Something strang happened to me at the stage door of The Little Mermaid- Page 2

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 2:44pm

Yes, but how do I get into contact with those people?

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 2:55pm

Box Office /Stage Door in person.

[coolkid11776]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 3:34pm

Well the Little Mermaid house is a Nederlander house
and the Company Manager's name is usually in the back of the playbill.
So you would call the Nederlander production office and ask to speak with the company manager
Phone #: [phone]
Or you could go to the theater like a half hour before curtain and try to speak to the Company Manager in person, or speak to the House Manager
Hope I helped
Good Luck

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 3:35pm

Do people pay a lot on ebay for Little Mermaid autographs?

[jagfkb]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 3:36pm

I've actually repeatedly stagedoored shows at this one local theatre during a vacation. Every time I went, I stage doored, and even though the actors all knew who I was by the last night, they were always extremly happy to sign the playbills. None of them ever questioned me about why I had them signed, and they just took it that I was an extremely eager fan.

Also, I'm someone who loves autographs, and the one thing I do is when I see a show, if I know certain people are in the show, I bring two or three CD booklets for them to sign, making all of my CD booklets little collections of original casrt signatures. I always ask whether or not they wish to sign, and usually they're more than happy to do so. However, one time, this one person next to me in the stage door line for Shrek saw my three CD booklets for Sutton Foster as she was signing, and remarked to their friends as they left, "I didn't know they let such young people on eBay, nowadays." Sutton, after hearing them say this, remarks, "Didn't know that such old people are so condescending towards the next generation of theatre nerds!" Everyone around us laughed, and the people next to us left immediately.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 3:41pm

I'm coming from the other side of the spectrum, meaning theater management. In general, although it's not illegal, there are people who are professional about hanging around theaters, not seeing shows, yet collecting multitudes of autographs in order to sell them and profit. They are not looked upon kindly by the actors nor theater management. This may explain the attitude at the stage door.

I believe the stage doormen are employed by the theaters and not the productions. The way to lodge a complaint would be to the administration of the theater. If their phone number isn't available, you can mail them.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 4:00pm

Yes Jane, but if someone was standing outside of the theatre holding a ticket sub and talking about the show with the person standing next to them (which I was doing) I don't think that that would be a sign of someone just going to get autographs. Also, It has been almost 9 months since I last saw the show. I could MAYBE see where the stage door guard would be coming from if I saw the show with some frequency etc. But, I have seen shows frequently where I have stage doored time and time again. The people working the stage door thought nothing of it when I was doing that. I guess what I am trying to say is that I have been in situations where I have stage doored a show on a frequent basis and I never got thought of as someone who was trying to sell the autographs on Ebay.

Also, if someone wants to just get autographs after the show for whatever reason why should the guy working the stage door care one way or another. It isn't against the law to get an autograph and sell it. It is your property and you can do what you wish with your property.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 4:22pm

"Also, if someone wants to just get autographs after the show for whatever reason why should the guy working the stage door care one way or another. It isn't against the law to get an autograph and sell it. It is your property and you can do what you wish with your property."

Well, there are those who find something morally wrong with not supporting theater, nor having any interest in it, but profiting from the name of a performer. If you don't, that's up to you.

I never said that you were one of those professional autograph seekers. I said that because of them, the stagedoor man may have had an attitude.

I'm not your enemy, I gave you the way to contact the administration.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 4:31pm

Jane, I meant that when I say one way or another I meant seeing the show, or missed the show one night and wanted a particular autograph. I do think that it is wrong just to get an autograph just to sell it later. Personally I am not a fan of people going to the stage door without seeing the show. But, in general a playbill is your property once you get it and if you want to get it autographed and then you want to sell it more power to you.

It has been said in this thread by I think Eris, that they have friends who have stage doored the same show time and time again without any problem. I just find it strange that there was one show that the last time I saw it before last night was a good 8 to 9 moths ago, that the guy working there would remember me and assume right off the bat that I was up to no good.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 5:38pm

The guy should not be there with this attitude, period. As someone who has done theatre management in the West End for over 20 years that guy would be spoken to seriously and probably moved on.
On my last few ventures to New York theatres it seems that heavy handed staff are becoming the norm there now what with you having to line up down the street , file in in single lines etc etc and all the time being spoken to like some naughty school kid. This doesn't happen in the West End of London, never has and probably never will.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 5:39pm

"But, in general a playbill is your property once you get it and if you want to get it autographed and then you want to sell it more power to you."

Well, we disagree here. The actors want to go home, and the theater wants to close. To have added people in the stagedoor crowd who really don't belong there just makes everyone's job a little harder. The cast, who is signing playbill after playbill after picture after picture for non-fans who are going to make money on the actors' time and generosity is just wrong.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 5:49pm

I never said it was right but it isn't against the law to do so.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 5:55pm

It thats the attitude of theatre management in New York these days, all I can say is that it sucks and anyone coming to London will get a much warmer reception at stage doors and a warmer welcome at theatres themselves than what is explained above.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 5:55pm

Let it go.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 5:58pm

*sigh* what a waste of time that was.

Back to the OT board which isn't much better lately.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 7:20pm

Hmmm. The Little Mermaid stagedoor guy was quite terrifying when I went as well. You'd think they'd be nicer with so many little kids hanging around.

When I read the title of this thread, I thought it would be some sort of weird Equus-related thing because of the misspelling of 'strange', like Daniel Radcliffe stagedooring and hitting obnoxiously on Sierra Bogess or something...

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 7:40pm

Sorry, I worte the thread when I was very tired. I wanted to make sure that I had all the details in order and remembered them.

I just find it interesting that the guy who runs the stage door of The New Amsterdam is VERY friendly whereas the guy at the stage door of The Lunt (which is also home to another Disney show) has a total bug up his ass

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 8:25pm

^ Or maybe a... lobster?

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 8:58pm

I saw Mary Poppins back in August 2007 and the guy at the stage door was extremely nice, he overheard me telling my sister how nice Ashley Brown was compared to Anneliese Van Der Pol who just ran and left when I saw her in Beauty and The Beast. He thought I was talking about Ashley and she walked right by me and he was about to run down the street to get her. Now I found that very surprising, and I wouldn't have let him do it but I found it very nice! Though, I doubt it's the same nice guy Winston is describing, but you never know.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/11/09 at 8:59pm

You blinked first by allowing this (BLANK) to intimidate you into leaving. The best way to deal with this type is direct. "Yes, I was here in April (or whenever) Is that a problem?" You don't have to match his rudeness but be direct and FIRM with these people. And remind yourself they have no real power. Ignoring the idiot after that is your best recourse.

[proptart101]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 12:55am

The doormen are employed by the theater owners, not the show. In this case, it's a Nederlander house.

General contact info for the Nederlanders can be found in the back of your playbill, along with the name and contact information for the house manager. The doorman is technically part of the security team, it varies from house to house and between organizations as to how much "pull" the house manager would have with the doorman. All the show can do is complain to the owners, though they do have a lot of pull, they're not very likely to do much unless it's a truly horrible action.

If you decide to pursue this with a written complaint, make sure you say which performance (date, day matinee or evening). Doormen are on in shifts, and he may have been a sub. A letter of complaint, emphasizing that you're a legitimate patron and were offended by the doorman is the direction I would suggest. I know those types of letters are noticed by upper management, whether it makes a difference is another story.

Are you Winston89?
If so, PM me, you have my info.
I might be able to find out more info for you.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 1:11am

Yes, the two users are in fact one in the same. I will PM you and thanks for your help.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 12:17pm

I've already contacted them to tell them that an obsessive Sierra Bogus fan will be contacting them with a complaint and not to believe a word he says.

[Guillermo Ugarte]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 1:55pm

Stage door security varies from one theater to another. In some instances security is a joke, with very little guidance or protection offered to actors who may face fanatics who cross the line. In other instances, like yours, the staff is a little too diligent and takes it upon themselves to police the fans and decide who deserves attention and who does not.

Sometimes the actors get blamed for this as if it is the actor who dictates the attitude. If an actor has asked for specific behavior by security, the security staff may or may not accommodate the request though most will at least try. You should not be upset if the security team tries to control the crowd by putting them behind barriers or asking them to stand in line. It isn't done to be cruel or disrespectful. It is done to give everyone a chance to get an autograph or picture and to protect the actors.

It is true that the advent of autograph sales on auction sites is a problem. For most of us in theater it is an offense, especially when the autograph is requested by someone who didn't even see the show but just walked up to take advantage of the opportunity at the stage door. Theater professionals do not yet (and hopefully never will) charge for autographs, though sports figures and others have charged for some time. The idea was to force the autograph seeker to invest something in the autograph but the result of that is that the autograph seeker then charges more for the autograph to offset the charge so it really doesn't solve the problem.

Most actors appreciate a simple 'thank you' or 'I really liked your performance' and a simple autograph request. It gets out of control when the fan brings 3 or 4 things to sign, thereby taking time from others waiting for their turn and probably because they plan to sell one or more of the articles. Sometimes fans get a little too physical or demanding though usually it is not malicious. Occasionally someone does get malicious or even physical though this is rare.

With all of that said you can understand where some overly zealous security people might cross the line. You do have the right to complain to the management and make them aware of the issue. Whether the security person is on a power trip or just doing what they feel is their job they should be counseled not to make the experience difficult. On the other hand if a fan is out of control or monopolizing an actor's time the security team should feel within their rights to step in. Good luck with the house management. I hope they will be solicitous and listen to your complaint.

[broadwaygirl99]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 3:26pm

I know the person you are talking about. He is soo RUDE! I was seeing Beauty and the Beast and it was John Tartaglia's(who I LOVE)second to last performance and I wanted to meet him one last time so I was standing there and no one was really waiting to sign except this other family. So, he kept saying that everyone was out of the stage door when they clearly werent because I was standing there the whole time and nobody came out yet. So, when I was waiting for John to come out everyone came out of the door, so he was just being rude and wanted me to go away. But Steve Blanchard and girlfriend Merdeith came out, Jeanne Lehman and many other principals and most ensemble. Meanwhile the other family wasnt going away either and the stagedoor guy kept giving us dirty looks. Then John came out and he had all his stuff with him from his dressing room which was really sad becuase I wanted him to stay till the end. =( But he signed and took pictures with me and he was very gracious and kind. Maybe that guy should take a lesson from sweet John Tartaglia.