I just walked out of a play at intermission

[southerngirlwriter]

...and I've never done that before.

The play was excellent. A local high school is doing Romeo and Juliet using Shakespeare's original language, but set in 1930's Mexico. The costumes, scenery, makeup, everything -- phenomenal. The kids are great. The one playing Mercutio was :wow: *astoundingly* good. Phenomenal.

I walked out because of the kids in the audience -- students at the high school putting it on. They were the most obnoxious, horrific, hateful kids I've ever been around. Their behavior was bad enough -- they text-messaged each other (with their phones NOT on silent) the whole time, giggled, whispered, etc. -- but what got me was their language.

These kids were gossiping about other kids. A small sampling of what they said:

"That fucking fag. If he waves at me one more time he's gonna wish he was dead."

"Who cares what she thinks? Her brother's a fucking homo."

"These goddamn queers. I need a fucking bat."

There were about eight of them in close proximity to me, (a group of three that seemed to have come to the show together, and a group of five that seemed to be together, too. The two groups were not interacting. I sat between them, alone.)

I was sitting there stunned because this high school is in the wealthiest part of town, has the highest academic ratings in this whole state for public high schools, and by all accounts are the best-educated kids around here. It was horrifying.

THEN one of them said something about a dancer (during the balcony scene, there was a male and a female dancer on center stage - the balcony was stage left). He said, "That fucking faggot hates me because he couldn't make the football team."

I leaned over and whispered (in a VERY nasty tone of voice, I admit). "Let me get this straight. He's up there with his arm around the waist of a GIRL in a leotard. YOU take showers with guys, and HE's the 'fag' here. YEAH. RIGHT." The kid shut up then, but I could *feel* the rage seething off him.

I walked out at intermission. Only slightly because I thought the football kid might kick my ass. Mostly because it was just disgusting.

What the HELL is this world coming to??

[Kusala]

1. spoiled kids being kids

some things never change..

[Catch22Dem]

2. Fuckin' awesome!!!!

You done good. I love it! I just wish you could have enjoyed the play. It sounds very good.

[Az]

3. Why did you walk out instead of having them escorted out

I am pretty sure the management would frown on their behaviour.

[southerngirlwriter]

6. it was their school's auditorium

They're students there. Their parents pay taxes for their education there. I'm just a bleeding heart who lives in the neighborhood. Who do you think the school officials there would have listened to?

I AM going to write a letter to the principal, I think. It will accomplish nothing but making me feel better, but that's something.

[Az]

7. Um, when its open to the public

They get to behave or be escorted out. I can't think of any circumstance where the faculty would approve of that behaviour. Shoulda called them on it.

[GOPisEvil]

4. What the hell were they doing there anyway?

Jesus, if you don't want to be there, let the people that do enjoy themselves.

Every time I want to condemn the entire lot of them, I remember the wonderful high-school-age folks here, and it makes me feel a little better.

[AVID]

5. question

Why were they even there?

[Enraged_Ape]

8. I wish I could think on my feet like that

That comment you made to him was like a damn laser beam. That was great. If I'd heard you say that, I'd have to leave too, to keep from laughing my ass off.

[southerngirlwriter]

9. I wish I could do it at will.

I have to be a millimeter away from kicking someone's ass, and in a good place mentally, and then I can whip out my laser tongue. When I REALLY want to, though, I can't. It's a gift of God, I think, for when it's really called for. Not when I want it. If that makes sense. Probably not. LOL.

[sleipnir]

10. Fuck them, they'll end up serving me a burger and fries on my vacation

I hate those kinds of people, they deserve the worthless lives that they get.

Sorry that you're experience was so bad, that's a serious bummer. I would have moved to another part of the house, or just asked the house manager what could be done. Then again, I guess it was a H.S. production, so the HM was probably a student (if there even was one)

I was at a dance show the other weekend, and a guy starts talking on his cell phone during a very intimate part of the piece, after a few moments I turned around and told him, simply... "Shut the fuck up." A few people applauded me around him and he got really scared and shut his phone.

Don't worry about the future, those people won't make it too far...unless they're *.

[Ellen Forradalom]

11. I hate to say it, but..

they will make it far, the spoiled little affluent shits. Brains and manners have nothing to do with it.

[Lisa0825]

12. You should definitely write to the principle

and cc the school board, and the local paper. Write to everyone you can think of who might listen. Maybe many will ignore it, but many others would want to know this is going on. Now that I think about it, you should also write or call the drama teacher. I am sure he/she'd be appalled as well.

[pink_poodle]

13. Right on!!!!!!!!! Good for you!!!!!!!!!!!!! -nm

"

[Zomby Woof]

14. reminds me why I quit the teaching racket

Nothing like the spawn of the ignorant and hateful to stir up my misanthropy and loathing of the species.

[PartyPooper]

15. There's far too many rude, ill-mannered homophobes on this planet.

Think of the actors onstage who rehearsed for many hours for this production. And, you can be sure that they were fully aware of what was going on in the audience--as well as those in your immediate vicinity.

The phones going off and inappropriate, offensive conversations are indicative of our society under *. Very few people give a s*** about any one else anymore.

Sorry you had to leave at intermission, but, I can't blame you. I would have done the same thing!

Please call and write the principal and express your disgust and indignation (send copies to members of the school board and superintendent, too!).

What I don't understand is why the people like you described even bothered to attend the theatre. They'd be better off somewhere else...like a football game (sans the rude comments).

:grr:

[liberalhistorian]

16. The fact that the kids are from an affluent,

well-educated background doesn't mean SHIT! I've noticed that kids from that background are especially hateful and bigoted, it has a lot to do with being insulated and pampered and spoiled and enabled. They have no fucking clue what it's like to be in the real world and the sad thing is they probably will continue to sail through life never knowing and making life hell for those underneath them. All you have to do is look at the goddamn Bushes to know the truth in that.

[Edge]

17. You should've kicked that kid's ass...

I would've.