Worst stage door experience — Page 4

Macavity - you made me smile. Clever.

- and yes, it needed to be said.

Thank you very much! ^

Jordan Catalano said: "This thread reminded me of one of my favorite stage door moments. I've told this story before, but after 33 VARIATIONS, I was enamored with Jane Fonda and was talking about her career and people on the other side of the barricades were shouting "Jane! Jane! Over here!" And she turned around and loudly said "Can't you see that I'm speaking to someone? I'll be there when I get there". then she turned back around, apologized an continued talking to me.



I almost pissed myself.







"That's a cool story.

To all of you who brave the crowds at stage door: you're so much braver than me. Kudos.

I've never done stage door before, but when I was 14 years old and lived in a state far, far away from NYC, a kind soul from a Broadway message board like this one got Hugh Jackman to sign and personalize a Boy from Oz playbill for me. She FedEx'ed it to my house with some pictures of him signing it, and it became one of my most cherished possessions for years. I still have it.

In hindsight, giving out my address to some stranger was a pretty stupid thing to do, but all turned out well and I will always remember that random act of kindness. So wherever that person is, I hope they know how much that meant to me!

Comden Green said: "I know it's best if we avoid actor stories but I'm going to tell one anyway.

Matilda. I was in awe of Bertie Carvel. After the show, I got in a spot to have my poster signed. The crowd was positioned in a semi-circle. I stood about halfway around the circle behind some kids. Mr. Carvel came out the stage door and walked directly to our spot. He began to sign all those around me. I held out my poster - not intrusively, not in front of anyone, just so it could be seen. He didn't sign it. He continued to walk away from that spot to finish half of the circle. That's ok. I'll just wait until he comes back to do the rest of the group. Or not, even, it's not that big a deal.

He finished that group and walked directly back to where I was standing to begin the rest of the group. He began to sign. I held up the poster. Not intrusively, not over anyone. Patiently. But as he finished everyone nearby, he began to move away from me, signing others. I was the only one there. I had a poster. I was holding it out. It was so strange. I spoke up and asked if he would sign it. He did.

Ever feel invisible? The only way I have rationalized it is that he felt I was too old to be getting autographs with all these young people. I can't imagine any other faux pas I had committed. I can't imagine how he could not have seen me there - twice. And yet see every other soul standing there. ??




I rarely do stage door anymore.
"

He's the moodiest person I've ever known. I'm certain it was nothing to do with you.

I personally love stagedooring because from my experience, I've met and had memorable conversations with actors and fellow audience members while waiting. It is a hit or miss whether or not you will meet your desired actor/actress, but I always keep that in mind every time i fall in line that they may not come out or sign and that they don't have any obligation to.



That being said, I do wish that when there is a growing line at the stagedoor for a certain actor they would make an announcement if they aren't going to sign. I just remember the If/Then stagedoor line since Frozen had just come out there were so many little girls dressed up as Elsa and it was pretty late and they were waiting for Idina. Most of the actors came out and after 45 minutes (barricades still up), the stagedoor attendee made an announcement that Idina had left and would not be signing. Nothing against actors not wishing to stagedoor that night, but I think just better communication so people don't get their hopes up only to be disappointed.



On another note, being the only one at the stagedoor is honestly the best and worst experience in my opinion (mostly happens in non-NYC theatre) only because you can have incredible, full-blown conversations with the actors, but at the same time it's so intimidating especially when you realize (sharpie in hand) that the group of people you were waiting with are actually their friends & family.

I saw Wicked with my boyfriend back in July. It was Rachel Tucker and Jonah Platt's final matinee. I met Zach Pisner, Dawn Cantwell and Jonah. The stage door attendant announced that because it was Broadway Barks, Carrie St. Louis was not coming out since she had to rush over there. He also announced that Rachel was not coming out (apparently she doesn't sign during matinees). I wasn't disappointed, but the woman next to me had an earful for the attendant. Clearly a crazed Wicked fanatic. She made an effort to push and shove every little kid of the way whenever an actor would come out. I tried making conversation with Jonah, and she nudged me and told me to "get away" from her.

I gotta say Anastasia now. It was the most crowded stage door yet and people were pushing against each other. The cast was just as sweet as last year (Christy and John are too pure for this world), however when Ramin came out, he went to both people next to me and did not acknowledged me and the beginning of the line at all. I don't know if he accidentally skipped me or purposely ignored me. I put my playbill slightly next to the people between me's playbills and kept saying his name over and over again after he skipped me (I couldn't just tap him on the shoulder. That'd be rude), but he just kept going. Didn't help that the people between me didn't help me either. Oh well.

I'm sure this has been mentioned before on this thread, but my Hamilton stage door experience was one of the most stress-inducing experiences I've had on Broadway thus far. I saw the show last May when the original cast (minus King George) was still playing. After the show, my family and I rushed out to get a good position at the stage door. Luckily, we got right up against the barrier they put out. However, about 5 minutes later, crowds start pouring in. I wouldn't mind if they were Hamilton show-goers, but virtually every Playbill in the vicinity of me was to a different show. Tons of Les Mis people from next door, a bunch of American Psycho playbills, etc. It was insanity how many "Les Mis" playbills I saw Lin sign. People started pushing so hard to get to the front, at one point physically trying to pull my brother backwards to get in front of him (I held on to him and the divider for dear life). It was comparable to trying to get to the front for a major headliner at a music festival, and I surprised with how many people were outright rude in the moment. I overheard a kid behind me bragging about how he's never seen the show, but comes to the Hamilton stage door every time he's in the area to try and complete as many signed Playbills as he can before he sells them. I felt really bad for people who did pay for tickets and couldn't manage to get to the stage door because of all the people. It was utter chaos, but luckily the Hamilton cast was amazingly nice.

This might be a 'tradition" that needs retiring, if only for security reasons. It's like some sort of gauntlet forced upon them - very creepy and sad.

My favorite stage door experience- from long ago- but also so weird- was waiting for Barbra Streisand at Funny Girl- and the crowd was really enormous- Barbra passes by me wearing her brown baseball cap and carrying her poodle Sadie- but she was so pretty- and so small- it did not look like her to me- so almost as if I did not see her- I was so caught up in the legend of her in the sixties that she almost did not seem real- I did see Funny Girl though- on an off matinee a month before she left to London- and she put on a lackluster show and I was quite disappointed.

I met Anthony Rapp as well after his one man show Without You. I had lost my mom just beforehand as well, and he was very kind.