Hugging Actors At Stage Door

[broadwayfan128]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 8:42am

i saw some guy do this at a stage door yesterday and the actor just looked Uncomfortable.My thoughts on this unless the actor goes in for the hug DON'T DO IT

Even worse the guy did not even see the show he had pictures from Movies they were in 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 9:08am

DO
NOT
EVER
TOUCH
THE
ACTORS

(or anyone, for that matter)

[Dave13]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 9:11am

That’s certainly uncalled for. There are idiots in every crowd. You would think the barricades would prevent that, but I guess not.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 9:12am

As a person who is a hugger, don't hug strangers. That should be common sense.

[magictodo123]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 9:42am

I think it is only okay under two circumstances:

You ask before it happens.

Maybe, it's possible that the actor initiates it. But I think the first one is more likely. I haven't seen many actors do this, except maybe Christy Altomare? 

ALWAYS, ALWAYS ask permission first. If they say no, that's it. 

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 9:54am

The only time I’ve ever hugged a stranger while in queue to meet someone was after meeting the person that we were both waiting for for a couple of hours I turned to the stranger that I had waited with and had been taking to and out of nowhere gave them a hug. Never hug a stranger. Never hug at the stage door

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 10:03am

You people have this all twisted around. When I hug an actor at the stage door, I am not hugging them. I am hugging their character and what they went through in the show, and how I related to it. Hugging the actor would be totally weird and inappropriate.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 10:35am

Maybe I've just gotten lucky, but I've ended up hugging a lot of actors at the stage door...but I never once initiated it. Jeanna de Waal, David Cook, Lena Hall, John Cameron Mitchell, Carmen Cusack, Jenn Colella, Carrie St. Louis, Annaleigh Ashford, Laura Dreyfuss, Laura Osnes, Betsy Wolfe, and pretty much everyone from Anastasia and Fun Home are all people who have hugged me at the stage door. I saw Anastasia and Fun Home a bunch of times, so I get that. But the other actors, I don't know. Like I said, I have never initiated a hug with an actor at a stage door. I've never thought I looked particularly huggable, but it just seems to happen a lot with me. I'm not uncomfortable with it or anything, it's just a bit surprising.

Updated On: 6/3/19 at 10:35 AM

[broadwayfan128]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 10:41am

Dave13 said: "That’s certainly uncalled for. There are idiots in every crowd. You would think the barricades would prevent that, but I guess not."

off broadway no barricades

as the actor was walking away the guy just reached in for the hug

 

what made it more awkward her boyfriend was standing right there! 

[hak5]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 10:45am

when I went backstage at Come From Away to meet Chad Kimball he gave me a hug good-bye as I was leaving.

but if you feel the need.... ASK before you do

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 11:18am

I have never initiated a hug at stage door. However, last summer when at stage door after I saw Hamilton in Chicago again, I got emotional and started crying while talking to one of the actors and he hugged me. I get passionate about certain shows and the tears just flow. Hamilton is my favorite show and while the first time I saw it felt like a natural extension of having Obama in the White House, now it feels even more vital in our current political environment so that’s what cues the tears at stage door when I’m relating that. Okay, I know that was long-winded. Sorry...

The only other thing related that I can think of as far as hugging is earlier year in February, after Network we were told that Bryan Cranston would come out but we were in no way supposed to touch him. And that his assistant would take pics of us with him using our phones. So it comes my time to get my picture with Mr. Cranston and as I recall he puts his hand on my back and I instinctively put my hand around his waist or on his back (as I would with someone I know next to me during a pic) and then I kind of gasped and said “oh my God I’m so sorry I touched you.” He laughed it off and didn’t seem to mind but I was apologetic.

Updated On: 6/3/19 at 11:18 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 11:33am

I agree with you Miles2Go2. I think hugs are fine *if* the actor initiates it. Kind of odd/awkward though if one of the fans just did it without even asking. 

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 11:55am

And NEVER "Joe Biden" them!

[artscallion]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 12:11pm

I would suggest that asking a stranger for a hug is also inappropriate. It puts them in the uncomfortable position of having to say no, which can be awkward. So some will end up saying yes when they really want to say no. Do not hug, or ask to hug strangers.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 12:18pm

I know my share of actors and after the show visit them backstage. We will often exit through the stage door and say goodbye behind the barricade. This often includes a hug but it also sends a signal that this actor I'd "a hugger" and those waiting outside feel they're entitled to hugs, too. I've learned to hug before we go through the door.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 4:13pm

CurtainPullDowner said: "And NEVER "Joe Biden" them!"

This actually made me laugh out loud, although it is definitely true.

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 4:20pm

I will NEVER EVER understand the need to stage door. I go see a show and go home.

If I know someone in the cast I NEVER go back stage. I do what normal friends do, chat on the phone and meet wherever suits but never at their place of work.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 5:48pm

I'm not particularly into physical contact with strangers so I would never initiate a hug. How do you negotiate that so you don't come across as weird and too into it? Haterobics makes the point well. You have no real intimacy with this person.

As long as the actors aren't uncomfortable, I imagine this is different with children who don't have a great sense of boundaries anyway.

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 5:55pm

SweetLips22 said: "If I know someone in the cast I NEVER go back stage. I do what normal friends do, chat on the phone and meet wherever suits but never at their place of work."

Hmm, usually people I know have said to be sure to come backstage after the show?!

[markypoo]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 7:56pm

Anthony Rapp and I shared a hug in front of the Ambassador Theatre in February 1999, and it was a truly beautiful moment.

[Shh_413]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 8:14pm

Hugging actors at the stage door without their initial consent is just a good way to spread germs that could affect their performance the following days.

Broadway is a stressful work environment and requires actors to be in their peak condition, much like athletes, to make their living. They spend most of their days huddled together in cramped conditions in an old building which does nothing good for their health anyways without randos hugging them every day. (inb4 someone says, "Well, they shouldn't stage door at all then if they're so precious about their health." Yeah, because people on social media are very forgiving of that.)

[Tom5]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 8:14pm

As I mentioned before I wonder how many tickets must be sold on a daily basis to pay for the cars and limos the producers must provide for the actors to get them away from the theater unharassed.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 8:54pm

Not at stagedoor per say, but I've hugged a few actors despite not being a real hugger.

The one that always comes to mind was how practically the full cast of Be More Chill off-Broadway hugged me at their June meet and greet last year. They were glad I brought the book and knew a lot about the show since I was a huge fan back then (Which I'm not anymore actually, but it's still nice.) 

My favorite hug was definitely when I spotted Will Roland at Hadestown and went over just to say hi and appreciate his work in Hansen, as many others were doing, and surprisingly enough he recognized me from the aforementioned meet and greet and hugged me, stating how kind and dedicated I must be to his work. He's probably the sweetest actor I've ever met and it was very touching that HE was the one to offer the hug AND remember my name.

I don't remember being involved in a hug at SpongeBob, but the group of girls next to me kept squealing and hugging the actors. It wasn't appropriate, but the actors seemed very happy about it, and it's expected at a show like Spongebob. 

The only hugging scenario I think is appropriate and polite would be if the actor initiates it (as Will Roland did) or if you ASK first and it is not the first time meeting the actor. Otherwise it's a bit out of bounds to expect a hug.

[Tom5]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 9:09pm

There's one big name actor I know who has his own stage door rule: No tongues and no exceptions. The nerve!

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 6/3/19 at 9:49pm

Tom5 said: "There's one big name actor I know who has his own stage door rule: No tongues and no exceptions. The nerve!"

I was going to say avoid French kissing or cutting snippets of hair with a pocket knife or  scissors . And I would not give them any arts and crafts you have made in your garage or homemade liquor concoctions as well as any sausage and cheese platters because many are vegetarian. I think Miss Manners has a column of this.

 

This is the most original thread of the week. Bravo!