Who's been invited backstage?- Page 4

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Posted: 6/18/07 at 9:14pm

A couple of the Chorus Line girls took me backstage because they remembered me from letters I had sent them and because I had made them gifts. They couldn't have been nicer. I got to take pictures in the "One" hats and onstage, and I talked to one of them for about 20 minutes in the quick change area, and she showed me around. It was soo nice of them and I'm basically never going to forget it.

[WhenURScrap]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 9:17pm

"I was invited backstage because I was talking to the security guard and just leisurely spoke about my set designs and my interest in theatre...He asked me what I thought of the Mary Poppins sets.(Of course, I couldn't lie, they were amazing!). He then asked me where was I seated. I responded, "The balcony". Finally, he asked, "How would you like to see them a little closer?"

Then he opened the door, invited me in, showed me around, described everything with the set and the props and how they work, and then spoke to me about the ghost in the theatre.

It was the highlight of my trip to NYC. "

Was it the awesome african american security guard? He took my friend and I backstage and I got to see the Mary Poppins set and on the stage. It was amazing and my friend and I died. Hehe.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 9:21pm

Rath, let me know next time you'll be around the Hirschfeld - maybe I'll be ushering and we can say a quick hello :)

[mrslovett7]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 9:28pm

A really good family friend of ours, Michael Mulheren (Titanic, Kiss Me Kate, La Cage revival) always takes us backstage and onstage. It's very fun. Backstage at Titanic was very cool, we got to see the model ship. Then at Kiss Me Kate I ran literally into Brian Stokes Mitchell *swoon* haha and got to take pics on the stage on the sets.

My best friend's mom was Sally Bowels in the 80's revival of Cabaret alongside Joel Grey so before Wicked opened he got us seats and told us to come backstage where we walked by Nobert Leo-Butz (I was too awe-struck to say anything) then we hung out in his dressing room for a bit. Then we went on stage and I stole a few touches on the Wizard of Oz head haha!! Kristin waved to us from her dressing room, she's so tiny! And the funniest part was when we got in the elevator, this beautiful woman and her husband got in and she goes, "I hope all the green came off my face"...my friend and I just looked at eachother and then thrust our playbills at who turned out to be Idina and Taye Diggs. I didn't know who they were at the time and now I'm like, "wow I was in an elevator with Idina and Taye"

"I wasn't supposed to, but I touched every prop, set or costume I could see. "
Haha MissElphie I did the same thing! It was just too tempting not to.

The most amazing experience though took place at Light in the Piazza. My friend has been family friends with Victoria Clark for like 20 years and when she was in LITP she emailed my friend and told her and I she would get us tickets and take us backstage after. Well she got us some pretty incredible seats. 3rd row center in the orchestra. So after we went back and waited outside her room while she got undressed and Michael Beresse *squeal* came by and talked to us for a bit. He actually knew who I was because like I said earlier we know Michael Mulheren who was in Kiss Me Kate With him so that was AWESOME. Then Victoria came out and I just started bawling b/c I was meeting one of my idols! She is just the sweetest woman ever and she was like, "I have gifts for you!!" and whips out Lincoln Center stickers, playbills signed by the whole opening night cast, and then wrote us notes and signed a headshot of herself. Then the best thing EVER. She goes let's go upstairs....upstairs being the Lincoln Center stage!! We stood on the stage and talked for about an hour about everything. Then when we went back to her dressing room, we took pictures and talked a little more. Then as we walked out to go to the street, Chris Sarandon was walking by and she introduced us and wrote on my playbill, "To Hannah, Love Chris" LOVE HIM. And we talked for a bit and then we went to the street and she met with my friend's parents (the ones she has known for a long time) and then *they* talked for a bit and then she gave me a big hug! It made me so happy. She got into her car and blew us kisses all the way out. It was a great night

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 9:30pm

I went back with a friend at "DRS" because of Greg Jbara.
Great guy, took a tour all over.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 9:31pm

I am an acquaintance of Mary Louise Wilson and when I wrote to her telling her that I was going to see GREY GARDENS she invited me backstage after the performance. Her dresser met us at the stage door and escorted us across the stage to her dressing room. She was very friendly and gracious. She told us that she had just gotten a new computer for her dressing room and I mentioned this website and how highly people thought of her performance in GG. She liked that. I must say I got a kick out of going backstage.

[me2]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 9:04pm

It's my dream, but it hasn't happened yet. I like the story from MAKING IT ON BROADWAY when an actor mentions people coming up to him and saying, "Oh my gosh! I'm so happy for you. You were great!" The actor said he takes them on a backstge tour and chats a bit, never really knowing how this person knows him.

If I had any guts, I'd do that.

Somday, though, I'll make it. Either it'll be my show, or I'll meet someone who offers.

By the way, Mrslovett7, I met Michael Mulheren after KMK, and he was the NICEST guy. You're very fortunate to know him!
Broadway Blog: Confessions of a (Former) Stage Door Johnny

[robstyle001]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 9:10pm

i went backstage at rent... IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING MOMENT OF MY LIFE... walked by the equity board and out on the stage for like 15 seconds... vomited then left... well i didnt throw up.

i was looking at the hats the cast made for BC/EFA and the lady was talking to me about theatre and how she got the job there and asked me if i wanted to see more hats backstage... no lie it was crazy. i tripped frenchy accidently on the way out...

the backstage was gross and disgusting. and i loved it. there are pictures EVERYWHERE.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 9:18pm

I'm hoping to get backstage at Gypsy (though I actually doubt it'll ever happen) because I know the boyfriend of a person in the cast.

We'll see what happens, I'd die if it ever came through.

[worrell4077]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 9:24pm

I got to go backstage at Jersey Boys. I have become, as many die hard JB fans have, reconized by the guys at the stage door(in particular JLY)and I wrote him a letter saying that we were coming up to try for my sister's birthday and I was wondering if maybe we could do a backstage tour and he wrote back and said that would be great and set up with my assistant, yada yada yada.

Kept it a secret from my sister as it was her gift and I told her that we were going to go on a backstage tour with John and at first she didn't believe me, even though she was ready the email I got from his assistant about the tour and this and that, but she believed me and she was really happy and we went backstage and he gaves a tour of the area with the costumes and wigs and lights and stuff. It was really cool. Got a blurry photo with him on stage, and we gave him a soda bread to say thanks. It was really fun.

[Jane2]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 10:06pm

I'm invited backstage whenever an actor friend of mine is in a show. I didn't take him up on it in his current show, though.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 10:22pm

I've gotten to go backstage at a few shows, through various connections, and I have to say that as someone who has never wanted to be an actor or had any desire to be on stage, I didn't think standing on a Broadway stage would be a moving experience for me. I was totally wrong; it's one of the most exhilarating things I've ever experienced. You feel so... tiny, and yet like you can just conquer the world all at the same time.

Updated On: 6/22/07 at 10:22 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 10:27pm

You feel so... tiny, and yet like you can just conquer the world all at the same time.

I think that's the best way I've ever heard it explained.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 10:28pm

It is difficult to stand on an empty stage with an empty audience and have any idea what actors must feel like during a performance. But it is still thrilling! I stood on the stage of the original Sweeney Todd production, with just the work light, and looked out at the auditorium, and wondered how it must really feel, with the lights and the music and the other performers and the adrenalin.

[juice23]

Posted: 6/19/07 at 11:35pm

When I was 5 and saw Les Mis for the first time I went on stage with my parents and sister to meet the kids in the show at the time (I remember Brian Press, and Lacey Chabret...of Mean Girls fame!), but I don't remember much else. We got to do it bc my Dad was a city cop with lots of connections.

I also got tours of the Belasco Theatre twice... on the set of Dracula and Julius Caesar. Dracula may have been a bad show... but the effects and sets were awesome. The Belasco is also an AMAZINGLY cool theatre. We were also taken under the auditorium seats to see the ancient "air conditioning" vents (channels dug into the floor where ice melted into a giant fan). All of this came about simply bc I wrote to the cast asking to sign my playbill, and a carpenter there saw the letter and was from my hometown... small world, and a VERY nice guy. I'm sure I could call him up if another interesting show went in to see the set. (too bad more musicals don't use that theatre).

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 12:04am

I stood on the stage of the original Sweeney Todd production

keen on keen, I am SO jealous of you! What a fantastic experience.

Oh, and to answer the question posted here...same as emcee. I've been backstage a few times, through connections, and it was more exhilerating than I ever could have dreamed. I'm not an actor, nor do I have any such aspirations. And I've been onstage before. But for some reason, a Broadway stage is just...completely different. So much more thrilling.

[yankees1253]

Posted: 6/21/07 at 8:17pm

my cousin(s) worked as stage hands for annie get your gun and they got us tickets for the show one night. So the night we went we had to go to the stage door and asked for my cuzs through the intercom. So the security let us in the door but we were not allowed to go up the stairs to tour the set because it was 45 mins be4 the show started. So we were there from like 7 to about 7:30 waiting for the tixs and plus we were talking to our family and we saw the cast coming in and sighing in for the performance. They were nice and said hi to all of us. Then all of a sudden reba mcintyre came in about 7:15/7:20, and she said hello in her country accent. FYI shes only about 5'1/5'2 something like that. She had bout 2 suitcases where we were of hers and me and my sis were leaning or kinda sitting on them litely. I was touching shoulder to shoulder with her. WHen she was bout up the staiirs my mom was freaking out she was face to face with her. She is sweet and nice. So about 7:25 we left to go in the show and it was a moment i'll n my fam will never forget. It was winter time so it was bout 15 degrees outside.

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 6/21/07 at 9:07pm

"You feel so... tiny, and yet like you can just conquer the world all at the same time."

I've never stood on a Broadway stage, but on stage in a similarly sized theatre, and i totally agree... god, i would love to go backsatge of a broadway show... i guess for now, i'll just have to be happy with Broadway.com backstage tours...

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/21/07 at 9:21pm

Once at Forbidden Broadway and once at Souvenir with Judy Kaye.

[Bwaypal213]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 1:49am

I went backstage at the New Amsterdam Theatre when Lion King was playing there last April because my dear friend was playing Zazu at the time. It was quite breathtaking to stand on that stage and look out at all those seats. I was quite taken back. He showed me how he operates the Zazu and I even got to meet Patrick Page backstage. It was such a fun trip!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 2:45am

Laura Benanti brought me backstage of THE WEDDING SINGER a bunch of times.

Lisa Brescia brought me backstage of WICKED after she went on as Elphaba.

Luba Mason had me backstage at CHICAGO a few times.

Greg Jbara brought me backstage of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS.

A cast member from MOVIN' OUT invited me and my friend backstage on the spot as we were waiting at the stage door.

My acting teacher understudied Margo Martindale in the Ashley Judd revival of CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, and brought me backstage to meet Ashley after the performance.

I took a voice lesson with Robert Cunningham backstage at the current revival of COMPANY.

I was taking lessons from Patti Cohenour for quite some time and would always go back stage after a performance of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

[bially082]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 3:16am

the first time i stepped on a broadway stage was thrilling for me too. Now it's sort of lost its magic. It's another stage in another theatre. Don't TRY to get asked backstage. Just wait till ya know someone and do it the civilized way. Most of the broadway performers despise these message boards, so telling them about BWW will not help you get in, in most cases...

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 3:26am

I've been on the stage of the New Amsterdam Theatre during the tour they have (or had).

I've gone inside the stage door after Sweeney Todd to pickup my Sweeney Todd shirt from Lauren Molina.

That's about as far as I've gone :-P.

[JLY's Jersey Gal]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 9:14am

I got a backstage tour from JLY when I saw JB on New Years Eve last year.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 10:36am

No dressing rooms, but two backstage experiences.

After the first show I ever saw, Fifth of July, I was asking Richard Thomas some questions for my college newspaper and he invited us to have a look at the stage--greatest memory is of the scrambled eggs.

The other was a few years back. My ex-wife used to work with the sister of CJ Hardy, who was a swing and dance captain in Hairspray for a few years. Arrangements were made to get us backstage for a brief tour--saw several of the sets and went inside the hairspray can. I got bratty and actually went out onstage to look out at the theatre from that perspective and quickly got shooed out--not by CJ but from some voice in the rafters.