Want to attend ‘AGT’ live? Get ready to clap, smile and follow these surprisingly intense rules
One of the most significant aspects of 'America's Got Talent' is the studio audience’s reactions, which make the viewing experience even more entertaining and engrossing. Their wide range of expressions often mirrors the emotions felt by viewers at home, increasing the impact of each performance. Unsurprisingly, many fans dream of watching the show live, but to do so, there's a full set of guidelines they need to follow.
To be part of the live audience for 'America’s Got Talent,' participants must be over 8 years old and sign up through the On Camera Audiences website, as per SportsKeeda. To attend the show, one simply needs to fill in the required details to get free tickets. While audition rounds are prerecorded, the performances in the finals are broadcast live from the historic Pasadena Civic Auditorium near Los Angeles. The experience is free and offers fans a chance to witness the excitement of the show in person. Talking about the venue of the show, it takes place at Pasadena Civic Auditorium, which was built in 1931 by architects George Edwin Bergstrom, Cyril Bennett, and Fitch Haskell.
The renowned venue also hosts major events like the Daytime Emmy Awards and NAACP Image Awards. Attendees of 'America's Got Talent 'live shows must follow a dress code designed to ensure the audience visually blends with the show's lighting and background. The production enforces specific attire guidelines to maintain a cohesive on-screen appearance. This dress code includes wearing darker, solid colors and avoiding stripes, pastels, white, or any patterns that could disrupt the recording due to bright studio lighting. Brand logos are also prohibited to prevent any branding issues.
Beyond just watching, the audience is actively involved in the experience as they're often invited to participate in exciting challenges during the two-hour taping, which helps in keeping the energy high throughout. With packed auditoriums, ushers also assist with seating, and the crowd plays a key role in shaping the show’s atmosphere. Audience reactions can sometimes clash with judges' opinions, which also leads to booing the decisions they disagree with or cheering in full support when aligned.
Not only that, in a 2017 article for The Occidental News, Kristine White shared her behind-the-scenes experience as a studio audience member for 'America’s Got Talent,' where she detailed the strict filming rules and energetic crowd reactions. Reportedly, before the cameras rolled, a staff member stepped forward and issued instructions with military-like precision, as White detailed him saying, "You cannot leave your seats for the next three hours. You will be seen on camera, so DO NOT stop smiling. You will react to everything the judges say. EVERYTHING."
White further recalls that throughout the taping, the audience was guided to react to various types of acts, no matter whether they were imaginary daredevils or cute kids singing bunny songs. "With $25 on the line, I gave the greatest performance of my acting career," White wrote, jokingly adding, "It felt like the performance that would grant me my Screen Actors Guild card. Maybe I could drop out of Occidental like Ben Affleck did. After all, my performance was going to be seen by 15 million people nationwide." White further detailed having a moment with Simon Cowell. "HI SIMON, I AM A BIG FAN OF YOUR WORK AND BY WORK I MEAN ONE DIRECTION," the fan recalled screaming, to which Cowell acknowledged and smiled.