December 22, 2003
I thought I was the only person who thought standing ovations were way out of control. I'm not. This is really bad in Utah, where no one wants to get offended or offend anyone else. Even mediocre performances usually get standing ovations. The overuse has made standing ovations lose their meaning. Just like the major overuse of the word "hero." I'm all for giving special appreciation to deserving performers, but I will stubbornly remain seated when a performance is average to good.
Posted by charr at 11:09 AM
Reader Comments
I have to wonder, if standing ovations are now not the great achievement they used to be, what should audiences start doing to express their approval of REALLY great performances because of the misuse for mediocre ones?
Good question. Audiences need to be reprogrammed. Theatres should install automatic seatbelts in each seat and only unlock them when the show is really over, or when the performace was worthy of an ovation. Just make sure you have someone who doesn't think PeeWee Herman is Oscar-worthy in charge of the seatbelt controllers.
Several years ago, I toured the RLDS temple in Independence, MO. They had a big auditorium where people would come throughout the day and give piano and organ recitals. You could tell who all the LDS people were because we didn't applaud, this being a religious building, but everyone else did so we slowly joined in.
Heh. I don't know if the automatic seatbelt thing would work. What happens when you need to go to the bathroom during the show?
That's interesting that LDS don't applaud in church buildings... I just saw a ward choir perform holiday songs and they were awful (about 5 little ole ladies, none of whom could sing) so I didn't know if people weren't clapping because the performance was just too embarrassingly bad, or it wasn't appropriate. The weird thing is Mormons will talk like crazy during a church service which is mucho verboten in Catholic church. I also have LDS friends who write in their day planner all thru the church service, which would also be considered rude in Catholic church, so I didn't think Mormons considered their buildings sacred at all.
I was at the church Spanish Christmas Special a couple weeks ago at the Marriot center. After the first performance, and a little delay, someone started clapping. Some others joined in, but all the white folk, including the performers, just kind of looked around, smiling, but semi-shocked that people were clapping. By the end of the service, pretty much everyone was clapping, but it was weird.
Ellen, I am with you on those points. I grew up Lutheran and talking and lesson planning during the service was simply not done. There was a reverence that is seriously lacking in the LDS culture.I try not to let it get in the way of my personal worship, and have on occaison asked people to zip it (in nicer terms). God help them all if I ever give a talk in church because I will do the same thing I did in Relief Society as a teacher - if someone is chatting I will simply stop speaking and stare then ask what they would like to contribute. ;)
That would be too funny, Renee!
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I have to wonder, if standing ovations are now not the great achievement they used to be, what should audiences start doing to express their approval of REALLY great performances because of the misuse for mediocre ones?
Posted by Jan at December 22, 2003 12:38 PM