Sweeney Cast at Stage Door

[ALWrules]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 9:56am

I don't know if this has been discussed, but after seeing Sweeney last night(which blew me away) I went to the stage door and found a very nice cast there to sign autographs and such. Everyone was really nice at the door, and almost all of them signed every autograph. Micheal Cerveris was especially nice, as he talked to a lot of people about various things; he talked to me for a bit about Assassins and Sondheim. I also talked to Laureen Molina for a bit about school and theater along with other things. I don't think I have ever been met by a more receptive cast.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 10:14am

I'm so glad to hear this. I'll be seeing "Sweeney" in January and really look forward to meeting Micheal Cerveris. I had the good fortune of seeing him do "Passion" at the Kennedy Center back in 2002. Did you get to meet Patti Lupone?

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 10:25am

I've heard mixed things about LuPone... I saw her in concert in Baltimore a few years ago, and the whole time she was pretty much saying how it was a privlege for us to be watching her and she doesn't even know why she performs for "you people". However, I've heard at SWEENEY she will sign quickly and politely, then leave.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 10:33am

Well, she doesn't owe anyone anything except a superb performance.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 10:42am

I love to hear that people are nice at stage doors. I'm glad you had a good experience!

[Kgshrauder]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 12:05pm

I had a good experience at the Sweeney door. However I went to a matinee and the guy at the door said Patti doesn't come out at matinee's so I was dissappointed. But I met the others except John Arbo and Mark Jacoby who just walked past everyone.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 12:10pm

LuPone is great. The day I saw it, she had a performance to go to. She was obviously in a rush. And she still talked with my family, signed autographs, and took a picture - as she did with everyone else.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 12:42pm

LuPone along with the rest of the cast is fabulous! They are one of the most kind and gracious companies along with Avenue Q who will talk with you, make conversation and are truley overjoyed to be in this show. They are nothing less than gracious and kind!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 12:54pm

Patti was an absolute sweetheart when I met her. She signs quickly, politely and goes, but there's nothing wrong with that.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 1:00pm

"But I met the others except John Arbo and Mark Jacoby who just walked past everyone."

Up until this show, John Arbo was a pit musician. After Sweeney, he may never be on the stage again. He probably doesn't expect anyone to want his autograph or talk about his process and whatnot. As for Mark Jacoby, he is one of those talented actors who has been in everything but not a lot of people really know who he is. Who is to say he doesn't prefer it that way. He probably thinks the same thing, that no one is interested in talking to him. There is also the fact that a lot of actors are uncomfortable with the stage door face to face encounters with audience members. A lot of performers just want to do their show and then just go home.

[BroadwayRandy0711]

Posted: 12/30/05 at 5:35am

I was able to get almost everyone in the cast to sign my playbill with the exceptions of Patti who was already under the weather that night. SHe had been coughing throughout the performance and did not feel well enough to sign. Did not get a signature from Mark Jacoby who seemed to rush out of there. He just kept his head down and walked right passed everyone. And finally Manoel Felciano who never came out and we waited for almost 30-45 mins. But the rest of the cast was so amazing and so great to talk with. A truly outstanding cast in an amazing show.

[TinyDancer]

Posted: 12/30/05 at 10:51am

i agree that many actors come out of the stage door and don't want to presume (or come across as presuming) that you know who they are or would want they're autograph. YOU MUST ASK THEM. All you have to say- even if you can't place their 'real names' is: 'please, may i have your autograph?'

that's it.

and no actor is offended if you can't place their real name, or even their character name for that matter. Just make eye contact, ask politely and that's really it.

Imagine it from the actors' point of view especially if you're not one of the marquis names. You come out, there's a bunch of people waiting, they all sort of stare at you with frozenly apprehensive yet lovely smiles. Now these smiles can be interpereted in a couple ways for the supporting actor. Usually, you just figure no one recognizes you (because you're not the star or you wore a strange costume in the show, etc). Then you can also assume that people DO recognize you, but as they just continue to stare at you, that they are all actually disappointed that you are not the star and those smiles are really not for you. THEN of course, you think that they wish you would just move out of the way for when the star comes out which is why many actors RUSH OUT OF THE WAY.

It's easy to forget that actors are mostly extremely insecure people and for the most part incredibly humble. Broadway stars, supprting players, ensemble, etc. - actors are a wildly insecure bunch.

One more thing to remember-
actors sometimes don't live in the city. They live in CT, NJ, etc and after a show sometimes they have to literally run to their train at Penn or Grand statations to make it home. If they miss it, the next trains won't come for at least an hour later if not more. So an actor may merely be running to get home before 12:30am as opposed to closer to 2am.

But again, if you ask them- you will give them the opportunity to explain that to you...instead of just assuming that they are rude.

just my two cents...
but i've worked with mark jacoby and he is probably the humblest man i ever met.
and he lives way out in Jersey.
so between the two---
that's probably why he's rushing out because there's not a rude bone in his body.

tinydancer