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Stagedooring a show you're ushering?
Stagedooring a show you're ushering?
Fiyero13
Broadway Star Joined: 6/28/07
#1Stagedooring a show you're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 9:48pm
Is it unprofessional to stage door a show that you're ushering, is it frowned upon?
Updated On: 5/12/08 at 09:48 PM
#2re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 9:51pm
I'm sure it's fine, though it's probably a different relationship. I would say "hi, great job" or something rather than shoving playbills into their faces.
And honestly, was it that hard to write "y" and "o" ?? haha I mean you already got the apostrophe down... (sorry, i was just wondering)
<-- Gwen Stewart, SOLoist at the last show of RENT
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)
Updated On: 5/12/08 at 09:51 PM
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)
iluvtheatertrash
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
#2re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 9:59pmwel i cudn't say cuz i neva ushad
"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman
#3re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:03pmEh...I don't really think there's anything WRONG with it, but it's kind of tacky.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#4re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:05pmIf they know you it may be a little weird.
heathurrr
Broadway Star Joined: 12/9/06
#5re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:06pmI'd do it.
"As we all should probably have learned by now, to be a Stephen Sondheim fan is to have one's heart broken at regular intervals" - Frank Rich
Dearest, how can this be so? You were dead, you know. - Candide
Oh my god, this show has everything! Half naked guys and girl on girl action! - [title of show]
(My avatar? Why, yes! That is Laura Benanti making out with a chick!)
Dearest, how can this be so? You were dead, you know. - Candide
Oh my god, this show has everything! Half naked guys and girl on girl action! - [title of show]
(My avatar? Why, yes! That is Laura Benanti making out with a chick!)
LI Larry
Stand-by Joined: 7/25/06
#6re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:08pmDepends on whether you're volunteer ushering or a paid usher. I volunteer ushered at the Roundabout and always stage doored. In fact during Big river, I sent a note backstage to Michael McElroy and even though he had already gotten dressed and left the dressing rooms, he was waiting for me in the lobby.
#7re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:21pmI'm a volunteer usher and I've never stagedoored after ushering because it felt too awkward. I will probably end up stagedooring after ushering for Saved next week though.
"Perhaps, when we remember wars, we should take off our clothes and paint ourselves blue and go on all fours all day long and grunt like pigs."
Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle
#8re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:36pmI've only done it once. Usually I feel too awkward.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
yankees1253
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/07
#9re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:47pmi am going to be one for the nederlander producing company, so i will tell you all about it when i start this thursday. i wont stagedoor, maybe just go by and say hi to them. the one i will stop by the stagedoor is wicked because of my cousins like i told you all.
#10re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:09pm
If you are a paid usher, it's absolutely ridiculous to be stage-dooring.
Though I guess I'm not the one to ask...I honestly feel that stage dooring is kind of tacky anyway.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
yankees1253
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/07
#11re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:17pmnot going to stagedoor but i am going to stop by and say hi to my cousins at the wicked one. if i see them walk by me its always nice to say hi to them and see whats going on with them.
#12re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:20pmOh, I don't get paid to usher. Should have mentioned that.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
#13re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:32pmIf you're on the foh staff of a theater, you should NOT stagedoor under any circumstance.
<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES
yankees1253
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/07
popular_elphie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/05
#15re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/13/08 at 12:41am
I don't, and consider it unprofessional and just awkward. It's one of the reasons why it's hard to get an ushering job - house managers don't want to hire those crazy stage door fans that want to be best friends with the actors. If they were ushers, they'd use the access they have to the theater and try to get closer to them. I've told my house manager about a few people I know that have applied that they should not hire because I feel they'd use the access the wrong way. It's a fine line.
Anyways, back to stagedooring when you do work at the theater, no one I work with does it. Though sometimes, when we leave first and are waiting for other friends still in the theater, we'll stage door and cheer for our fellow ushers coming out to throw everyone off. It's fun :).
yankees1253
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/07
#16re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/13/08 at 12:45amthanks so mych for the story. throwing the stagedoor people off sounds really fun.
Radioactiveduck
Broadway Star Joined: 7/18/05
#17re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/13/08 at 4:41amDo ushers actually have any kind of interaction with cast members? I figured they were on the wrong side of the curtain for that sort of thing.
popular_elphie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/05
#18re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/13/08 at 8:50amWe go in the stage door, we have to go to our locker rooms which sometimes are located backstage, we sometimes (depending on the show you work for and how nice the producers and managing staff is) get to go to parties the show holds...we see them in passing.
#19re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/13/08 at 3:43pm
It really depends on the situation.
As an usher for a non-profit, if there is an actor I would like to meet, I normally ask the house manager if it would be all right to stage door for said actor, or if there isn't a stage door per se, which way the actor comes out and that if the actor doesn't mind I would like to meet them. The last time I did my HM was kind enough to arrange a meeting in the Green Room after the show. Something I was not expecting at all and was floored that he would do this for me. Of course, I felt really embarrassed because everyone knew backstage that I was the usher who wanted to say Hi to said actor.
ShbrtAlley44
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/03
#20re: Stagedooring a show u're ushering?
Posted: 5/13/08 at 3:56pm
Yes, we interact with the cast here and there, some more than others. Some cast members are darlings and throw parties for everyone.
But yes, it's quite tacky to actually stage door a show you work for. I would only stay by the stage door if I had a friend who had seen the show and wanted autographs. Sometimes FOH staff will ask actors to sign things for special occasions, like a friend's birthday, for instance, but I feel like it's very tacky the majority of the time.
Updated On: 5/13/08 at 03:56 PM
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