Ridiculousness at If/Then Stage Door Last Night

Saw If/Then last night and stayed at the stage door. It was crowded, but now as packed as I thought it would be. Anthony and everybody else came out. They were followed by Lachanze (who was incredibly sweet), who was about to leave when she saw a girl on crutches at the end of the line who wanted to see Idina, she told security and they let her behind the girl barricades. Idina came out and they got all excited. As she started to make her way down the line and closer towards them, I, and many others, heard them say "What should I have her sign?" They were having the rest of the cast sign a ratty old piece of paper and they reached into their purses and took out Gentleman's Guide playbills. Turns out they hadn't even seen the show yet were getting special treatment to meet Menzel. Before any of you say that maybe they didn't even see the show, they were talking about how much they wanted to see the show. Many people who were crowded behind the barricades were extremely angry. Shouldn't the security guards have asked them if they had even seen it?

On another note there was a lady sitting next to me ranting about the lines regarding Arizona, lightly making fun of it. She said she was on the board of ed of the Arts department at the University of Arizona and was going to write a letter to the creators. Isn't this overreacting a bit?

Aside from these problems I enjoyed the show a lot. Idina got a standing ovation after "Always..."

Updated On: 6/23/14 at 05:16 PM

So, the travesty is that a cast member thought a girl on crutches who loves Idina saw the show, so she got her queued up to have an easier time on the other side of the crowded barricades?

Since they have no way of knowing she attended, and we have no idea if they have plans to attend while visiting NYC (like if they are going Wednesday afternoon, Idina wouldn't come out afterward, so it would make sense to go after a different show), does it matter?

If the people queued up got their stuff signed by Idina, too, it seems to have had no effect.

It was nice of Lachanze, I guess it just bothered me that that they got to take pictures with her and got to sort of chat while she kind of rushed through everyone else's. Now I admit I'm sounding like I'm mad at Menzel for not talking to everyone, I understand that she does not have to come out of the stage door, and I wouldn't blame her for rushing, she must have been exhausted after that exhilarating performance!

Regardless of whether she saw the show that day, she was a young fan on crutches. And the cast made time for her. Who cares if she saw the show that day?

If the girl had not been there at all I am sure your experience would have been the same - she just took some of her time to share it with someone else. Be glad she signed and leave it at that.

For the record, I think Idina should get a freaking medal for routinely signing (except matinees) show after show for the mob waiting for her after she deals with those visiting her dressing room. I get that this is part of the bargain performers make, but it seems like she does it with a smile on her face while all the time I am sure she just wants to go home (you know to her son) and relax.

Then you get two experiences: an interaction with Idina Menzel about how you got hurt, and having to explain to all your friends why you're on crutches in your picture with Idina, since they don't recall you ever being injured recently.

This could be an amazing spectacle - the stage door would turn into Lourdes overnight.

Though how long before the predictable: "Idina signed 3 things for that girl with the neck brace and only 2 things for me in my arm cast??!"

But you're right - she has the patience of a saint. Particularly with how many people seem to be flogging off their playbill collections for a fee lately..

Updated On: 6/23/14 at 06:18 PM

The only thing I understand less than stagedooring and autographs are people who complain about their experiences stagedooring and getting autographs.

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Or, in other words "Daddy, I want an Oompa Loompa".

"I was just annoyed that people who paid to see the show had to pack behind barricades while these girls who didn't pay to see it got special treatment."

Ya see, this ^ harkens to the belief that when you buy a ticket, it includes conversations, pics, and autographs from the cast. You're entitled to that, right?

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It's all been said. And Fisherman Bob wins this thread, hands down..

Updated On: 6/23/14 at 07:00 PM

I came into this thread thinking it was about the cast of MTV's Ridiculousness visiting Idina at the stage door.

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"I was just annoyed that people who paid to see the show had to pack behind barricades while these girls who didn't pay to see it got special treatment."

The people who paid to see the show got to see the show. After the show, you're all just people standing on a sidewalk.

To be fair, had this girl with the crutches been at Hedwig, it wouldn't have worked out in her favor because Neil doesn't take pictures and only signs Hedwig merchandise. Different stage doors, different rules. Sometimes it works out in your favor, sometimes it doesn't.

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