How To Not Be Creepy At Stage Door

Alright kids - here's the deal. Stage Dooring is part of being a musical theatre fan. For the most part it ends up as a pleasant experience. Stage Dooring at a show can go one of two ways. It can make your night, or leave you feeling like a complete idiot. Here's a few things to avoid:

1. Do not refer to an actor by their character's name.(i.e "OMG there's Uncle Fester!".
2. Do not say "You did a good job!". They know.
3. Do not yell at them like a Justin Beiber fan girl.
4. Do not ask an actor if anyone else is coming out.
5. Do not follow an actor after they leave the theatre. (Unless of course they are your Lin.)

And most of all....Do not act like this creepster:

Creepy guy at Shrek stage door
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7whWfYnWMw

Creepy guy at Lion King stage door
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ofF8WRabhA

I had to stop watching a bit through those videos.. it seems almost fake its so over the top..

"Were you in the show?" Cringe!

For the life of me I will NEVER understand why some freaks think that the price of a ticket to the show includes "private time" with the star in the alley after wards.

It's funny how the stage door experience has, for some people, become part of the entire show experience. It almost seems like the stage door is more important than the actual show, which it isn't. An actor's responsibility to the audience ends when curtain comes down after curtain call.

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Agreed adamgreer, i said that wrong. However i think it CAN be a cool part of the experiance. I just pray to God that i don't look like that guy when i'm doing it.

The two times I've done it have been pleasant experiences with everybody else around me being extremely polite and considerate to the actors coming out.

O my gosh he's even creepier with kids:

Young Simba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G92tut1hyg

Young Fiona
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZ95Qz4gnQ

^As a side note, i love how he automatically thinks the black guy was Donkey.

Another one is don't ask a peformer will another actor be coming out or have they left. It's like stealing their thunder.

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AKWARD. And Haven DOES look freaking pissed in that Shrek video. HAHA.

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Updated On: 10/26/10 at 02:19 PM

I agree with touching them. They are real people too, so I don't see what touching them really does. It is one thing if you ask if you can get a picture with them, and you happen to just touch in some way for that. But asking for a hug, which I have seen, is really weird, in my opinion.

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I don't mind when people ask if other people are coming out, though I understand how it may come off to some people. The actor may or may not assume the stagedoor fans are friends with the other actor they are asking for. And assumedly, people in casts should be friends and respect one another, and respect that different people have different fans.

I've always been the type who doesn't see signing at a stagedoor as an actor's "responsibility" or, "part of their job." It's not the right of the audience member to get an autograph, nor is the stage door an "institution."

This all being said, the absolute worst thing that I find unconscionable and inappropriate, is when people compliment actors on their prior roles in other works, rather than the performance at hand. It's classless and irrelevant. Like the Donna Murphy example above. I think it's the worst offense you can make at a stagedoor. Worse than following an actor home, or asking for a photo or a kiss, or asking " is someone else is coming out" It's just wrong.

Then again, to clarify, I don't see a problem with people complimenting actors by saying, "I saw you in ... rare show 10 years ago... and I decided to see you in this, and you were great" But with ensemble members, it's sometimes complimentary to say " I saw you in ..." which might be something they're not often recognized for. Just as long as people know the etiquette is to compliment the current performance, and not say, "You were great in ... previous show."

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Don't worry. He only finds it unconscionable until the next paragraph.