“Stage Door Behavior: The Plays” by Cara Joy David

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Stage-Door-Behavior-The-Plays-20230918


Not sure if any of you had read this article, but while I did enjoy most of it - feel-good stage door stories are always nice to read - I did find myself taking umbrage with the last paragraph as it relates to the cast of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”

And then there is Jaja's African Hair Braiding. I’ve never seen anything quite like the stage door for this show. I tried multiple times, but each night the actors ignored the five to fifteen waiting fans in favor of friends/family. Now, I’ve been to stage doors in early previews before, and usually, there is a lot of greeting friends/family, but then people double back to the fans. In this case, the actors only signed when fans interrupted their conversations. I waited 40 minutes one night alongside fans just hoping the cast members would double back, but they didn’t. This will change—friends/family stop coming in large groups after early previews, so I expect they will be in a different mode in the coming days. I can only tell you what I saw.

I really don’t like the way this was written (or that it was written at all) since it directly contradicts the point made in the byline - Stars don't have to sign at the stage door, but many do. While yes, sometimes actors don’t signing at the stage door, writing a whole paragraph about the cast of a small play at MTC (made up entirely of women of color, mind you) seems to really perpetuate a sense of entitlement on the writer’s end and casts unfair aspersions/disrespects people who may just want to do their show and go.

I think BWW and the writer should maybe reconsider their approach to these types of editorials in the future. While I expect this type of writing from the average message board person, I expect a slightly higher standard from one of BWW’s journalists.

Discuss.

this was a odd read

It kind of reads like someone who is very entitled. People have become very entitled when it comes to the stage door and it's very disappointing. The way they think it's okay to message actors if they don't come out to sign/take pictures, the way they ask other performers to ask if someone else is coming out, how actors have to apologize if they don't. No one is ever required to stage door. I wish someone would do an article from that stance as well

Ms. David is perhaps one of the most clueless and entitled person I have ever come across on these boards.

This says it all:

Now, I’ve been to stage doors in early previews before, and usually, there is a lot of greeting friends/family, but then people double back to the fans. ... In this case, the actors only signed when fans interrupted their conversations.

Just pathetic.

Voter said: "Now if someone wants to do an editorial over some of the shows with/that had frequent stalkers... (ie: Prima Facie, Thoughts of a Colored Man, Grey House, the Tveit fans @ MR...) THAT'S a much more interesting story."

…Whoa. What’s happened at “…Colored Man”? I don’t remember hearing anything (unless I just missed it completely)

I find her tone and poor writing skills irritating, and I find it mildly disturbing that this publication has chosen to feature a negative know-nothing who is trying (and failing) to be edgy.

…I honestly forget this site has editorials.