When will actors begin stage dooring again/backstage tours — Page 2

kennedy_rose said: "yankeefan7 said: "" But as an actor - you don't "have to", either. "

Is that totally true? I have read posts over the years by quite a few people who say the shows tell actors it is "highly recommended" that they promote the show by going to the stage door and signing stuff."

Of course no one can force you, but in the age of social media, there are these outlandish expectations and fans will post photos and it keeps the machine going; to do the stage door is still selling the show and serving the ticket buyers. When you don't, you get the Scarlet Letter and yes, leads of shows have come to dressing rooms and reamed actors for not joining them in camaraderie to greet the fans and sign playbills. And guess what, we became tone deaf towardthat particularrequests and overall behavior. So much for camaraderie.

As the old saying goes, "You do you, I'll do me.""

Have Amber Gray and André de Shields ever stage doored at Hadestown? When I saw the show, the only one of the five leads who came out was Reeve. I didn't lose respect for the people who didn't stage door. I appreciated the time I got to interact with the actors I did meet, and I went on my way. I'm a performer who personally enjoys the stage door - I love getting to talk with people after the show, and on the few nights during my latest show where I couldn't stage door, I definitely missed it. I hope the tradition doesn't go away because of this - or if anything, less audience members will go to it and then there won't be as much pushing to the front or holding Playbills over people's heads to get them to the actors.

yankeefan7 said: "" Have Amber Gray and André de Shields ever stage doored at Hadestown? When I saw the show, the only one of the five leads who came out was Reeve. "

The only thing I will say is "Hadestown" is the hit show in town and does not need the publicity as much as many other shows which could be the difference. Since you are a performer, did you ever feel that you were obligated to do the stage door thing?"

Not really. I was disappointed when I couldn't do it because I enjoy it, but I didn't feel like I ever had to. That said, I never really had to try and promote ticket sales for my show, either. I guess it really depends on each actor's situation. I do feel that those who enjoy it should be able to do it, as I understand (having been on either side of the interaction) how cool it can be. I definitely don't think there should be an obligation. I know that there are some actors from Mean Girls who don't stage door, and that show needs the publicity much more than Hadestown. Maybe if there are less people who come to the stage door, there'll be more actors who feel legitimately comfortable with doing it and who don't feel like it's an obligation.

I went on a backstage tour as an ensemble member of BoM also happened to be a coworker. It was a lot of fun -- you got to see the changing areas (tiny!) the places where the costume people worked (off a crevice room on a steep staircase), the sets (very simple viewed up close). I also learned how the dancers change so quickly between their glitzy jackets and missionary collared shirts (the glitzy jackets are hidden in the belt).

PatrickDC said: "If stage dooming doesn’t go back to “normal” how will it work? Will security be shooing people away? How will they do this with full sidewalks after shows get out? "

That's exactly what they will be doing, assuming it's a policy as opposed to individual actors deciding not to do it.

I have enjoyed my stagedoor experiences on Broadway and on tour. I've also been lucky to visit backstage at "Chicago" at the Ambassador a couple of times. At this point in time, theatre professionals are wondering and hoping that their shows return as soon as possible. Sadly, not all shows will return. Stage dooring and backstage tours are the last things on their minds. When Broadway does return, things will never be the same.

This is a THEATER board and this thread is about stage door and tours. Clearly, you took a wrong turn on the interwebs.

PatrickDC said: "If stage dooming doesn’t go back to “normal” how will it work? Will security be shooing people away? How will they do this with full sidewalks after shows get out? "


That is what several theaters did in early March. Took away the barriers or didn't place any along with large "No Stagedoor Activity" signs. For those that did SD, no selfies were permitted and alot of the actors just didn't come out.

Understandably, the "no SD" signs will likely continue upon re-opening. Or many actors will just do a Nathan Lane, i.e., come out the SD & wave at the folks as they jump in the car. At least it's recognizing the fans, unlike many who would go out other doors. Doubt selfies will return anytime soon, if at all.

BroadwayRox3588 wrote, in part: "However, I wonder what this means in terms of intimate, one-on-one conversations with people like musicians inside the theatre after a show."

I've not been to London theater, but a friend told me their SD activity involved actually meeting w/actors post show in the theater. He went a decade ago, so I don't know if that's still the method, but I noticed some Bway shows have that "post show" discussion for groups.

I don't think it will return either, but then there are those actors who like greeting their fans. I did prefer the "Network/Bryan Cranston" policy. Will only sign item from the show. Or the Springsteen policy, i.e., theater attendee only line w/ticket from that show that night which was imposed later in his run because it became nuts from non-attending fans. For Network at least, it kept the dealers away who would show up with everything short of a roll of toilet paper to have signed. I watched security remove those folks from the line.

Que sera, sera.

Whenever Broadway opens next year, I don't think there will be barriers and people will be told by either a sign or security that there is no stage door. It will come back in a year or two.

jakethesnake said: "Never."

That made me laugh---Never!--no need for an explanation-all over--dun and dusted-next !

Loved it.

BLs68 said: "I personally hate the stage door but I love going backstage. I’ve gone backstage at Once On This Island once and three times at Hadestown. Each time has been a wonderful experience to talk to the performers on a personal level about many topics and get to see where everything gets stored.

I was supposed to go backstage at Beetlejuice a few weeks ago. It’s a lose-lose situation for all involved at this point and I’m sad about it. The organization who set up my tickets and tour automatically refunded me and said they would not be able to schedule a tour with Beetlejuice when Broadway opens up again. I was looking forward to this for many reasons, especially to see the sandworm. "

What is the difference? Stage dooring or going backstage, you are still taking time away from the actors when they are off the clock (unless you know the actors personally) if anyting backstage tours take longer than the 5-10 minutes it takes for an actor to go up and down the stage door line. Don't really see how you can knock one but not the other .

Just to make it clear, I think both are great-just wondering how you can trash one and not the other

Updated On: 5/4/20 at 07:49 PM