No More Stage Door Autographs

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 1:48pm

I know it is a nice thing to do and a way to thank fans of the show but would the Broadway world end if this practice was stopped. Hit shows are always going to sell tickets and they don't need the good will. If your show is struggling does having actors signing Playbills really help sell additional tickets? Imagine a world where an actor can finish their performance and just head home without feeling obligated to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. I understand they can choose to do it or not but we all know if they don't people here and on other boards will talk about them - lol. Plus, there would be no need to have a security guy stand around for a few hours after the show is over. I would love to see some show say nobody is doing the stage door and see the reaction.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 1:58pm

Would it hurt ticket sales? No, of course not. Does it help ticket sales at all? Doubtful. Keep in mind though, stage door Johnnies have been around since the very beginning of theatre. Why would this practice end now?

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 2:00pm

I really don't know what the benefit of getting rid of the stagedoor would be. Maybe if all of the stagedoors on Broadway became uncontrollable, but most of them are very lowkey (from the few I've been in and seeing the thread about the craziest stagedoors, those seem to be outliers for when a big performer come to a show). All the theaters on Broadway would basically have to all agree to stop it (either one by one or all at once), but there is no incentive to stop it like that. Plus there are plenty of people who love stagedooring, to see the people they perform to and talk to them. I get there are a good number of performers who don't like it and they are valid, but people are going to criticize them on whatever they do, nonetheless on these boards, not just avoiding the stagedoor, so getting rid of the stagedoor won't really change anything. Unless something major happens at the stagedoor, I can't see Broadway stopping it anytime soon.

Updated On: 6/15/19 at 02:00 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 2:11pm

It’s in certain actors contracts now that they do it, to make sure there’s pics on Instagram/Facebook. It’s free publicity for a show now so why would it stop? If someone doesn’t want to do it, they just don’t.

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 2:53pm

yankeefan7 said: " I would love to see some show say nobody is doing the stage door and see the reaction."

I'm too lazy to Google it right now, but isn't this what happened with that play that Amy Schumer did, that some (all?) of the actors announced on social media before it even started that they would not be doing the stage door for the entire run of the play? 

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:09pm

"It’s in certain actors contracts now that they do it, to make sure there’s pics on Instagram/Facebook. It’s free publicity for a show now so why would it stop? If someone doesn’t want to do it, they just don’t."

Does a hit show really need the publicity? I think "Hamilton", "Dear Evan Hansen", "Wicked". "Book Of Mormon" and others don't need pics on Instagram or Facebook IMO. I understand if actors don't want to do it they don' t have to but we both know there are snide remarks made about actors who don't do it. Personally, I could see pics galore of "King Kong" and still would not care to see it. I would be curious to see a poll of actors asking them if they would like the Stage Door experience ended. Some people on this board work in the business and know actors so they could probably give some insight.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:12pm

"Would it hurt ticket sales? No, of course not. Does it help ticket sales at all? Doubtful. Keep in mind though, stage door Johnnies have been around since the very beginning of theatre. Why would this practice end now? 

Because it has become such a big deal and quite a few fans feel entitled. Years ago, it was simply signing a Playbill. Now it can also include "selfies" and you get people on the line who did not even see the performance that day/evening. 

[openstage2]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:14pm

Part of the success of keeping institutions vital is exciting the next generation of theatre goers. I understand why you may find the stage door routine to be tedious, but for my 13 year old daughter, getting autographs from the cast of Hamilton was the highlight of her year. And a memory she’ll never forget. A few years ago my son got an autograph from Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. Also unforgettable. I guess I feel that it goes with the territory. Make it big, give something back.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:14pm

"I'm too lazy to Google it right now, but isn't this what happened with that play that Amy Schumer did, that some (all?) of the actors announced on social media before it even started that they would not be doing the stage door for the entire run of the play? "

The world as we know it did not come to an end (lol) and the actors could peacefully head home or out to eat after their performance.

Updated On: 6/15/19 at 03:14 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:16pm

But you are describing something that if it bothered actors, they just wouldn’t do it. I’m really not sure what your argument is here.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:18pm

"A few years ago my son got an autograph from Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. Also unforgettable. I guess I feel that it goes with the territory. Make it big, give something back."

Very cool !! Many years ago I got autograph of this rookie named Derek Jeter (lol) who just came by the stands and signed a few balls during batting practice. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:22pm

You can;t ban stage dooring. You can set up barriers and make sure the whole thing is orderly and actors can simply walk off without signing anything. But theater stage doors are by sidewalks which is public space. As long as everyone is behaving in an orderly fashion and not disturbing the peace, you can't arrest the stage door johnnies for waiting for actors to come out. And since it's after the show, actors are officially off the clock. They can choose to go home, or they can choose to spend time at the stage door. You can't put it in their contract that they can't sign autographs.

Some actors simply never stage door, and that's fine. Nathan Lane and Laura Benanti are two. Hasn't hurt their career. 

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:27pm

"But you are describing something that if it bothered actors, they just wouldn’t do it. I’m really not sure what your argument is here."

The show has to set up barricade for people to line up, you need a security guy to monitor the line for at least an hour. If you have a major star in the show, the situation is kind of crazy. I think the actors feel obligated to do it and many people on this board have said they only owe people a good performance. I know it is never going to happen, just curious what the reaction would be if it did.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:30pm

"Some actors simply never stage door, and that's fine. Nathan Lane and Laura Benanti are two. Hasn't hurt their career. "

You are correct but those two are huge Broadway stars. I think Nathan Lane has stopped at stage door and if my memory is correct, people have said he is not a nice person.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:33pm

Ok. Then let’s say Madonna did a broadway show and they said she will not be signing or anything at the stage door. Are you saying that there still wouldn’t need to be a security guard and barricades? Because you can see photos from 1986 when she did Speed-the-Plow that’s the exact setup they had. Just saying an actor (and you can substitute Ben Platt or anyone the younger kids flock to, also) isn’t going to sign isn’t going to stop crowds from forming at the stage door. You’re not going to suddenly get everyone to just clear out and let said person exit the theatre with a totally clear path of nobody looking at them or waiting to see them.
And again, if they don’t want to do the autographs/photos - they just don’t. Tell me the last time you saw an actor under duress who was forced to take a photo. And Matthew Broderick doesn’t count just because every photo he takes with fans makes it look like there’s a gun to his head.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 3:54pm

I also disagree that stage dooring will necessarily move the needle in terms of ticket sales. I happened to stage door after the final show of Groundhog Day and Andy Karl was one of the nicest actors I've ever met at the stage door. That doesn't mean I'm rushing out to buy tickets to see him in Pretty Woman. 

As I said, you can't regulate what actors do off the clock. If they choose to spend their time not stage dooring, that's fine. If they choose to spend their time stage dooring, that's their choice as well. Besides Laura Benanti and Nathan Lane I don't think the cast of Hadestown stage doors. 

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 4:50pm

poisonivy2 said: "I also disagree that stage dooring will necessarily move the needle in terms of ticket sales. I happened to stage door after the final show of Groundhog Day and Andy Karl was one of the nicest actors I've ever met at the stage door. That doesn't mean I'm rushing out to buy tickets to see him in Pretty Woman.

As I said, you can't regulate what actors do off the clock. If they choose to spend their time not stage dooring, that's fine. If they choose to spend their time stage dooring, that's their choice as well. Besides Laura Benanti and Nathan Lane I don't think the cast of Hadestown stage doors."

I actually just saw Hadestown and was able to meet almost the entire ensemble, the Fates, and Reeve.  Eva usually comes out, but she wasn’t able to sign that day.

For me, I think that stagedooring, when done properly, is a nice way to show actors gratitude for the performance they’ve just put on.  Obviously there are occasions when it gets unruly (e.g. Brendon Urie in Kinky Boots), but those are hopefully outliers.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 6:07pm

I’m not going to weigh in on whether or not Stage-dooring is bad, because this topic has been argued to death, and I’m not sure why people keep bringing it up when no one’s mind will ever change either way.

I do want to address a specific aspect of this though:

Several posts above comment that people on this board speak negatively about actors who choose not to stage door, but DOES that actually happen on this board or on All That Chat? Can anyone cite a recent example of this actually happening on either message board? And even if you can find a stray example here and there, can you find one where the poster in question didn’t immediately have 5 people (rightfully) jump down their throat? It seems to me that BY FAR the prevailing culture on these boards is to respect actors’ choice not to stage-door.

(BTW, I don’t count the Nathan Lane discussion, because from what I remember, people say he isn’t nice for other reasons, not because he doesn’t stage door)

Incidentally, out of all the times I’ve ever heard someone at a stage door criticize an actor for skipping, probably 50% of them came from middle-aged tourists who don’t regularly attend theatre, but desperately wanted to meet their favorite celebrity after show. Then another 49% came from professional autograph hounds. And maybe 1% came from young theatre fans, who then get the most blame for it from people on this board.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 6:47pm

I'll also add that while I'm sure they have happened I've never been to a stage door where fans were pushing and shoving each other and grabbing the actors or acting disorderly. The wildest stage door was probably the last few weeks of The Great Comet but no one was unruly, just really really LOUD. 

Other stagedoors I've been to have been orderly affairs. There's usually the group of actors leaves and walks straight to a waiting car, the actor who signs, but says no pictures, and the group stays to chat, sign, and take pictures. I've never seen anyone bug an actor who says "no pictures" for a picture. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 6:56pm

Oh you obviously weren’t at the stage door when Daniel Radcliffe did EQUUS. I was pushed so hard into the barricades, it bruised my hip bone pretty badly and I was sore for about a month. That and Ricky Martin at EVITA, where people ran down the street screaming and chasing his car are about the closest to what I imagine it was like for The Beatles.

 

But again, even in those situations the actors came out and signed BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO. 

Updated On: 6/15/19 at 06:56 PM

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 7:16pm

The only really bad stage door instance I've seen in person was at The Little Foxes, where someone just thrust their arm around Cynthia Nixon for a picture. Didn't even ask her or anything. She even went to the other side of the barricades.

[Rainah]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 11:19pm

Some Hadestown cast members stagedoor and some don't. Reeve has come by and chatted with people in the rush line even when it was not the stagedoor. I've also heard a memeber of the hamilton cast say "why would I skip the stagedoor, it's the best part of my night".

Some actors do like it.

I have also seem actors speak about how they feel pressured to stagedoor even when they aren't really feeling it or are sick. No one wants to feel like they're disappointing people. I have also seen it noted that some theatres are better than others for having multiple exits that allow the cast to leave without going through the stagedoor.

I think it's a conversation we need to be having about how we as fans can empower and support actors when they don't want to stagedoor - including when they don't give a reason, or the reason is "don't feel like it" or they don't want to ever stagedoor. I want to know that an actor has options, because it means if they are there then they want to be.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/15/19 at 11:22pm

yankeefan7 said: ""Some actors simply never stage door, and that's fine. Nathan Lane and Laura Benanti are two. Hasn't hurt their career. "

You are correct but those two are huge Broadway stars. I think Nathan Lane has stopped at stage door and if my memory is correct, people have said he is not a nice person."

I worked with Nathan Lane when he was called "Joey" and wasn't yet famous. I worked with him both in a play and in a day job (at the Harris Poll). He was very shy, which he sometimes covered up by clowning around.

Maybe he really is unkind to people; I admit I haven't seen him since he became famous. But I'm a little skeptical at reports he isn't "nice".

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/16/19 at 12:10am

If actors feel "pressured" it's not really external pressure. Many actors do have a people-pleasing personality and their desire to not let fans down is part of that. But any actor after a performance can arrange to have a car/cab waiting for them and can walk straight to the car to go home. Some actors leave through the front door with some handlers. It really depends. I've seen a few actors say "no autographs" but they do wave and talk a bit with fans before going to their car. 

It's the same thing with sports stars. Some like to sign pre and post game, others don't. Lebron James is one that doesn't sign, and it hasn't hurt his career. Lebron doesn't even do many paid autograph signing sessions. Steph Curry is known for taking some time to sign for fans pre-game. I think Tom Brady occasionally signs autographs at Patriots practices. I'm sure no one is telling Steph Curry or Tom Brady they "have" to sign. 

It's really a personal choice. 

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 6/16/19 at 2:43am

Anybody on this board who acts as if they are entitled to an autograph from a performer will be put in their place almost instantly. I think the vast majority of us understand it's entirely up to the performer and are fine if they choose not to.  For those performers that are OK doing it or even enjoy interacting with their fans, they do it. If they don't want to they don't. Simple as that. The actors are big boys and big girls and have no problem saying no if they choose to. And as was mentioned previously, a star in a show is going to require security to get to their car anyway whether they stop for autographs or not. I really don't understand why the OP feels he needs to advocate for the abolishment of something others particpate in willingly. Should we bar actors from signing and returning fan mail? I'm sure an actor in his or her dressing room would rather not spend 20 or 30 minutes every few days or even more frequently responding to fan letters and requests to sign a playbill and mail back. Should we end that practice? How about at CD releases of cast albums? Should we bar cast members from performing a few numbers and then signing CDs? Should that be stopped? Are the last two examples really that different than the stage door? Where would you draw the line of where actor/fan interaction is too much?

Updated On: 6/16/19 at 02:43 AM