Come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway: Marimba ringtones! Rat-a-tat texting! The shaming “shhhhh!” Years of tension over audience behavior hit a dramatic climax this month, when a teenager clambered onto a stage to try to recharge his phone and veteran star Patti LuPone whisked a phone away from a texting spectator, hours after performing a matinee punctuated by incoming calls. LuPone says she’s even considering quitting stage work because of the electronic onslaught. As Broadway faces off against pocket-size sound-and-light shows, performers and some patrons say a hyper-connected culture are shredding the immersive experience of live theater.
