Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Don't remember the Alamo - "tweet seats" in theaters

Last month I wrote about the Alamo Drafthouse, who REALLY doesn't like it when people text in its theaters. When an irate caller left a message after being thrown out of a theater, the Alamo Drafthouse turned the call into a public service announcement.

The Alamo Drafthouse's opposition to texting in theaters is not universal.

Shawn Rossi shared the story of the "tweet seats" phenomenon in which certain establishments, including the Carolina Ballet in Raleigh NC, the Dayton Opera in Dayton OH, and the Indianapolis Symphony in Indianapolis IN, permit people in the back rows of the theater to use their smartphones to their heart's content. (Glencoe, IL does not have a "tweet seat" section.) Mara Siegler:

Those on board with using social media during performances tout it as a way to let others now their feelings and reactions in live time, and as a participatory function that allows them to be a part of the performance from their seats.

Hmm, sounds like what happens when we cover Larry Ellison during Oracle OpenWorld, except that the music isn't as loud and the visuals aren't as red.
blog comments powered by Disqus