Worst stagedoor- Page 5

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 12:41am

okay i will dish! so Carolee comes out of the stagedoor w/a box of doughnuts talking to some buddies. I stand there idly waiting for her to finish (about 10 feet away) then she looks at me "I'll be right there" she says directly to me though she says it abruptly and sharp. Everyone at this point is holding their **** out to her and she comes right over to me and says "Sorry i made you wait so long". Then she signs my stuff, I tell her she was amazing, then I reach for my pen in her hand and she says "oh--I wouldnt want to get pen all over your coat"---
It was confusing, I hope I wasnt being a bitch to her or looking at her in a bitchy way....

Posted: 1/16/06 at 12:56am

i am glad i didn't see my name on that list!
i gave EXCELLENT stage door!!! i stood out in the cold for about an hour every night with the fans of the show just yapping away!
only ONE night, in a whole year, i went out another door because i was doing the show with bronchitis and after a snowy two show day, i just couldn't talk to anyone! of course, i was labeled a bitch for a while..but i redeemed myself eventually..how quickly they turn on you! hahahah....

[SirLiir]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 1:34am

Ah, that's not fair, Andrew. It was nice you were (and are I hope haha) so friendly to your fans. People who form an opinion about any actor or actress just from stage door manners need to rethink their priorities...

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 1:37am

I've never had a bad stagedoor experience, but my first time was definitely my weirdest. It was a tour of Jesus Christ Superstar in Atlanta with Ted Neely and Carl Anderson. Atlanta was under a tornado warning that night, but despite it all my friend and I and about ten other people were dutifully waiting outside the stagedoor on the sidewalk. I had never stagedoored before, so I didn't notice how odd it was that as the cast came out, they seemed to recognize everyone, and would talk, but be politely distant as they made their way out of the theater. It was the first night of the tour, and the stars were detained inside with press, guests, whatnot, but we dutifully continued to stand outside while high winds and storms whipped us about. After a time, the stage door manager came out to tell us that Ted Neely and Carl Anderson were sorry that they were taking so long, and in the meantime would we please wait inside; they would be down as soon as possible. Once we got out of the storm and the wind, we started talking amongst ourselves. That's when I discovered that of the 12 people waiting at the door, my friend and I were the only two who were actually from the Atlanta area. Everyone else at the stage door was from somewhere else, they had all seen the tour several times before, and had followed the show to Atlanta at great personal expense. I was very young and it was my first stagedoor experience, so I didn't know to take this as a red flag. Finally, Carl Anderson and later Ted Neely came down. I have never met two nicer or more down-to-Earth people than this in my life. Maybe it was because there were so few of us, or because we were inside while severe thunderstorms raged just outside the door, or because we were the only two there who weren't freaky groupie-types, but both of them talked to my friend and I at length. I had secreted my copy of the VHS tape into the theater, and I just expected them to sign it, say "You're welcome", and move on. They wanted to talk. And not just idle chit-chat. They both, at times, pressed us for personal information like where we worked or went to school. This whole experience was made ooky by the other people in attendance. I will take the teenagers at the Gershwin stagedoor over these people anyday. You would have thought the real Jesus Christ had just walked into the room the way they acted. They spoke in reverent, hushed tones and, when not speaking directly to them, would speak of them in this weird third-person that suggested they weren't actually right there in that tiny foyer overhearing them. It was embarrassing for both the stars and my friend and I. They weren't acting like groupies, they were acting like cult members awaiting their vodka and applesauce. The scariest part was that three of the people there were a mother and father with their preteen son who had followed the tour through, like, four previous tour stops. CREEPY. And shouldn't that kid be in school?
The way the stars were mingling it felt like an overly-formal cocktail party sans alcohol or a political fundraiser. My friend and I excused ourselves, so I never found out how Ted Neely and Carl Anderson got out of there. They were both super-nice, but God-DAMN! Those are the freakiest fans I've ever met.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 1:49am

"People who form an opinion about any actor or actress just from stage door manners need to rethink their priorities... " i hope that doesnt mean me...because i may have been acting bitchy (i often do) and i dont realize it

[Horton]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 7:48am

Now, most often I dont stage door, I think it is wird, but when I saw Urinetown with Carolee Carmello and I was again just sitting outside the theater and when she came out she approched me and was like, so did you like the show because she could see me from the first row, now this is a woman who could give Gregory Jbara a run for his stagedooring.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 8:04am

As I read through this thread, I couldn't help but recall the days when I was younger and "stage dooring". I don't ever recall a barracde set up out there, even when the stars were Beatrice Lillie, Gwen Verdon, Liza Minnelli, Tammy Grimes, Ethel Merman, or Robert Goulet. I recall Ben Vereen invited his fans into his dressing room and the fellow who played Superman (why can't I remember his name right now?) set up a desk backstage and met everyone who came to see THE FIFTH OF JULY. What I witnessed outside THE BOY FROM OZ was sheer madness. Even OKLAHOMA! (before Patrick Wilson became so incredibly popular) had barracades. The change in audience reactions to the casts of today's shows compares very poorly to those from years ago.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 8:54am

Believe it or not, I've never even attempted a Stage Door experience.

If I were a performer, I'd be honored that somebody wanted my autograph, or just cared enough about me to want to see me even thoughthey didn't know me. I'm shocked by the rudeness of some of the people in these stories.

I did have one semi-story, though. One night I was walking to my hotel and I was passing by all the theaters and what-not, and there was this ENORMOUS mob just standing there and screaming loudly and somebody was standing on a car and it was INSANE. You literally couldn't move down the street.
I heard somebody say "Did someone just get shot or something?" and the woman next to her said "No, The Boy From Oz just let out.

[kasim]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 9:30am

btw about the Sweeney stuff ... i had to wait forever for Michael, but he did come out and they all seemed very nice. And i even got a picture with Michael, Patti, and Lauren.


Worse ones ... i had a funny one with wicked. Where these teenagers took these little 8 year olds spots. Kinda booted them out of the way. So i returned the favour and guarded the little 8 year olds. Apparently

Me > teenagers :)

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 9:54am

Wicked Stagedoor in DC:

Scarey 50 y.o. man being totally obnoxious and acting like a total "know it all". While the actors were talking to people he was constantly interrupting them. Sebastian Arcelus (Fiyero) looked like he couldn't get away from this guy fast enough.

During that same experience, Stephanie Block came out and the first thing she said was thank you for waiting.

Updated On: 1/16/06 at 09:54 AM

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 10:02am

My sweetest stage door encounter was when i saw Dessa Rose. I sometimes wait before the show to meet a certain actor or actress depending on how much time i have to get back to Port Authority. So i decided to wait for Rachel before the show, now mind you this was the 3rd last performance so i knew she was reheasing for Ragtime. So it is about 5 mintues after call and i decided to put my stuff away and Rachel comes zooming pass, of course i know she is running late but i still ask. She tells me that she is late and i could see her after. So i see the show and it is AMAZING. then i am waiting around after the show, trying to figure how fast i am gonna run. And Rachel comes right out and walk right to me and apologizes for being tardy to the theatre. It was amazing because she is one of my favorite performers. What a lovely woman and a total sweetheart

[kec]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 10:21am

"the fellow who played Superman (why can't I remember his name right now?) set up a desk backstage and met everyone who came to see THE FIFTH OF JULY."

Christopher Reeve.

[kec]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 10:21am

"the fellow who played Superman (why can't I remember his name right now?) set up a desk backstage and met everyone who came to see THE FIFTH OF JULY."

Christopher Reeve.

[Brokenlizard14]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 10:45am

Ok. It seems like everyone who stage doors Sweeney only talks about Michael and Patti. How is Manoel Feliciano (Tobias, if anyone doesn't know.)

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 10:52am

That 50 year old (i think he was older) at Wicked in DC was extremely annoying, but definitely not my worst stage door experience.

That honor goes to the first time I saw "See What I Wanna See." There were WAY too many Idina-crazed fans. One girl (wearing a Wicked t-shirt) was with her mother. When Idina came out, a bunch of girls screamed at the top of their lungs and the teenage girl's mother was gushing to Idina about how much her daughter loves her and how she has been a great influence on her and a role model. The girl was just standing there crying. The whole thing was absurd...and yes, Idina did look scared. Luckily, she still signed for everyone who was waiting, but it was still the worst stage door experience I've ever had.

[cate_w]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 11:14am

I think when Idina and Kristin were in Wicked, it was the worst stage door just because of the crowd and having to listen to dozens of over-excited preteens. Both times I went, Kristin didn't come out and I was amazed at the language of some of those little girls when they realized she wasn't coming! Idina was really sweet when I was there, though. She seemed really shy with the adults and (understandably) the annoying girls, but right next to me was a little girl who was probably about five and Idina crouched down and spoke to her for a few minutes, answering some of her questions. It was so nice and the little girl was so happy that no matter what I hear about her at stage doors, I will always think favorably of her.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 11:27am

Just to clarify, Idina was a total sweetheart. It was the annoying mother and daughter and screaming teen girls that made it my worst experience. After I saw Wicked in September 2004, I chose not to stagedoor.
Updated On: 1/16/06 at 11:27 AM

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 11:50am

I haven't had any bad experiences with actors but the worst stagedoor I ever did was for Avenue Q. My friends and i were patiently waiting for Barrett and when he started to, this crazy mob of like 15 years just pushed their way up infront of us and thye just kept screaming,"he's so hot." O"h my god he so hot!!!". I must say it looked like he was a bit annoyed. It was just rude. But that's about the worst. And the doorman at the Imperial is pretty rude.

[SirLiir]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 12:48pm

BWBelter, no, no, you are cool. I believe my statement was directed at some of people in these horror stories on this thread, like that Wicked stage door mothers...yikes.

Dollypop, that must have been such a fun, free time and we envy you greatly. Today, it's just a madhouse. The continued glorification of celebrities? It is nice to see BWay stars get their props, but there needs to be a limit.

The Wicked stage door can be crazy but its not too bad if you have a good spot and find someone to talk about the actual meanings of the musical and the book. But unfocused, teenage fanatical love for a performer and such banner...no thank you.

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 12:58pm

Broken Lizard, Manoel is incredibly sweet. The entire cast of Sweeney has never been anything but kind and willing to talk to the fans.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 1:04pm

my worst was when my sister and i brought our friend from idaho (for the first time!) to new york october of 2004,and saw phantom of the opera. we waited at the stage door for about an hour or so, met 4 people (3 of them ensemble members) and the 4th one was one of the managers. and then this other lady comes and we're like "hey, when is everyone else coming?" and shes like "oh,they walked out the front entrance of the theater", and walked away.

it was very dissappointing...

pish

[Chenofan #1]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 1:44pm

I don't have a worst, but my funniest was that my friend and I were waiting to get Antionique's autograph in Rent, and this person who was selling newspapers outside the theatre came up to her, pushed everyone out of the way and started singing "Would you light my paper." and "Seasons of Paper." He was singing about paper, and she looked so uncomfortable, and eveyone was just looking at him. I then was talking to her, and she said that guy has been doing that lately.

[mijofly19]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 1:50pm

I've had that same guy at the Rent door too. He only sang "Would you buy my paper" though.

[Brokenlizard14]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 2:06pm

Johnnytoc,

Thank you so much. I can't wait to see...well...any of them. But I'm especially excited to see Manoel.

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 2:40pm

Cheno Fan and mijofly19 he is there almost every night, if not every night. I've had it sung to me many times. ^_^;;