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Now no theater is safe.
Inspired by filmed commercials inflicted on captive moviegoers, the ad industry has come up with a new way of annoying audiences: pitches acted out at live productions.
In a nationwide first, a live ad hit the stage last night at the Orpheum Theatre right before the 8 p.m. performance of "Stomp."
"Can we get a break somehow?" said Julie Chabot, 42, of Brooklyn. "It's outrageous. When you go to a play, you don't expect people selling you something."
The three-minute spot was for London's tourism bureau.
Jackie Green, a "Stomp" spokeswoman, said the show was making no dough from the ad, which was being staged because "Stomp" creators Steve McNicholas and Luke Creswell are Brits.
"People think, 'Oh, they're going to be doing breakfast commercials next,' " said Green. "This is a one-off for us. We have a connection to London and that was the reason for doing it."
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