When is Christian Borle leaving Legally Blonde? And how can I meet him?- Page 2

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 8:33pm

I just find it weird to do Broadway and not WANT to do it.

Would you want people standing outside the door of your place of employment asking for your autograph and for pictures as you leave work every day?

[Marianne2]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 8:56pm

Some performers are just very shy too, so that's why they don't like to go out to the fans. I know if it were me, I'd probably not do so well with a huge crowd because it would be overwhelming and I don't talk a lot. And yes, it is possible to be so dominant on stage, but not be that way in real life.

And funny, I actually did have a crowd waiting outside of where I worked once giving me a standing ovation. It was weird because I worked in the trading post at a boy scout camp. Glad to know I was appreciated for a very unappreciated job.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 9:15pm

Photos and autographs. Hmmmm, I wonder how many stars would really like to be ignored?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:07pm

I always thought that a big reason many actors choose B'way over tv/movies was the better chance of keeping a low profile. Not everyone that wants to be an actor wants a high profile life.

Regardless of his reason, I have no problem with ANY actor (famous or not, lead role or not) skipping the stage door. It's totally their perogative. The cost of our ticket only includes a performance. They owe us nothing more.

That being said, I've only stage doored for a few shows and that was mostly because of the company I keep that enjoys it.

I use to do children's theater and we were REQUIRED to have autograph sessions for certain performances. At first it is a rush...but after doing it for a short time, I quickly grew to HATE it. Which is probably why I'm not much of a fan of stage dooring.

And I don't think MOST B'way actors consider themselves "stars".

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 2:29am

Towards the beginning of Blonde's run, Borle came out a lot more frequently. I rarely talked to him since he always looked uncomfortable at stage door, although he was really nothing but gracious...if not a little awkward.

I do think that a lot of his not stagedooring started when people began talking about him and LBB. He probably doesn't want to come out and risk having inappropriate questions thrown at him or have overeager fans try to delve into his private life and who can blame him? If you manage to stop him, he has always seemed to come off as friendly as me. He may just be one of those people who doesn't do well in large crowds or with strangers. Odd that he's like that and an actor, but that's the kind of air he's always given off to me.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 2:37am

Trust me, it is possible. I mean, on stage you aren't actually personally interacting with the audience. What I mean is, trying to hold a conversation with each individual person, and the stage acts as a barrier. However, when you are around fans, you do have to try to talk, and some people are just not good with that sort of thing. That's how I am. I'm not afraid to perform in front of people. Hell, I love it, but being around huge crowds of people makes me nervous. It's almost a no win situation, unfortunately.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 3:30am

There are a lot of people who are very quite and keep to themselves off stage. While onstage it is a totally different story.

Allofmylife. I totally disagree with you. You make it sound like signing autographs and all that is something that EVERYONE wants. It isn't for everyone.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 3:38am

Updated On: 5/2/09 at 03:38 AM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:28am

Then go work in some other setting. This is Broadway and it's a tradition and one of the few good ones left that haven't been commercialized. It's easy to say "I want to be alone" but for the most part, if you had said that to anyone who appeared in "Broadway" The Golden Age" they'd slap you upside the head.

There's lots of theater work all over the country where interfacing with the public is not a requirement.

Broadway should not become one of those places.

We, of all people, should not be encouraging this because it's not that far a step from Christian Borle deciding to not do the stage door to Bailey Hanks deciding to not come out and then suddenly the tradition is gone. (Oh, you know what I mean.)

Think for a moment and realize how fast other traditions have disappeared.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:30am

I stagedoored this past Sunday and an ensemble member said he is kind of tricky and doesn't usually come out, and she doesn't see him backstage a lot. I actually haven't seen a lot of stage door pics of him!

[jordangirl]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:36am

There is a BIG difference between tradition and requirement. You said earlier that you never said interaction was a requirement, but you constantly contradict yourself and here do it again.

examples:
first ~ Seems to me that part of Broadway performing IS stage door signing. It has been since the Stage Door Johnnies waited to offer diamonds and pearls to the Ziegfeld chorus girls in the early 1900s.

If someone doesn't like doing the door, maybe they should watch Broadway:The Golden Years or reconsider their career priorities.

then ~ I would understand but you know going in that the fans are going to gather at the stage door at a Broadway show. It's not as if he didn't know this when he signed the contract. Signing autographs has always been part of the Broadway experience and he's the male lead in a show that attracts lots of kids who are easily disappointed. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

and now ~ Then go work in some other setting. This is Broadway and it's a tradition and one of the few good ones left that haven't been commercialized. It's easy to say "I want to be alone" but for the most part, if you had said that to anyone who appeared in "Broadway" The Golden Age" they'd slap you upside the head.

There's lots of theater work all over the country where interfacing with the public is not a requirement.

Broadway should not become one of those places.


There may be a tradition of it, but it is in no way integral to the art that is theatre. It is left up to the individual as to whether they wish to participate voluntarily in a tradition they may or may not feel comfortable with. Nowhere is it set as a requirement that they participate (except as noted earlier may or may not be in certain Disney contracts).

Updated On: 8/10/08 at 10:36 AM

[typecastme22]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:36am

I saw LB last summer and he came out of the SD then . But he was not nice or friendly at all. We were telling him how great of a job he did and my friend said that she also loved him in Spamalot and he could not care less.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:48am

allmy, I don't generally get on you about your Blonde madness and the hours you log in shilling with or without any compensation but you're really out of line with respect to your thoughts on stage dooring. I've said this on just about every thread about this redundant topic but no actor is in any way obligated to come out and sign after already giving their all in a show. Some do, some don't and it shouldn't reflect, in the least on how you feel about that person. If you're so hell bent on it, maybe you should leave your job (which clearly gives you an abundance of free time) get in a Broadway show and make it your business to sign 8 times a week, no matter what.
Updated On: 8/10/08 at 10:48 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 11:08am

Thank you, ruprecht and jordangirl, for sensible responses.

I'm continually amazed at how many people on this board feel entitled to a "meet and greet" with the cast after the show.

[James885]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 11:21am

My views on the stage dooring thing has always been this: An actor's obligation to the audience ends when the curtain comes down after curtain call. They are in no way required to stay and sign autographs with the people afterwards. If they should decide to, it should be considered a courtesy to audience members, not a requirement.

Updated On: 8/10/08 at 11:21 AM

[FosterChild]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 11:21am

Amen Rup! I couldn't agree more and I'm always so put off by the way people feel about this topic. Also, I think when someone is leaving from a different exit like everyone is saying Christian Borle does, I don't think that's something to get mad at him about, it's not like he's teasing anyone, he's simply going about his business. I say the performance is all any actor owes anyone and I never "get mad" at an actor for not signing my playbill or hanging out with me, or taking 500 pictures with me. There's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 11:30am

"My views on the stage dooring thing has always been this: An actor's obligation to the audience ends when the curtain comes down after curtain call. They are in no way required to stay and sign autographs with the people afterwards. If they should decide to, it should be considered a courtesy to audience members, not a requirement."

Amen, couldn't have put it better myself.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 1:27pm

Updated On: 5/2/09 at 01:27 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 1:40pm

"I second what everyone above is saying about it not being an obligation, nor should it ever be a requirement."

Me too.

I recently stage-doored after a 2 pm show, and they had a 7 pm show afterwards, giving them only an hour for lunch. Mainly ensemble members came out, and a few of the leads. That in itself was gracious, given the time constraint between then and the next show.

I have a feeling allofmylife is biased because this is a Legally Blonde related thread...

[broadwayrob]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 3:31pm

I gotta say when I met him he was super nice.. and this, again, was in April of this year.


follow the link for the photographic evidence.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=608214&albumID=2401873&imageID=31963269

Updated On: 8/10/08 at 03:31 PM

[shiz_student94]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 5:27pm

To make a long story short, I stage doored BEFORE a performance back in July 2007 so I could get Becky & Richard. I decided if I caught Christian I'd ask him too. So up he walked, I asked for a photo and autograph, and he seemed very sweet and gracious, especially considering the fact that this was before a show. Up until now I had never heard anything about him not stage dooring, nor had I heard about him doing so either.

Anyway. I agree an actor should not be required to exit the stage door, although I am one of many who enjoy the lasting thrill of meeting the cast. I much prefer actors who do not wish to interact with fans to leave out different doors because I hate being disappointed, especially if it was someone I really wanted to meet.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 5:38pm

I agree, it is much more pleasant to have the actors at the stage door who want to be there, rather than the ones who don't. I've only seen the one for Spamalot when Clay Aiken was still in it, and I honestly don't blame people for avoiding it all the time or sometimes. Besides, they are only human. I mean, if they were sick with a stomach bug, would you want to be around them at the risk of catching it? I certainly would not.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/11/08 at 12:25am

The way I feel about it is that if the actors want to do it then fine that is nice. But, they aren't forced to. I also don't like it when actors do it and are rude about it. Like I said. It isn't in your contract to do that (unless your in a Disney show and I will get to that in a second).

I remember seein Van Der Pol in Beauty and she was as rude as rude could be at the stage door. That started some discussion about if Disney put it in her contract that she had to stage door (as Disney's way to add to the "experence" of seeing on of their shows). If they did tell her that she had to do it then I would understand why she was rude. Because she was doing something that she didn't want to do. The other side of this argument is if Equity would allow a producer to put in the contract that the actor will stage door.