Ever have someone be rude at a stage door?- Page 4

[Dolly80]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 5:25pm

I was merely inspired by the initial post to be mean.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 5:29pm

 I have a Diana Rigg story from 1994 when she was doing ''Medea,'' for which she won a Tony. I had read an interview with her in which she said she was crazy about fly fishing. The year before, the movie of ''A River Runs Through It,'' which is about two brothers who fly-fish in Montana, had come out. I wondered if Ms. Rigg had seen it, so I just left a videotape of it for her at the stage door. She sent me a handwritten thank-you note, saying I couldn't have given her ''a nicer gift,'' and looked forward to seeing the film. Classy!

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 05:29 PM

[LxGstv]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 6:00pm

Wayman_Wong said: "I have a Diana Rigg story from 1994 when she was doing ''Medea,'' for which she won a Tony. I had read an interview with her in which she said she was crazy about fly fishing. The year before, the movie of ''A River Runs Through It,'' which is about two brothers who fly-fish in Montana, had come out. I wondered if Ms. Rigg had seen it, so I just left a videotape of it for her at the stage door. She sent me a handwritten thank-you note, saying I couldn't have given her ''a nicer gift,'' and looked forward to seeing the film. Classy!"

That is amazing! Thank you for sharing this, it’s great to see a nice story in the middle of all this negativity...

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 6:38pm

LxGstv said: "That is amazing! Thank you for sharing this, it’s great to see a nice story in the middle of all this negativity..."

The thread is specifically soliciting supposedly rude stage door stories... so the negativity was baked in from the start.

[LxGstv]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 6:40pm

haterobics said: "LxGstv said: "That is amazing! Thank you for sharing this, it’s great to see a nice story in the middle of all this negativity..."

The thread is specifically soliciting supposedly rude stage door stories... so the negativity was baked in from the start."

Fair point! But I was referring to a recent post that condemns stage door like it’s this horrible thing... which wasn’t the purpose of the thread...

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 06:40 PM

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 7:09pm

In theory, there's nothing wrong with stagedooring, and evidently the actors who choose to do so enjoy interacting with their fans to some degree. A lot of theatregoers wait at the stagedoor primarily to thank the actors and share how wonderful they thought the show was, and believe it or not, there are indeed actors who think it's fun to sign things and chat with fans they know appreciated their fine work. I have no clue why some people in this thread are acting like stagedooring is something that fans inherently demand from the actors by gunpoint, when the actors are the ones who decide to participate in the first place.

That being said, there is a certain degree of entitlement from many fans who stagedoor, particularly when an actor chooses not to come out at all or comes out just to briefly say hello to the fans and leave without doing autographs or selfies. That generally seems to be when the whiny fan pitchforks come out on Twitter and Instagram, DEMANDING to know why Aaron Tveit or whoever chose not to come out and sign autographs that evening. I feel like the main issue with this sort of thing boils down to the intent behind stagedooring: Are you there to thank the actors, or are you there because you think you're entitled to an autograph?

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 2:17am

I’m curious. You don’t have to say what shows you’ve been in. People that are on here that have been on broadway or tours or regional.

Do you like/enjoy coming out the stage door?

I, personally, hate it.

[AprilWheeler]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 4:42am

I met Tony Shalhoub after The Price last year and he couldn’t have been nicer.

“The whole stage door thing has become just plain creepy.“

Unfortunately, after my experience at Lobby Hero, I agree with this. What used to be a fun way to talk to other people who had seen the show and possibly have a brief moment with an actor has become mass entitled hysteria based on what I experienced that night. We were barricaded in on all sides for crowd control purposes, people were shoving and screaming. I was in front of the barricade and had bruises afterward due to the Avengers fans shoving me forward. Chris Evans did come out and was very nice but he keeps it brief—leading to full on sobbing from some that didn’t get what they were hoping for. It’s amazing he does it at all because I would run to my car if I was in his situation. No surprise at all that Michael Cera goes straight home.

Updated On: 4/20/18 at 04:42 AM

[morosco]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 10:24am

No drama at the stage door for 1984's Sunday in the Park with George.

[newintown]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 11:22am

Dollypop said: "Eartha Kitt gave me "the stare" until I reminded her that without fans like me, she wouldn't have achieved her level of success. She ultimately signed my Playbill but never broke her stare or said a word."

That's a truly grotesque story, and Ms. Kitt is not the one who looks bad.

I've heard many performers talk about their loathing and trepidation of the stage door; as has been addressed here, far too many lunatics and insane celebrity worshippers have turned it into a Fellini-esque nightmare.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 11:31am

newintown said: "Dollypop said: "Eartha Kitt gave me "the stare" until I reminded her that without fans like me, she wouldn't have achieved her level of success. She ultimately signed my Playbill but never broke her stare or said a word."

That's a truly grotesque story, and Ms. Kitt is not the one who looks bad.

I've heard many performers talk about their loathing and trepidation of the stage door; as has been addressed here, far too many lunatics and insane celebrity worshippers have turned it into a Fellini-esque nightmare."

I hope she signed his Playbill with "FU"

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 11:36am

I can attest to the stage door of Sunday in the Park with George.   I was in college and had driven a bunch of friends in for the day.  One other student and I saw Sunday, the others went to see something else.  An alum of our college (Mary D'Arcy) was in the show (Celest 2, I believe) and we used her name to "get" backstage.  (I was hoping to get to meet Patinkin) Worked like a charm....except as we had just gotten past the doorman, SHE came walking out.  (We had never previously met.)   We did the right thing, and chatted with her and even walked with her to the place her husband was picking her up a few blocks away.

By the time we got back (to meet our friends) Mandy's car was waiting for him and I wasn't leaving  until he came out.  Me and my friends were the only ones there.  I got about 5 or 6 minutes of his undivided attention.  I was on cloud nine.

I don't think I stage doored for 20 or more years after that.  Just never felt the need.

 

As to JBradshaw's question.  I was working for a children's theater where we were contractually obligated to do signature sessions after the shows.  We did 3 shows a day, mind you   The first  few times, it was a blast....but it very quickly got mundane and even annoying.  By the end of the run of my first show with them (some 40 performances later) I hated it.   So demanding, so exhausting.  

I have occassionaly stage doored, and mostly for when my daughter has wanted to.  (My son almost never does.)  Can't stand the crowds, the mood or the rudeness.    

Updated On: 4/20/18 at 11:36 AM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 12:28pm

I understand why JBradshaw (and many others) would hate doing the stage door and enduring its attendant hysteria. A performer doesn't owe the audience anything other than their best performance onstage. So doing the meet-and-greet is a bonus. No one should disparage any actor for choosing not to do it. 

That said, I give credit to the ones who enjoy it, and nobody has this down to a science more than Zachary Levi. He brings out the boom box and creates a party atmosphere. He then makes small talk with each person and signs everyone's Playbill, and he'll go down the line a second time in case anyone wants to take a photo. In an interview for Playbill.com, I once asked Levi why he goes the extra mile. He says it's something he learned to do in community theater, and he simply likes saying thank you to his fans. 

Updated On: 4/20/18 at 12:28 PM

[Danielle49]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 6:54pm

That Lobby Hero story (sobbing fans, boxed-in barricades) sounds like a nightmare. I didn't dare go near that stage door because I knew it'd be insane. Why stage door if it's such a madhouse that there's no chance of saying something meaningful to the performers?

I only stage door if I know there is something I really would like to say to one of the actors or if the performance particularly moved me. I planned not to stage door Angels because that cast is doing such draining work, but after seeing the show and the force of nature that is Andrew Garfield, I just had to tell them how beautiful the performance was. I went after Part 2. Andrew Garfield took about 40 minutes to come out, but took time with everyone, which really surprised me. It was really gracious of him. But along with that comes the screaming fans who are just like "why is he taking so long what is he even doing" or "come onnnn I just want Spiderman's autograph." I don't even think those immediately around me saw the show.

I echo others who have said that the stage door could theoretically be a nice experience for everyone - if people like that didn't turn it into a feeding frenzy.

[TravisOKC]

Posted: 4/21/18 at 1:27am

I have only ever had amazing experiences at the stage doors with both NYC and touring casts.

Only bad experiences I have had are from other stage doorers who felt like they were entitled to everything.  

Some of my highlights:

Cabaret:

---Emma Stone didn't pose for pictures, but she was incredibly kind, gracious, and talked to fans and signed their playbills.

--- Alan Cumming visited with fans and signed playbills.  Very kind and handled a heckler incredibly well.

Wicked:

Have had nothing but incredible experiences with the casts of multiple companies across the country.  One experience with a cast member at the SD in NYC has turned into a friendship!

Legally Blonde:

Favorite experience was after Kathleen Monteleone went on for Elle in OKC--ended up chatting with her for about 15 minutes after the show and she sang some of Oh My God in german.

Next to Normal: 

Had great experiences with the cast, but Ben Stiller was in the audience and stage doored with the rest of us non-famous people...really cool guy!

 

 

[Lauren2]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 4:24am

Your totally right! I usually make friends with stage door people. The only bad experiences I have had, was there was stalker fan at Boys In The Band and there was just a really rude mother at Harry Potter.

[stephimarie]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 6:35am

I've seen a few people posting positive experiences to combat the negativity, and while I know that wasn't the initial point of the post, I'm going to throw one out there too.

Andy Karl has always been nothing but kind, gracious, and humble at stage door, especially after Groundhog Day when he was still recovering from his injury. He'd sign after every single performance, which until then I had rarely seen any lead do, especially one recovering from an injury AND doing such a physically and emotionally demanding show. And he was always personable, having unique conversations with everyone, cracking jokes and being his goofy self, and truly listening to what each person had to say. I've seen him in Pretty Woman a few times now as well and it's nothing but the same. He's a class act.

[Lauren2]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 7:28am

This trip I had many great stage door experiences. First Christy Altomare is the sweetest person ever. She stage doors like every show and will stay there forever! She was still there when I left! She talks to everyone, will sign anything, will take pictures, will hug people and sings happy birthday with a belt if it’s your birthday. She is a class act. Same with Harry Potter. They are all so nice and welcoming. Will answer any questions you like (I asked what their favorite illusion is). Will sign anything, will make conversation and some people will even ask if you want a picture.

[MannPhan24601]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 10:03am

When I saw the Wicked tour last year,there was a guy in the ensemble who seemed to have a following . After he accepted a little boy's gift(which was really adorable ) , he stood at the side while  smoking a cigarette while other elementary school aged kids were screaming his name and he ignored them.Think he did go over to one woman and talked to her for a few minutes then just left.I know that other people have met this guy before and have said the total opposite from what I saw so I guess he was having a bad day. I just thought it was horrible that he ignored the little kids.

Other than that, most of my time at stage doors been good except for a few with large crowds that were rows deep (i.e Matilda on Broadway and Something Rotten on tour) When I saw Kinky Boots a few weeks ago , they had the second line go beyond the barricade to make one single line which I thought was pretty cool,espically since it started to downpour right after that.David Cook and J.Harrison Ghee spent a long time out there in the pouring rain meeting everybody .

Updated On: 8/8/18 at 10:03 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 2:23pm

"Dollypop said: "Eartha Kitt gave me "the stare" until I reminded her that without fans like me, she wouldn't have achieved her level of success. She ultimately signed my Playbill but never broke her stare or said a word."

Well, Jesus was all about demanding gratitude, so I can see why you would have chosen such a tactic from someone who literally owed you nothing.  This is why so many actors and sensible admirers absolutely hate dealing with nasty entitled "fans".  She should've just walked away from you.  That behavior is PRECISELY why we have actors who avoid the stage door and fan contact altogether.  If anyone feels slighted by an actor at the stage door, just remember this post and it's so much easier to understand.

[Skip23]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 4:06pm

Not rude, but....

Celeste Holm would only give an autograph if the signee gave money to her for Unicef.

 

Wonder if Unicef ever saw the moolah?
 

 

Updated On: 8/8/18 at 04:06 PM

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 5:41pm

Nobody owes you anything at a stage door.  You already paid for the experience in the theater.  So, if Jim Parsons, Tony Shalhoub or anyone else refuses to say anything or look at you, get over it.  They don't care about you and have lives to live.  

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 6:18pm

And the whole "you wouldn't be where you are without us fans!" completely devalues their work into nothing more than simply existing as trophies for strangers to collect.  For reality or social media "stars" like Paris Hilton or the Kardashians, it may be somewhat true (though they owe their careers more to family money than anything else), but for actors and performers, they have to work to get fans.  Any fan who feels entitled to gratitude by performers in the way of special attention, photos or autographs care less about the performer than they do about themselves.  It's all about the fear of not bagging another trophy they can show off, brag about or sell.  Otherwise, why bother getting an autograph of someone you respected who then disappointed you to the point you lecture them like a child to get what you want?  Doesn't sound like an article one would cherish.  Quite the opposite, in fact.  Lecturing Eartha Kitt that she owes her career to you is...not fine at all.  It's petty, shallow and disgusting.

I remember stage dooring The Last Night of Ballyhoo and when Celia Weston came out, she flew past the fans saying, "I can't...I have to get to the airport!"  Whether it's true or not is totally irrelevant.  She could have just been in a bad mood, hates signing, fears fans, had explosive diarrhea or genuinely needed to catch a flight.  She didn't owe anyone an explanation at all.  Meanwhile, I got some lovely photos with Jessica Hecht, Dana Ivey and Paul Rudd.  And I hope Celia caught her flight or whatever.  It was fine and I had no ill will towards her at all.  

I've had a couple of performers behave rudely to me, purely ego-based, but I realized that it is just who they are.  It may have tarnished how I feel about them on a personal level, but in one case, I still respect them as a performer.  I just don't want to run into them at a party or anything.  And I won't bother wasting time trying to get an autograph from them again.

 

[Sarah329]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 7:55pm

I saw Kinky Boots today and there were so many people that kept asking “Oh when is David Cook coming out? I’m his biggest fan?” and one girl even seriously said that she wasn’t a fan anymore, all because he didn’t come out after a matinee on a 2 show day. Personally, I believe it’s fine to ask a security guard if an actor comes out or is coming out, but I think it’s disrespectful to ask castmates. Imagine saying hi to fans and instead of them being thankful for you coming out, they ask for someone else. Maybe that’s just my opinion?

Just because you’ve been a fan since the beginning doesn’t make you entitled to meeting them!!

[Tom5]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 8:26pm

I can guarantee that there are more than a few actors who will not do Broadway because they don't care to run the gauntlet night after night.