Ooh, you helped me to remember dates! b/c...Greg was on vacation...so it was the end of June. I remember b/c someone posted about it and we got concerned that it was some kind of rule and Greg would have to abide by it, so Barb e-mailed him, he said he knew nothing about it but even if it was a rule, he would still take pics w/ anyone who wanted, etc. Big whew from us. At least at the time he didn't know more than us...
DRS vs. other shows, it's hard to say. On a particularly crowded night, it problably tends to be one of the more crowded ones, but there are some days/nights I'm like, where is everyone? Also the DRS stage door has become different for me, actually usually I just run to front to be able to stop ensemble from running off, or just stand to the side while the frenzy clears out, so maybe I haven't been paying that much attention? I don't know. There have been incredibly crowded nights, and not-so-crowded ones.
Spelling Bee there isn't much of a stage door really, you can just mingle w/ cast members in the "lobby" or upstairs or outside, Dan Fogler is really the only one who uses the stage door. And it tends to be w/ shows like Q and Spelling Bee which are highly ensemble shows that their doors are crowded b/c you lack one or two big stars that everyone wants to meet, so you get fans appreciative of everyone.
Though I haven't been there in a while, Spamalot is probably the craziest. As Idina got closer to her last days, Wicked was insane and the worst/most crowded I have seen. Umm..really can't think of other crazy ones off the top of my head...wait, I'm sure Odd Couple is.
I think there's two major reasons for big crowds at stage doors--one "stars"--which come in two contexts. Lithgow is known to ppl who don't know broadway and ppl who are just walking down the street may stop to watch or something (seen that a bunch of times). But they also have "stars" of bway-Joanna, Sherie, Norbert, Greg so big bway fans who attend the shows want to stage door. In the bway world, that's different than Bee and Q, even w/ like Fogler's tony(which he didn't deserve to win but that's a totally other story...)
Also shows that have their original casts usually will have more crowded doors. Suppose it makes sense, usually more recognizable ppl tend to be in original casts, so that contributes to DRS being one of the crowdiest(word?)
But I'm not sleeping soon so might as well give more specific examples...Chitty had a decent line of people and tends to, probably a combo of Raul, Jan and Mark(when he's in it), and the fact that it tends to end earlier so ppl will take the time to stage door, and kids love the idea of meeting the characters. Hairspray once had a decent line of people, I mean they were replacement casts w/ the new Edna who's not a name so...:shrug: didn't compare to DRS. Ooh, ASU's stage door was always crowded, probably mostly for Cheyenne, but I think word got out that the cast was so nice and everyone just signed and such, plus fans of that show became very enthusiastic. Shows that tend to be directed towards older crowds like Light in the Piazza, Naked Girl, there's not much "stage door" action. When Matt was in Piazza (aww I miss those days and the LC "stage door" often there was hardly anyone there, which was cool more time to talk, though as word spread on the show, it got a tad more crowded.
Ooh Pillowman was understandably a crowded door. Also, like...smaller stage door crowds become smaller and big ones bigger-lotsa time ppl who are iffy about the stage door thing walk out and if there's a lot of ppl wwaiting behind barriers, it looks more entrancing and they wait...if they see a couple ppl w/ no barriers they think maybe they won't come out or it's a bother or they'll be too shy. So that's the best assessment I can give on stage doors.
BTW, why are you up this late?? I just watched the Rent Starz special so of course I'm too excited to sleep, what's your excuse?
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
