Stage Door Egos- Page 3

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 10:50pm

sorry - star2b. I meant to say sorry there, but didn't.

Well, the actors ARE behind a barricade...

[QHDramaQueen]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:03pm

Ive only stage doored it a few times but Idina wasnt exactly the nicest either time... Megan Hilty and Joey McIntyre were both extremely gracious. I dont hold preformers responsible when their not exactly feeling like standing and signing a bazillion autographs, but when they take the time to do it, I have a great respect for them.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:09pm

Natalie @ Q...oy vey!

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:16pm

Someone said that they didn't rec. JLT, I had the same problem with Nadine Isenegger after 42nd Street. She pulled a 180 on her looks, but she was so kind and gracious, as was David Elder, and Dorothy Stanley. It was FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZING cold outside and snowing like crazy, but they still stayed out there to chat and sign my items. I honestly think Dorothy Stanley is one of the greatest actresses in NY!

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:22pm

Some actors won't stop on their way out the stage door to acknowledge anyone waiting unless called to or asked for an autograph. I think they want to avoid the "hello, would you like my autograph?" assumption and sometimes it's misinterpreted as being rude. Also, some stars deliberately take other exits if they're in a bad mood or a hurry to get somewhere. It's not so much that they don't like their fans, but just don't want to be seen - like YOU wouldn't want to be seen - when tired or not at their best.

Yes, it's fun to meet stars and chat with Broadway folks, but we should never feel ENTITLED to stars being all smiles and pretending to be interested in our lives. Get over it people. It's a stage door, not a petting zoo.

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:26pm

Everyone I've met at the stage door has been so nice. Standouts are Donna Murphy, John Lithgow, Gregory Jbara-he talked to us for a good 10 minutes in the bitter cold, turns out he grew up about 5 minutes away from my dad so we had a nice chat about that, and Sherie Rene Scott was such a sweetie, she talked to us for a good ten minutes, probably because we were the only ones left by the time we came out, posed for a big group picture and even suggested location so that we could have the marquee in the pic. She was soooooooooooooo nice. Also Sutton. She came out really quickly after we saw LW and tried to sneak away almost, but my friend stopped her and we had a good chat and she took individual pictures with us and signed both of our programs and was just sooooooo sweet. I really haven't met anyone who wasn't very nice. And Maureen McGovern and Janet Carroll were a hoot. They were shocked we waited for them-Maureen did the BCEFA thing that night so it took them a while to get it out and yet again it was freezing!!!!

Updated On: 4/25/05 at 11:26 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:29pm

We have this thread far too many times.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:31pm

only bad one i've had was the little shop national tour. I met the whole cast after, and at one point ray demattis, the u/s mushnik, who i asked very politely (we were the only ones at the stage door, and everyone who had actually performed already signed) he just scoffed at us and literally half ran down the alley. I let my annoyance get the best of me and i yelled down the street after him "for god's sake you're the damn UNDERSTUDY i was just trying to be nice"

[DefyGravity23]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:33pm

Well if any of the actors for Wicked are ever rude...I feel for them. Crazed mobs of screaming girls every night is probably no fun to deal with. Michelle seemed pretty nice when I went though. Just kinda went around signing playbills and didn't say much but she was nice enough about it.

If I was ever in a show I would just walk past unless someone stopped me. I'm not good with strangers much.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 11:36pm

What the hell is it with all the Debbie Downers? Everyone KNOWS that a stage door rendezvous are not included in the ticket admission, but it is a great way to personally tell an actor or actress how great they're doing and how much that you appreciate them. A performer can't know what their fans think about them just by applause...I know people who have gone to shows, HATING THE SHOWS mind you, who clap their hearts out, just because everyone else is. No one said it was a petting zoo. People love broadway, people love New York. NY performers are so much more accessable to the public and thats what the public likes, that you can go and have a convo with Tom Wopat about what a great snow the city is having...or ask Bernadette Peters ANYTHING YOU WANT......people are interested in people....Where do you think PEOPLE, US, Entertainment Weekly Magazine came from?

I'm not saying it has to be one run in with a performer, but I meant really someone kind of notorious for being cocky or rude. For the love, just stick to the post.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:09am

AT the same time the Stage Door is part of the territory. If you hate meating fans or signing autographs, then you're probably in the wrong industry. Just like movie actors and the paparazzi. It just comes with the territory. Someone said "if you dont like people knowing everything about you and your personal life, then you're probably in the wrong business." Just food for thought.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:18am

That's very true. You can't pick and choose... "Oh, I want to be an actor, but I don't want fans or have to interact with them." That's just not how things work.

I'm not saying that actors are obligated to greet at the stage door. But a simple smile or wave or some sort of greeting is nice. It's not even actor-to-fan; it's basic kindness.

If I was on Broadway and someone was paying $100 to come see me, you had better believe I would sign whatever they wanted and take as many pictures as they wanted. Those folks at the stage door are the ones who are paying my rent, paying my bills, and letting me live.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:21am

I agree.

If fans hate a certain performer - no one while hire her or him...

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:25am

Nathan Lane. Did I mention Nathan Lane?

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:27am

But it's Nathan...oh Shub I need your help!

I will PM you...

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:28am

I don't care who it is. He's an @$$.

[JMVR]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:35am

Harvey signed outside Fiddler, but was very cold, although not rude. Bernadette Peters also signed after Gypsy and seemed too tired to be nice, I mean she just walked around signing and saying generic thank yous without paying much attention to anything anyone was saying.

Standouts for niceness: Hugh Jackman, Brooke Shields, Kerry Butler, Karen Ziemba, Ute Lemper, Rebecca Luker and Elaine Stritch.

[shira467]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 1:50am

>>I had the pleasure of working with Terrance Mann at the lost colony, and I'll never forget he said," A true performer knows: The show starts at call and doesn't end until you get home"<<

I just met Terrence Mann at Lennon in SF, and he was INCREDIBLY nice. It just makes me like him even more. Nice people are liked better - it's a fact of life.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 3:57am

Joshua, it's entirely possible that Miss Walsh (who I loved in Falsettos and therefore was very happy to see in Hairspray) is as mean and nasty and thoughtless as she came across to you. It is also possible that that particular day, she was dealing with something urgent or upsetting or just really pissed off with whoever she was talking to on her cell, or was having a conversation that simply couldn't be interrupted.
I had been waiting eagerly to speak to Deborah Gibson, who I have loved since she debuted as Debbie, and after seeing and loving her in Company last year, she zoomed past everyone at the post-show reception and like you I called her all sorts of names inside my head and swore never to love her again. But fan that I am, I soon forgave her and even added to my D. Gibson collection of CDs/Videos. Cut to a few months later when she was doing Briagdoon. This time, she stayed to talk to her fans and was extraordinarily gracious when I spoke to her about how much her music had moved and thrilled me over the years. I felt bad for having misjudged her. Why did she behave that way after Company? Maybe the same reason Miss Walsh was that way after Hairspray. Or maybe not. :)

[cabarethed]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 8:57am

I just have to chime in and agree that Deborah Gibson is one of the nicest out there....it's very cute how she signs playbills almost as if they were yearbooks. She's wonderful about pictures, chatting, and is just so bubbly and cute. I was very impressed with her and Neil Patrick Harris during Cabaret.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 9:27am

Maggie Smith is the rudest person I've ever encountered at a stage door setting. After a performance of "The Breath of Life" in London, I decided that I would love to meet her and Judi Dench, who were both extraordinary in the show. Judi came out first, and was an absolute sweetheart. She spoke to everyone personally and signed everything. Maggie Smith came out shortly after, just walked past the waiting fans, and didn't sign anything. She had a look on her face the whole time like, "I can't be bothered".

[boatsintheghetto]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 9:42am

Romana Keller was a real B*tch but Cleavent Derricks was soo incredibly nice, he seemed so gracious that we were all there.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 9:46am

Harvey Fierstein. Miserable, full of himself man.

Carly Jibson didn't give me the best vibes as I stood there in the snow pouring out my heart, telling her how much her performance meant to me. Her response: "Thanks. Where's your program?" But I'll forgive her because we were in the middle of this past winter's blizzard...

Don't know who it was. But whoever was playing Catherine's sister in 'Proof' when Anne Heche was starring, came out the stage door, I asked for her autograph and told her I loved the show, she gave me the finger, said, "F.U." and kept walking.

Quite a few Maureens in RENT haven't been very pleasant.

Linda Lavin - "Hollywood Arms". I know these performer's faces. I study them up on stage more than anything. But she came out all dressed up, trying to sneak in a limo. Me, the b*tch that I am, screamed, "MISS LAVIN, PLEASE! YOUR AUTOGRAPH!!!!" She got stuck for a good 25 minutes. Ooo, I'm bad....

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 9:48am

TheaterTrash---

Kate Jennings Grant played Claire during Anne Heche's run in PROOF.

[Tesse]

Posted: 4/26/05 at 9:54am

Very interesting. I've never considered it an actor's duty to sign autographs or be friendly with fans at stage doors, but it's very nice when they do.

That said-- Harvey Fierstein was very nice at an early preview of Hairspray when I asked him to sign several playbills of shows he'd been in and copies of plays he'd written. There was a huge crowd at the stage door, and when he saw the amount of things I'd brought and the amount of people also waiting for him, he asked me to pick two things for him to sign. I did so (I now have an autographed copy of Torch Song Trilogy!), and he was very gracious about it all. Considering the massive crowd screaming for his attention, I'm amazed he was able to keep his cool.

I'd only gotten Nathan Lane's signature by having programmes sent to his dressing room (even went I sent numerous items, they were all returned to me signed), but had never been able to tell him in person how much I appreciated his work. After The Frogs, I waited at the stage door, where there was not as insane a crowd as there had been at The Producers. He emerged, signed my programme, and was very gracious and polite.

I'm sorry other people have had bad experiences with these (and other) celebrities, but everyone is entitled to an off day. It's hard to make a fair assessment of a person from only one meeting in a rather extreme situation.