The nonprofit theater presents the star-studded Broadway revival of “Take me outA new infrared camera was installed on Wednesday to help security team detect surreptitious audience use of the camera after a nude video of actor Jesse Williams went viral online.
Second Stage Theater, where production is in progress much praise producer, which had asked the audience to put their phones in a locked pocket before the start of the show, but decided to add extra security measures after someone managed to film it and post it on social media The video showed Williams, the actor best known for “Grey’s Anatomy,” naked.
Second Stage’s executive producer, Peter Dean, said the theater’s security team already had audience CCTV cameras that they monitored before, during and after the play’s shower scenes, but on Wednesday morning they added a PTZ (short for pan, tilt, zoom) camera will allow it to get a clearer picture of each audience member at the Hayes Theater, where “Take Me Out” has already begun active since March 10.
“This will allow us to focus on an audience that looks like they’re doing something suspicious and gauge whether they’re just reaching for their wallet to catch their breath or pulling out their phone,” said Dean.
He said that if security detects a prohibited phone, it will alert the people who open the door and manage the house, and that “we are discussing internally whether we will stop good programs that send someone to open the door or guard when we see someone, to get rid of them.” He said theater staff can ask patrons to remove footage from their phones, or can call the Department New York police for assistance.
When asked what audiences should do if they spot someone filming, Dean said, “We’re New Yorkers. If you see something, say something.”
The second stage used Yondr bags to limit the use of phones in theaters. When customers arrive, they are asked to turn off their phones and put them in a locked bag, which the customer keeps during the performance and then returns it to unlock after the show is over. The system, used at a number of comedy shows, pop concerts and other live events, is clearly not perfect – some people have found a way to open such bags, while others smuggle phones despite the rules.
Dean noted that the Second Phase in 2019 cemented the play “Linda VistaAt the Helen Hayes Theater. That play featured both male and female nudity, and there were no issues with the video recording, he said. But he says he believes that in 2003, when “Take Me Out” was first shown on Broadway, someone had obtained a nude photo of star Daniel Sunjata, even though the run that took place before the invention of the iPhone.
“Take Me Out,” written by Richard Greenberg, is about homophobia in baseball; Williams plays a gay star who comes out as gay and confronts discomfort among some of his teammates. In 2003, the film won the Tony Award for Best Play; This week current production choose four nominations, including one for the best revival and three for the actors, including Williams, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Michael Oberholtzer. Oberholtzer can also be seen, nude, in several online videos.
In the show’s pre-run, Williams, best known for “Grey’s Anatomy,” discussed nudity. “It was scary in every way,” he speak on “The Ellen Show” last year. In an interview this year with The New York Times, he was more upbeat. “I am here to do things that I have never done before,” he speak. “I’ve had a life, as far as I know. It will be fine.”
Williams, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment on the video’s release, but the incident has sparked outrage from both Second Stage and the Actors’ Equity Association, the association that represents artists performing on the show. stage.
Kate Shindle, president of the union, said in a statement: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the creation and distribution of photos and videos of members in a nude scene, “Kate Shindle, union president, said. “As actors, we often agree to be vulnerable on stage to tell difficult and challenging stories. This does not mean that we agree to let those vulnerable moments be shared widely by anyone who feels like sneaking a recording device into a movie theater.”
The second stage, distributing Playbills with an insert reminding patrons that “photos and videos are strictly prohibited,” issued a separate statement, saying “we are appalled that this policy has been violated” and “taking nude photos of anyone without their consent is highly objectionable and can have serious legal consequences.”
The theater said it was looking to take down the online videos.
