Broadway shows are making everyone cry: ‘Mass sniffles, or even wailing’

NEW YORK — “I’ve been going to shows for many years, and I don’t remember being in a theater and hearing mass sniffles, or even wailing at times, as much as I have this season,” said Ben Glidden, a 32-year-old New Yorker who has seen all the new Broadway productions.

If you’ve been to Broadway lately, you might have noticed that productions — including “The Notebook,” “The Outsiders,” “Water for Elephants,” “Suffs” and even “Merrily We Roll Along” — are provoking audibly strong reactions. The first two shows may feature rain onstage, but the waterworks coming from the audience are even more impressive.