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As a former performer in the chorus, commonly know as a gypsy in show biz, and a viewer of numerous Broadway shows, today the audience seems to think it is mandatory to give a standing ovation even when the show does not "razzle- dazzle" you.

Extraordinary performances deserve standing ovations and there is a lot of great theater out there. Only giving out a few ovations in my lifetime, the shows included "Les Miserable's", Zero Mostel in "Fiddler on the Roof" and Richard Kiley in "Man of La Mancha" for performances beyond the call of duty. Of course the great score and writing helps many shows to reach that pinnacle.

An Off-Broadway show on Sullivan Street that played for over forty years, "The Fantastic's", always warranted one as being the hardest working casts that I have ever seen with one of the most simplistic stories. This show gave a break to many up and comer's as showcase to gain entrance on to Broadway and Hollywood.

One the first objectives drummed into an acting student in drama class was to project and perform for the person in the last row in the balcony. How can one give a standing ovation to a performance enhanced by artificial means? Ethel Merman never needed to.

When attending a show today, it is appalling that the implementation of technical use is being used rather than the actor's talent. Many shows tend to lose their appeal to me because of this enhancement when the leads and/or chorus members have wireless mics on. It certainly takes away from the illusion that you are in France, the South Pacific or Willie Loman's kitchen. What ever happened to Mama Rose screaming, "Sing Out Louise"?

Do not get me wrong, as there is nothing to compare with a live performance and not only for the audience but the performers themselves. Many a stage performance depends on the type of audience you have. Form my personal experience, some nights, the energy level was so high, that you could come out of the theater and think; I want this show to run forever; while other times it was not unusual to think, maybe I can sneak out of the stage entrance. If latter was the case, then it would be time to pick up a copy of Backstage (the weekly periodical for listing of auditions) and see if any new auditions were coming up.

Grant you, there is much hard work, love and sacrifice the cast and creative process behind the scenes do within the theater. Competition is stiff to get in show, much less than to hope for the show's longevity and the actors do appreciate the applause. Standing ovations, however, should only be given out to exceptional performances, similar to a Tony Award for outstanding achievement.

The one or more performances that are implanted in your mind for rest of you life are the ones that warranted a standing ovation. The past performances that I mention and viewed bring a total recall, as I can close my eyes and relive the shows again by those unforgettable performances.

Learn more about this author, Veronica Shine.
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