A Steady Rain Stage Door Question

Is it still near impossible to get an autograph even if you see the performance that day?

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Talked to the security guard...they plan to do nothing about the crowds amassing before the current show is over. I had heard SD was nuts...but it was ridiculous with people that didn't see the show. I was among the first people OUT of the theater and the SD must have already had over a hundred people there. Nuts.

At Equus, they had two lines....and if you couldn't produce a ticket to THAT performance you had to stand behind one barricade, and with a tix you were behind a different one. It was up to the actors individually whether or not to "visit" the "fan crowd".

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As one who has had a viewing of next to normal disturbed and who has friends who have had viewings of Superior Donuts disturbed by the loud screaming at that stage door, it would be nice if they would do something about the absurd crowds.

Its very anoyying how much the fans scream I agree with Trombonist.

During a very emotional scene towards the end of Superior Donuts we heard a very audible scream coming from outside the theater (I am pretty sure we all know what it was for).

That completly took me out of the moment.

But I really wish they would set up 2 barricades for ticket holders and just fans. Its not really all that fair because some people brought a ticket just for the reason of meeting Hugh and Daniel. And its almost impossible to do that with 100+ fans before the show even ends.

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Lucky! I was in the ticket-holders pen for EQUUS and I still didn't get an autograph.

They have a similar setup for HAMLET, and this time I managed to get an autograph. Very surprised to hear they aren't doing that at A STEADY RAIN.

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What would be a conservative time to stage door a 3:00pm show?

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It may not be the entire last hour, but it's present for a good portion of the second act. Even worse than the crowds screaming, yesterday I was in the area and walked by the Booth to see the new awning and found groups of people sitting on the steps directly in front of the doors talking loudly while the matinee was going on. I politely let them know that a show was going on feet behind them, but I don't think it did any good. I guess it was at the point where the majority of the ushers are gone, or else nobody inside on the house staff cared a bit. Or maybe they couldn't distinguish these men from the crowds waiting for Hugh and Daniel. I hate to think they have resolved themselves to making the audience live with this for 12 weeks. I guess Monday night or Sunday night when A Steady Rain isn't playing would be the best times to go for now.

I have a feeling it will be bad all around noise-wise at the matinee on Sunday because the poor Booth is all but surrounded by the flea market stuff. Not the day or time I would have picked. If I had a choice, I'd go for the evening show on Sunday. The mess should be gone by then. Of course the further you are into the theater, the less the outside noise.

yes it is, Maybe I'll just write to the stage door instead to get the autographs.

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I know I'm going to get pilloried for this, but for the little that it's worth: all you frustrated autograph seekers, it's simply not worth the time and energy you're expending. Yes, its fun to get an autograph when the occasion allows, but unless you intend to sell them on eBay or whatever, of what possible use could they be to you? A momento of an enjoyable or rewarding night in the theatre, okay. But to make it an overwhelming obsession in your lives -- that's another matter. NO ONE, ten years from now, is going to care if you have the autograph or not, unless it's William Shakespeare's, Jesus or other sanctified people. Take a breath and savor the times that you are lucky enough to be part of the wonderful experience of seeing a Broadway show. That is reward enough in itself, IMO and I've been going to Broadway since 1955.

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Updated On: 9/23/09 at 10:43 PM

Yes love, but one thing is getting an autograph and another is to fight an angry mob to get a .0005 second moment with an overwhelmed performer that will half scribble whatever he can on your playbill.

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I like stage-dooring. I think it's fun, and autographs and photos gives you a nice way to remember the event beyond memories of the show. I'm not a "Oooh, sign this, so I can sell it on Ebay" type person. I keep a scrapbook/box of all my Playbills and photos. That being said, I don't think I've ever had a worse stage door experience than at "A Steady Rain". Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig were delightful. The crowd? Not so much. Pushing and shoving and being stepped on. Every time the door opened you got shoved around. The one cop that was there wasn't enough. I left. No signature is worth getting beat up for. If you want to stage door for this, bring some padding and a bat.

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