what do you think of show groupies???

now i love miss saigon... seen the show like 20 times in various productions... and i have a lot of other ways of seeing it... but i'm not obsessed with it really... well the definition of obsession can be something to many people... i'm not really obsessed as so much as every time the show is around my area i'll watch it but whatever... my question is... what do you think of show groupies... you know the RENTHEADS and stuff like that... in my opinion... and it is an OPINION... some show groupies irk me... ok.. to be honest, RENTHEADS annoy the crap out of me... when i first saw RENT (one of my favorite shows that i've seen a total like 7 or 8 times) back in 97 or 98... i was amazed that people in the audience were dressed like the characters and screaming at like EVERY number... and then they would go to the stage door and talk to EVERY single cast member... and then i see message boards and whoah are some of these people obsessed... to the point where RENT is the most perfect thing... well... not to just point the finger to RENTHEADS... but WICKED, PHANTOM also have their share of obsessive fans.... especially WICKED right now...

buuuut... even i annoy the crap out of myself... especially with my obsession with Star Wars.. hahah... my friends think i'm scary with that... so i really can't complain too much...

i just wanted to hear what you all have to say?

I avoid show groupies if at all possible.

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I always try not to cast stones....it usually comes back to bite you on the A**

I am over the Wicked groupies....I'm sorry, I saw it once, it was "ok", but it is not the end all these people think, so I know what you mean.

I am probably a Renthead....do I dress up like them? No......would I go out of my way to meet one of them? No......but I like the music, story, and what it represents.

Miss Saigon is an amazing play........moreso I think to those of us that lived through that era

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I dunno I dislike the term groupie. I still think of those that travel w/ bands on tour and umm...give them pleasure. I prefer the term passionate supporter. I mean, sometimes ppl do things I wouldn't, but I wouldn't say they bother me. I mean, I'm a passionate supporter of DRS and while I don't dress up like the cast I have a special DRS shirt and I cheer really loud and try to get the audience into it, and a lot of ppl know me, I talk to them and hug, and then other stage doorers ask me if I work there..but I don't think I do anything to warrant the negative term "groupie." If you love a show enough to want to see it a lot, that's great. If you're really enthusiastic and try to get the audience into it,that's great too. If you dress up like the characters...well, that's your personal choice. I mean I think the crazier fans I just wish would be a little more respectful of actors, not scream or bitch if they don't come out, but otherwise I don't think it's a bad thing.

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Yeah, i'm a Renthead. But when I went to see DRS there was this girl at the stage door. And Laura Marie Duncan was subtley making fun of her to my brother and me. The girl was just so annoying. She had this awful voice and said to her friend, "ARE YOU A SOPRANO OR AN ALTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?!" really loudly. And then she started singing a horrible rendition of "nothing is too wonderful to be true." Oh jeeze, it was hilarious.

i dont think that because you have seen a show a lot more times than a normal theatergoer would have, would make anyone a groupie.
that being said, yes, there are some scary ones that feel like they are best friends with the actor and are never happy with a simple hello, etc and can get out of control or cause a scene if they give them a hug or something.
BUT i know a LOT of people who are avid fans that are very respectful and SOMETIMES only approach a performer if he/she has had an impact in their purpsuit for a career in theater, etc.

point being, not everyone that sees a show more than once is a groupie and not all 'groupies' are obsessive scary people

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Yeah Show groupies is more of a rock term than a broadway term. Like Wickedrentq, I am a passionate supporter of the show DRS. However, that does that mean I would dress up like characters and (there is no excuse for this) actually talk or yell during a performance. Theres a fine fine line between obesession and dedication. If you are the kind of person who can't sleep without doing somnthing that is show related, then you are obsessed. If you visit a show 10 times a month but see other shows and are generally into the said show but enjoy a little branching, you are a dedicated fan. If you sleep with a performer...well...you are a production assistant.

edit: Wicked groupies though are extremely annoying. I can honestly see why many can be turned off from the show by them.

Updated On: 12/23/05 at 03:02 PM

i didn't see Rent when it first opened...but the Rentheads are awesome...i mean they might scream during "today 4 you tomorrow 4 me" but that is about it...actually i am a Renthead myself...saw the show 6 times and the movie twice. On the other hand the Wickedheads are really annoying...they scream all the time and they r very young usually. I kinda want to go and see Eden as Elphaba but the fact the show is a such a big hit(so it doesn't need any support from me) and the tickets are so expensive, plus screaming pre-teen fans...it makes me think about it twice. Even the audiece at "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (with children under 10) knew how to behave at a theatre better than the Wickedheads.

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that criteria hardly constitutes you as a Renthead, don't you think?

However- i think those examples are all comletely differnt. Rent has the strengh to attract a wide audience and keep them coming back- regardless of price, cast changes, etc. And Rentheads only promote the show, if anything. However, the girls at Wicked are loud, and obnoxious and do, in fact, turn people off of the show. Which is extremely unfortunate because if it wasn't for them things could have turned out a lot differently than it has- it might have actually garnered SOME respect... and Chitty, well those kids can't help but stand up and scream and shout when that car starts to fly- but that's the expected reaction and it's adorable.

i loved the kids at the "Chitty" audience...i was amazed as they were when the car flew...learn how to read Theatrediva?

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but in RENT... what's the point of screaming an actor's name during the show... i understand the clapping during SOL and mooing during OTM... but man... some people go overboard like they want the actor's on the stage to see them or something... i read one post where the person was like... "and *insert actor* looked right at me and smiled during Seasons of Love while i was clapping..." RENTHEADS are the reason i hate seeing RENT sometimes... WICKEDHEADS i had slight annoyance with... not too much because i only saw the show twice in LA but when i saw the stage door... oh geez there were like all teenage girls.... eek...

and i just used that word groupie because it was the only thing i could think of...

Wow, this really is a pot-meet-kettle thread.

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Emcee, get out of my head. I read this and thought "hi pot? this is kettle. you're black"

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