Going to the stage door, and not seeing the show.- Page 2

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 3:36pm

From ALL ABOUT EVE:

MARGO: Autograph fiends! They're not people - those little beasts who run in packs like coyotes-

KAREN: They're your fans, your audience-

MARGO: They're nobody's fans! They're juvenile delinquents, mental defectives, they're nobody's audience, they never see a play or a movie, even - they're never indoors long enough!

There is a pause. Lloyd applauds lightly.

KAREN: Well... there's one indoors now. I've brought her back to see you.

MARGO: You've what?

KAREN (in a whisper): She's just outside the door.

MARGO (to Birdie; also a whisper): The heave-ho.

Updated On: 7/1/08 at 03:36 PM

[elphiesmagic]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 3:54pm

What's the difference? Stage dooring is stage dooring. It's not stalking, btw. Stalking is threatening and dangerous behavior, and the word shouldn't be thrown around as lightly as it often is around here.

Since I'm one who wouldn't stage door in the first place, I don't understand why people who do are looking down their noses at those who do it on a day when they didn't see the show. Or when they didn't see it at all. I don't really get the difference. Wanting to meet actors,is wanting to meet actors, is wanting to meet actors.

[Craww]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 3:56pm

What people consider acceptable behavior in a fan/performer relationship, within the Broadway community, is highly arbitrary.

I think it's odd and a little inappropriate to do it habitually. But as a one off, occasionally, for a reason? I really don't see how it's that much worse than doing it directly after the show. The entire practice is bizarre, so I kind of think if you're a regular at stage doors it's not really your place to judge.

[elphiesmagic]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 4:31pm

Would those of you looking down at the multiple-time stage doorers still look down if they had seen the show each time? Does it matter if they have enough disposable income to actually see the show as many times as they want to stage door it?

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 4:39pm

Updated On: 5/3/09 at 04:39 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 4:58pm

I agree. However, the definition of "friend" seems to be pretty loose on this board. Repeated stage door interactions coupled with running into actors who recognize the fans who do it and are nice to them for PR reasons, do not friendships make.

I am afraid that is something that is not understood here as much as it should be. People are desperate to be "friends" with actors (why?).

[BillyE]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 5:14pm

I've done that a few times. I got to meet Gavin Creel just before he left Thoroughly Modern Millie, and I wished him well, and explained that I had just seen another show (Gypsy, with Bernadette Peters, I think).
Anyway, I don't think there's anything wrong with it, as long as you don't ask for an autograph or take up too much time if there's a crowd.

[joleslie]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 5:35pm

If I want to meet an actor because I admire their work (whether the current show they're in or something in the past) I will happily stage door. I'll stand outside about 5/10 minutes before the show gets out (if I haven't been able to go and see it, that is), grab an autograph and a quick photo if they say 'yes' when I ask, and then I'll leave. No conversation, no inappropriate behaviour; just a 'Would you mind signing this to Jo please?' and 'Is there any chance I can grab a quick photo with you? Thank you very much'. There really is no need for anything more.

All in all it takes around 20 seconds, and 99% of the time I'll never do it again for the same actor. I don't see anything wrong with that.
Updated On: 7/1/08 at 05:35 PM

[Craww]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 5:36pm

Yes. Whether you saw the show or not, repeatedly stage-dooring is silly and pointless IMO.

I guess my problem with the judgment on this topic is that there's nothing inherently wrong about being silly and pointless. Stage dooring in general, one time or ten times, is silly and pointless. Being fannish, in a fandom, engaging in fanlike behaviors that extend beyond basic appreciation? All silly and pointless. Repeatedly posting on a BroadwayWorld Love Thread? Silly and pointless.

It seems like every other poster has a new personal set of qualifications for what's acceptable and what they want people to feel guilty about. I think that is silly and pointless, too.

There are many repeat stage door addicts that I'm guessing are consistently polite and appropriately behaved. There are one-time stage doorers who take that once in a lifetime chance to be as awful and squealing and disrespectful as possible. So, to me, it isn't the specifics of what you're doing (within reason), it's the way you behave.

[amoni]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 6:02pm

"However, if you go see a show and someone you want to see isn't there or doesn't come out then you lost your chance to get their autograph."

LOL, really now?

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 6:14pm

...for the most part, it would be out of the ordinary, but it could happen, depending what "your" reaosns are for being there.
Sometimes people see the show, but don't get to get autographs, etc...so it shouold be fine for them to go another day.
Just "stage dooring" without having an interest in the show, though, i find it a bit tacky, IMHO. =[

[Actor2]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 6:19pm

I stagedoored Mary Poppins after seeing a Rent matinee over the summer. The New Amsterdam stage door is right across the street, and the actors were coming out just as I was leaving.
Updated On: 7/1/08 at 06:19 PM

[dinglehopper89]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 8:47pm

as mentioned by a few people, I think as long as you saw the show at some point with those same actors, it's okay to stage door on a different day than you saw the show.

I saw Legally Blonde a few weeks ago and couldn't go to stage door because I went with the town and we were rushing to go home on the bus. So then last week after I saw Xanadu, I went to stage door for that, and, since Xanadu is only 90 minutes, I was able to catch the LB stage door and get the sigs and pictures with all the actors I had just seen a few weeks before.

[p.s.]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 9:51pm

as mentioned by a few people, I think as long as you saw the show at some point with those same actors, it's okay to stage door on a different day than you saw the show.

Last year, I walked past the Al Hirschfeld Theatre about two dozen times on the way back to my parked car, after seeing Les Miserables at the Broadhurst. Most often, the timing was such that Curtains had let out and David Hyde Pierce was in front signing autographs.
Late in the year, when I finally got to actually see Curtains, I didn't have time to stagedoor and get his autograph.

The following week, once again he was out signing. I waited on line, spoke to him for a while ( I saw your show last week, you're terrific, blah blah blah), and finally got his autograph -- on my Les Miserables Playbill.



p.s. He made sure to inform me that he wasn't in THAT show.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 10:30pm

However, if you go see a show and someone you want to see isn't there or doesn't come out then you lost your chance to get their autograph. It's live theatre that by definition is unpredictable.

The definition of live theatre has little if anything to do with the topic being discussed. What you're proposing is completely ridiculous.

[broadwaygal3]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 6:19am

This is one of my pet peeves. I strongly feel that you can go to the stage door after you have seen the show, if you want to meet the actors and tell them how much you enjoyed their performance or get an autograph.

What I don't like is when people have not seen the show, and just hang out by the stage door to see who comes out, and half the time they don't even know who they are! Example: We waited at the stage door after seeing Damn Yankees, and when Jane Krakowski came out, a guy in front of us said "Who's that?" Huh?
Did he see the show?

I also hate it when autograph sellers take up space at the stage door just so they can sell them on Ebay when the fans are waiting there to meet their favorite actors.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 5:04pm

I don't like if I'm waiting to meet the actors after seeing the show, and random tourists or maybe even locals will say, "Who is everybody waiting for?" Then it's said and those people say, "Oh my Gosh! I Love them!"
Then all of a sudden they're waiting as well.
This is more likely after a concert than a Broadway show, but it does happen at both.

My theory is, who really cares if someone comes a night they didn't see it? Maybe the night they did see it, they had plans after, or it was bad weather. If it doesn't interfere with me, I really don't care.

When I saw "The Color Purple" I was so incredibly moved to tears (in a good way) by the show and the actors, that I actually just wanted to meet them and thank them. I wasn't there for autographs or pictures, and I think THAT actually took them by surprise. That I really just wanted to meet them, and nothing more.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 7:32pm

I think it would be awkward to ask for an autograph without the playbill. I saw Gypsy on a sat matinee and didn't get any autographs, so I'm going to bring my playbill and go to the stage door again. I normally wouldn't go again but come on it's PATTI LUPONE!!!! It's worth it.

[16andschizo]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 11:29pm

i think Craww said it perfectly, it totally depends on how you behave!

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 1:18am

While I normally would not do this, I actually did tonight somewhat accidentally. Keep in mind that I don't live in New York and thus have a much smaller chance of seeing/meeting any of these actors. So tonight I was on my way back from Avenue Q and trying to walk but no one was moving. Not even the typical NY crowd. I mean literally standstill. So I'm about to speak up and say get the hell out of my way when I realize that people are somewhat lining up (but in a chaotic mess) for Legally Blonde. Now I went and saw this in May when LBB was still in it, but since Orfeh, Christian Borle, and Kate Shindle didn't come out, I really wanted their autographs/a photo/to tell them (esp. Kate) how freaking talented they are. I even went a few feet away and bought a Legally Blonde windowcard for them to sign.

I waited with everyone else, but unfortunately NONE of those people came out. Luckily, I DID get a photo with Bailey and (for me way more exciting) Autumn! They may not quite be Broadway stars and (no offense but) I would never pay to see this show again with Bailey, but still I was happy to get to meet her and Autumn. The stagedoor guy (who I just don't like, mainly because he was the one in May to inform us [roughly 45 minutes after we were waiting] that "Laura Bell doesn't come out for matinees", as if it were the most obvious thing in the world) told everyone they could only get a photo of Bailey while she was signing since she's sort of the It Girl (and I emphasize GIRL) right now (just look at our own front page). By that time a really nice Mom gave me an extra playbill so I had her sign that and got a photo, thanked her, lied through my teeth on how talented she was (to be fair, have not seen her perform outside the show and the SMB single but still), and screamed "It's A Hit!". So yeah. That's my story. Kind of glad I got to meet them since I won't be paying to see it anytime soon.

And to BroadwayBelle2, does Patti even come out? I've stagedoored Gypsy twice and she didn't come out either time.
Updated On: 7/28/08 at 01:18 AM

[winston89]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 1:26am

I mean even if you stage door more then once for the same show after seeing it more then once it could make the actors feel uncomfortable. I remember a couple of weeks ago I saw Avenue Q on a friday and stage doored. I really wanted to go to see one of the actresses and did and got to meet her afterwards and she was VERY nice etc. Due to me being lazy and literally right there I saw it again the next day. Fine by me. I wanted to get some autographs for the cast members that I didn't see. And, she rememberd who I was etc but seemed a little taken aback that I was there. Then the next week I saw The Country Girl and wanted Chip Zien to sign because I am a fan of his and wanted him to sign. Because the stage door for the Jacobs and The Golden are in the same place I saw the same actress from Avenue Q who was a little taken aback to see me there even though I told her that I didn't see the show and that I saw The Country Girl.

I feel like multipal stage dooring is okay but you have to have a good sense of when your crossing the line or not. I have never crossed the line or even came close to doing so.

[cactusb]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 10:36am

If I paid to see a show, and for whatever reason, some star of the show doesn't come out or goes out a different door then I will go back at a later date to try to get their autograph or maybe a picture with. (Depending on who the star might be).

The whole idea of only getting one chance and if you don't you lose is ridiculous. Especially with the prices they are charging these days. If I have to go back a time or two, the least the celeb can do is sign my Playbill.

(Don't get me wrong, the dealers who swarm the stage doors only to try and get 20 photos signed are ridiculous and rude. However, until these clebs put a stop to it, and refuse to sign for them, they will continue to swarm the stage doors and make the experince less than pleasurable).

[Sharon Lover]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 10:47am

I did it once at "Chicago" I've seen the show before but not that night. I really wanted to meet Roz Ryan and Brenda Braxton and I was honest with them and they didn't mind. I didn't push little girls aside as I've seen people do so I didn't feel bad. In fact Roz was the last to come out, they took the baracades away, and there was only one other fan there who wanted to meet her besides me and my two friends.

I wouldn't do it too often though, that's a bit sketch. You should support them in someway, hell, just buy the cd and you have a reason right there!

[Patash]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 11:06am

I really dislike it when people tell stories and can't remember all the details, but I'm going to do it anyway. Sorry I can't remember the specific details, but this is the gist of it.

Who was it -- someone quite famous -- who told about coming out the stage door and having some creepy fan gushing "OH, tonight was the best performance you ever gave. It was just perfect." The star said something like, "Really? Weren't you bothered when I fell down those stairs and they had to stop the show." To which the fan continued to gush something like, "Oh but you handled it so well, it didn't make any difference." And then the star said, "Honey, I didn't fall down any stairs tonight. Why don't you come back AFTER you've seen the show."

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 11:13am

Updated On: 5/3/09 at 11:13 AM