recurring stage door appearances

[Katecab99]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:57pm

Because I am not someone who has ever really "stage-doored", I'm curious:

Has anyone had an actual real life friendship develop with an actor that started in a forum, at the stage door or on Myspace?

I was reading a thread last night where someone posted a letter that Laura Benanti wrote them and it made me wonder how friendly actors are willing to get with fans that they encounter at the stage door or online. How do actors react when they see you at the stage door multiple times? Do they tell you to wait your turn or seem annoyed? Do they greet you by name? Many people here seemed to have built quasi-friendships with some of the actors or at least feel comfortable showing up multiple times, and it's just made me curious.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:03pm

Most actors don't tend to look at you and just sign autographs. Others take the time to listen to what you have to say and genuinely care. Chances are, if you go back 3 months later, they'll have no idea who you are. However, there are those, like Tina Maddigan, who can remember you down to the color of the socks you wore 3 months ago. When that happens, they're glad you saw the show again.
Updated On: 8/9/06 at 11:03 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:05pm

Sort of.

I wrote to Saycon Sengbloh shortly after she started in "Wicked" last year. We exchanged various letters and gifts and such for a few months, and that eventually led into frequent emails (at the time from her fansite email address.)

In time, we began corresponding through her personal email account, and kept in touch. When I came up to NY last month, we met in person for coffee, and hung out for over an hour. We exchanged numbers, and continue to keep in touch, frequently text messaging and ocasionally speaking on the phone.

Also, although I don't consider us friends, I email with Lauren Kennedy quite often. Funnily enough, she knew the night I was coming to "Spamalot," and before I even introduced myself, she said "OMG! Are you Nick?!" just because I was talking about "Sideshow" and "The Last Five Years." haha.

Updated On: 8/10/06 at 11:05 PM

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:06pm

There are a few actors who know me by name, and one in particular who i'm definitely not friends with, but because of some random coincidences, and the fact that I'm a big fan and make a point of showing up to gigs, has gotten to sort of know me a little.

Funny, but the 'closest' of any stagedoor friendships of mine is not with an actor, but with the stage door woman/person who runs the door.

Updated On: 8/9/06 at 11:06 PM

[MOXIEINTHECITY]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:23pm

The Myspace thing is a cool way to tell people that you loved their performance without being invasive. If they want to respond to you they can do it on their own time and there isn't that pressure on them of walking the line of the stage door.

I don’t stage door. I’m not one for small talk or chit chat period. It makes me uncomfortable and feels phony.

I exchanged MySpace messages with Anthony Rapp after I read his book. I told him that my mother had died when I was a kid and his book was a really beautiful testament to his relationship with her. He responded back to me and actually asked me questions about my Mom. I was really impressed with how genuine he came across and how he didn’t mind breaking down the fourth wall a bit and talking to me like a peer rather than just a fan.

[30/90 Playout]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:23pm

I have become "friends" with cast members at stagedoors and through myspace in which we have had ongoing conversations through personal messages.

Last time when I saw Lauren Molina she recognized me halfway down the street and started shouting.

[LI Larry]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:31pm

I have become friends with someone I met originally by waiting at the stage door - Eric Jordan Young when he was in seussical. Strangely though, once we became friends, I never really waited outside a stage door for him again (unless I actually seeing whatever show he was doing that night). I have met a few other people at the stage door who recognize me and say hello either at the door or at the bway flea market but I wouldn't say they were friendships.

[FeelingElectric]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 7:57am

I am actually a friend of the actress currently playing Penny in Hairspray on Broadway (Caissie Levy). We met when she was on the tour in Baltimore earlier this year and became fast friends. It helped that she's played two of my favorite characters(Penny in Hairspray, and Maureen in Rent) and we had that among other things to talk about. After the final show in Baltimore, I told her that if she ever made it to a show on Broadway, I would come up and see her. I never thought I would be doing that so quickly, but in June she made her Broadway Debut in Hairspray. I kept my promise two weeks ago, and she was fantastic. After the show, we talked for a while about her first Broadway experience and what I have been doing since I last saw her in January. I am happy to know her. She is a talented actress, and a lovely young lady.

On a related note, Amy Spanger recognizes me every time I go by the Hirshfeld stage door. While I would not consider that a friendship, we do know each other pretty well from the time she did Feeling Electric till now.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:15am

I met Elena Shaddow after seeing Carnival at papermill, but I had already seen her perform in Woman in White and Nine. After a great conversation, we became friendly and email periodically. Carolee Carmello knows me by name, but it probably helps that her son and I have the same name. But, I have seen her multiple times and she is always happy to see me and has emailed me before. Some others know me by name, many don't but I love stagedooring and meeting the stars.

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:18am

There are a few actors who know me by name, but who knows if this is a good thing or a bad thing...

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:46am

Um, just my family and I's friendship with Mylinda Hull
My sister and I first wrote her letters and drew her pictures, then met her at the stage door, then wrote her a few more letters and stuff, she emailed us, we had dinner with her, and now we call and email Mylinda at times. she even mentioned us in the Playbill Yearbook as "favorite fans" (hopefully that part gets published!)
but yeah, thats about it for me. hope that didnt sound braggy or anything, but im sure a lot of you people have even more in depth relationships with Broadway performers...

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:52am

Is it just me or do Broadway actors/actresses seem more authentic and approachable than Hollywood ones? I'm not stereotyping them here, and saying all Hollywood actors are stuck up while Broadway ones aren't, but some of the fan's encounters with Broadway stars have overall seemed more plesant than some people's encounters with Hollywood stars. Maybe it's because Broadway stars aren't so much wrapped up in fame and riches like Hollywood stars are...?

[GodIHopeIGetIt]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:54am

I guess it's because on a stage, actors are communicating with the audience AND in another world on the stage. In camera work, you don't know who may be watching. I don't know.. this sounds stupid.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:55am

I don't know how they do it, but friends of mine have become friends of actors in shows by seeing the show/stage-dooring numerous times. I could never do it.

Some Broadway people are familiar with me, especially the cast of Jersey Boys. I wouldn't call it friends. After a show, I almost always stage door because it just completes the experience. JLY and Peter Gregus knew me from my site, and I messaged Daniel Reichard on MySpace and he knew me from that and the stage door.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:57am

Millie, it's a much more... grassroots approach of getting fans; in Hollywood, your name can get out there via tabloids or the news, or doing a movie that the entire country or world might see. This community is so much smaller, than gaining a fanbase is reliant on different kinds of exposure... and that's an aside to the fact that the nature of the work they do, where they're right there in person as opposed to on a screen, makes them more accessible.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:58am

I don't think there's anything like the connection of an audience to an actor, and (hopefully) actors are aware of that. I know that for me acting is such a personal thing that whenever someone watches me, I 'bond' with them in some form.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 12:00pm

"Is it just me or do Broadway actors/actresses seem more authentic and approachable than Hollywood ones?"

most definitely! ive always noticed that. thats what i love about Broadway...besides just seeing these people act and perform, you can also meet and talk to them, and I dont know, its just really nice
yeah
:)

[mijofly19]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 12:12pm

I think that stage actors are more approachable and authentic than Hollywood ones because they don't have anywhere near the fanbase a movie or television actor has. I just had family up from out of state, and they didn't care to stage door Spelling Bee because it had no "famous people" in it. They did want to stage door DRS last year though, because it had John Lithgow in it.

If a Hollywood actor comes to the Broadway stage, there are usually too many people waiting to meet you in order for you to be approachable. Just look at Julia Roberts.

[broadwaybound882]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 12:13pm

I know (and communicate with frequently) the cast of Lestat. A favorable review I gave them closing day secured acknowldegemnt with them for a while. I also have some Sweeney people who sometimes recognize me on the street when I come to NYC.

[mikem]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 12:23pm

I think Broadway actors are more approachable and open for a bunch of different reasons: 1) because they aren't bothered by paparazzi and fans all day long, they're more receptive at the stage door; 2) Since they're not as famous, they're not as isolated from "normal life" as some celebrities and can identify more with fans and their fans are probably less stalker-ish; 3) the shared experience of audience and actor in live theatre; 4) the immediate time frame in live theatre -- even at a movie premiere, the actor has often filmed the part a year earlier and may not know what take has been used, which could make it hard for him to make insightful comments about his performance; 5) what everyone else already said.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:28pm

Has anyone had an actual real life friendship develop with an actor that started in a forum, at the stage door or on Myspace?

Stage door and e-mail, yes. One of them has kinda disappeared as of late, though.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:37pm

I have 3 personal friends who have been on b'way. But I have many broadway friends on myspace...just because they add anyone who sends them a friend request such as

Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Stephen Lynch
Cellian Keenan-Bolger
Kevin Cahoon
Susan Egan
Lauren Molina
Mano
Donna Lynne Champlin
Marc Shaiman
Gavin Creel

Updated On: 8/10/06 at 01:37 PM

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:39pm

Susan Egan sent me a MySpace request...

She was sending them to everyone on Manoel Felciano's MySpace. For the record, I don't think that means I'm friends with her. Never met her. I thought it was funny though.

[MOXIEINTHECITY]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:46pm

I think by "friendships" the original poster meant actual friendships like we have with our "regular" friends. Where you go out, you talk, you bond, etc.

I'm not trying to be rude or mean but I can't imagine that some of these actors don't see the same people at the stage door multiple times and get just a tiny bit freaked out.

[SarahBeth]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:47pm

The closest thing I can say is that Susan Egan sent me a friend request but I wouldn't call that a friendship. I wasn't on Monoel's myspace though until long after that so I don't know where she found me from.
I've exchanged quite a few emails with Greg Jbara.