The River stage door

[mattyp4]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 3:00pm

I'm surprised there isn't a thread started on this, but I have a question about the stage door at The River.

My mom is a huge Hugh Jackman fan (naturally) & we saw his Back to Broadway show a few years back. I bought a windowcard with the intention of getting it signed & giving it to her as a gift but I never got around to it. In fact, I forgot I even purchased the window card until I found it tucked behind a cabinet the other day.

I also just saw that the River is open for another few weeks (I thought it closed already) so I was thinking about trying again to get it signed.

My question though: Is it uncouth to bring a poster of an old show to the stage door to get signed?? In other words, will Hugh Jackman only sign items for The River or are past shows fair game?

I haven't stage-doored in at least 10 years (and even then I only did a few times) so I'm not really up on the etiquette.

I also know that Hugh is one of the biggies. Assuming he'll sign anything, does anyone have any tips on how to access him at the stage door?? Arrival time & what not? (Also, where IS the stage door for the Circle in the Square??)

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 3:04pm

Hugh seems pretty chill and into the stage door, although it would probably play better if you were also holding a playbill for The River, or possible saw it, since I understand he is pretty chatty and interested in what people thought about it, etc.

Stage door is on the sidewalk to the right, when you are facing the theater entrance, which will be easy to spot with the barricades set up, etc.

Do check into the running time of the show as it isn't very long, 80 minutes or something.

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 3:54pm

Not sure if this is still happening, but I know when they were fundraising for Broadway Cares Hugh couldn't sign window cards cause they were auctioning off signed ones inside, but this was just for The River ones so not sure if it would make a difference if you brought one from his previous show.

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 4:12pm

After I saw The River in November, I stage doored. Hugh was sooooo nice!!! He was chatty, signed a lot, and hugged some women who requested. I can't see him even flinching if you have him that poster to sign, as he really is very friendly and a good guy to talk to. The stage door is the front entrance door and you'll see the barricades in front of it. Good luck!

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 7:42pm

I was there Wednesday, and they didn't auction off a shirt or posters. Hugh came out within 20-30 minutes but only did one round around the barricades. He signed posters and was nice, but several people were left without signatures. It seemed like he had somewhere to go, as he ran up to the 51st street side shortly after signing, not to mention he was wearing shorts in the freezing cold!

This was totally fine, of course. Hugh is very kind to stage door, and I had just witnessed his brilliant performance from front row riverbank seats!

Updated On: 1/19/15 at 07:42 PM

[starshapedgummy]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 7:58pm

I was there like 1-2 weeks ago. He was very nice and signed my playbill. The security guard did say that he was only signing "The River" related stuff. He spent 10-15 min. with us in the blistering cold. I'm not sure if he would sign anything else if you did slip in something else to get signed, but it's worth a try!

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 10:07pm

When I was there he signed my playbill and my dvd cover of Prisoners.

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 10:39am

I think the reason why there wasn't already a stage door thread is because it was touched upon in the previews thread for this show and a lot of people had read that. Again, good luck at the stage door.

[jo]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 5:45pm

I think it's in Portuguese, but this theatre fan put together a video clip of Hugh Jackman at the stagedoor of THE RIVER --

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJwDqcGgvP4

[mattyp4]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 6:04pm

Wow, that video makes it look like there aren't that many people there! I assumed it would be jam-packed. (I know the weather probably played a factor-- it looked cold.) Maybe I should go try to get my windowcard signed one of these nights!

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 6:16pm

I think that video shows people catching Hugh on the way in because afterwards he doesn't take pictures.

[jo]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 11:00pm

Yes, it does seem as if the video was taken on his way in to the theatre

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 12:11am

Are you sure he wasn't Italian? Either way he's HOT!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 11:47am

Interesting that he does that before the show. I feel like most actors don't want to be stopped on their way into the theatre, but Hugh seems to be very generous with his time in this video.

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 11:53am

Absolutely! He's a class act!!

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 1:11pm

He seems to have Idina levels of stealth entrancing, though. I was there for the Wicked lottery a while ago, and he just walked through the crowd and into his theater. And only after he entered were people, "OMG, that was Hugh Jackman..." even though he passed right in front of them seconds earlier.

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 1:30pm

That's really weird maybe it was just that day because I've heard MANY times that he greets and signs and takes pictures before the show.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 1:47pm

No one seemed to be specifically waiting for him there, just people doing the lottery. He didn't dodge people with River posters or anything, heh.

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 2:04pm

Oh, well then there would be no REAL reason for him to stop since it would just be random people (a lot at that lottery) hording and begging for selfies (well most of them, not saying you). If there are people waiting just for him though he usually seems to appreciate it and takes the time out. A real gentleman.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 2:21pm

I clocked him, and just gave him a nod. He nodded back. That was enough for me, heh.

[jo]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 4:39pm

Sometimes, when the weather was good, in his previous shows he would walk to the theatre from a certain point in Manhattan.

He once joined Michael Riedel in Theatre Talk and shared this funny incident. He was walking to the Broadhurst for Back on Broadway and a man approached him. The man, obviously a scalper, asked him " Do you want tickets to the Hugh Jackman show ?"...He laughingly told him " But I am Hugh Jackman!"

Updated On: 1/21/15 at 04:39 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 4:54pm

^Yes! I love that story! I seem to remember that he said the scalper bolted after Hugh said that, which makes it even funnier

[hanabana]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 5:01pm

jo, that is so funny! I wonder what that scalper was thinking after that, haha. Generally, I would never approach/wait for a performer before a show, but I am debating whether I should try to do this for the River... I have a windowcard for Back on Broadway as well, and would just love to meet Hugh Jackman. I expect the stage door to be crazy after the show...

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 5:24pm

Unless you really want a picture, it doesn't matter if you go before or after the show. When I saw the show I was one of the first out there, and besides like 2 or 3 people, the stage door didn't start filling in for like 5 full minutes, but it was pretty cold that night.

[hanabana]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 5:50pm

Thanks bfreak! I'm just afraid that the security won't even let me have my windowcard signed if there are lots of people, since sometimes they would only allow stuff from the current show. But of course, I have no idea when he will show up before the show (and I also find it strange that they set up barricades before the show), and I would most likely go before a matinee, so it could be hit or miss even if I tried.