motivating.”
Room to grow
But when everything falls into place, and all you hear are the actors’ words and the audience’s soft sobs, it’s the greatest feeling ever.
“When I did ‘Next to Normal,’ para akong sinaniban ng energy because you could hear people crying. Although that’s not our end goal, the fact that people were moved meant they were actually listening and engaged. That’s powerful,” Mabalot says. “That energy isn’t distracting. In fact, it inspires us na paghusayan pa.”
After all, Belarmino says, theater is as much about the audience as it is about what happens onstage. And the moment the actors see them laugh or cry is the moment they become part of the journey. “This is your story, too,” she says. “And it’s heartening to know that we did our job, and that you stayed present for us.”
This kind of appreciation only comes as one becomes more acquainted with theater. So while Mabalot, Belarmino, and Estrada find theater etiquette a touchy subject, they seem more willing to give the audience—especially newcomers—the benefit of the doubt and the room to grow.
“I’m very happy that more and more people are watching theater now. And please, continue watching,” Mabalot says. “Theater etiquette is something we can all learn as we continue falling in love with theater as an art form.”
