I've been trying to get this story wider attention, I submitted it to BB (although they took someone else's submission, so I'm not the only one). I got it posted in Fark's video section, but my attempt at Digg and Reddit failed (alas).

I used to work there. I wish something cool like this had happened when I had been working a show. It's exciting.

On a personal note, I'm a tad disappointed that the stage hand who showed up right after the water was poured didn't dive in front of/tackle the water-pourer. Actors on stage aren't really in a position to defend themselves against someone who violates the theoretical proscenium (Zero Arrow Street isn't set up with a traditional elevated stage and really is more like a high school gym with elevated retractable seating risers). This guy just poured water, but he could just as easily have taken a swing at the performer. You need to treat people at plays who break the rules as potential security threats. Hell, I had a guy at a show in New York punch our ticket taker during the Fringe Festival because he couldn't get a seat. Right in the face! And she was about five feet tall. Who does that?

If the stage hand was close enough to get in the way, she should have.

That being said, the actor's face is amazing. His look of utter confusion as everyone walks out is great and his look of horror when the guy starts pouring the water makes me laugh every time. He should do a show about the guy pouring water on his notes.

Also, he should look into pressing charges for trespass, assault and destruction of property. But that's something else.

The stagehand was probably afraid of the 87-1 odds had he tried to swoop down like Batman. I would have done it, but I've no family. And I probably would have had 86 witnesses willing to swear my takedown was unprovoked, with criminal and (worse) civil penalties, not to mention as a felon I'd lose the right to vote, maybe get put on a terrorist watch database and lose credit, and get onto databases landlords use to screen applicants, so there goes a place to live.

And yes, the cult gets to do what it likes and nothing happens to them. Scientology much? Police and the courts don't like to mess with the people who talk to God. They do, however, have little problem arresting and prosecuting the stagehand who breaks the jerk's collarbone.

you know, a dirty little secret I have is that whenever I watch live theater I have to suppress the mild impulse to leap from my seat onto the stage, doing chaotic and unpredictable things with the set and actors, etc. until I get wrestled down and hauled off stage. It's a very mild impulse, and socialization and anticipation of the almost certainly negative aftermath are more than enough to keep me from doing this but it's always there, a little tickle on the corner of my brain. At the same time, aside from being able to touch the grass, I have really no desire to ever run onto the field at a baseball game.

This never happened to Spalding Gray.

Spalding Gray rarely talked about fucking Paris Hilton.

Rarely.

Bah, the story got worse.

It was a public high school choir (this one: http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/norco-hs/) and the students weren't ALL Christian. Damn.

i'm fucking mike daisey

Jon May: I specifically do not go to plays anymore because I have the same impulse.

apparently you have it more than I do. I don't go to plays because they generally suck and I can't afford the ones that don't.

Liam, is it good?

jon may, i also have that impulse. what makes it worse is that i often know the people who directed/wrote/produced/are acting in the play, and i imagine how none of them would ever speak to me again.

the mike daisey thing is ridiculous. the ART is furious, and as Ingen points out, they are complaining that this was basically a criminal act akin to someone destroying a painting at the MFA.

The performer called the guy who poured the water and talked with him for an hour. The water pourer called black people a racial epithet during this conversation. Good guy.