By Bill Hirschman, FloridaTheaterOnStage.com, for SouthFloridaReporter.com, July 13, 2015 – Even for South Florida theater with its reputation for audience bad behavior, the June 25 incident may have posted a past-the-pale moment indicative of an out-of-control problem.
In Island City Stage’s darkened theater the size of some living rooms, a glow like a bright flashlight issued from a cellphone as a front row patron stuck his feet out into the cramped acting area and, once again, began texting. This time it occurred just as actors Antonio Amadeo and Laura Turnbull were deep into one of the most emotional moments in the acclaimed and intense gay marriage play, Daniel’s Husband.
Four other people further back had done the same during the performance, but this man had been especially noticeable by whipping out the lighted device during blackouts for scene changes in order to check Facebook phone and to text messages himself.
“I was so distracted, I nearly dropped a line,” Amadeo recalled later. “I was so angry.”
