Favorite Stage Door Experiences- Page 2

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 11:55am

1) Stage dooring Hairspray for the first time and meeting amazing people like Jenn Gamby, Chester Gregory, Richard Blake, Tracy Jai Edwards...and not knowing who these people were. And then getting a backstage tour from one of the actors afterwards :).

2) Megan Hilty, all the time. Sweetest woman ever. She's offered me money, she's taken me backstage, she's been the kindest woman ever. I will miss her so incredibly much from Wicked.

3) The Jersey Boys, of course. Last time I went, Peter Gregus took me downstairs to where the guys were getting ready to sign, introduced me to everyone as "their biggest fan", and talked to me the whole time. Plus, now I have a picture with all four guys :).

[BroadwayBrat]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 12:09pm

Two weeks ago, I chatted with Cyndi Lauper as she headed into Studio 54. She was friendy, funny, and PATIENT. When I got my picture taken with her, the flash didn't go off the first time. She chatted with a few other people and then started to head into the theater. I had to ask her if we could take ANOTHER picture because the first one did not come out. She smiled, laughed and said "Sure!" I have always been a huge fan since the 80's, but since that meeting, she's number one in my book!!!

[AutographHound]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 12:42pm

Lena Horne at the Nederlander Theatre (more than 20 years ago)inviting me into her dressing room after a performance of her one woman show.

Last year Hal Holbrook inviting me and two other fans to come back stage after an evening performance of Matk Twain Tonight at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre

Rosario Dawson signing autographs and posing for pictures last summer at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park

Ray Liotta putting down his food & beverage (he was returning from dinner break prior to an evening preview performance) at show he did 2 years back with Frank Langella

Toni Braxton being incredibly friendly outside Palace Theatre prior to performance of AIDA

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 12:57pm

1) Lennon - Just the sweetest bunch of people.
2) Megan Hilty
3) The Wedding Singer cast- Such a nice bunch of people. Particularly funny moment was when I chatted with Laura Benanti (who was a sweetheart). She said I REALLY reminded her of someone else she know. She looked at me and went "Hi! Wait... whoa."
4) Lee Morgan, while he was in BKLYN. He's just an all around nice guy. I copmplilmented him ( he was a highlight of the show for me), and he said thank you, and called me "sweet girl."

Updated On: 5/27/06 at 12:57 PM

[robyn525600]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 12:57pm

In no specific order.....

~ The original Marius from Les Mis, David Bryant, talking to me about theater for about 20 minutes after he came out of the stage door. I was a couple months away from moving to NYC to go to college for musical theater and he was so gracious and actually wanted to chat about it.

~ Thanking Hugh Jackman for his autograph and he replied "You're very welcome, darlin'." *sigh*

~ Listening to Raul Esparza talk in his native language when his family came to visit him. Also, I asked him to sign a photo of he and I that I had blown up and he wrote "With much love, Raul E. Esparza".

~ Carolee Carmello asking me if I was a performer and when I said yes, she said "I knew it! You have that "thing" about you."

~ Asking Adam Pascal for a hug after seeing RENT for the first time in 1996 and he abliged (he gives great hugs, btw!).

That's all I can think of right now!

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 1:48pm

I almost forgot Kristin on my Birthday and Carnegie Hall Stage door.

Also probably the greatest though was when i saw Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Lauren BaCall came out the stage door and talked to my friend and i for a couple of minutes while she waited for her car. Then talking with Bill Irwin and Kathleen Turner. She kept calling me Doll.

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 1:49pm

I have several, but one of my favorites was this week when I saw Jersey Boys for the second time and got to meet Bobby, John, Christian, Daniel, Peter and Michael. They were all so incredibly sweet. I got some great pictures with them and joked around with Christian -- he is so funny!

Also, not a stage door experience, but I got to go to a special SAG Nominating Committee screening of the movie RENT before it opened. Rosario, Tracy, Adam, Wilson and Anthony were there with Christopher Columbus and they did a Q&A after the screening. Then I got to talk to Adam for about 15 minutes afterward. He is so incredibly sweet and I agree he gives great hugs.

[woman_in_white]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 1:54pm

My favorite stage door moments were for Lennon, Woman in White, and Lestat. The casts for all three shows were so friendly and very humble.

-Lennon was lots of fun because the cast stayed to chat with us about the show which many actors don't do. The best part was the Mandy remembered me and the people I went with and when we were standing around after the broadway on broadway concert, she came running up to us to say hi. :)

-Woman in White- I got to hug Maria Friedman! She is such a sweetie! I remember it was really cold one night and this girl had a lot of questions about the book and how it was translated into the show and Maria just paid attention to her questions and took the time to give real in-depth answers. She was so nice! And Michael Ball...just meeting Michael Ball was like...woah. He was so friendly!!

-Lestat: the Lestat cast is crazy! Drew Sarich and Jim Stanek fought for my plabill! XD I told Carolee Carmello that I don't pay attention to reviews and she said "right on sister! right on!" hehe. And Hugh Panaro...he is a darling!
Updated On: 5/27/06 at 01:54 PM

[kate2]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 1:54pm

After the last perf. of ASU, meeting the whole cast and getting pics and autographs. They were all so personable

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 2:00pm

That pregnant woman HughE mentioned is absolutely insane. Pregnant women, especially NINE MONTHS pregnant, should have the wherewithall to realize they shouldn't be on a plane. What an idiot.

My favorite stage door experience was probably Dan Aykroyd escorting me backstage to meet Martin Short at the last performance of Little Me. They were both so friendly and personable, and Aykroyd even endured my father's "Does the word Bass-O-Matic mean anything to you?" comment.

[Marguerite Chauvelin]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 4:33pm

Greg Jbara, Manoel, and Will Chase are all extremely sweet (and extremely CUTE!!). The whole casts of Lennon and Sweeney Todd were very nice as well.

[chrispychicken]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 5:07pm

I have been lucky enough to meet some of Broadway's best actors at the stage door. I went backstage at Phantom of the Opera(my first broadway show, saw it in June 1988 when I was six) in May of 2001. I went on stage and under the stage where the sets for the lake scene are kept. Talked with the cast including Sandra Joseph and Howard McGillin as well as others in the cast.

I have had my playbills signed by many casts including The Scarlet Pimpernel(Opening Night, special thanks to Doug Sills!) Wicked in April 04, Thanks to Idina, Kristin, and Joel The Wonderful Wizard! I met Jai Rodriguez when he was doing Rent. Recently, I met the cast of Lestat on its Opening Night. After watching the blogs on Broadway.com I felt I already knew them, and yes they were as nice a cast as those who have posted on this site have suggested, good luck to them all! Also met Patti after Sweeney Todd, told her to make up with Lloyd Webber and sing some songs from Sunset and Evita at her next concert.

I have to say the most thrilling stage door experience was meeting Professor Snape himself the GREAT Alan Rickman. I saw him in Private Lives and he signed my playbill for me. We talked a bit about the play and I told him I thought he was one of our greatest stage/screen actors. A lot of people gave him Harry Potter stuff to sign and he was very nice to all.

My dream is to meet my favorite composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. I saw him when I went to The Gala "Longest Runner" show of Phantom but did not get a chance to meet him. One Day!

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 5:12pm

BEST:

The Drowsy Chaperone- Sutton Foster was excellent she did a photo and a signature (very much in a hurry she was also with her boyfriend, who's name escapes me) I also brought her flowers before the show so that helped, as well as Bob Martin who signed and talked for about ten minutes about the show.

Maria Friedman- Didn't come out either time I saw WiW, but she was EXCELLENT at the Carlyle. She had a glass of wine with my father, signed everything. Talked for about an hour with us about her children, illness, The Woman in White and Sondheim. She was the best. I also got a photo with her.

Jennifer Laura Thompson at Wicked (yes I had a Wicked phase)- She was very nice she gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Signed my vocal selections, playbill, and poster.

WORST:

Idina Menzel- She came out full of piss and vinegar (is that okay to say?). Obviously something had happned back stage, because she performed her usual that night. It was at Wicked. As I pulled my sharpie out, she snatched it scribbled something down and said "DO YOU HAVE YOUR CAMERA READY?!" I replied, "I don't need a picture" as she moved on to the next victim. That was my experience with her.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 5:13pm

Mine would have to be...

*Greg Jbara taking me backstage three times. He's one of the nicest people I've ever met and it's an honor to say that I know him.

*Mano Felciano- I had sent him a gift to the Sweeney stage door back in March, and I went to see the show, and I told him who I was and he remembered immediately and gave me a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. We talked for about 30 minutes, and he hugged me again as he left . Then I got home and a few days later I was on his Top 8 in his MySpace!

*Jeff Goldblum talking to my friends and me for about an hour before a performance of The Pillowman, and then we ran into him again a couple weeks later and he recognized us immediately and we continued our conversation for about a half hour more. We were then later approached by Caroline Rhea and Ben Curtis (The Dell Dude), so we were in this huge circle talking to Jeff Goldblum, Caroline Rhea, and Ben Curtis, it was awesome.

*Hugh Jackman hugging me and talking to my cousins, friends and me for about 10 minutes before The Boy From Oz.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 5:16pm

"The Drowsy Chaperone- Sutton Foster was excellent she did a photo and a signature (very much in a hurry she was also with her boyfriend, who's name escapes me)"

It must have been Christian Borle, who's now in Spamalot. They're engaged right now, and I think they're getting married in July.

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 5:18pm

Oh, thanks...yeah I knew he was in Spamalot, but I just forgot and was too lazy to google.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 5:59pm

I've only had one stage door experience, unfortunately. It was at the Pantages stage door after Wicked. It was nice, because my mom talked up the actors we saw so I felt more relaxed talking to them.

Logan L., who played Boq, was very funny and played along with whatever my mom threw at him.

David G., who played The Wizard, was a sweetheart.

Kendra K., who played Glinda, was also a sweetheart. We know Maggie Benjamin, who was in RENT with her, and she seemed to perk up and smile when my mom mentioned that we knew her. Plus, I got to talk to her for a few minutes about Assassins, which was really cool.

[idinarocksmysocks!510]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 6:16pm

Mine isn't really a stage door one. But I was backstage of the Keneddy Center watching Wicked b/c my friend, Brooke Elliot, got me back there and Stephanie J. Block came up to me and held out her hand and said, "Hi I'm Stephanie." I just about died! We had a nice short conversation and then she went on.

Or Spamalot. The actors are so nice! They took pictures with everybody and Simon was like, "Now you've given me a piece of Virginian Ham" long story don't ask. And no isn't wasn't really ham.

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 6:23pm

Waiting until 1 AM after Threepenny to meet Alan Cumming and Cyndi Lauper. While it was a three hour wait, they were extremely kind (and quite drunk), which made the wait worth it.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 6:45pm

Every time I have seen Sweeney, the entire cast has been amazing. I've seen it a few times now, so a few of the actors know me by name and they are always willing to stay and talk. Last time I went, I was talking to Donna Lynne Champlin about how fabulous her gig at Ars Nova was, and she then wrote all over the cover of my playbill, thankingme for love and support, and then gave me permission to blame her when the rest of the cast got mad that there was no room to sign. Also, another time, I asked Mano if I could buy a "Save Darfur" bracelet from him. He went inside to see if he had any, but he didn't. I talked to him for a few more minutes, and then as he was leaving, he said "You know what? Take mine.", and he gave his Darfur bracelet to me. That entire cast of that show is so gracious and talented. That was a long post.

[Taryn]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 9:33pm

Just last night I had a wonderful experience at the Jersey Boys stage door. It was my first time seeing the show and I absolutely LOVED it. But waiting at the stage door, it suddenly started POURING like CRAZY. I got soaked through in the couple of minutes before the door manager told me to go wait under the marquee/parapet thing and he'd send the guys over there. They were all such genuinely nice guys. I had to chase after Daniel Reichard, who was signing for some people still at the stage door (after it had stopped raining) and who didn't look like he was going to come over, but he was so incredibly nice. I thanked him multiple times and complimented his performance and the show, and he was just so genuinely grateful for being in such a wonderful show that's become so loved.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 10:04pm

How has everyone gotten backstage? Do you have to ask or do the actors offer?

[LilDiva05]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 10:09pm

Even though there isn't a real stagedoor at Circle in the Square, this is one of my best stories...

I had just seen Spelling Bee for the...4th time I believe, and I met Josh Gad for the first time. I had a pink Sharpie out, but nothing for him to sign, so I was worried I wouldn't get an autograph. Then he took the Sharpie from me, grabbed my arm, and signed my arm! LOL He wrote "I <3 Chrissy...Josh Gad"
Now whenever I see him, I say "Hey Josh, can you sign my ARM?!"

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 10:15pm

My favorite one was when we were waiting outside the stage door and out came a cast member who invited us to go in (out of the blue), and voila, the leads were on their way out but stopped to get our pictures taken and programs signed. That cast member even took us to the dressing rooms, the lounge area for the cast, and showed us how some of the props/sets worked. Thank you, you cast member you, for making our trip to Broadway the best ever.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/27/06 at 10:30pm

Has anyone ere gone backstage for Sweeney? I would love to do that when I go back for my birthday!