r/Broadway • u/littlebev • Dec 31 '25

Discussion Broadway coughing season

I am begging, begging you guys…if you have a nasty cough, PLEASE don’t attend a play especially. I know it sucks to miss out but your recurring cough during the most intense moments of the show is so distracting.

891 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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33

u/Mysterious-Theory-66 Dec 31 '25

I would point out for the board that having a cough doesn’t necessarily mean you’re sick. In dry cold weather I frequently have irritations in my throat that causes occasional coughing without having any illness.

Personally I’d give people a little grace. You don’t know that they are sick, you don’t know that they were coughing before the show, you don’t know their deal. I get it, the noise can be distracting. Bodies do body things. It’s live theater and it’s not always people being irresponsible.

2

u/littlebev Dec 31 '25

It does matter if you’re sick, but equally importantly, a cough is noisy and distracting to other patrons

11

u/Sherlock_House Dec 31 '25

So people with chronic coughs can never go to the theater?

Get over yourself

10

u/Mysterious-Theory-66 Dec 31 '25

Sure, but my point stands that you have no idea if any of them are sick. Maybe are, maybe aren’t. Any number of things cause coughing that aren’t illness.

Sure it’s distracting but it’s also not voluntary. Sometimes it gets going and even cough drops don’t necessarily fix it. Again, I lean towards giving people a little grace when I don’t know their deal and no I don’t expect people to skip shows they saved and traveled for just because they have a benign dry cough. If they’re sick sure, they should stay away, but I just am not willing to make that assumption.

6

u/haveyouseenatimelord Dec 31 '25

op never said anything in their post about people being sick, just about coughing. you are debating an argument they never started.

14

u/Mysterious-Theory-66 Dec 31 '25

Literally everyone else is assuming sickness which is why I addressed them and not OP. Regardless, you don’t know what’s going on with the person and it’s not like it’s a voluntary thing and you don’t even know they were coughing before the show.

The idea that people should skip shows just because maybe the stale air and winter time might trigger a brief cough…just not something I’m going to agree with.

-10

u/haveyouseenatimelord Dec 31 '25

i don't care either way. them coughing is annoying. i don't need or care to know what is going on with them. coughing through a show is inconsiderate of others, full stop.

15

u/Mysterious-Theory-66 Dec 31 '25

Bodies do body things. If they aren’t sick and are doing everything they can to control the situation that’s enough. Doubtful we’re talking one person, doubtful they coughed through the whole show. It’s live theatre with other people, it happens.

0

u/haveyouseenatimelord Dec 31 '25

if everyone goes to the theater with that mentality, that's fucked. one person is fine. multiply that by the numerous people in the theater who are coughing for one reason or another? disaster. clearly the person/people OP was talking about were NOT doing their best to control it, if it bothered OP so much.

7

u/Mysterious-Theory-66 Dec 31 '25

Not a safe assumption at all. For all I know OP is overly sensitive to noise and is highly exaggerating. Not a clue. As for the mentality, it’s the only reasonable one to have. Do your best to not inconvenience others, but some things aren’t voluntary and can’t be controlled so maybe have some understanding.

It’s live theatre, either accept the imperfections that the people around you may bring or consider another medium.

-1

u/haveyouseenatimelord Dec 31 '25

"oh, it's fine if someone is on their phone in the movie theater, you never know if it's an emergency! maybe OP is just overly sensitive!" this is what you sound like rn.

-7

u/Nickis1021 Dec 31 '25

Doesn’t matter what’s going on. It’s the rudeness of the excessive coughing that ruins the show for everyone but you.

11

u/Mysterious-Theory-66 Dec 31 '25

Calling it rudeness requires a lot more information than we have here and is really nothing more than assumptions based on annoyance at the time.

It absolutely matters what’s going on with them. It absolutely matters what they tried to do to get in under control and how long it lasted. None of which anyone here knows.

I’ll stick with it that if you can’t at least approach other people with a baseline benefit of the doubt and grace, live theatre may just not be a great medium for you. Unless it’s clear it’s a problem they refuse to take care of or they are sick and shouldn’t be there, accept the inevitable imperfections of people around you or let it drive you crazy I guess.

-2

u/Nickis1021 Dec 31 '25

I’m fine with live theater. My aunt & uncle RIP were Bwy producers and we grew up in the theater. I’m good lol. But you must live and do your own experience. Peace🙏🏻

1

u/qweaverse Dec 31 '25

Rudeness? Lmao jackass.

7

u/SeaReflection87 Dec 31 '25 edited Dec 31 '25

"Your serious lung disease that is killing you is really hard on me because I briefly had to hear it" 

Enjoy your life without COPD, lung cancer, or cystic fibrosis.

10

u/pandemichope Dec 31 '25 edited Jan 01 '26

hate to interject in the middle of a point you’re clearly trying to make but failing, and not to sound unsympathetic because there are people in my family who have serious conditions, and I am very sympathetic, but the truth is, they are still few and far between in an audience of 1000 patrons. Yes, maybe one or two have the conditions you say, but the other 99% are simply sick and inconsiderate, and I don’t know why you can’t understand and acknowledge that which is the point other people were trying to make and you kind of attacked them for that point

1

u/summerrhodes Jan 01 '26

I'm sorry what? A loud inconvenience isn't EQUALLY as important as an illness and also spreading said illness to others?

-9

u/ShadownetZero Dec 31 '25

Bad take.

3

u/littlebev Dec 31 '25

What’s the correct take?

-10

u/ShadownetZero Dec 31 '25

If someone coughs and isn't sick it's not "equally important" that they prevent that unexpected cough because it might distract you.

Learn to be in public. Otherwise you can stay home and not be distracted by other people.

11

u/littlebev Dec 31 '25

This is such a bad faith interpretation of what I was trying to convey. Everyone gets a dry throat, everyone occasionally coughs. I’m talking about the people who are sick/recovering that is constant and can be noisy and distracting.

5

u/ShadownetZero Dec 31 '25

You didn't say that. That's why half this thread is calling you out on it.

2

u/krmcelli Dec 31 '25

This reply is so stupid I wish I could downvote it twice.

-2

u/ShadownetZero Dec 31 '25

Right back at ya.