Zach Mandell, 13, far left, waits with the other members of the Red/White Band for the seventh-grade orchestra to take the stage during the Winter Instrumental Concert, which was Jan. 22 at Central Junior High School.

It’s Friday night. You’ve sat down in a theater to watch the newest flick or listen to a choral performance at the Lied Center when the person behind you flips open a cell phone or starts talking to a nearby friend.

Suddenly, your evening out is a lot less enjoyable because of your neighbor’s behavior.

Poor etiquette, such as using cell phones and talking, can be a problem in today’s theaters, says John Staniunas, chair of the department of theater and film at Kansas University.

“You’re there for your own enjoyment, but you’re part of an audience that is enjoying things together,” Staniunas says. “In our society it tends to be ‘me’ instead of ‘we.'”

The “me” attitude affects theater behavior especially when it comes to cell phones. Staniunas say cell phones are the biggest issue among audiences at theaters and concerts because people today are so connected and want to remain connected even in theaters.

Although the actual ringing of a cell phone in movie theater is rare, says Jon Ratzlaff, manager of the Hollywood Southwind 12 Theaters, the problem is that people text in movie theaters, which causes light pollution and is a disruption.

“The typical adage is that your rights as a moviegoer go as far as they interfere with another moviegoer,” Ratzlaff says.

That can include distractions such as talking during the show, arriving late or putting your feet anywhere but the floor.

“We have a pretty informal society these days, and I think a lot of time people don’t think they are bothering other people,” says Rob Fitzgerald, the manager of Liberty Hall Cinema.

Fitzgerald says talking among friends or partners at a movie causes the most complaints from patrons.

“Folks need to realize that everyone paid an admission fee to be quiet and enjoy a movie,” Fitzgerald says. “It’s not your living room where you can have a conversation.”

Although etiquette at a live theater production or concert is similar to movie theater etiquette, there are subtle differences, says Karen Christilles, associate director of the Lied Center

While a late movie-goer is still able to walk into the theater, at a place such as the Lied Center a late-comer must wait until a pause in the performance to enter the theater.

Christilles says that polite theater etiquette is especially important at a live performance because a person can disrupt patrons as well as performers. Disruptions, such as cell phones in the audience, are not only distracting but can also be dangerous to performers on stage and cause them to stumble.

“You have the ability to positively or negatively influence the actors’ or musicians’ performances by how you respond to the event,” Christilles says. “It’s a live event, and you are a part of their performance.”

But even concert etiquette depends on the type of concert. Behavior at a rock concert will be different than at a classical concert, she says. Phones at a rock concert can be acceptable.

“You have to be sensitive to the cultural environment you are in,” Christilles says.