Jennifer Damiano Stage Door

[patriciaclaire]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:08pm

Does Jenn Damiano come out the stage door after every show? I've waited a few times but after 20-30 minutes I always leave and I was wondering if she just takes a while to get out or just usually doesn't sign at all. Someone told me that she only comes out on weeknights excluding Fridays because there's usually less of a crowd and it's not her favorite thing to do. Is that true? Please help she was my first Ilse in SA, and I'm such a huge fan and I'm dying to meet her. Thank you!

[steven22]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:15pm

All five times I've seen the show, she came out once and was very obnoxious and unappreciative of her fans. When I saw the show 3 weeks ago, she didn't come out and as I was leaving the stage door I saw her sneak out of a side entrance.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:19pm

Why is stage-dooring so important to you people? Who cares if she doesn't come out, or isn't friendly? Many of you judge a performance on whether the performer was nice or not at the stage door. Sad stuff.

[hannah_bway]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:35pm

I don't blame her...if I were her, I would avoid that stage door like the plague.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:36pm

Oh, me too!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:36pm

Who is she? and what show is she in?

[steven22]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:37pm

Jennifer Damiano. She was in Spring Awakening. Has been involved with N2N for the past 2+ years. She plays Natalie Goodman in Next To Normal.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:37pm

Let's face it, the Spring Awakening fans and the N2N groupies have ruined it for everyone. It's not Jenn's fault-I'm sure she'd be happy to sign, she just doesn't want videos of herself posted on facebook and youtube every night by sullen, melancholy kids with no lives.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 1:55pm

She came out on Monday night and was very gracious.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:01pm

I met her at Second Stage and she was very sweet and friendly. She asked us if we liked the show and if we cried, which I thought was funny. There were than 10 people waiting there though. Now I avoid the N2N stage door at all costs. I can understand why she doesn't want to deal with that every night. Scary!

[steven22]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:04pm

on another note....does anyone know for sure if AR is on all weekend?

[Magnolia]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:08pm

On a side note: I went to see the show back in April for my birthday, Jennifer's understudy Megan Fahy was there she IS such a sweetheart!!!!

[steven22]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:13pm

I would love to see Megan when I go tomorrow

[Magnolia]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:22pm

Lj889, I think stage dooring is important because theatre goers pay alot to see these shows ( usually not me because I get student discounts). However, the least the actors can do is show a little gratitude: sign some autographs and take some photos. After all if people don't come to see the show, then there is no show, and you as an actor have no job. Also everytime I've been to the Next to Normal show ( on weeknights) the stage door the crowd was almost empty I usually feel bad.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:26pm

However, the least the actors can do is show a little gratitude: sign some autographs and take some photos.

You just opened a HUGE can of worms. No actor is required to stage door, it is not written in their contracts. Fans and audience members are not entitled to the experience. They paid to see the show.
Updated On: 5/22/10 at 02:26 PM

[Magnolia]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:38pm

I NEVER said the actors are required to stage doors however; it's nice if they do.

[patriciaclaire]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:43pm

Alright, thanks for the responses. I'm assuming she just sort of comes out on random nights, so my meeting her is just the luck of the draw. Just a few side notes....

- I would never judge someone's performance based on whether or not an actor comes out a stage door, or on how "nice" they are. That has nothing to do with their performance.

- Why would she "avoid it like the plague"? All I ever hear about the N2N stage door is "groupies", and "crazy fangirls" but I've never experienced this myself. Are people usually really rowdy or something there? I'd like if someone could clear this up. As far as I've seen, all that Jenn's missing is people who just want to compliment her performance, have her sign a playbill, and a few people who'd like pictures with her. Am I missing something?

- Who cares about a video of you signing playbills on youtube? I think that's a stupid reason to not want to sign at the stage door. Of course, I'm not in Jenn (or any other actor for that matter)'s situation, and my opinion might be different if I were.


I respect any actor's decision to not come out the stage door and sign every night. I understand that they may want to just go home and relax. But really, what exactly is "so bad" about the Booth Theatre stage door?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:43pm

You also said its the LEAST they can do to show gratitude. Give me a small break! After you put in a hard days work how would you feel if people stood outside your office waiting for you when you feel drained asking for photos?

[Magnolia]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 2:52pm

Most actors are appreciative that they have fans. No one ever said it's required to do stage doors- so come on give me a small break. Alright? I went to see Kelsey Grammer in La Cage it was cold and raining that night the line was starting to go down the block but he still was friendly gave autographs and photos for everyone.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 3:03pm

"Of course, I'm not in Jenn (or any other actor for that matter)'s situation, and my opinion might be different if I were"

EXACTLY. BINGO! Ding...ding...ding.....JACKPOT!!!!

[patriciaclaire]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 3:08pm

But honestly what's so bad about the 30 second videos on youtube of actos signing at stage doors? Haha...that single reason that you gave just seems exceptionally stupid. They could always tell people "Don't video tape me signing my autograph for you, and thanking you for your compliment".

There are other reasons why they wouldn't want to stage door...but I'm sorry I really find that one stupid.

And what is so draining about smiling for a photo?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 3:21pm

If you speak to an actor openly, or if you are friends with a working actor, most will tell you that the stage door is very draining. I am not going to argue with people on here who say "its not hard to smile,sign, take a photo, be filmed for 30 seconds, etc" because you really are being quite close-minded.

Many actors are introverts by nature and doing the stage door every night for years on end (for many working actors) can become difficult. Also, most of us have some level of vanity and like "good" photos of ourselves and dont like to be snapped at with cameras and filmed from all angles when tired or trying to go home.

See most of you are looking at it solely from your own perspective and you see it as its not a big deal for ME to ask them to sign, take a photo, but you fail to see is YOU are not the only one asking. It happens every night on a loop, before the show, after the show, on the street.

Then in addition to the regular lot of sweet, kind, respectful, appreciative theatre-goers (like most of you on here I imagine fall into that category) there is a handful of needy, stalkerish and poor-boundaried souls who can make an actor uncomfortable, especially when you are dealing with shows with cult followings (RENT, SA, N2N).

So, in closing, try to think about the bigger picture and realize how nice it is when actor will sign or take photos and kindly respect and not bad mouth when they do not.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 3:31pm

Some people just don't like the attention. It makes them very uncomfortable. There are some very needy folks at the stage door...certainly, not all.

A lifetime ago, I use to do children's theater...we were REQUIRED to do the autograph thing. It was awful, and draining. (OK...the first time you experience it, it IS a rush) But after that....ugh. I dreaded the shows being over.

[hannah_bway]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 3:48pm

Why would she "avoid it like the plague"?

I just meant if I were her, I would. Different shows attract different people to the stage door. I would think that Spring Awakening can't have been a very good stage door experience, and when I was at the Next to Normal stage door, there was a particularly overzealous group of girls who made me feel uncomfortable and I wasn't even the object of their clamoring. I'm not fond of crowds, maybe Jenn's not either. She seems to me like she likes to keep to herself, and I don't think that's something that should be held against someone.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/22/10 at 5:45pm

For what it's worth, Jenn came out on Thursday night and could not have been sweeter. She was so nice and gracious. I complimented her on her voice and said something like "it's amazing that you can sing that well after being in this show for so long." She responded "Well, apparently you haven't seen me when I'm having an off night" and she laughed about it. She clearly knows that her voice goes through ups and downs, but it was also clear that she absolutely loves doing this show. Good for her.