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An avid theater goer and critic at Canada's Globe and Mail is proposing making the theater a more social place with Facebook and Linkedin. While using mobile devices with show-stopping LCD screens may be frowned upon, social networking may turn out to be a real experience enhancer.

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The Guardian recently published a column by theater critic Kelly Nestruck who suggests play houses should contemplate developing an app similar to a social media profile-powered systems used by airlines.

"Your average modern theatre production, however, fails to tap into the possibilities of connecting audience members," he said in a blog post.

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By displaying who will be in the audience before the night of the show, it's more likely you'll meet friends.

"Whenever I have chatted with strangers in the stalls, however, it's led to a much richer theatre experience," Nestruck said. "Some of my greatest play-going memories have involved bonding with fellow audience members standing in a queue trying to get tickets for a sold-out show, or comparing notes."

The seating program cited in the post as inspiration for social networking before showtime is the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Meet and Seat program. Meet and Seat lets passengers determine who they want to sit next to, laying out personal details about individuals on the same flight from social media.

Would you like to use your social networking profiles in tandem with going to the theater, booking flights or eating out at restaurants? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Thomas Hawk

See the article here:
Can Social Networking Enhance the Theater? [VIDEO]