Something I read in my playbill yesterday by Seth Rudetsky that I found interesting.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 7:13am

There is an article that is in the playbill right now that is written by Seth Rudetsky and talks about collecting autographs. He had pointed out that there are cases where the actors might not leave from the stage door but that they all have to enter from it. It went on to say that if you waited at the stage door about an hour before curtain that you can get autographs there. Now, my question is this. I thought it was rude to try to get autographs while the performers are entering their place of work. Yet, why is someone like Seth Rudetsky encouraging this kind of action.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 7:46am

Is there a question here.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 8:38am

How is this remotely interesting? This is common sense bit of info that's been known for decades. Why do young people on this board think that stagedooring or getting autographs and taking photos is a new thing on Broadway?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 8:46am

I think that stagedooring before a performance presents a problem in that if several people are gathered to get autographs it may make the actor late for their call. I also think that many actors are mentally preparing for the upcoming performance and may not want to be disturbed.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 8:48am

Brody, didn't you know that there was no such thing as Broadway before Winston was born? New York City was a vast wasteland of nothing and then, one day, it just exploded into light and color.

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 8:57am

DON'T DO IT.

i've never met one single actor who liked this.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 9:49am

What I am trying to say is is that Seth is someone who works with a lot of Broadway performers. And, it is known that stage dooring before a show is something that performers hate to have happen to them. If that is the case then why is someone like Rudetsky saying that this kind of behavior is an okay thing?

[alliez92092]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 9:52am

He's not saying it's good or bad, he's just saying that people do it. He's giving the reader information and they can decide what to do with it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 9:52am

"And, it is known that stage dooring before a show is something that performers hate to have happen to them."

It is known by whom?

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 10:02am

Well, you could always ASK Seth.

I mean, everyone here has plenty of opinions on the subject of stagedooring actors before shows (and on stagedooring in general). But, for all those opinions on the matter, no one here speaks FOR Seth or can read his mind.

Only Seth can say exactly why he wrote that, if he was just stating a fact, or endorsing the practice.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 10:06am

When I used to seek autographs, back when I still cared about seeking autographs, I'd often wait before the show.

Never once did I encounter someone who was less than pleasant. In fact, before the show, a number of actors were very interested in engaging me in conversation. Which wasn't necessarily what I wanted, but I'm the exception, not the rule. I didn't do it to try and become friends with those people.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 10:24am

If you know a performer usually stays at the stage door to get everyone, like Alice Ripley, then by all means visit the stage door AFTER the show. However, there are performers who do not do the stage door because they get mobbed and/or cannot sign everyone and don't want to be selective (or whatever other reasons they have). In those instances, visiting the stage door to catch them for their call time works, too. It is every performer's right to choose not to sign, or show any attitude you wish, but there is no harm in asking.

However, Seth is wrong on one count, performers do NOT have to enter through the stage door. Sometimes they enter through the house and then go to sign in. They usually do this if they have to take care of something at the box office.