keep them closed!

No Britney did not come to last night's performance of Mamma Mia. But this is kind of a funny story:

All of the backup vocals in Mamma Mia are done live backstage. Even though it sounds like canned 'oohs' and 'uh-huhs' because of all the reverb they put onto them, the vocals are all done by ensemble members in about 5 different vocal booths off stage left. Each vocal booth has a condenser mic in the middle that everyone stands around and behind the microphone is a monitor showing the conductor in the pit so he can cue the back-up vocals and give cut-offs etc. The camera that tapes the conductor is at about stage level, so it also captures the image of about 6 people in the front row since they're directly behind the conductor's head.

Last night, one especially relaxed audience member in the front row decided to throw all her mother's etiquette teaching to the wind and sit with her legs wide open despite the short, white dress she was wearing. Little did she know, that her coveted front-and-center seat assignment allowed her (thankfully covered) crotch to be video taped and exposed to the entire ensemble singing backstage for the entire show. I'm sure vocal cues were missed and cut-offs extended because we could not stop laughing at this poor girl's mistake. And she had no idea! So be careful front-row ticket buyers. You never know who's watching.