An Open Letter To Those Who Leave During Curtain Call

Christopher Castanho

Thunderous applause is heard, the final note extravagantly trembles as the curtain falls. The actors break their final tableau and exhale a breath of relief and joy: "Hooray! Another show done." They assume their curtain call positions and the red velvet rises. Pink and blue lights frame their beaming sweaty faces as they take their bow. Gratitude and elation washes over the ensemble members, until movement in the aisles and seating section draws their eye: people leaving before bows are completed.

A lot of time and work went into the show, and the entire piece should be seen. A director and or choreographer spent time staging those bows, a composer wrote and an arranger orchestrated music for those bows, and the performers just spent their time and energy on that stage, staying seated and clapping is a sign of respect. Actors are humans, not robots, and might not have been feeling one hundred percent that night, but they still gave it their all, for you and the rest of the audience.

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