How do Broadway actors leave the theatre when they skip the Stagedoor?

[aces25]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 11:42pm

I’ve always been curious about how they leave the building when the security guard tells everyone that the actors have all gone home. In these old buildings with limited exits, how do the actors actually leave?

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 11:57pm

The answer, put simply, is that it’s none of our business. Where there is a stage door, there’s many ways around it. By speaking to where the alternative exits are, it creates an unsafe situation for performers and crew who want to go home unimpeded in the future.

Updated On: 10/17/25 at 11:57 PM

[Bloomgarten]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 1:18am

Secret tunnels built during Prohibition. 

[Markie27]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 1:27am

I hate to admit it but I was one of those assholes who wait for some actors who chose not to come out of the main stage door.  Before the pandemic I was an autograph hound and waited hours to get those signatures from these actors.  In Hamilton some actors come out of the front entrance door in the lobby near the box office.  That’s where I got Philippa Soo signature as she steps out of that exit with her bike.  Also sometimes the security guard says everyone left already when in fact some actors just wait until the crowd disburses before they make their exits.  That happened when I have to wait for hours after the crowd left for Benjamin Walker to come out from American Psycho.  Same with Katrina Lenk in the Band’s Visit.  And yes after the pandemic I stopped doing stage door and do admit now that it was such an asshole move to do those things to those poor actors who just want to be left alone as they may be tired or do not want to deal with fans.  But while I did those deplorable things I am very thankful to those said actors for being very courteous and still gave me the time to sign my playbills. Never once were they mean nor rude even when I realize now if I was in their shoes I would be fuming.  That’s why I never did it again.  We should all respect these actors who gave their thousand percent all to the show and just want to go home and rest.  

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 4:47am

After the performance they head towards the roof awaitng a helicoptor ride

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 6:37am

I mean no disrespect to OP (who seems to have been here way longer than I have), but I hope no one who knows answers this question.

Not because I think OP is asking with any boundary-pushing purposes (I don't), but just in case anyone stumbles across this thread, and decides to use any information provided to push beyond the appropriate boundaries after shows.

I hope this doesn't come off as rude, I just think extra care needs to be paid to this topic!

[MysteriousLady]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 6:49am

Every theater is different, so there isn't one answer. I think at Circle in the Square, for example, has an alternative exit if I remember correctly. 

I saw Carol Burnett's last matinee in Love Letters ten years ago. She walked out through the main doors of the lobby while everyone was lined up at stage door. One girl said "okay, I like her but that wasn't cool" lol. Gurl, leave that 80 year old alone. 

[pmensky]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 7:39am

Mr. Bundles.

[aces25]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 7:58am

I’m not asking to follow anyone, I’m just asking out of curiosity.

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 8:02am

For me I would love to know how they pulled off the great bette Midler disappearance of hello Dolly. I found that one the most fascinating.  It was like a show after the show.  

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 8:19am

Not sure what you mean? When I saw Hello Dolly, Bette left through stage door, shook hands and thanked people at stage door (wearing a glove, of course) and then entered her black car. No selfies. She didn't stop for any photos or signed any playbills/posters.

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 9:24am

You must have seen it in the first couple previews. Apparently there was a car within and she would leave right into traffic via some sort of door that went directly to the street out.  Or something.  But i have no clue.  Like is the bf Schubert connected to that majestic type weird stagedoor?   I’ve never wrapped my head around it. A friend within the show didn’t understand it either. They knew she left via this method but didn’t understand how.  They said it would generally happen while they were stagedooring and it would happen a half block away from the theater almost.  They never saw how she left. But knew she had some arrangement 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 10:17am

“when the security guard tells everyone that the actors have all gone home.”
That just means security has timed out. 
 

I believe that whole collection of theatres between 44th and 45th are connected via outdoor gangways. It’s possible for someone to enter through The Shubert and exit through The Golden.

Updated On: 10/18/25 at 10:17 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 4:21pm

I just hope the security folks get paid overtime for waiting until every actor leaves the theater through stage door.

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/18/25 at 4:46pm

aces25 said: "I’m not asking to follow anyone, I’m just asking out of curiosity."

While you may not, someone mentioned that people could later look at this thread and find exactly the information they need to create a major safety issue. I’ve been on a few autograph groups on Facebook and some people have gone to great lengths (using information like this) to obtain elusive autographs. I always rip them because they aren’t actually intending to seem the show. Shame the devil…

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 10/19/25 at 11:22am

I agree with some of the previous comments.  To ask about how actors leave thru non stage door exits is a bit too much.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 10/19/25 at 11:47am

Call_me_jorge said: "“when the security guard tells everyone that the actors have all gone home.”
That just means security has timed out.


I believe that whole collection of theatres between 44th and 45th are connected via outdoor gangways. It’s possible for someone to enter through The Shubert and exit through The Golden." 

Having been in some of those areas while working, while some but not all do connect between one another some don’t. Some involve one walking through another theatre to get out from a side exit. So I don’t think that that’s a viable option for actors to avoid the stage doors.

I will say, I think that it’s a good idea that some theatres have set up an almost makeshift stage door area. I’ve see that at The Outsiders for example. Which is great because this allows actors who don’t wish to sign can walk out the regular stage door. I think it was done at The Nederlander too. Don’t think it can be done at every theatre. But, when possible it should. 

[fray3]

Posted: 10/19/25 at 4:07pm

when i went to see MHE none of the actors came out to sign, but some still left through the stage door and everyone just left them alone

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 10/19/25 at 4:46pm

this thread should be deleted

[dwirth]

Posted: 10/19/25 at 8:03pm

At one closed show from the post-Covid time period, by the time I got down from my seat upstairs, I saw one of the leads, hoodie up, walking along side me in the lobby, blending in with the exiting audience - and then walking right out the front door and down the street... Brilliant!