Mine was In the heights. My mom kept telling me how cool it was i got to meet Lin because of how big he was going to be one day. Boy if i knew! lol
Updated On: 5/8/16 at 08:30 PMUnderstudy Joined: 3/29/16
Wicked, for Kara Lindsay's last performance this past January. I was so anxious, but it was a fun experience getting to meet the cast! I'd love to stage door again sometime, just not late at night haha.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/6/11
My first was only a few years ago (I'm a teenager) at Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. I had seen many shows before then, but never really knew too much or even thought about meeting any actor afterward. My mother suggested we go and wait to see if David Hyde Pierce came out, and he did! Believe it or not, it was after a Wednesday matinee when if I knew more then, would assume that the actors wouldn't come out. He still did though, and was extremely nice and signed and took pictures. Nowadays, if I really like a show and/or the actors in it, I will usually visit the stage door afterwards and I have met some very nice people ranging from up and coming theatre actors to famous celebrities. It could really be a cool treat after a good show!
I RARELY, I mean rarely ever do the stage door experience. It is not my thing. I can count them on 1 hand. The earliest I would have to say would have been when I went backstage after Darling Of The Day to meet Vincent Price. He was ultra friendly and outgoing. We talked for about 15 minutes before he had to meet his wife . To show you how I am not into the whole scene is the fact I never even asked him to autograph my playbill.
Chorus Member Joined: 4/22/16
My first was Fun Home, and I remember it being the absolute best stagedoor expirience i've had. not many people were there, maybe 20, mostly teen girls around my age. All the kids came out and were adorable, and Emily Skeggs came out and was absolutely amazing, took time to say hello to everyone. Beth never came, but everyone else did!
My second was the next day after seeing Hamilton, which was a much different story. College boys had taken up all the room, and didn't even care about the show. They just wanted signed merch to sell. Couldn't even say who played who, or even anyone's name. It really sucked because I had been waiting months and I didn't get to meet anyone I wanted to because they wouldn't move over.
I dragged my grandma to stagedoor Wicked a few years ago when Jackie Burns was in the show. Since there was hardly anyone there, Jackie stayed and chatted with us for some time, talking about her engagement, claiming Houston was one of her favorite cities to perform in when I told her I also saw her on the tour, and just being all-around sweet and bubbly. One of the nicest actors I have ever had the pleasure of talking to.
My first stage door experience was at the final performance of The Producers. I went with a friend who knew the actress playing Hold Me, Touch Me, and I don't think either of us knew about the stage door, but we waited afterwards to congratulate her. Other actors started coming out and I think we ended up getting most of the cast to sign our programs. We also befriended a girl who let us borrow her Sharpies when the actors didn't have their own. I don't get to see either of them very often now, but we all still stay in touch.
Broadway Star Joined: 9/28/15
My first experience was with the OBC of Mary Poppins as a youngin'. Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee were super nice.
Broadway Star Joined: 4/20/15
First and only….Chita Rivera, Kiss of the Spider Woman. My cousins who live in the city wanted to head out to the stage door after the show. She came out and was nothing but class. I was really impressed by her as a person. Very gracious and kind. One of my cousins, an actress and dancer herself at one time, is fairly forward and after complimenting Ms. Rivera she introduced me, telling her I had come all the way from California to see the show. She got this big smile and said, 'How sweet." And then walked up and tapped me on the nose commenting on how tanned I was (or something) and said something about it being that great California sun.
I'm not much of a celebrity hound but it was a neat experience. She was so kind and charming.
Featured Actor Joined: 11/12/12
Wicked in Melbourne in 2009. I was 18 and had been obsessed with the show for months after seeing it with my theatre class. Everybody on the Live Journal fan page was going to the stage door and someone had given directions so I dragged my mum and sister there after we won the lottery for a matinee.
Chorus Member Joined: 5/29/14
In New York it was I'll Eat You Last. Had a picture taken with Bette Midler.
But in London back in 1986 we were invited in to meet Liza Minelli in her dressing room at the Palladium.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/16
Al Pacino, Hughie, 1996....
He was amazing...
I've only done this once: Broadway production of Doubt. The entire cast was so warm to the relatively small group of people waiting -- especially Cherry Jones, who probably spent about an hour total having individual conversations with each person waiting, asking their opinions about the play (did they think Father Flynn was guilty or not, etc.), etc. It was a wonderful experience, although I decided thereafter that the stage door scene really wasn't for me.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
I've only done it once, for Hamilton. This was back last Summer when the cast still came out regularly and the crowds were fine. I did it because I'd admired Lin for years and really wanted to exchange a few words with him.
It was a really nice experience. Everyone came out except for Groff and Renee, everyone was very calm and friendly. There was no crowd pushing, shouting or screaming. Lin was very attentive and sweet and we managed to talk for a few minutes. It was more than worth it. I would only stage door again if I was seeing a show with someone I greatly admired. Otherwise, I have no strong desire to talk to the actors usually.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
A friend and I managed to get backstage at SWEENEY TODD in 1979, and met Len Cariou. He was charming (surprised but charming), and his performance is still one of the best I have seen in my lifetime.
Swing Joined: 1/27/15
My very first stage door experience was when I was 17 and at the Kennedy Center when Vanessa Redgrave was in Hecuba. She was having hip problems, but came out and greeted us all so warmly. My friend was with me at the time and Vanessa went to the adults and then noticed we were separate. I brought a lobby card from Isadora and she loved it and talked about the movie. She took pictures and even invited the couple to have dinner with her later at the Watergate hotel where she was staying. A perfect evening!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
Aida, OBC...Sherrie Rene Scott, Adam Pascal and Heather Headley, it had just opened and not a large crowd a few rentheads for adam. all three were very friendly and I told heather I liked her performance so much i was coming back the next night, and she was surprised to hear that ( i did come back the next night it it was just as jaw droppingly amazing) first time i ever wanted to see a show/cast over and over....
Katharine Hepburn at the Colonial Theatre in Boston after a matinee of West Side Waltz. She didn't sign or pose, but was pleasant and charming as she made her way to an awaiting vehicle.
Featured Actor Joined: 9/26/15
Mine was Finding Neverland in previews. It was so amazing, as I got to meet almost everyone. Matt, Kelsey, Carolee, Teal, all the kids, and some ensemble members. Hell, I even met the dog!
My first stage door experience I remember was waiting to meet Christy Carlson Romano after Beauty and the Beast. I brought my Princess Diaries 2 CD that she was featured on and had her sign it. She was lovely.
Understudy Joined: 3/10/14
One of my first was while waiting for evening SRO for Mormon. While waiting, the matinee let out. It was an older crowd of theater goers thsn i expected, coming out who seemed eager to leave. NOT ONE PERSON waited at stage door. Josh Gad comes out, looks around, shrugs, and puts his pen awayas he goes back into the theater. Fast forward to the evening show, I'm loving it, standing ovation for all. At some point Josh yells, "you guys are SO much better than our matinee audience". He was very nice, chatty and friendly at a much busier stage door that eve. Been hooked on stage dooring since.
Stand-by Joined: 2/5/13
While it was not my first time stage door the most memorable stage door was when I brought my ten year old niece who was from Seattle to see the revival of The King and I with Lue Diamond Phillips. My niece had never been to a Broadway show and she had a young girl crush on Phillips. When he came out the door he was extremely kind to my niece, spoke quite some time with her, autographed her playbill and allowed me to take a photo of the two of them. At age 31 she still has the framed playbill in her home!
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