Going from Fan to Friend (Is it possible?)- Page 2

[Lot666]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 8:01am

dramamama611 said: "^ But that's the very point most of us are making: you didn't go from stage door fan to friend. You happen to meet and become friends.....having little to do with fandom or the stage door."

I did meet this person as a fan. We first met in the lobby of the theatre, when they were collecting for BCEFA. I was very impressed by their performance and wanted to tell them so. We had an instant rapport and our friendship grew from there.

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 10:21am

It's possible to make friends anywhere, although the majority of friendships start out with more equal footing than a fan meeting an actor. From personal experience, though, I can say it happens: a few years back, there was a tour at the theatre in my city and, over the course of the run, I bumped into one of the actors around the area several times (I work nearby). We struck up conversations and kept in touch after the tour left. We're not best friends by any means, but we keep up on each other's lives and grab coffee when we're in the same city. But we didn't become friends because I was a superfan or social-media-tagged them or something (I didn't even have Instagram at the time) - we had good conversations and similar interests, just like friends I've made other places.

[newintown]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 10:34am

There's a certain director that works on Broadway regularly who met his late lover in early 80s waiting at the stage door and then chasing him down the street. (The director wasn't a director at the time, just a fan.)

Updated On: 12/20/17 at 10:34 AM

[fb1123]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 11:21am

Check out my all time favorite movie,"All About Eve" it has the best script ever.  It is about a Broadway actress and a stalker - fan.  Does not end well for her.

[Princeton2]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 11:29am

From experience yes it can (stage door meeting, then social media then over time friendship developed etc), but it's very rare and I think more likely if the actor in question is still rising through the ranks as it were. Also depends on other shared interests outside of theatre . Social media makes it easier to develop as it's a very slow and gradual thing as they work out if you're a fan or someone they can genuinely get on with

Updated On: 12/20/17 at 11:29 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 11:30am

Margo Channing would likely say no.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 11:43am

There was an original cast member of Hamilton whom I would run into on the street, in coffee shops, on the line at pizza places,  in bars, on dating apps, in restrooms......it got really bizarre. And every time I saw him, I would more or less stare him down with what I'm sure came off as a creepy smile (sorry not sorry).  It happened so often and I developed such a crush on him that I started to call him my friend. I never spoke to him, I would just refer to him as my friend. Wow this post really makes me sound insane. But to answer the OP, sure it's possible to go from fan to friend, but it is definitely the exception and not the rule. 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 3:12pm

It is possible. But the key is to not force it. If it's meant to happen, it will happen. I met an actor for the first time earlier this year, at the stagedoor, and six months later, that actor took me backstage. Never expected to even be recognized in the future by this person, let alone have something like that happen. I'm not saying who the actor was, because I want to try to avoid people trying to take advantage of them. But it's definitely possible.

Updated On: 12/20/17 at 03:12 PM

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 6:25pm

I suppose it is possible, only if both (fan and performer) feel the same way.  If it's a question of only the fan "thinking" they're friends, then you're getting into Eve Harrington territory.  Speaking personally, I'm a social media friend/acquaintance of a few cast members of my favorite show.  The brief moments we've spoken/chatted have been at the theatre in question or on FB.  As a result, I have been able to visit backstage on a couple of occasions.  

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 6:29pm

I mean, we aren't BFFs or anything, but I met one of my favorite stage actresses at a private cabaret she was giving. We became Facebook friends shortly after, and since then, I make a point of seeing her in things and she (and her husband) always remember me by name. She even put me on her backstage list during one of her Broadway appearances, and I got to stand on the stage!

It's nice to know her a little better- when I saw her onstage for the first time, her performance changed the way I saw my career prospects in theatre.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 6:38pm

Yes, it can happen.

 

And I'd really appreciate it if someone there could get Lin-Manuel Miranda to stop e-mailing and texting me.

 

it's ENOUGH already.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 7:38pm

"And btw, there is a story (maybe from here?) about a avid fan door junkie of Spring Awakening that was pretty far into the audition process - and "supposedly" was taken OUT of consideration when other actors discussed her behavior at the stage door.   (True story?  I do not know - but I remember it being pretty hot topic for a while)"

 

I can confirm this. The girl was absolutely crazy and claimed she was the original fan of the show. She told others they were not as big of fan as her. She can be seen singing in the background when the cast was performing outside of the theater during the strike.

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 10:09pm

I mean...yeah. Virtually every actor begins as a fan of somebody else, and if luck has it and they get on Broadway, chances are they’ll meet them and probably become friends. When it comes to a casual fan and an actor meeting at the stage door or a store, etc., it’s less likely to happen. But it still does in many cases. For example; a Miss Teen USA contestant who actually ended up winning her state’s title is close friends with some pretty big Bway actors. I’m not namedropping her for courtesy reasons; but a quick look at her Instagram/Twitter proves just how involved she is in the theatre scene.

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 12/21/17 at 4:25pm

Yes it's possible just as long as you let things progress naturally and don't force them.