STAGE DOOR QUESTION - I'm just curious. Has anyone here...

[paikea]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 7:41pm

...ever stage-doored to see an actor without having attended the show? And by "anyone" I guess I mean those unaffiliated with the various fan groups. I have four days in New York this summer, and I'm having a hard time narrowing down what shows to watch. Some are still in the running just because a certain actor is in the cast. For example, I'd love to see Lea Salonga in person, but LES MIZ isn't really on my agenda. Plus, I won't be back in New York any time soon. I'm just wondering if anyone has done this. The creepy fangirl in me thanks you.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 7:55pm

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with it.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:01pm

I have a few times, but only with actors I've seen before or ones I personally know (actually, there'd only be one who counts for that...). Although I figure it's okay as long as you're well-behaved and don't make a habit of it. :)

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:03pm

I do it frequently, as well.....and I'm not the only one at the stage door who has not seen that particular show.

Don't worry about it.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:11pm

I saw Legally Blonde and begged my mom to take me to the Spring Awakening stage door, but she wouldn't do it! But I guess there's nothing wrong with it.

[LilBwayLady]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:28pm

it works really well if your seeing a show thats right next to a show that has other actors that you want to meet in it too....such as if you would be seeing Chicago, Spring Awakening is right across the street so you could hurry to the Chicago SD right after the show and then run across the street to the Spring Awakening SD.....actually scratch that....i would go to the Spring Awakening SD first because it will most likely be busier.

Lizzie, what actor do you know personally?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:35pm

Lizzie, what actor do you know personally?

Charlie Chaplin. So it's been a while.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:36pm

LOL Lizzie!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:36pm

Heh

[StageFan2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:42pm

I've done it on occasion. But I stay out of the way and let those who have actually paid to see the show get their playbills or whatever autographed and have their pictures taken with the actors before I infringe. It's my own private etiquette. Given that, I see nothing wrong with going to the stage door of a show you've not attended.

[LilBwayLady]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:43pm

creepy i just watched a documentary about him starring Robert Downey Jr. today
but i dont remember them mentioning you.....

[CJR]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 2:27am

Typically I only do that if I have a friend in the show..... and even then, im not waiting outside with everyone who'd just seen the show... (im on my way backstage and to my friend's dressing room)

Though I'm not a big fan of stage dooring a show I havent seen, I have done it twice. Once at Nine -- but I was seeing the show at a later date and knew I would be unable to stick around after. And the other was at Julius Caesar when a friend associated with the show arranged for me to meet Denzel afterwards.

Aside from that, Im not really fond of the kids who show up at the stage door of a show they havent seen just cause they want to say hi to the actor (especially if they think they're friends. That's a HUGE pet peeve of mine!).

[TLKfan]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 2:32am

When I went I wanted to see some people before I saw the show just in case they weren't there the day I went so I just stood at the stage door and took a picture, but didn't talk to them.

[CJR]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 2:39am

I just stood at the stage door and took a picture, but didn't talk to them.

Okay now see, that bothers me. I've encountered this many times, but one in particular sticks out in my mind.

Years ago on the Chicago tour, there were these 3 girls taking wicked numbers of pictures of each actor leaving. We were all standing around chatting, but they stood back about 50 feet and just snapped pictures. Finally, a friend of mine (who at the time was playing Velma) got fed up. She told them if they wanted a picture they could come over and ask to take one, but it was rude to stand there snapping them.

They very politely asked the next actor who came out if they could take a picture with them.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 2:50am

That IS a little weird. It also gets a little weird when people have to stage door because it completes the night for them, and if they don't, they whine about it, but that's kind of getting into the whole "they're not paid to meet and greet" issue, which wasn't what the OP was asking about.

Saying hi, I think, is fine in moderation, but moderation isn't everyone's strong point.

[mll85]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 3:01am

Years ago on the Chicago tour, there were these 3 girls taking wicked numbers of pictures of each actor leaving. We were all standing around chatting, but they stood back about 50 feet and just snapped pictures.

I witnessed a similar incident on the Jersey Boys tour a few months ago. But instead of being 50 feet away the person was an arms lenght distance away and was taking picture of people she didn't know who were taking pictures with the actor and photos of herself with the actor in the background. I was getting my Playbill signed when she finally left and he commented that it was the strangest stagedoor behavior he has ever witnessed.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 3:02am

Ummm... Deuce, Pillowman, Faith Healer, Sweet Charity, Vertical Hour, The Producers, The Color Purple...

In retrospect I regret not getting to see Pillowman, Faith Healer, and Vertical Hour.

[Lm4dham052]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 8:11am

I aggree with most of the posts saying that it's cool with moderation. IMO if ur asking them to sign show merch than its cool. When I did the stage door for Vertical Hour there were people who were asking Bill Nightly to sign stuff from Pirates, and asking Julianne Moore to sign movie covers. That drives me crazy. I got pushed aside by some guy who not even 5 mins before was talking about selling all the photos (from Pirates that he was getting signed) on ebay. Now that I think is really ****ty.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 8:20am

We NEVER take pictures of a performer at stage door without asking his/her permission.

I see nothing wrong with going to the stage door even if you haven't attended the performance. I know it is done all the time.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 8:44am

My daughter and I did with John Tartaglia because she made him a scrapbook. He was out every single time we tried and we ended up delivering to the guy at the stage door...and are assuming he got it.

[sally1112]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:46am

Once I watched a show, staged doored, and was on my way back to the hotel and passed a crowd waiting for Bernadette Peters, I joined them and met her and it was great, but I did feel a little guilty that I had not just seen her show.
I just took my Playbill from the other show and tucked it in my coat pocket.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:48am

I did it once. I had seen Curtains one Sunday and wanted a picture with DHP, but forgot my camera. So I went to see The Producers on Wednesday, and after the show, went to the Curtains stage door to meet the cast again.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 10:06am

Yeah...some of the ebay-a-holics were nuts at The Vertical Hour. I promised them that NOTHING they signed for me (which was only playbills and the windowcard) was going anywhere NEAR EBay and they were all like "Thank you so much!" Bill signed just about everything. At first Julianne was only signing playbills, but she lightened up with that a little. There were still some pictures I saw her refuse to sign. The only time I was at that door without having seen the show just before it was November 11, and I'd seen the matinee, but they didn't come out because it was SO early in previews.

The only other show I've ever stage doored without seeing was Curtains when I was hanging with luckydave and we were getting Elephant Project autographs and pics. That felt a little weird, but it wasn't too bad.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 11:08am

In regards to taking pictures of performers, sometimes the actor will prefer it to taking individual pictures for everyone. For example, when Idina was in Wicked, someone came out before she did and told the stage door crowd that no individual pictures could be taken, just pictures of her.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 11:12am

^ Yeah. The picture thing varies by performer and by performance. Aurda's usually very cool about taking individual pictures. But if she's got somewhere to be (picking up her child, getting to the airport) she graciously explains. She does sign for people though, even when she's in a hurry. :)