Follies stage door — Page 2

I went to the first 2-show day so I can speak on that. It was the 3rd preview on Wednesday afternoon, and I was pleased with all who came out knowing that Bernadette almost never comes out between shows. First was Terri White who had to be one of the nicest people Ive ever spoken to after a show, she was eager to see what everybody thought and just to start a conversation with anybody. Then I think it was Ron Raines who was the only person who seemed in a rush, he signed for everyone and then left quickly. Everyone else was fine for pictures, ect, but I didnt hear anybody ask him because he answered that just by his rushing. A few ensamble members, Lora Lee Gayer (Young Sally), Kirsten Scott (Young Phyllis), Nick Verina (Young Ben), and then Elaine Paige. She was very kind and signed for everyone, posed for pictures and such. And finally was Jan Maxwell, who was so sweet and like Terri White was very conversational and was open for pictures and anything. I saw Florence Lacey come out, but she didnt sign anything and just walked straight by.

From memory, the door man only said that "Rosiland Elias would not be coming out" and that Danny Burnstein wouldnt due to adeath he had just found out about prior to the show. Susan Watson did not come out, nor did Jayne Houdyshell or Mary Beth Peil (BUT Mary Beth can be seen in the FOLLIES Facebook stagedoor picture from the first Sunday preview meaning she exited there then). Okay this has been super long and I am finally done.

I heard that Bernadette only signed show-related material at the ALNM stage door, if that's any indication. I have an original vinyl soundtrack of PENNIES FROM HEAVEN that I'd love her to sign, though. This is probably the only instance in which I'd ever stage door.

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If worse comes to worse, you could always mail it to the theatre. A better idea would be to drop it off at the theatre yourself or somthing (like the LA STRADA poster, I would NOT loose that thing) that would guarentee its safe to not get lost in the mail. Things like ITW CD covers, she would be glad to sign and return in the mail. However, she does ask for a small donation to Broadway Barks (or Broadway Cares? I cant remember) for each thing you ask her to sign. Good luck!

Someone previously also mentioned that Bernadette often just writes a "B--- P---" type of signature at the stage door, which is common when actors want to try to get everybody and they write a "fast" signature. But at the Flea Market, she will write a full "Love, Bernadette Peters" for you (which she did for me on the cover of my Gypsy Playbill -- and I didn't ask her to write the "Love" part).

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Bernadette had no problem signing other things. i got her to sign my playbill plus a photo and an album too.

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I saw the Saturday matinee (the show was phenomenal) and here is what happened at the stage door:

None of Peters/Maxwell/Burstein/Raines/Paige came out
Most if not all of the ensemble members and older men came out, but the only older women who came out were Florence Lacey, Susan Watson, and Terri White.

So I went back again on Sat evening. I had to leave after about 30 minutes, but as of that time, Raines, Houdyshell, and Peil had not come out again. Bernadette Peters signed my CD cover and also posed for photos. But she is signing a "fast" signature that is not the same as at the Flea Market -- looks like "Bern--"

The actors are happy to sign, but almost no one actually stopped until someone asked them (and this includes Elaine Paige).

There were not that many people waiting at either performance -- maybe 40 people.

I hope Raines hasn't already stopped doing the stage door thing.

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Updated On: 8/14/11 at 02:59 PM

Just so some posters know it's not all about them, Mr. Raines had guests last night, me included. He was in his dressing room with us, yakking and catching up. It happens, you know.

This stage dooring thing has just turned into this horrid game - as if people can't wait to do it and then come post here about it.

When I was a teen I had a lot of chutzpah and would always go to the stage door if I'd loved a particular performance (I certainly was not celebrity obsessed or performer obsessed). Would you like to know how many people were at the stage door back then? None. I would knock on the door, say who I wanted to meet and more often than not I was taken to the person's dressing room. Different world back then - no entitlement, no hordes of people waiting, just the odd person every now and then. It was ever so much nicer then.

I'm not sure when it became an epidemic - maybe with Beauty and the Beast? It seems like even a decade ago it wasn't like this - it seems very much tied to this generation of theatergoers. There's nothing wrong with going to the stage door. When it becomes fifty or a hundred, yes, that to me is a game and it even has a name now - "stage dooring." And it seems almost directly tied to doing it and then bragging about it in a post. I can only tell you that it is very wearying for a performer who gives a powerhouse performance to come out and have to stand doing that stuff for an additional fifteen to twenty minutes (or however long) - they are incredibly gracious to do it, and some enjoy it more than others. On matinee days especially, after the evening show they want to go out and relax or home and rest.

It's not only stage-dooring that baffles me - seeing Follies and hearing that crazy screaming and woo-hooing that goes on at every show, makes me not want to go to the theater anymore. One nitwit stood up after Who's That Woman, trying to incite a mid-show standing ovation - he's lucky I was not near him, because, as I said in another thread, I would have said, "Mr. Twit, sit down, it's not about YOU." As someone else posted, it's like people think they're watching American Idol or something. I don't mind deserved ovations, but, you know when the numbers in Catch Me If You Can get the same kind of screaming craziness as the numbers in Follies, well..

I wonder how performers feel about people visiting them in their dressing rooms afterwards?

I'm sure if it's a friend visiting they don't mind, but I sometimes see a stream of people either going in or out the stage door, coming from the performers dressing room - who are these people, and do performers regard them in the same way they would regard the baying hordes at the stage door?

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