Teen, 19, apologizes for climbing onto Broadway stage to charge his phone at prop power outlet

  • Nick Silvestri, of Seaford, New York, held a press conference Friday outside the Booth Theatre
  • On July 2 he bizarrely clambered onto a Broadway stage to try to recharge his phone in a prop outlet
  • He had to be pulled off the stage by ushers moments before the play Hand to God started
  • Silvestri apologized, blaming ignorance and alcohol

By Associated Press

Published: 15:58 EST, 10 July 2015 | Updated: 05:17 EST, 11 July 2015

It's nearly every day that a politician or CEO or government official or celebrity displays contrition for their wrongdoings. On Friday it was the turn of a New York teen who bizarrely clambered onto a Broadway stage to try to recharge his phone in a prop outlet.

Nick Silvestri, of Seaford, New York, held a press conference Friday outside the Booth Theatre, where on July 2 he had to be pulled off the stage by ushers moments before the play Hand to God started.

He apologized, blaming ignorance and alcohol. He said it wasn't a stunt, even though his buddy took video of the attempt. Silvestri describe it as just bad decision-making.

Scroll down for videos

Scandal: Nick Silvestri, of Seaford, N.Y., is seen at a Friday press conference outside the Booth Theatre in New York City

Incident: On July 2 Silvestri was pulled off the stage by ushers moments before Hand to God started. He said it wasn't a stunt, even though his buddy took video of the attempt. He called it just bad decision-making

Incident: On July 2 Silvestri was pulled off the stage by ushers moments before Hand to God started. He said it wasn't a stunt, even though his buddy took video of the attempt. He called it just bad decision-making

Silvestri said it wasn't a stunt, even though his buddy took video of the attempt. Silvestri describe it as just bad decision-making.
Silvestri said it wasn't a stunt, even though his buddy took video of the attempt. Silvestri describe it as just bad decision-making.

BizarreL Silvestri said it wasn't a stunt, even though his buddy took video of the attempt. Silvestri describe it as just bad decision-making

'Ultimately, before coming to see Hand to God, I downed a few drinks and I think that clearly impaired my judgment,' said Silvestri, 19. 'Before the show started, I noticed that my phone's battery was low, and the only power outlet I saw was on stage.'

The attempt to recharge was, in the end, pointless: The onstage outlet was just a prop, created by Tony Award-winner Beowulf Boritt, whose set is a realistic depiction of a Texas church basement.

'I didn't know the stage is considered off limits,' Silvestri said, adding he now felt terrible for the performers. He vowed never to get onstage again 'unless I decide to be an actor.'

The act was at least in keeping with the anarchic nature of the show. Playwright Robert Askins' bracing comedy mixes violence, swearing, brutal honesty, parental failure, church hypocrisy and plenty of sex — of both human and puppet varieties.

His side: Silvestri said 'Ultimately, before coming to see Hand to God, I downed a few drinks and I think that clearly impaired my judgment'

His side: Silvestri said 'Ultimately, before coming to see Hand to God, I downed a few drinks and I think that clearly impaired my judgment'

Stealing the show: Silvestri is caught on camera crawling onto the stage toward the prop outlet 

Stealing the show: Silvestri is caught on camera crawling onto the stage toward the prop outlet 

After the unidentified man attempted to plug in his phone, ushers at the Booth Theatre quickly converged (pictured), he was pulled off the stage and the show was only delayed by five minutes
Following the incident, a public announcement was made warning patrons to avoid any similar acts, and ushers were stationed near the offender in case anything else untoward occurred

Thwarted: The ushers at Booth Theatre quickly converged (left) and he jumped down from the stage (right)

Silvestri did want to impart a lesson from the whole experience: 'If I want to give one message to folks out there it's that you should give your complete attention to the actors on stage,' he said. 'I'm sorry for my actions, and I hope that I can become an example of a great theatergoer in the future.'

His theatrical faux pas has been part of a month of bad behavior on Broadway. On Wednesday, the beloved Patti LuPone endured the buzz of hearing aids improperly turned up and several ringing phones during the matinee of "Shows for Days" at Lincoln Center. That evening, she caught someone texting during the play and swiped the phone out of the patron's hand.

'I am so defeated by this issue that I seriously question whether I want to work on stage anymore,' she said in a statement. 'Now I'm putting battle gear on over my costume to marshal the audience as well as perform.'

Production: This undated photo provided by O&M Co. shows Steven Boyer in a scene from Robert Askins' "Hand to God," on Broadway in New York

Production: This undated photo provided by O&M Co. shows Steven Boyer in a scene from Robert Askins' "Hand to God," on Broadway in New York

The act was at least in keeping with the anarchic nature of the show. It mixes violence, swearing, brutal honesty, parental failure, church hypocrisy and plenty of sex — of both human and puppet varieties

The act was at least in keeping with the anarchic nature of the show. It mixes violence, swearing, brutal honesty, parental failure, church hypocrisy and plenty of sex — of both human and puppet varieties

Comments (109)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now