Something strang happened to me at the stage door of The Little Mermaid- Page 3

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 4:41pm

Guillermo Ugarte, I would have told you this via PM but you don't accept them. The thing is is that it wasn't as if I was holding four things to get autographed, I was there holding a playbill like everyone else waiting to get something signed. Of course there were the select few who were little kids with an adult holding a program to get signed but like I said, it wasn't like I was holding a few things out to get signed. I was there 8 months ago and because of that and because I wasn't doing anything wrong I find it strange and bothersome that the guard there would single me out as doing something wrong. I do enjoy the show, I will admit that even though it isn't considered to be the most popular show if you ask the posters here. But, I do plan to go back before my vacation is through and when I do I will stage door and regardless of what the guy there says I won't balk and I will stay and get autographs.

Posted: 1/12/09 at 4:43pm

At least they fired that actor who was SMOKING near the stage door!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:13am

Has he been fired yet?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 12:38pm

I used to enjoy stage-dooring many years ago. I loved meeting actors (the nice ones, anyway) and getting an autograph or on a rare occasion, a quick photo. I only believe I've gotten a handful of photos over the last 20 years (less than 10 anyway) and one in particular is pretty funny, since the actor was surprisingly rude to people and gives a classic look of annoyance in the photo. Said actor (allegedly) posts here under a pseudonym, so I won't call them out, but if they choose to sign autographs in a barricaded lineup (and not everyone does), I'm not quite sure why they would be so rude and bitter about it. It certainly did have an effect on my opinion about them afterward. But that was many years ago and I digress. Maybe they just had a bad night.

But in the last 7-8 years or so, the experience has become mostly negative due to rude security or in most cases, rude fans. I just don't want to put myself in that position any more. The last time I stage-doored, it was actually by accident. I ran into Houflip at a performance of Les Miz and we chatted outside the theatre after the show. I noticed some of the cast come out and pointed out a few of them to my boyfriend. I really wanted to meet Lea Salonga, but she was hoarded with fans. She seemed very polite and gracious and glanced at me a few times (I assume she expected me to approach her), but I decided not to add to the spectacle and simply let her get home. I did say a quick hello to Max Von Essen as he was off to the side by himself and told him how much we enjoyed his performance, but didn't bother him with autograph or photo requests.

But as to the original post, I can certainly understand the cynicism by security staff at the theatres, especially when dealing with the behavior of fans and/or those simply looking to make a quick buck (ticket scalpers and lottery/rush scammers creep me out), but it certainly could be handled a lot better.

Honestly, the NYC/Broadway experience is getting less attractive to me after each visit. This was the first year in many that I have not visited NYC and I find that I didn't really miss it. There are friends I'd like to visit and shows I'd like to see, but NYC itself is losing its appeal and considering the cost nowadays, not worth the price.

[shpants]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 1:26pm

This thread is super depressing to me...

Hearing about the rude attitude that people are getting at stage door is terrible. I can't even imagine what kind of crap those security guards and personnel have to deal with (crazy out of control fans, etc) but generally speaking, there is no excuse to be rude to people just for the hell of it. If someone wants an autograph and plans to sell it on ebay, that's their perogative, IMHO. I don't necessarily agree that it is "right" to do so, but as it's been said, there is no law prohibiting said behaviour.

Mister Matt, I'm sorry that your Broadway experiences have been bad as of late. Sadly, this is not the first time I've heard this, and it depresses me to think that this is the mindset of even a few theater-goers.

Maybe it's different for me because I don't really "get" the whole stage dooring phenomenon, so I appreciate the fact that I might be totally naive...

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 2:09pm

Dooring and doored are not words.

That's all I will say.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 2:13pm

Neither is pulldowner.

[Guillermo Ugarte]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 2:13pm

Winston, no I do not accept private messages. I have had some issues with people getting into a sniping contest over things and it is just easier to keep everything public.

I did not mean to say that you were in the wrong. My intention was to provide an overview of all the issues. As I said in my original message, you are well within your rights and should complain to the house if the security person continues to be a problem.

As an actor I can say there are days when you just want to be left alone because you are tired, sick or hurrying to another appointment - perhaps dinner which most of us do not eat until after the performance. While most actors do their best to hide their attitude on bad days you can sometimes have a bad experience with an actor too. I know that. It sounds as if you have had no problems with the cast and more problems with the house security. They are there to provide security but not there to intimidate the audience or fans. If he is giving you a hard time, ask to speak with the house manager or, if you feel comfortable, let the actors know so that they can speak to someone about it. Talk to the right people and someone will talk to him. Good luck.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 5:13pm

I understand what your saying. I did misread your first post.

I will say that your right that it is the job of the security guard to protect both the actors and the people waiting at the stage door and not to freak them out or make them indimadated.

I do plan on contacting the right people. One of the posters in this thread was kind enough to send me a PM saying that they know who the right people are that I should get into contact with. In other words the right person who would read my letter and at lest try to do something about it as oppose to the person who might read it, laugh and then throw it away.

I can understand that actors might be having a bad day or they don't want to sign. In all the times I have stage doored I have never been the kind of person to stop an actor who is walking right passed the stage door just to get an autograph. And, I have always been kind in asking them if they would mind signing rather then just shoving the playbill into their face.

I feel that it is clear that the guy at the stage door was convinced that I was there to get autographs. Not for myself, but so that I could sell them on ebay for a profit. As I said earlier, the thing that bugged me the most is that I could understand if they saw me time and time agan and each time I was bringing with me something different to get signed. But, in this particular situation there was a gap of about 8 months between when I last saw the show and now and it just rubbed me the wrong way that he would call me out after that much time. It was also the way that he did that that made me feel uncomfortable.

I do agree that it is wrong to get an autograph just for a profit. And, I loath with a passion people who do that and people who do things like get a lotto ticket or a rush ticket just to scalp. I think that both things are wrong to do. Do they happen, and do people do them? Yes, they do. However, I feel that it is wrong for people to do so.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 5:25pm

The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get him fired.

Seriously, either make a complaint or don't.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 5:42pm

Touche' Mister Matt.

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 6:31pm

When I saw Mermaid and stage doored, the security guard was EXTREMELY nice- he kindly asked "older" fans to step aside for the little ones to fit in front and when we got out of the theater early to get a good spot, he told us where the best spot to stand was...

Different guy you think?
Humph.

[mikem]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 7:05pm

My personal experience is that many if not most of the Ebayers are fairly obvious -- they don't see the shows and therefore don't have Playbills. Most of them don't even have posters -- they bring their own stuff unrelated to the show. They also tend to be somewhat aboveboard in that they don't gush to the actors or pretend to be their biggest fans -- to me, it's very obvious what they are doing, and the actors can either choose to participate or not. I've seen some actors purposely personalize their autographs by writing "To X" on their photo, which I think is genius -- the true fan is elated, and the Ebayer has a worthless autograph that he can't sell unless he happens to meet someone with the same name.

As has been pointed out, a smart Ebayer would not try to stage door The Little Mermaid when Sierra Boggess is out, so the security guard really wasn't thinking.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 1:23pm

I still want to know what Sierra Mist Bogus autograph is fetching on ebay.

Has the doorman been fired yet? We need an update!

Posted: 1/16/09 at 1:46pm

Phyllis, not only was he FIRED I hear he was attacked by an angry goose.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 2:48pm

Well, that is a Strang thing to happen!

[ChiChi]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 3:02pm

"Dooring and Doored are not words"

We're all glad you're perfect.