Info for anyone who plans to stagedoor All My Sons....

[April Saul]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 8:45am

I saw All My Sons last week--really powerful and well-worth the discounted ticket! I wanted the four leads to sign my Playbill and discovered that they had a system I've never encountered before. They set up barricades and one side is for people who have just seen the performance, and the other is for papparazzi and anybody else who has not just exited the theater. Not realizing this at the time, I stood on the wrong side when I came out, and watched the backs of Katie Holmes and Patrick Wilson as they signed for folks on the other side. Wiest and Lithgow, however, were very friendly and signed for all of us. I was in the neighborhood again a few days later, and figured I'd get the other two signatures; it was then that I discovered this policy and of course, they didn't allow me to stand in the right place, because I'd seen the show, but not THAT DAY. Patrick Wilson, who looked a little dazed both days (emotionally exhausted from the performance?) signed, but Katie again shunned the side I was on. The security guys said that she had been strictly instructed to only sign on the one side and not to turn towards the other, EVER. From the little I could see, she never cracked a smile and really didn't seem to enjoy the process--maybe as Cruise's wife and a film and TV actress, all she's experienced is being a paparazzi target and there's been no enjoyment for her in this sort of thing. Just wanted to post this because I know there's people on this board that like to stagedoor, and if you don't know where to stand, this one is pretty tricky! The correct place to stand is to the left of the door if you're standing in the street looking at it, or ask the security people if you're not clear. And exit the theater quickly, as there were TONS of people doing this when I went by on Sunday!

[That Groovy Guy]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 9:09am

I'm pretty sure there was a post here recently that said they were following the same procedure at Equus.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 9:13am

I walked by the other night and it didn't look like they were checking tickets or anything like that. What it did look like was the wall of photographers on one side; people on the other.

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 9:20am

I saw a saturday mat and only John and Katie came out, John signed both sides, however katie walked out signed 3 playbill and was whisked into an suv. HOWEVER, when she came out she looked like she wanted to smile but was holding it back. Its just so strange to see her on stage in her element so full of life, and then to exit the stage and show no emotion, and have her face covered by glasses.

[kec]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 9:21am

"I'm pretty sure there was a post here recently that said they were following the same procedure at Equus."

Yes, but the difference is that Daniel Radcliffe does go to both sides.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 10:10am

All you had to do was mail your Playbill to any of the actors with the request of having it signed by the entire cast. Along with it you enclose a large self-addressed and pre-paid shipping envelope and in a few days you'd have your Playbill back, signed by EVERYONE and you didn't need to do all the stagedoor crap.

I know several people who have Playbills from EVERY season and each one is signed by the entire cast of the show (including ensemble members) and none of them once bothered to do the whole stagedoor routine after seeing a performance.

If you're obsessed with wanting to have a photograph of the actor (with or without them), that's one thing as you have to do the stagedoor bit for this, but just a signed Playbill? Come on, folks. Use some common sense here.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 10:17am

Thanks "April Saul" for the heads up. :)

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 11:24am

Slight tangent, but:

Brody, for me, a signature is a souvenir and a memento of meeting someone I'm a fan of. An autograph by someone I never met means nothing to me. A picture is nice, too, but the autograph is really what I use to remember the occasion.

That's why I choose to stagedoor rather than mail in my Playbill.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 11:32am

This isn't really a new invention, it's the system from 3 Days of Rain.