Going to the stage door, and not seeing the show.- Page 3

[Sharon Lover]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 11:25am

When I read that story I immediately thought of Patti.
Updated On: 7/28/08 at 11:25 AM

[TheaterBaby]

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

"If I have to go back a time or two, the least the celeb can do is sign my Playbill."

The price you pay is for admission to the performance and nothing else.
If an actor signs your playbill or takes a photo with you, consider it a perk. It's not part of the admission fee.
They have every right to avoid the stage door crowd if they choose.

[winter_sky]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 12:49pm

winston89,

There is a big difference in the reaction you will get if you are there three times in one week, especially when 2 of those are on consecutive days and the reaction when you support the show over a period of time.

[winston89]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 1:48pm

Winter_Sky,

I know and understand that. The second time I saw Avenue Q was with a firend of mine who wanted to see the show and stage door after. I wouldn't normally do the whole stage door thing but my friend wanted to so I said yes. I only tried to get the two actors who's autographs I didn't get for the sake of getting them while I was there. It did feel strange when I ran into the same actress again I will admit. Had it not been for my friend wanting to stage door I would have left without doing so.

He got turned onto the whole stage door thing when we won the lotto for In The Heights awhile back and found out that you could do that. So, everytime we go to the theatre (which has only been a few times thus far) he likes to stage door.

Your right that it comes off differently if I go back in two weeks rather then the next day. And, I do feel bad because I wouldn't normally do what I did.

[avab802]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 4:27pm

I don't think there's anything wrong with returning to the stage door at a later date if someone you wanted to meet didn't come out on the day you saw the show. I would never try to pretend I'd just seen the show though; I'd be honest and tell them I saw it [insert day here] but missed seeing them afterwards (or something to that effect).

Personally, I think it's kind of rude to stage door a show that you've never seen. You can't honestly tell the actor you enjoyed their performance, because you didn't see it. Even if it's someone really famous who I'd love to meet, I either make time to see the show or I just don't meet them.

Also, maybe I'm just getting less bold in my old age, but I even feel weird asking an actor to sign anything other than the Playbill or window card from the show they are currently in. For example, I saw Claire Danes in Pygmalion last year, and brought my "My So-Called Life" DVD box set for her to sign. But when I was out there, face to face with her, I felt like a tool busting out a 12-year-old TV show & asking her to sign it. So I didn't, and just got her to sign my Pygmalion Playbill. I *might* bring a Playbill/window card from a previous show the actor was in, or a solo CD s/he has out, but it would have to be someone I really like for me to do that.

[adelaide3]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 5:34pm

I have a good story too, except it's kind of a reverse-stagedooring story. I can't remember what year, but around 10 years ago when I was a little kid, my mom took me to see Annie. She somehow knew the stage manager or something so we got to go backstage after the performance, walk around the stage and see the set and meet some of the girls who were in it. It was really fun, they signed my Playbill, yadda yadda, but we left through the stage door the same time all the little girls who were in the show were leaving. People asked me to sign their Playbill and my mom kept shooing them away, saying "She's not in the show," but no one would listen and all these parents were getting angry because I wouldn't sign their kid's Playbill. We made a hasty exit, but in retrospect it was pretty hilarious. :)

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 9:11pm

LOL I signed someone's playbill after a show one time. I had been backstage talking to a friend who worked there and didn't mean to leave right when the show was getting out, but time-wise that's how it worked. These people insisted my friend and I sign their playbill, so I did.
Serves them right for asking for an autograph of someone they clearly didn't even realize was NOT in the show.

So, keep that in mind when you're asking someone to sign a playbill and you don't remember seeing them.

[James Kerrigan2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 4:01pm

I'm stagedooring Anastasia again on the 19th because Christy couldn't come out. 

Do they give away playbills at the box office?

[haterobics]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 4:33pm

James Kerrigan2 said: "I'm stagedooringAnastasia again on the 19th because Christy couldn't come out.

Do they give away playbills at the box office?"

Wouldn't you want her to sign the same Playbill from the last time you went?!

[robskynyc]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 4:46pm

JoeKv99 said: "Even Lance Bass came out eventually."

LMAO 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 4:57pm

If you’ve seen the show and missed s few autographs, I have no problem with you coming back. Bring your Playbill and come back.

I personally have a problem with someone not seeing the show and lining up a couple of hours before the show is over so they get to be in the front of the line, blocking people who actually bought tickets...and then pretending they were there. That just annoys the cr*p out of me.

[haterobics]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 5:00pm

Usually, I wait and the end of the line if I didn't see a show, and did that the other day at Straight White Men to get Armie to sign something. Only, since there were other cast members were already gumming up the line, Armie came to me first and worked backwards. Oh well... I tried

[James Kerrigan2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 5:33pm

haterobics said: "James Kerrigan2 said: "I'm stagedooringAnastasia again on the 19th because Christy couldn't come out.

Do they give away playbills at the box office?"

Wouldn't you want her to sign the same Playbill from the last time you went?!"

Yes, but it would be awkward to say when someone that already signed my playbill from the last time I stagedoored to sign the same playbill from before. 

 

[James Kerrigan2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 5:38pm

KathyNYC2 said: "If you’ve seen the show and missed s few autographs, I have no problem with you coming back. Bring your Playbill and come back.

I personally have a problem with someone not seeing the show and lining up a couple of hours before the show is over so they get to be in the front of the line, blocking people who actually bought tickets...and then pretending they were there. That just annoys the cr*p out of me."

I hate when people do that it is so rude and nervy is it just me thinks that there should be someone checking tickets for people in the first row of big shows like Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen.

One thing I also hate it when people bring photos for them to sign just so they can sell it on eBay.

 

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 9:26pm

Personally, I don't mind when people haven't seen the show so long as they don't make the experience difficult for people who did see the show. When I saw Dear Evan Hansen in November, I only was able to meet Michael Lee Brown and Olivia Puckett (who were on for Evan and Zoe). This past June, after I saw Come from Away and went to their stagedoor, I walked over to the Dear Evan Hansen stagedoor to meet some of the actors I didn't have the chance to meet when I saw the show. It was totally calm and easy.

[James Kerrigan2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 10:36pm

thebookofwhizzer said: "Personally, I don't mind when people haven't seen the show so long as they don't make the experience difficult for people who did see the show. When I saw Dear Evan Hansen in November, I only was able to meet Michael Lee Brown and Olivia Puckett (who were on for Evan and Zoe). This past June, after I saw Come from Away and went to their stagedoor, I walked over to the Dear Evan Hansen stagedoor to meet some of the actors I didn't have the chance to meet when I saw the show. It was totally calm and easy."

I'm suprised it was calm and easy at the Dear Evan Hansen stagedoor it probably started to calmed down after Ben left.

[Speed]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:00am

Drunk Chita Rivera said: "I think it depends on the situation. I think if you saw the show before and someone didn't come out it's fine. Or if you don't act like a stalker. Also if you didn't see the show respect the other actors."

How can you not at like a stalker?  Wait for an actor at the stage door IS stalking.  They have to come out a door and stalkers take advantage of that so that can "thank the actor" when a standing ovation would've been enough.

[yesraccoons]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:17am

I think it’s fine but it would be nice if at the stage door people who just saw the show had priority. I saw the final Great Comet performance and I RAN out the door and there was no space at all. I had to slowly make my way to the barraciade by ducking and somehow convincing some dad to let me switch places with him. I still had to raise my stuff over peoples heads to get it signed.

Most of these people hadn’t even seen the show that day!! Or ever for some!! That was annoying. Stagedoor as many times as you want but please let the people who just saw it get priority. Like make a space for people who hadn’t just seen it and the rest goes to people leaving the theater. (Pretty sure some shows do this?)

[haterobics]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 1:21am

James Kerrigan2 said: "Yes, but it would be awkwardto say when someone that already signed my playbill from the last time I stagedoored to sign the same playbill from before."

Don't have everyone sign it again? If you stand there, and someone you already got is coming, don't hold your Playbill up and just say something nice to them as they pass. No actor is going to be upset they don't have to sign more things.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 1:40am

I do this often. Well, kinda.

On Friday nights before I hit up the Hell’s kitchen bars, I go watch people leave the stage door at various theaters but I do it across the street from a distance. I think it’s kinda cool to see them interact with the fans, And to see the love they get.

When I have seen the show, I don’t want to be in the back Trying to get my playbill signed. I also don’t want to leave during Bows Just to get there early. Instead I usually just come the next day and get a spot before the crowd comes out.

[theaterwiz414]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 8:08am

Stagedooring 101:

MOST IMPORTANT- If you did not see the show THAT DAY, if your ticket does not have that day printed on it, if you didn't even see the show--PRIORITY goes to the people coming out of the theater who actually saw the show. I've seen a bunch of people who get their photos and autographs, and then step back to let the people behind them have a chance. I had an awful experience at the DEH stage door where I saw the show and then wanted to stagedoor. I ended up in this corner, where there was also a barricade for people who had not seen the show, but still wanted to greet the actors. An awful woman put her arm over the barrier so I couldn't get to the front. She kept moving her arm, and I think she was even bragging about how she hadn't seen the show but she was still going to meet the actors. I said "excuse me" so I could put my arm there, since I'm short, and she was incredibly rude in her response. Eventually I ended up just putting my arm on top of hers or next to it and slightly pushed it away so I''d have enough space to get my playbill in a place where the actors could see it.

 

Otherwise, I've had very positive experience. If you didn't the show, wait. People will move, they will pass playbills forward, they will help you if you ask for pictures. I know that happened when I stagedoored Jessica Vosk's first show at Wicked. We all helped each other.

Main thing, be polite, remember everyone will help you if you ask, and DON'T PUSH. Also, wait by the end of the barricade if you haven't seen the show. Some actors do start at the end, so you might even get to them first, even if you didn't see the show that night!

[BroadwayNoob]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 1:11pm

When I saw DEH from SRO I was able to be the first one out of the theater. There was already almost a full line of people on the barricade that didn't see the show. It was literally insane, but I was still able to squeeze in on the end and got pictures and autographs with everyone that came out (including MLB). 

 

The one time I stagedoored without even seeing the show (and still haven't) was Hamilton. I just had seen Cats with my friend, and we walked by the Richard Rogers to grab a picture by the Schuyler sisters. She had seen Hamilton a couple weeks prior. We walk to the theater and they literally were just opening up the doors to let people out. We saw the cast take their bows from the doors and then went to the stagedoor. There was already a ton of people there, but we still got a good spot, and a nice girl gave my friend an extra playbill she had to get signed

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 1:25pm

Speed said: "Drunk Chita Rivera said: "How can you not at like a stalker? Wait for an actor at the stage door IS stalking. They have to come out a door and stalkers take advantage of that so that can "thank the actor" when a standing ovation would've been enough."

Did you get punched in the face at a stage door, or something? You speak so abhorrently about stagedooring, I can't help but wonder what horrible experience you have had at a stage door...

[haterobics]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 1:35pm

theaterwiz414 said: "MOST IMPORTANT- If you did not see the show THAT DAY, if your ticket does not have that day printed on it, if you didn't even see the show--PRIORITY goes to the people coming out of the theater who actually saw the show."

Unfortunately, after the show you are all just standing on the public sidewalk, so you can come up with rules and etiquette, but you're really just in public space at that point. If a show sets up a barricade to enforce such things, then that will work, but if they don't, it's essentially a free-for-all.

[geoffreyC]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 4:27pm

BroadwayRox3588 said: "Speed said: "Drunk Chita Rivera said: "How can you not at like a stalker? Wait for an actor at the stage door IS stalking. They have to come out a door and stalkers take advantage of that so that can "thank the actor" when a standing ovation would've been enough."

Did you get punched in the face at a stage door, or something? You speak so abhorrently about stagedooring, I can't help but wonder what horrible experience you have had at a stage door..."

The point is, this behavior does creep out some people (myself included).