Any bad stage-door experiences? — Page 3

This isn't Broadway, but the experience has always stuck in my mind. In 1958, Sylvia Sidney was doing a road company of Auntie Mame. It was playing at the old Music Circus in Lambertville, New Jersey (an in-the-round tent theatre). The play had ended and I noticed Ms. Sidney waiting to take her call. As the atmosphere was very informal, I asked her for an autograph (I was 12 at the time). Mind you, there were many others who were to take their bows before her. Of course, she didn't have to sign, but not only did she not sign, she slapped me in the face and told me to get lost. I wasn't being rude and wasn't besieging her to sign a mountain of stuff. It seems all she had to do was say no. I later learned (much later) that she had given such a hard time to the crew at the MC that they initiated an annual Sylvia Sidney award at tne end of each season in which they chose the most uncooperative person they'd had to work with that year.

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Updated On: 3/16/08 at 08:27 PM

I think you have to give people a break, unless they are extreme (like the Molly Ringwald one). Sometimes people just need to be on their way. That doesn't mean they should be rude or disrespectful, but they have a right to go on a date or to a party or a family event or whatever.

I've never had a bad situation at the stage door when I did that. In fact, I could list amazing experiences where the actors were exceptionally kind and gracious even though I was one of a group of people they'd never known or met.

The key thing for actors to remember, though, is that word travels. If you're rude to people, don't expect to form a fanbase. You get what you pay for . . .
From the Mouth of Arthur Miller: The Nature of the Adaptation

Updated On: 5/7/09 at 08:57 PM

I know this sounds mean (how unusual on the bww) but come on - you lose respect for performers because they don't want to sign autographs? Grow up! A great performer is still a great performer - what do you do...gain respect for a lousy actor if he schmoozes with stage door fans?

My own story (and this REALLY ages ME and apologies as i wrote of this once before here). The original production of The Apple Tree - I got Alan Alda and Larry Blyden's signatures. Out came Barbara Harris the Tony winner for the show. She came out in a trenchcoat wearing sunglasses. A woman called out Miss Harris and lightly touched the star's shoulder as tried to rush by and Ms. Harris acted as though she had been burned. Her reaction showed me that for some stars the encounter with fans was difficult and unwanted and I never stagedoored again... that is, until Hugh Jackman in Boy from Oz, who was right in front of the theatre and seemed happy doing it. So I got his autograph on my souvenir program. (Sadly it was lost at the restaurant, Serendipidy's and later stolen by one of the employees there.)

Anyway, my philosophy...if the stars don't mind, great. If they're not up for it...leave them the hell alone and get over it. They owe us a good job in the show and nothing else.
How would you like to be hounded by strangers every single night after work at YOUR job, no matter how you were feeling that night and then being judged for it on public websites?

There is no excuse for performers being rude at the stage door. We all have bad days but must remember if not for the people buying the tickets, performers wouldn't have jobs. I don't "expect" performers to sign autographs, but I appreciate it. And when I see a performer being rude, I lose a lot of respect for them. Just like a lose respect for anyone in any other line of work who is rude to people who pay their bills. If stage dooring scares actors that much, then don't stage door. And then seek therapy because I don't see how one can perform in front of a large audience, but not be able to take some compliments from fans on a job well done outside of a theatre.

I saw Othello in London with Ewan McGregor, and was really looking forward to stage dooring (something I usually never do) but I had looked up to Ewan for a long time as an actor and meeting him was an opportunity I couldn't let pass me by.
Anyways, we're standing outside of the theater waiting for him to come out, when a group of people wearing red, plastic, cowboy hats and purple scarves (bachelorette party, I think?) join the twenty or so people who were waiting to meet Ewan after the show.
A few minutes after they got there, he starts coming down the stairs into the theater lobby where the fans were waiting, when this stupid, drunken, group of people who didn't even see the show, rush in and practically mob him. I was appalled. He never even made it outside. I think I saw him sign a few programs then run away back into the theater. I couldn't believe that a group of people, even if they were drunk, would think it was okay to swarm a person like that, no matter how "hot" they think he is.
On a slightly less resentful note, I don't recall seeing any security for Ewan at the Donmar, which I thought was rather odd for a person of such "star status." I'm sure what happened the night I went was not a freak accident.

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belle, I don't see why LBB was a BAD stage door experience ! She signed, posed with you and waited for your (slow) camera and than said please to the others who wanted pictures ! What more did you expect, an invitation for hanging out ?

the only bad experience is at the TLM for the tuesday march 11th show. first of all there were no barricades set up. so you couldnt really tell who was in the show when they came out the stagedoor. i did get a few autographs though. i have to say brian did i say calm when he was signing and taing pictures with everyone almost on top of him. he was so nice but he had to go after about 8 mins signing because of schooling the next day. sierra came out but the security stagedoor guard said she was running late and only signed 3 peoples playbills then they took her and escorted her to her car in a pushy matter. but i heard her say sorry and did wave to everyone. i felt bad for the little girls and boys waiting for her, and also tourists. i also heard and read about how nice she was at the stagedoor, and how she talks to everyone. so my is to go back again and see the show and see her at the stagedoor afterwards. it was madness too, sherie came out but i didnt reconize her or anyone else. does sean palmer ever come out and do the stagedoor?. by the way norm lewis said he is either second last or last one to come out everytime. tituss was even shocked there was no barricades up.

AMEN sister

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"At Hairspray back in November 2006 Shannon Durig was kinda rude. I told her she did a really amazing job as Tracy & in a really snobby voice goes "Thanks Honey". & then i'm about to ask her to sign my playbill & for a pic but she walks away."

This really really surprises me, considering Shannon is by far one of the nicest people I've ever met.

I can't say any of my experiences were too bad so far. To me, Tim Curry just seemed a little shy and quieter than I imagined him to be. I didn't meet him at the stage door though... which may be the difference. The only disappointing thing for me is not meeting Christian Borle at the stage door. They didn't even officially announce it then, we had to ask several people to confirm. But whatever, hopefully someday

I am also surprised about Sherie Rene Scott... I met her during Aida and she was really sweet. Actually, that was my first stage door and everyone was really nice. The camera was really slow (non-digital ages for me haha) and they were all really patient and sweet.
I met her again at the Broadway Flea Market 2 years ago, and she was just walking around and I got a pic with her then too. She seemed sweet then too.

Haha first time I met Piazza cast I remember being so nervous. Michael Berresse came out really late and he was shocked that me and my sister were still there waiting :)

There was one time that I misinterpreted that Bernadette Peters was being rude because she didn't say a word to anyone, but then I realized that she was protecting her voice because it was bitterly cold and windy that night. I met her three other times and she was very warm and friendly.