'Uh-uh. No one is here is hear you sing, friend': Audience member ruins performance of Wicked by singing loudly the entire show

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Feb 29, 2024 2:00 PM EST

It's time to talk about audience etiquette, or lack thereof. People's general understanding of how to behave in public gatherings has definitely gotten worse the past few years, especially when it comes to live performances. This particular public disruption happened at the Broadway musical Wicked, the long-running musical prequel to The Wizard of Oz in which the Wicked Witch of the West gets the opportunity to belt her face off for two and a half hours. 

Obviously, Wicked has become a cultural phenomenon, and so the music has become well-known, especially among millennials. However, just because you know the words does not mean you are cast as Elphaba. This audience member thought they were entitled to sing along to the entire show, effectively ruining the experience for everyone else in the audience. According to folks in the comments section, this is apparently a common occurrence at this show. It's remarkable how many folks have shared similar experience. No one needs to hear normies singing "Defying Gravity."

For more stories like this, check out this post about a Karen's tantrum at the movie theater.

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  • 01
    "The lady behind us [...] sang ALMOST the entire time."
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  • 02
    r/mildlyinfuriating. Posted by u/White_trash-02 16 hours ago I didn't pay to hear you sing. 8 I went to a performance of the Broadway musical Wicked with my daughter and some other HS classmates. We had never seen it,
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  • 03
    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. She sang ALMOST the entire time. 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. BROADWAY STARS were absolutely incredible and I would love to see it again. Hopefully next time without the sing-a-long. The
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  • 04
    Sandmint 16 hr. ago Report this to an usher. Singers will be removed. 8.1k Reply Share
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    White_trash-02 OP. 16 hr. ago Omg I wish I knew!!!! 3.0k Reply Share
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    KrankySilverFox. 14 hr. ago Yes that is absolutely not ok. 1.6k Reply Share
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    Ho3n3r 10 hr. ago My question would be why nobody else around them did that. Surely somebody knew they could report her? 467 Reply Share
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    is-now-wayne. 10 hr. ago. edited 10 hr. ago You overestimate people's willingness to act. I've encountered many instances where people knew exactly what to do yet still didn't. 558 Reply Share
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    kindcrow 13 hr. ago When I saw Wicked on Broadway in 2009, the guy beside me chewed and snapped gum SO loudly that fifteen years later I'm still angry. 5.2k Reply Share
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    MGN20XX 14 hr. ago . Might be a boomer comment but my dad used to say "who sings that song?" When they answer he'd say "keep it that way" 3.0k Reply Share
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    Ok-Pomegranate-3018 14 hr. ago Not even remotely the same, but we were having lunch at Romano's macaroni grill and there was a woman opera singer and some old dude started singing along with her which was quite jarring since he was seated at the next table. The manager came right over and put a stop to it. Really the ushers should have been paying better attention and shouldn't have had to be asked. 1.4k Reply Share
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    MrmmphMrmmph. 12 hr. ago I was once went with a girlfriend to the opera, and the elderly lady in front of us unwrapped a butterscotch and proceeded to roll the wrapper between her fingers absentmindedly. My girlfriend was going nuts and after a bit I tapped the lady on the shoulder and asked her to stop. She was mortified, as she had been unaware she was doing it. 426 Reply Share
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    Shytemagnet 13 hr. ago I hit my 40s recently. I literally turn around and wag my finger, and go "Uh- uh. No one is here to hear you sing, friend." And then if the usher won't stop them, I demand the usher bring me to a new seat. I'm 100% finished with having my experiences ruined out of a need to stay polite. 944 Reply Share
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    na Vampiyaa 14 hr. ago edited 9 hr. ago . . I had the exact same thing happen to me at Les Mis. We paid $200 bucks for the tickets just to listen to some middle aged lady next to me sing along to every. single. song. The ushers did nothing. This was on top of like 15 people in front of us being on their phones constantly. That was the only time I ever crept close to becoming a Karen and messaged customer service to ask for compensation. We got two free tickets to the ballet out of it, at least O
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    Ok-Lingonberry-6808 13 hr. ago . Same exact thing happened to me at Wicked at Segerstrom in Costa Mesa. Drama kid was sitting behind me singing and I asked her to stop. She didn't stop so I found an usher and tattled. They moved me and my friend up a few rows. 526 Reply Share ...
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    DobbysGayLover 13 hr. ago Onetime I went to a Burlesque show. One recurring joke was one of the actor saying a line. A kid repeated it (not sure what a kid was doing at a burlesque show) and people laughed. But he kept doing it. The whole show. Just random moments, he'd yell the line. Finally I said "OMG!" And sucked my teeth. The parents looked back at me like I was some kind of horrible monster. 380 Reply Share
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    TDG7734 12 hr. ago That happened to me at a Bjork concert. After a few songs where everyone in our section was subjected to the horrible singing of one fan, I told her to stop ruining it for everyone. Her boyfriend made a feeble attempt at defending her but I just ignored him. People thanked me after the show. Am I a hero? I really can't say, but yes. 120 Reply Share ...
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    ((. Feisty-Barracuda5452 Of course, she gets louder when you say something. She's the main character. 13 hr. ago 100 Reply Share
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    Mythbird 12 hr. ago Went to a Pink Floyd tribute band performance/play in the state theatre. It was pretty good but there was one guy who warbled along like it was a Disney song along episode. Guy about two rows ahead turns around and tells him he paid to hear the performers not the audience. Well the guy didn't stop. Next minute there was a full brawl going on as the guy had jumped two rows.
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    . Little_Raccoon1229 · 14 hr. ago That can be so ignorant. , I'm sorry. People
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musicals selfish wicked theater entitled people karma mildly infuriating entitled show reddit thread Reddit audience funny entitled people
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