Worst stagedoor — Page 4

Sweeney's door is usually very crowded, and Sat. is no exception. However, the cast is always very sweet and most stay to sign everyone's stuff and take pictures. Michael is usually the last to come out, preceeded by Patti, so make sure you stay! Get out of the theatre fast and you will have a good spot to stand in.

---

Marc Kudisch?

I personally didn't have any bad experience at the stage door. :)

---

Last week I was passing the Wicked Stage door, had not seen the show, and it was sort of cold, and It was just me, and all of a sudden Ben Vereen comes out, and I just walked up to him, and told him how he was so amazing in Pippin, and I have yet to see him in Wicked, but everybody says that he is so good! Well, he was so nice. Personally I hate Stagedooring, for two reasons,
1. When you meet actors then, they are still putting on a show for you, its not like you are really meeting them
2. I admire my idols mainly because they are amazing proformers, I dont want to know what they are like in person.

However the nicest stagedoor ever was deffinately Brian Stokes Mitchell, I had waited for over 2 hours after Man of La Mancha, and then he came out, and it was Just me, I mean all the baracades had been taken down and everything, so he walked out, and was about to go down the street when I said to him Mr. Mitchell, he was so suprised I was still there, and it was COLD! so he took me inside the at that time Martian Beck, and showed me the entire inside, It was just AMAZING! I will never forget that night.

I think one of the biggest problems is that these young teens and "groupies" don't treat the performers like normal people, which is all they really are. I had a great stage door experience when I saw "Brooklyn" when it was still in previews in October of 2004. Now, given, it was the only time I had ever stayed to meet the cast. But when I exited the theater with my friends, we found that there were not many people waiting for autographs...maybe 20, if that. Here's a tip, folks...if the crowd is small...simply move as close as you can to the "barricade", or whatever device they have set up to keep you away from the actors, and simply wait and be polite. Do not shove your Playbill at the actor. And here's another thing - don't throw your arm around an actor and give a cheesy smile as if you've been their closest friend for 10 years...they don't like it, and what does it really get you? A picture with someone you'll never see again. LOL - sorry for my tangent. Kevin Anderson came out, signed my Playbill, and we talked for almost 10 minutes...he was very friendly. Eden signed my Playbill - again, very friendly. Part of the reason I didn't "push" to get an autograph (I "waited", and if they approached me, I would ask - there IS a difference) is because, being an actor myself, I know how exhausting it is to do a show. When you're done, you're tired, sweaty, and especially in New York, you probably have to go hop a cab or a subway, and get home so you can sleep.

I also had the opportunity to meet the composers of Brooklyn, AND John McDaniel (of Rosie O'Donnell fame) - they were there that night, taking notes, etc., since the show was still in previews. They walked right out the front door, and saw me and my friends just standing there, debating what to do after the show (go for a drink, dinner, etc), and came up and said hello. We ended up talking to them for almost 45 minutes, at which point (no joke) John McDaniel invited us to come for a drink with them. We were ridiculously honored and extatic - but had to leave for Richmond, VA (our hometown) that night, and had to get back to our hotel to pack. So we declined, said thank you for a fantastic show and wished them luck with the run of it. It was a great memory to have. I still have the signed Playbill...no photographs...didn't need/want them...but if you treat people with respect and realize they're NORMAL people...you can have a pleasant stage door experience :)

Well, couple things. Horton, I see your point I'm sure you're right about a lot of actors still putting on a show for you, but I don't think that's the case with all of them. There have been quite a few actors I've chatted with at stage doors, and I have gotten to know them a little bit, not to say I'm friends w/ them or anything, but...you know w/ them you're having a real experience, and you can tell they enjoy chatting with you. Maybe these actors are the exception but still, it is true for some.

Also, Jason about the photographs...again, I think it depends. I'm sure this isn't even your point but for the record, also possibly because I'm very short, I'm never the one to put my arm around, I let them dictate that. Some will take a face-to-face picture, some just stop at the stage door next to you, I certainly don't reach my arm out if they don't first, though quite often they do put their arm around me. I don't think many people would show these pictures to people and actually say they're best friends, sometimes it's just special to have. I think it's known just b/c you take a picture w/ someone, it doesn't mean you're best friends, but it at least can show people, look I saw this person close-up and if nothing else asked for a picture, and they were kind enough to take one with me, yay. Again, this may be more in the minority, but there are actors that always encourage pictures, and sometimes specifically ask to be sent them for a website or just to be sent it. I've had friends show me some actors who actually put some of their pictures w/ them in their dressing rooms, it's really cute actually. I totally agree you shouldn't impose and should always treat them as normal people, but just saying everyone is different, to completely generalize doesn't hold. Hopefully, one can have good sense to see who does enjoy chatting w/ you and who's in a rush to get home and can act appropriately, but you certainly can have an enjoyable experience asking for a photograph, etc.

---

I think the Woman in White Stage door is pretty bad. It's very nice except for the fact there's a huge pole in front of the door. I was talking to one of the actress's in the show and she walked right into the pole, i couldn't help but laugh.

It was really great when a bitch of a teeny bopper pushed me down at Hairspray, so after that, I avoid Teeny Bopper infested stage doors.
I really had a great experience at DRS, although the security guard nicely called me an idiot because I asked if a man coming out the door was in the ensemble. I said, "Was he in the ensemble?" "Oh yeah. You didn't know that? You just saw the show." Ass. However, Litghow and Butz were very nice. Unfortunately, I couldn't meet Gregory Jbara. I had dinner reservations and I was running late already.

Updated On: 1/15/06 at 05:17 PM

When I went to the woman in white stage door my friend and I were the first ones there because of the location we wondered if we were in the right place but the cast was all really nice. We had the understudy for Walter (Michael Shawn Lewis) he was completly adoreable and there was a semi large crowd of all late teen girl and when he was there there was a lot of girlish squeals. He was great a signed alot of playbills and took pictures

The worst physical stage door has to be at the NYCO in Lincoln Center. I saw Cinderella there with a few friends and we decided to stage door. The door is at the bottom of a flight of steps so the first to get there got right up at the top of the steps naking the cast sign their Playbills while on the steps. After they were done with the first few people got signed they would have do puch through everyone else to get to the street. It was a mess!

Another funny story from that night: Lea DeLaria had just come out and was still signing when a man and woman wearing large hats and sunglasses, in January, came bustling through. A few mothers had brought their children dressed up to meet Cinderella (Sarah Uriarte Berry). The couple bustled through and Lea shouted "CINDERELLA AND PRINCE CHARMING ARE GETTING AWAY!!" I'll never forget hoards of women picking up their children and chasing poor Sarah and Chris Seiber down the street. Lea later apologized to them, while Chris was signing my Playbill and he did not seem very happy!

---

When I saw Joesph and Amy Adams was the narrator. She came out and walked super fast both times I saw her.
And when I saw phantom I forget who Meg was U.S. tour few days ago she was like all rude it looked like and John Cudia like never comes out lol the 2 times I have seen him I want his autograph. I have 1 more day and I hope I get it!!

Sorry to interrupt the horror stories...I have none to share. I've only stagedoored once and it was fantastic. I was just wondering, how is the Jersey Boys stage door on a Tuesday night?

*

---

Updated On: 1/16/06 at 12:29 AM