First Stage Door Experience — Page 3

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 PM

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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....

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!

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.