Musical Star Scolds Drunken Audience for Disruptions

Heathers: The Musical star Kate Rockwell has launched a frustrated tirade at drunken audience members and rowdy superfans. 

Taking to Instagram, the American actress, dancer, and singer, 41, raged over the behaviour of viewers and discussed appropriate theatre ettiquette. 

The hit musical, based on the 1988 film of the same name, has run off-Broadway since 2014 and Kate joined the cast last year as a temporary replacement for Kerry Butler in the role as teacher Ms. Fleming.

On Wednesday, she shared a note encouraging young 'incredibly passionate, devoted fans' not to singalong regardless of their love for the show, writing: 'Please, when you're in the audience, let us do the work. That's what you paid for!!'

As well as her message aimed at young fans, she also hit out at drunken hecklers for 'screaming s**t' and 'losing their ability to be a decent human beings', writing: 'If you want to talk through something, stay home and watch '.

Kate's previous theatre accolades include starring in Bring It On: The Musical, Rock Of Ages, Mean Girls and The Sounds Of Music. 

Applying her passions for the stage into her outburst, she first wrote a gentle message to fans to alert them to theatre etiquette. 

Her first message read: 'TO ALL MY YOUNG(ISH) THEATER FANS. I know it is exciting to see a show you love — especially if you've loved it a long time and know every word by heart... 

'Heathers has some incredibly passionate, devoted fans and we love to see that. However. Here comes my mom voice...

'Singing along at the top of your voice, doing a version of the choreography in your chair, screaming the lines along with the actors… this is not “fun” for us onstage...

'It doesn't make you a part of the action — and it's wildly distracting to both the actors onstage and to the rest of the audience — who also paid to see the same show as you did.

'You might sometimes see other people in the audience, especially people who have perhaps been over-served at the lobby bar, doing this stuff too, or screaming what might sound like supportive things at inappropriate times...

'Don't let those people fool you — that's not ok. And we do not like it.

'I know you aren't trying to be disrespectful. I know you are just having a great experience. We want to make sure that everyone, onstage and off, gets to have an equally great experience.

You can sing along with the cast recording, or a slime tutorial (we won't get mad). You can do the choreo at school or in your living room. But please, when you're in the audience, let us do the work. That's what you paid for!! Mom speech: done'. 

She then targeted drunken members, writing: 'And if you’re an adult, and you think it’s “fun” or “cute” to scream sh*t at the actors, or comment on what you’re watching, or you had one too many cocktails and you’ve lost your ability to be a decent human being at someone else’s workplace (which the theater is… for many, many people)…

'See. yourself. out. Live performance takes focus and concentration and deserves respect — but more than that, who do you think you are, taking away from the rest of the audience’s experience?! grow up. 

'If you want to talk through something, stay home and watch netflix.'

When her role in the show was announced and in light of her roles in high school-set productions, she said: It makes total sense to me—I’ve survived high school multiple times, so I feel totally qualified to graduate to staff!'