STAGE DOOR ETIQUETTE

[Glutton4Sutton]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 3:46pm

Finally! I've been saying all these things for YEARS...

Be sure and pass it along to anybody you know/see who behaves badly at the stage door!!
Broadway Baby's Guide to Stage Door Etiquette

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 3:51pm

Hey, a deeper link!

http://www.bwaybaby.com/1/post/2009/04/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.html

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:02pm

Oh. My God.

[madscientist]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:10pm

I'm glad this was made, but it's sad that some of these things aren't common sense for everyone.

[Anakela]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:14pm

I mean, I think if the soundtrack to the musical Wicked was somehow incorporated into Gregory Maguire's novel, it might've been a much more enjoyable read.

...and that would be the part where the rest of her website lost me.

[Glutton4Sutton]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:18pm

Yes, yes it is. VERY SAD. But what's even sadder is that I think I've actually seen people doing ALL of these things. And I'll bet I'm not alone...

[steven22]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:20pm

omg, are people really that weird that they need directions on how to approach humans???! just be respectful ! omg!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:23pm

Actors aren't humans.

[Glutton4Sutton]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:24pm

Steven...clearly you've never spent much time around the Wicked stage door.

[Weez]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:24pm

So wait, I'm not allowed to wear jeans and t-shirt, but I am allowed to deliver a monologue on how much an actor means to me before asking for a hug?

... I'ma agree to disagree. O_O

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:25pm

Yes, you'll look like a slob up against all of the people who go to the theater in jeans and/or t-shirts, and that is wrong. As long as you're dressed nicely, you can act like a fool -- but only in the prescribed methods of acting like a fool, of course.

Updated On: 4/17/09 at 04:25 PM

[Weez]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:26pm

I'd also cut out the entire "gifts" section and replace it with one word.

DON'T.

But that's just me. ^_^

[Anakela]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:29pm

So wait, I'm not allowed to wear jeans and t-shirt, but I am allowed to deliver a monologue on how much an actor means to me before asking for a hug?

... I'ma agree to disagree. O_O

lol, I know, right? I saw five shows in three days last weekend- wore jeans to ALL of them!! I just love being called cheap and tacky looking. Not to mention, I failed to solicit hugs after *any* of these shows.

And, the use of stage door as a verb ("The whole point of stage-dooring...").

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:30pm

You are cheap and tacky looking, and it's so much worse than asking for a voluntary.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:33pm

Here's my stage door etiquette:

1. Form an orderly line.
2. Get EVERYONE's signature on one thing: The Playbill. Don't pull it back as ensemble members walk by, don't whip out a souveneir program AND a poster AND a collectible cup. It's INCONSIDERATE.
3. Have your Playbill OPEN TO THE PAGE YOU WANT THE ACTOR TO SIGN.
4. Don't say anything creepy like "I've been here so many times". Don't hold them up with conversation. Personally, I'm fine with "Thank you, you were so great". It's a little tacky, sure, but screw it.
5. Don't touch them unless they touch you first.
6. Oh, and NEVER NEVER NEVER DO THE FOLLOWING:
-Show up before hand.
-Go so many times the performer remembers you.
-Ask the performer if they remember you
-Send ANY gifts backstage, unless they are a heartfelt letter about how much the show meant to you (it'll make a nice coaster for any beverage the performer chooses to drink) or a crisp tenner (might help with the rent).

[Anakela]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:36pm

You are cheap and tacky looking, and it's so much worse than asking for a voluntary.

No no no- I am pretty sure when you have to ask, that it is then classified as an involuntary.

[steven22]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:36pm

no, i've never been to the wicked stagedoor

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:37pm

But you've asked, so you've given them the choice! They have chosen to hug you!

[Kad]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:43pm

Jeans... fine. You can dress up jeans.

But a t-shirt? Eh. I'd never wear a t-shirt to a Broadway show.

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:46pm

But what if it's a shirt from the show?

[Kad]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 4:47pm

That's great, if you're selling souvenirs or want people to ask you how much posters are.

Updated On: 4/17/09 at 04:47 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 5:27pm

There's a difference between a basic colored, fitted short-sleeved shirt, and a shirt with "SENIORS 2006 POWDERPUFF!" silkscreened across the front in neon pink.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 5:44pm

"The best way to not advertise to the world that you skipped the show is to dress accordingly. The theater is an upscale place. Don?t show up in a T-shirt and jeans. It just makes you look cheap and tacky."

I wear jeans all the time...

[legally_popular]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 6:23pm

This reminds me of this post:
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=992851#379551

I would advise not giving any gifts at all. I find it hard to believe that a person would feel that inclined to give an actor (a stranger who they don?t know personally) a gift. And going to the stage door when you have already seen the show, stagedoored it, and met the performers so many times before bugs me. And hugs. I know that a lot of actors put their arm around you when taking a picture, but that?s enough.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 6:24pm

Most of the actors/actresses I have met come out of the stage door in jeans,shorts,t-shirts,hoodies,baseball caps(men and women),etc. but if we wear them it's considered tacky? I'm kinda lost on that one.