Stage door "virgin" at "Caroline"
Stage door "virgin" at "Caroline"
Stand-by Joined: 4/19/04
Stage door "virgin" at "Caroline"#0
Posted: 8/24/04 at 11:59pmAfter last Sunday's performance of "Caroline," I was rushing up 8th Avenue to catch a bus at Port Authority, when I realized I miscalculated the time and had an extra hour. Before I knew it, I was rushing back down 8th Avenue to the Eugene O'Neill to lose my stage door virginity to the cast of "Caroline"! I have been going to New York and London shows for over ten years, but I have never gone around to a stage door. I missed the men in the cast, who must change and leave fast, but arrived to see Tonya Pinkins signing Playbills, taking photos, and chatting with people. Too intimidated to go over to her right away, I hung back near the door, and was soon face-to-face with Veanne Cox. She smiled so I was emboldened to extended my Playbill and asked if she would sign it, she did this as I told her my favorite line (lyric?) in the show was hers: "So sue me already Mrs. Crabby Appleton." Turning, I found Capathia Jenkins (The Washing Machine), who was very friendly, mentioning she'd have loads of friends there for closing night, when I told her I was coming back then. Shannon Antalan, who was the Emmie, seemed surprised I wanted her signature, but I thought she was wonderful in the role, playing it with more anger than Anika Noni Rose (who is also great), which I felt made her link to mother Caroline all the stronger. Alice Playten and Moon Lady, Aisha de Haas were also gracious. The crowd had finally thinned around Pinkins, so I made my way over, and she couldn't have been nicer. She was really engaged in what people were saying, looked them in the eye as she listened, and posed for pictures (luckily, I had a disposable camera in my backpack). It was such a nice experience, I am ready to do it again. Any suggestions as to which cast I should try for my second time?
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#1
Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:26am
THATS A GREAT STORY!
Caroline is amazing.
uh...any cast sounds great to me...
-d.b.j-
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#2
Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:35amWicked. Idina and the rest of the cast couldnt be nicer!
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#3
Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:52am
when was Idina nice to you?
I adore her, ever since I saw Rent in 96' and have seen everything she has done since...but 2 times she wasn't very friendly. I brought her flowers in march, and nobody was waiting for her before the show, only me and my friend. And I said "I brought you flowers" and she said "I don't have time, I have to get my makeup on." She couldn't just take the flowers? The stage door man says to her "just take them" and she does and as if she now has to talk to me says "are you seeing the show today? well see you later!"
Then 2 weeks ago I was standing there before a show and just watching the craziness and people brought her gifts and she grabbed them without a thank you. I know she shouldn't be hounded on her way to work, but she could at least be gracious to her fans...most people who go to this show have seen it before and to keep the repeat customers I think she should be a little nicer.
I still love her to death though.
Updated On: 8/25/04 at 12:52 AM
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#4
Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:58am
She is always a bitch.
-d.b.j-
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#5
Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:08amGotta jump on the bandwagon and say that I didn't find Idina terribly pleasant both times I met her either. The cast of Aveune Q though? They are the best.....
Understudy Joined: 5/31/04
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#6
Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:09amThe current casts of Avenue and Hairspray were the nicest I had ever met.
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#7
Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:11am
at Avenue Q they are DOLLS! go stagedoor and feel the love!!
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#8
Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:31amThis is NOT a WICKED thread!!!!
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#9
Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:31amevery thread seems to seep Wickedness. *shudders*
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#10
Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:34amand that scares me!
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#11
Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:44amAvenue Q cast is the nicest ever! And the whole Gypsy cast was wonderful as well outside.
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#12
Posted: 8/25/04 at 5:38pmAgree about the "Q" cast !!! Unbelievably nice !!! Overall, however, Veanne Cox is the nicest actor that I have ever met !
Joined: 12/31/69
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#13
Posted: 8/25/04 at 5:52pmi hear jennifer laura thompson is very nice also. if i go to the wicked stagedoor before the show, what time do you think i should get there?
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#14
Posted: 8/25/04 at 5:54pmI wouldn't ask that question - most people think it's not right to go before the show! I'd have to agree - and besides, waiting until after you see the show and while you are still caught up in the "moment" really makes the stage door experience more worthwhile.
Joined: 12/31/69
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#15
Posted: 8/25/04 at 5:59pmyeah but my family will e sitting in different places and we may not have a chance to go afterwards.
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#16
Posted: 8/25/04 at 6:00pmTonya Pinkins really is the nicest person I've ever met at the stage door. She is so real and looks at you and really listens to what you have to say and is genuinely flattered. The entire cast is really nice. They seem so thrilled that you want their autograph because, I think, it says to them how much we (the audience) really appreciate their work.
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#17
Posted: 8/25/04 at 6:33pmIdina wasn't particularly nice when I met her after Wicked, but she wasn't particularly rude either. She was the biggest sweetheart when I met her after Aida so go figure.
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#18
Posted: 8/25/04 at 6:43pm
Veanne and Tonya ARE the nicest people in the world. And really listen to what you have to say. Anika also, first time I saw Caroline, 3 days before the Tonys, she stayed and talked to me for a full 20 minutes afterwards.
damn this is so depressing. Less than a week left of it.
Updated On: 8/25/04 at 06:43 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/8/04
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#19
Posted: 8/25/04 at 6:59pmI must agree. The cast of Caroline is extremely nice. They seemed to be genuinely interested in what I had to say. Tonya and Veanne were the best. They asked my name and where I was from, etc. I'm sure they were tired after two performances ( It was a weds.), but they took the time to talk to me and take pictures with me. It meant a lot to me. So of course I was really ticked when I went to Tonya's site to post a thank you and there were people bashing her on her own site. Some people!
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#20
Posted: 8/25/04 at 7:08pmthe avenue q cast couldnt be nicer. they will take pictures, sign autographs, and talk to everyone who is waiting for them (even if theyre in a rush). Gotta love 'em
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#21
Posted: 8/25/04 at 7:38pmthe avenue q guys and gals are great! at wicked, idina is more pleasant, i found, anyway, before the show. i was able to get her on thursday, as she was coming to the theater from yoga class. she got there about 5:45 and had no make up on so asked for no pictures to be taken. she signed autographs for everyone waiting, though. jennifer t. got there a few minutes before idina did, but when i was there last night she got there long after idina, who came in at 4.
re: Stage door 'virgin' at 'Caroline'#22
Posted: 8/25/04 at 8:23pm
That's a really cool story :)
How long do you generally have to wait at the stage door? I might be going on a college sponsored trip to see Hairspray, Mamma Mia, Wicked, and 12 Angry Men. I would really like to meet the Hairspray cast and meet Carly, if she is there that night.
Plus I'm thinking of doing it at Chicago performances.
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