we need to talk about STAGE DOOR safety | danger behind the drama with Kit Connor, Hadestown + more

[@melonyrobinson9944]

At the end of the day, the performers are 1) human beings 2) who have just finished a taxing job 3) who dont know you

[@dunkbiscuit]

This 🙌

[@jonelrobinson582]

Yep!

[@ericamacs3875]

Yep, I've known actors who've done a lot of theatre and have told me they're usually really tired and just want to get home, but they will do stage door because they do appreciate fans. I just think maybe they shouldn't do it anymore if it's getting out of hand.

[@AeronJames]

Three rules of stage door: Be Prepared (pen/playbill/programme/camera prepped) Be Kind (to performers and other audience members) Be Grateful (aka no one is paid to stage door so be thankful that performers have given up their time to do it and be kind if performers aren’t able to stage door that day)

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

And you did that way faster than the half hour I took ❤️😅

[@PS-DLMA]

Mandy Patinkin was shocked/surprised that my dad and I stage doored his show like 20years ago. Both he and his pianist spoke to us for half hour .....was amazing

[@PS-DLMA]

Ill add to rules.....cheer and congratulate everyone....nothing like making a crew member feel appreciated for their work.

[@callalily3994]

@@PS-DLMA Back in 2010, I saw Sondheim on Sondheim. I had to wait for my ride afterwards anyway, so I went to the stage door, and Vanessa Williams came out first and signed Playbills, and then most of the fans left. I hung around for a while (still waiting for my ride), and ended up talking to most of the actors as they left, getting autographs from every cast member except Barbara Cook (I think she left through a different door), and had a really interesting conversation about the show and the music and Sondheim in general with a few of the cast members. There were maybe 50 or so people there for Vanessa Williams, and then all except maybe 10 or fewer left once she had gone. That kind of experience would be impossible with the kinds of crowds at stage doors recently.

[@ChrisShuttlesworth]

@@PS-DLMAWhen Wicked had a sitdown in San Francisco, a couple of us made a point of clapping and yelling “yay, orchestra” whenever orchestra members left the stage door. The percussionist eventually came over and thanked us and chatted, and he later graciously gave us a tour of his setup in the pit (which is AMAZING - the percussionist also does sound effects for the show and has around 57 items he plays for that). On the show’s final day, he presented us each with a bass drum head he had signed for us. I’m still friends with him and go to the pit rail to say hi whenever I see his name in a Playbill.

[@dylansmith1833]

It's ridiculous that people think this is a guaranteed incentive with your ticket but that is most certainly not the case. This is the actor's personal time, and they CHOOSE to do this at their own discretion. Anyone who follows the actors after they're done is literally stalking. I won't forget the energized stage door crowds after Macbeth with David Tennant. People followed him after he was done to his car hoping to get an autograph from him. That kind of behavior needs to stop and we need some sort of proper stage door ettiquite.

[@princess_intell]

There is so much entitlement about this, especially with younger fans. You paid for a theater seat to view a theatrical performance, and that is all your ticket actually entitles you to.

[@Gee-xb7rt]

@@princess_intell I feel really bad for Jordan Fisher, he loves meeting fans, and he can't.

[@singenstattatmen5096]

Oh man that makes me so mad... 😡 I ADORE David Tennant and if I had the chance after a show, of course I would respectfully ask him for a picture/autograph - IF he very obviously is there to greet some fans. If I see him, hood up, eyes down, just trying to get home, you bet your ass I'm clearing the way. That goes for any person in the public eye - I am entitled to the art they make if I pay for it, not for anything else. Talking to me, making time, whatever, is a kindness on their part, not something I am entitled to. Makes me friggin hate people. Have some g-damn manners. 🙄

[@j4kJak88]

Exactly what I’m thinking and saying. Those attending a show aren’t guaranteed to a meet and greet post show at the stage door. These actors are humans like all of us and them being on stage is their job. After their shows, they want to relax. They want to be respectful and appreciate their fans for their support but the level of harassment toward the performers are too much. We have to respect their boundaries

[@brainyrat1221]

Thank you for this! I have had some amazing stage dooring experiences, but also I know this is a privilege, not an expectation. We are lucky these amazing talented people are willing to stop, sign and take photos with us especially after long and exhausting days.

[@maluuuuuuuuuuuuiza]

honestly im assuming kit didn't even realize that this person had been following him and probably just thought a fan had recognized him in his car. imagine how weird to then find out that the person had been following you for entire blocks

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Hopefully he never finds out 😅

[@sulaf604]

Yeah if the whole “he unplugged his wired headphones and gave me a dashing smile” thing is accurate, I’m assuming that he didn’t realize someone had FOLLOWED HIS CAR ACROSS MANHATTAN, because that would merit a very different reaction from him (possibly legal action!)

[@lambdatheorem]

On Saturday he came out to stage door more quickly than he normally does, so someone behind me was speculating that he knew about the stalking and wanted to get out quickly

[@tlk1993]

I was just at r+j this Sunday and sat second row and there sadly were a few people who left the minute curtain call started to go get a spot at the stage door. Rachel saw them and gave them a sassy look and wave goodbye. It’s so incredibly rude to do this to the performers. Rachel hasn’t done the stage door in nearly a month (probably because she was sick and is trying to stay healthy for the rest of the run) but the fact the kit is still doing it most nights even though so many have treated him terribly is so nice of him. I wish more people would just respect the actors and say thanks and congratulate them on their great performance.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

The thing is as well that the curtain call is THE primary opportunity to congratulate, thank and celebrate the actors - and skipping that to do it individually feels selfish.

[@MothsWritingEye]

That’s ridiculous behavior on their part. When I went to see the great Gatsby and stage door, me and my mum stayed the whole curtain call and clapped the whole time, even if I was mentally preparing to go to stage door as soon as possible. And we still got great places at stage door, so I don’t see why they couldn’t have just stayed until the curtain call was over, even if it meant they wouldn’t be the very first in line.

[@tlk1993]

@@MickeyJoTheatreyes exactly! You’d think if someone was such a big fan of an actor too that they would want to show them the respect of staying and giving them their due applause. And especially in such a small theater like the circle in the square, the actors 100% can see anyone leaving. I personally have never stayed for a stage door and never have felt like I didn’t get a full and wonderful experience. People need to go for the show and not expect to meet anyone. If they do that’s just a cool extra.

[@tlk1993]

@@MothsWritingEyethe stage door at r&j is EXTREMELY crowded so fans think they have to leave early or else they won’t have a chance at a signature and maybe that’s true but that doesn’t mean you should be disrespectful and leave before or during curtain call. If you can’t get a signature by leaving after the bows then sorry but you then just don’t get a signature.

[@ThePlanetOf]

Genuine question that I was curious about both while watching the video and reading this comment: How do you know that these people leaving during curtain call do so specifically for the reason of going to stage door? And not just for, idk, catching the train home, or something? Did they whisper about it? How did Rachel know? Is it just a look and a vibe that these people give off? I was honestly curious as to how the reason for leaving early is obvious!

[@Millie-j3u]

i met kit at stage door last month. he was very gracious and kind, but also clearly overwhelmed. people need to remember that he is a person with a life, and he only has so much time. he's been very generous to us and we all need to show our love and gratitude toward him.

[@jufamy962]

Best stagedoor ever was Daniel Radcliffe at the Old Vic. Everyone lined up outside the theater to be welcomed back in and meet Daniel and it was extremely chilled and he even personalised autographs for me and my mom. He organised this himself and I love him for it ❤

[@emmas381]

After what happened to Christina Grimmie, I cannot blame a single performer for avoiding meet and greets.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

An excellent point, sadly.

[@reneebush2399]

Is she the singer that was was shot during a meet and greet after a concert? RIP

[@BornFromSuffering]

@@reneebush2399 Yes she is

[@cloudskin7937]

I'd also say there's feels rise of parasocial relationships between fans who stage door and specific cast members. A friend and I went to a west end production in Feb 2024 and the girl behind us was super antsy saying she needed to catch her transport back to her home but that *insert cast member* is her friend and she was waiting for them. She spoke about them specifically by their first name, their previous jobs and that they knew she was outside waiting. When said cast member did walk out, we went to give up our time to say hi because we believed this girl was their friend. Cast member very politely went 'no no, I'm more than happy to talk to you' and made direct eye contact with me which was like 'I am not comfortable with the person who's next'. They made a point to take their time speaking to us and my friend and I were both completely taken aback that not only were they not friends, but this girl was an obsessive fan than made this cast member visibly uncomfortable. I've never seen anything like it before, and truly hope to not witness it again.

[@sulaf604]

Holy shit that sounds terrifying!! I feel so bad for this actor, especially in a stage door situation where they feel so exposed. I hope they were able to avoid this fan and didn’t actually have to interact with them in line 😟

[@Wh1msicalpickle]

Sadly, I've witnessed this multiple times. It's truly awful and makes me die inside.

[@cloudskin7937]

@@Wh1msicalpickle I was mortified, both that I hadn’t realised and for putting the cast member into the situation without even knowing I had. Teaches me not to be so trusting about folks that appear as though they know someone!

[@torieodain]

but when you point this out to the fans they literally cannot help themselves but defend their creepy entitlement

[@ericamacs3875]

Sounds like a stalker, wow.

[@mvwinf]

I saw Maybe Happy Ending at a preview matinee, and Darren came out like 20 minutes after the rest of the cast and announced “we’ve all had a long day, we were rehearsing before this and we’ve got another show after, previews are exciting but also draining, so I will sign playbills and say hi but I won’t be doing pictures, thank you for understanding.” by the end of the line, when the crowd had thinned out considerably, he was taking pictures with fans, but that was clearly by his own choice. we love clear communication and healthy boundaries!!!

[@marabanara]

How lovely of him. I cannot imagine having to be camera ready for strangers after a long day at my job, so that’s really cool!

[@lalas181]

I had this kind of thing happen with George Salazar on one of the nights I went to go see the Broadway run of Be More Chill. He didn't do autographs or chats, but he made sure people could still get pictures with him. It was super nice of him! People really don't give actors enough credit for how tough stagedoor is.

[@SparkzMxzXZ]

do you know if they do stage door for every show? im a huge fan of the korean original and will be flying in just to catch the broadway run 🥹 i wouldn’t ask for pics but i’d love to get something signed and say hi

[@thedestructivegamermycomic2628]

As someone who does stage door I make sure I treat the actors with utmost respect because they have given me their time to talk to me and sign my program and I am deeply saddened that a small minority are ruining it for others

[@Gee-xb7rt]

I used to hang out in clubs and met a lot of celebrities and they like being treated like normal people, say hello they usually say hello back, it really is that easy. Nobody wants to see you rushing towards them, screaming, etc. I imagine it would be rather frightening.

[@alizagans2685]

100%

[@tanwencooper6928]

I stage doored Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart after No Mans Land. The crowd was, unsurprisingly huge. When Ian came out, everyone just shoved their programs in his face without saying anything, took their signatures and left. Me and my friend were literally the only people I heard who even said thank you, that was a really great show. It was so sad to see.

[@BornFromSuffering]

Disrespecting Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart should be considered a crime, imo

[@carolegordon7448]

Some years ago, I went to Stratford with some friends to see David Tennant in Hamlet. Afterwards, we went to the Stage Door, but it was a huge crowd so we decided not to wait. As we left, a short guy in a flat cap walked past. One of my friends realised it was Patrick Stewart and said hi. He could have continued walking but he stopped and chatted to us for a couple of minutes. We didn’t ask for autographs or photos because he was obviously on his way home but he seemed genuinely pleased that not everyone was only there to see David!

[@LittleGirlOfSeven]

The person who followed Kit Connor's car made another post a few days later to say they had exaggerated what had happened. They said they only walked the distance, that they just saw Kit in the car and he just briefly saw them. They were clearly trying to quell the response from their original post but it doesn't exactly make them sound any better. They also didn't seem to get the issue with both posts. Either they really did stalk him for 3 blocks to get his attention or they embellished the story to make it sound like they had a bigger interaction with him then they did. Whichever it is, they made a bad choice on both occasions.

[@cannibalisticrequiem]

Yeah that definitely sounds like the fan was mad that she didn't get the response she wanted, so she went back and made a second post downplaying her stalker behavior and being passive-aggressive about people calling her out. It's giving "Oh come on guys, it's just a joke! Stop taking everything so seriously!" type energy.

[@VeronikaHer]

I was super happy with the stage door Crowd after The Tempest. After waiting for about 20 minutes, a staff member came out and said "alright guys, Sigourney Weaver is not going to be doing stage door tonight so you go and enjoy your evening" and EVERYONE said "thank you" and just ...left... madness 😂

[@sarahv.990]

I’ve been working at Circle in the Square theatre for almost 3 years and I’ve never seen stage doors like this before R+J. I think no one was prepared for this much hype, even the actors themselves as in the beginning Kit Connor and a few others walked to the theatre. Now there’s people waiting in front at all time even just to see them arrive before performances. I’m glad people are now talking about it because as a theatre enthusiast i’ve been to many stage doors myself when I was younger and now I can’t even imagine being in crowds like that. It would be a nightmare.

[@sarahv.990]

Also, on another note, I’m concerned about what might happen if Kit Connor ever misses a performance. So far, he hasn’t missed any, but I worry that people will overreact if he does. We’ve already had to deal with extreme reactions whenever Rachel Zegler isn’t performing. We’ve had people yelling that they can’t attend another date and that they traveled a significant distance specifically to see her, as if their temper tantrums could magically make her appear just for their show. People have lost their minds.

[@AvaHill-y9d]

It is so sad that kit and other actors can’t walk to the theater because of the fans, like I just don’t know why fans just can’t let actors like kit just live a normal life. I am saying this as a Kit Connor fan and I person who freaked out when met him but I didn’t go to the extent where I followed him home or stalked him. It’s just ridiculous how people are acting these days

[@jordankent3701]

@@sarahv.990 To be fair, they have literally changed the show by cutting numbers when rachel’s not there…

[@sarahv.990]

@ oh I can totally understand the disappointment, sadness and frustration of those who cannot exchange their tickets for another date. I certainly sympathize with those people. However it’s often the tone of entitlement they use that’s the problem. Anyone buying tickets and travelling should keep in mind that there’s always the possibility of their favorite actor not being able to perform. Its the reality of live theatre. No amount of disrespect to the theatre staff will change the unfortunate situation.

[@jordankent3701]

@@sarahv.990 If they’re above the title you’re entitled to a refund or exchange

[@erin_essex]

Thank you for this video-it's so sad to see all the bad behavior. I wanted to share a positive stage door experience I had with Bryan Cranston at Network in 2019. He went out of his way to create a welcoming environment for fans, with a designated area to queue in front of the theater complete with stanchions and bodyguards. This setup felt more like a calm meet-and-greet, similar to a book signing, rather than a chaotic frenzy. Bryan was incredibly kind and took the time to interact with everyone in line. Despite needing to protect his voice (since Network involved a lot of yelling), he didn’t speak but instead mouthed words and questions, which added a surprisingly serene and respectful tone to the stage door. He went above and beyond when he met my mom, who was with me and some friends. He even asked if he could take a photo with just her, which made the moment extra special. As an audience member, I never expected this-it was far more than we deserved or ever expected. Needless to say, it could have been dangerous for him, and I believe he did it after every performance, which must have been absolutely exhausting. Just remarkable, so wanted to share.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I love hearing stories about positive stage door experiences like that, that sounds like it was very special.

[@ashleygiebler3578]

Positive stage door experience: I was studying ASL in college and saw the Deaf West performance of Spring Awakening. I signed “great performance, do you mind if I get picture” as the actors came out. Several of the actors were hearing and some were Deaf. I was complimented on my signing ability by Marlee Matlin. 🤟 Negative stage door experience: I went to see Kinky Boots with Wayne Brady. We saw a large portion of the cast come out and got a lot of signatures. The security guards finally told us that Wayne Brady was on vocal rest and would not be coming out. The gentleman next to us started screaming and kicked the barrier.

[@patiencekillz]

so jealous you got to see dwsa live

[@Ranger7Studios]

This is not a new problem. Many years ago when I was on the Phantom tour, our Phantom gained himself some older fans who started following us around on tour and kept bringing him food. Of course he was throwing it away because he was smart, and didn't know if there was anything in it. The company manager finally had to step in and tell the two woman that it wasn't acceptable to stalk him and the show. So, it's been happening right along. Some people get so obsessed and just don't understand boundaries. Crazy.

[@cedgson91]

Poor Kit 😮 Chasing someone round the block after a car is pretty much stalker behaviour Shocking imo Sometimes actors need to leave quickly to travel home, get trains, protect health. I know it’s disappointing if you can’t see them. Sometimes stage doors don’t happen If it’s well organised & the actors are willing to meet with fans, cool. Signing a programme and photos is up to them

[@LeBasfondMusic]

what really got me was that this person posted it on TikTok like it was 1000000% normal behaviour 😅

[@sulaf604]

Yeah I just feel so bad for him. It seems like since his big break in Heartstopper, there’s a new story about some horrifying fan interaction every few months. From his forced outing to someone throwing a metal keychain at his eye to now this… honestly idk how he has the strength to deal with this, especially so young.

[@marmartin9822]

So I only do community theatre but I’ve had random strangers wait in the lobby after the show to tell me how much they like my performance (our stage door leads to the dumpsters so not really where we go when we’re going home lol). It was amazing and appreciated but so overwhelming even at the tiny scale I’ve experienced it. I applaud the pros who deal with this on a nightly basis and hope fans engage respectfully with them in the future because they work so hard and deserve it.

[@AmeliaKaiser]

when i saw sarah brightman in sunset blvd last year during its Melbourne run she never took photos but instead had someone come to stage door get people who wanted their programs signed by sarah to hand them to said person put their name with a sticky note on it and take it to sarahs dressing room where she would sign them before leaving I remember this one time I spoke to the person and basically said I understand how she feels because at the end of a long day at TAFE sometimes all I want do to is go home might I add we were in winter and it was really cold so I understood exactly where sarah was coming from and why she never took photos with anyone who waited at stage door.

[@reneebush2399]

Agreed. When you add the safety issue to it it’s even more understandable.

[@marabanara]

And I’ve found here in Melbourne it’s rare for stage dooring to happen, unless it’s a big star like Sarah Brightman of course.

[@jordankent3701]

@@marabanara Yeah that’s one good thing about aussie theatre culture lol (especially when you want to meet a principal and they don’t have as die hard a following)

[@TheTradge]

Just to add to what you were saying about enthusiastic young fans, there are certain shows that draw in a plethora of repeat viewers, such as Six, Hadestown, Choir of Man, etc, and there does seem to be a minority of fans who act like they're best friends with the cast just because they spend so much time going to the show and meeting them at stage door. Like if you're one of these people who has that one "comfort show" that you want to see again and again, bear in mind that those actors are thankful that you're attending the show so many times and enjoying the performances (as well as keeping their paychecks coming), but don't expect that entitles you to act like you're more than casual acquaintances, because unless they have specifically gone out of their way to let you know that they want to build a relationship with you that is more than being an acquaintance, such as having common interests, etc, you aren't friends with this person, they see you as a fan and nothing more.

[@callalily3994]

That "tunnel" exit at the Jacobs has had similar issues before, with Company -- the cast members were posting on social media that, if they came out through that door, that meant they didn't want to interact with people, but meanwhile, the security guards at the main door were directing people to go to the tunnel door if they wanted to see anyone other than the big-name stars. Stage door stuff has gotten worse over the past decade or so, and it seems like it really got bad when Broadway re-opened after Covid. It's like people just forgot how boundaries work. I hate to sound all "back in my day," but I definitely remember going to stage doors where there were maybe twenty audience members waiting, and then having an actual conversation with some of the actors. The crowds recently have been ridiculous.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I agree it's one of many examples of poor post-covid behaviour - something I noticed a lot in classrooms sadly.

[@callalily3994]

@@MickeyJoTheatre The first few semesters back in the classroom after being online for Covid were awful. I've noticed my students this year seem to be a lot better at basic classroom expectations than in previous years -- I'm hoping that trend continues to the rest of the world.

[@LEMON_STARFOX]

This happened to Jodie Comer during her Prima Facie- she had to have security escort her in the end because of threats from stalkers- and I remember one instance of when she was signing her autograph and a man in the background was yelling at her and calling her slurs. It was absolutely disgusting. It’s scary how these parasocial relationships have escalated to actual social interactions

[@ArthurHaddad-dj7kd]

when i saw funny girl i tried going to the stage door to see if i could at least see lea michele (‘cause i was a huge glee fan as a teenager and i don’t live in the u.s, so these kind of interactions are not as common) and it was pure CHAOS! It looked like one of those crazy scenes britney spears used to have with paparazzi in 2007! I was trying to see if I could at least get a peep of her leaving, but people (who most likely weren’t even inside the theater) were pushing and I had to stand on the street. When a security guard came to yell at me for only standing there, that’s when I thought “hell no, i just watched an amazing performance and that’s the feeling i wanna leave with”, so i just left without seeing any of the performers on the stage door. What was supposed to be a cute interaction between audiences who just saw a play or a musical and the performers, becomes this frenzy of celebrity culture and people just wanting to take selfies with someone who’s famous.

[@jufamy962]

Dutch stagedoors only attract 2-5 people at a time, it's so extremely chill and most actors love it if there's someone waiting and give you so much of their time and even ask you questions about how you enjoyed certain parts of the show. I wish UK could be this way as well!

[@pblodgett]

Summer 2001-ish we waited for Matthew Broderick at the stage door of The Producers on Broadway. When he came out, Broderick was lovely - quiet & shy - but was sweet and took a selfie with our family of 6. But as he made his way around the group, one lady dropped to her knees and literally begged him to kiss her daughter - early 20’s, standing next to her mom. The daughter seemed eager. Broderick took it in stride, politely refused, said he was married, and moved on. Mortifying.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Yiiiiiiiikes

[@queerlyautistic7008]

Someone I'm connected with on Facebook likes to go on London trips specifically to stage door actors who've been in Doctor Who (this person doesn't actually go to the shows, just stage doors 😬) and they recently were getting very upset about the fact that a specific actor ran away from the stage door without speaking to them. I had to reply like '...no this doesn't make them a bad person, it means they don't want to talk to a stranger on the way home from work', but it was wild to see the entitlement, the idea that the performer HAS to stop because you were waiting for them (especially as they didn't actually see the show!). My prime attitude towards stage dooring has always been 'don't have the expectation that you will get to meet them' and anything you get is a happy bonus. I've been following a theatre actor for almost fifteen years - we see most things he does and he recognises us by name, but even then, we never have an expectation we will get to speak to him. I could not imagine following him away from the stage door; we've deliberately walked THE WRONG WAY after a stage door so it didn't seem like we were following him or encroaching on him beyond that stage door space. We have a better fan experience BECAUSE this actor knows that we aren't going to be invasive, or throw a fit if he doesn't stage door or if he comes out and says 'sorry, can't stop, I'm in a hurry'. If you're going to be a fan, be a SAFE fan above all else.

[@alishal6031]

This is so true! Stage dooring is a privilege and we really need to respect everyone's privacy. My friend and I were the only two people who stage doored at Mind Mangler in NYC last year. Jonathan Sayer and Henry Lewis could've just walked past as it was cold and dark but were so kind and signed our playbills then after, they walked off in the same direction we needed to go. In an effort to not make them uncomfortable, my friend and I walked the opposite way and circled around even though we had a train to catch, just so they didn't feel uncomfortable.

[@andy-1724]

I work at the tour house where the US Nation Tour of Back To The Future The Musical launched. Bob Gale was around all week since they were teching. I ask him if he could sign my Back To Rhe Future lunch box. He politely told me that he doesn't sign things, but he would be happy to take a picture. I was perfectly happy with that and we went about our day. Just be a nice real human. Cause they are just normal humans, but with a really cool job.

[@PowerGlove79]

A picture with the great Bob Gale is better than an autograph to me. He seems like a lovely person

[@ronnnnie]

I remember I tried to stage door at Sweeney Todd and the crowd was all loud theater kids that no cast members came out to sign playbills. I love Merrily We Roll Along stage door as they put the crowd behind the barricades and the security told us what would happen and people should step back after getting their pictures. Also since Daniel Radcliffe won’t sign after the afternoon show, the security guard told us to come back any nights when we are free and show the tickets in order to stage door. And they did let us line up after I went back 2 days later.

[@m-b-s-1-8-3-2]

I know that there were plenty of instances during Aaron Tveit’s time in Moulin Rouge (both Broadway and the Boston run) where people have either chased him down the street, chased his car, or have followed him home. I think there was even a time where someone actually entered his car to ask for his signature/photo. Some of the ways people act at stage door is terrifying. The horror stories that I’ve heard are one of the reasons that I don’t stage door anymore. A signature/photo isn’t worth the chaos that stage door has become.

[@jufamy962]

Kit Connor did a fan convention in London once where he put all his attention in doing photos and autographs with fans THE WHOLE DAY, to be followed to his home when he left the convention afterwards. Ridiculous...

[@janicaribeiro6350]

Jesus , that’s really bad !

[@JM-bh2pr]

I always feel so bad when the stage door opens, everyone gets so excited, then someone "not big" comes out and everyone is visibly disappointed. 😔

[@mollymcdade4031]

Having stage doored quite a few times, it’s always interesting to see what shows implement certain stage door rules. If they’re plays with older demographics (or non-theatre people) then there’s usually far less infrastructure just because the audiences don’t tend to go there. But other shows with younger fan demographics or celebrity stars you see more barriers and rules about signing. To praise younger theatre fans for a moment, I just went to see Midsummer Night’s Dream and although stage door to see Mat Baynton was CROWDED with people (fan ages ranging from teens to late-twenties) it seemed relatively calm as Mat made his way through each person taking photos and signing things. People kind of lined up and waited their turn, and let the other actors come and go to get their dinner. It was the busiest stage door I’ve seen, but also really civil and polite

[@whodatninja439]

I went to Wicked stagedoor, and there was me and like 2 other people. But it was nice, I could actually have a conversation with the cast because it wasn't busy at all Meanwhile other newer shows it gets crazy

[@ryebread9299]

People need to grow up and mature. Respect these performers.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Exactly!

[@croses511]

I tried to stage door the Ivo van Hove The Crucible on Broadway as a teenager to meet Saoirse Ronan, but I was much too shy to actually be seen/heard and she missed me. So my mom has a brilliant picture of Saoirse Ronan taking a selfie with a pair of strangers and I am also in the corner looking away 10/10 stage door experience, never need to do another one, perfect outcome.

[@anafalconshow]

I’m part of an amateur female stand-up troupe and even at this low-stakes level, we just had a performer followed by a guest all the way to the tram stop. We will have to implement safety measures because of it. 😢

[@thedessertarchitect8680]

Can you believe 60 years ago I was at the stagedoor at Funny Girl to see Barbra Streisand at the Winter Garden Theater; she signed my program and I still have that valuable piece of theatrical history. But people were not brazen then as they are now.

[@marabanara]

I’m an Aussie and it isn’t a real thing here. We did wait after both performances of Six that we saw here in Melbourne but the first time no one really came out and we just left. And the the second time, we did see the performer who played Cleves and we knew she often did stop for photos, but she immediately hugged a friend and was obviously busy going off elsewhere, so even though we were literally right there at arm’s reach, we simply took off. Honestly, a glimpse of her was pretty exciting- she looked weary of us too, which made me feel bad, but that wasn’t at all rude . She was leaving work, probably exhausted, after an exhausting performance. So while we hung around, we absolutely didn’t expect a thing. My daughter suggested we should yell out she did great, but I explained that’s just harassment. She hadn’t stopped and was going with a friend, so obviously she wasn’t up for any of that, so absolutely not. I feel for them.

[@alpal-pb6rv]

Someone struck up a conversation with me and my friend whilst we were waiting for a show to start (smaller, but very hyped off-West End production). She immediately started to tell us an incredibly level of detail about all of the cast of the musical (none of whom were really very widely known) including health problems one of them had had recently. And she even mentioned being in a group chat with some of the cast. It really unnerved me 😦

[@sarah.93.31]

Met Amy Adams at stage door when she was in The Glass Menagerie on the West End a few years back. Everyone was every well behaved, lined up neatly, Amy requested we all wore masks and we all obliged without argument. Her security stood a few feet behind her and it was a very positive experience for everyone, she's taller than I expected 😁

[@saragoose]

Eons ago, I saw Daniel Radcliffe in “How to Succeed…” on Broadway and the stage door was absolutely insane. The crowds were massive, police was there to keep people from being in the middle of the road and also to keep people away from the cars leaving the theatre. Most annoying was the vast majority of the people there weren’t at the show (and lots of people who I assume would be selling autographs). When we walked near the theatre the next night, the crowd was massive at least 30 min before the show ended

[@ChristinaLMason]

Thank you for this! My stage dooring days are long over but it is definitely worth a recap of what to do in the situation for the next generations.

[@kirstinmcwaters8306]

I remember at Sweeney Todd in 2023 people were trying to get Gaten to sign Stranger Things merch, and I was so confused. I did not even realize that was a thing people did.

[@TheMissBunnyBoo]

I remembering seeing a matinee of The Last Five Years with Sam Barks and Jonathan Bailey. "Stage door" was basically the foyer. Sam was clearly happy to talk to everyone, and took her time making her way around the room. Jonathan clearly said that he had to get to a lunch meeting and he couldn't stay. He said that over and over as he tried to get through the crowd but people kept stopping him and he was clearly not wanting to upset anyone so he'd stop to say hi before trying to get away. We'd wanted to meet him, but hearing that we obviously said we'd stay out of his way. Someone nearby overheard and said "Amateurs, just go and stop him" and then went and did just that. I couldn't believe the entitlement that he should miss his meeting because you want to meet him, and the implication that WE were the weird ones for trying to respect his time.

[@SpaceyKasey17]

I remember in the 90s seeing Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, and the actor playing the beast came out the stage door and announced he's the beast. The crowd around me loudly booed him. Even as an 8 year old I knew that was bad behavior

[@izzyc127]

Ngl, the Kit Connor incident reminds me so much of what happened to Lea Salonga during here lies love as she was clearly telling fans to not go into her dressing room and she will meet them at the stage door if she wants to.

[@lizxoxo55]

I actually don’t understand how people find the confidence to do this like with Kit Connor - like I’m so awkward at stage door and try to make interactions as quick as possible because I feel bad , like wdym you’re waving at a performer like a mad woman??

[@amycarcaterra8177]

I agree with you 1000% on this video. Bring Your own Sharpies both black & silver. Have it out with what you want them to sign. Cast of original In The Heights were nice, generous , magical took pictures and signed. Didn't expect all of that for In The Heights cast.

[@showmoke]

From what has been reported in recent times, the behaviour of audiences generally has deteriorated within the theatre itself. This behaviour that you talk about at stage doors is really just an extension of what's been happening inside theatres (such as drunken hecklers for example).

[@k16570]

one thing i’ve noticed is that the stage doors i’ve been at for smaller shows were so much better than the shows i’ve seen with big names, also those interactions are much better memories for me in my opinion. for beetlejuice before it closed and kinky boots with brendon urie the stagedoors were nightmares (people pushing, shoving, and even lying about where actors were to get people to move) but the band’s visit and the cher show were so chill and such great experiences which also seemed like it put the actors in better moods too

[@heyoitsfroggy]

Best stage door experience I had was DEH on the west end. There were no barriers but there were a lot of people there but as we know, us brits love a queue! Without saying anything at all, everyone waiting just formed a big orderly queue along the wall and the actors went down the queue and stopped for everyone and it was a really positive atmosphere. It's a shame that people are disrespecting the stage door etiquette, just be respectful and kind to those around you.

[@LP-kl2go]

One of the biggest issues is autograph hunters, not only do they not tend to buy tickets for the show but turn extremely rude if they don’t get what they want. There should be some sort of proof of ticket to enter a stage door barrier area. Or better yet, host it inside the theatre bar. If theatre's pre or post show did a meet and greet package, i would pay. Likewise if the merch stall had fully signed programmes or posters it could cut down those waiting outside. But overall the actors should be given security. Stage doors is a privilege not a right.

[@Le_re1102]

The Romeo + Juliet stage door was actually terrifying with all the pushing and shoving. I wanted to leave but couldn’t even get through the crowd so was stuck and in the end only got to see Rachel (who was lovely and made sure to try and sign for everyone who was there). I feel terrible for the entire cast and seeing how things were literally shoved in their faces to sign, kudos to them for still coming out and signing. I think this is always going to be an issue with celeb/stunt casting though :( big and popular names like Kit and Rachel bring large fanbases (particularly younger ones) who don’t often go to the theatre and therefore don’t understand theatre etiquette and how to be respectful both when watching the show and at stage door afterwards. They think a ticket entitles them to a meet and greet and then complain afterwards if they don’t get to meet them or, if they do, don’t get the experience they wanted (for example girls in front of me were complaining that Kit wasn’t doing selfies).

[@malp1]

I appreciate what you had to say in this video, and I would add that cold weather -- especially the EXTREMELY cold weather we are currently experiencing in NYC -- is another excellent reason for performers avoiding contact with fans at the stage door.

[@Yuri_angelsCosplay]

When I went to see R&J Kit and Rachel weren’t sighing anything or taking photos and a staff member explained this before they came out but they walked by and waved to everyone and it was just as amazing. Plus the rest of the cast signed my playbill and I got to tell them all how great they did. But this was super different than when I saw The Cursed Child on the West End. There were two other fans there and one security officer but nothing else. I only interacted with three actors (Hermione, Rose, and Scorpius) and all were super cheerful and happy to sign my program and take photos but had been experienced with theatre etiquette (and a lot of fans there are Harry Potter fans who maybe have never seen a play before) it could’ve been bad since there are so many child actors in this show. I had a short conversation with the actor playing Scorpius, got a photo, and then left him alone as he waited for about ten minutes for his parents to pick him up. But all my stage door experiences have felt so magical and most were more structured than that. I think if the actor wished to interact with fans it’s a wonderful idea but there shouldn’t be pressure

[@jr5599]

I'm not surprised there is no proper etiquette at the stage door when there isn't any inside the theater either. It's getting worse every year too.

[@AvaHill-y9d]

I have gave kit flowers at the stage door but I didn’t give him an engagement ring, like that is just too far. I only got kit flowers because I had gone to a farmers market before and saw flowers and thought that would be a nice thing and would make him smile. I have seen fans at this stage door go absolutely crazy, one girl pushed someone to get to the front of the barricade and another girl pushed me as I was trying to give him my flowers (this was in the middle of him signing my playbill) and she was very very rude. I really hope that all the stage door drama and violence fades away and slows down.

[@aurora787]

My first stage door experience in New York was at Little Shop. I was three rows behind people and the other people around me were so nice and took turns passing playbills forward for performers to sign. I was happy it was so positive, Jeremy Jordan was in the show and I feared it would be a mob.

[@mattbonner5281]

Perfect video here! This needs sharing everywhere! I agree with everything you said. People need to learn boundaries, I think a lot of it just comes from people being generally very entitled in this modern world and expecting everything on their terms. The whole instant gratification thing. Sorry for sounding like a bit of an old man, I’m only 25 but I just don’t get people’s attitudes towards their fellow human beings these days

[@danieloneal7137]

I wouldn’t blame Kit Connor if he never did a show in nyc again

[@paulablock3202]

We need reminders about courtesy everywhere...it's absolutely repulsive how some people act. 😢

[@cijmo]

Another thing I say about stage door is that ... these artists aren't "yours". Even if they do stop and sign or even a quick hello, they're not there for a 10 minute chat. There are tons of others waiting for their 20 second visit, too. I have twice waited to talk to a performer and someone talked to them so long that they were out of time. Their ride was there or train was coming or something so they had to get going. If you have questions for them, pick one. It's not an 'interview'. I think one of the sweetest people was Rob Madge. It was after the final performance of My Son's A Queer. They stopped for so long and kept asking up the line "Everyone still okay?" as they moved up the line.

[@maluuuuuuuuuuuuiza]

youre engaged!!! i didnt know!! congrats to both of you🫶🫶🫶

[@ESkye91]

Thank you for posting this message. Performers deserve our admiration, but not at the expense of their safety. --Just saw R & J at the Circle In The Square Theatre last week. Absolutely fantastic show in every respect. And, I felt completely fulfilled watching it & then walking away afterward, past the crowds outside. A huge thank you to the entire cast of the show.

[@fdship]

Jinkx Monsoon did a similar thing during her time at Chicago as what Darren did at MHE that you described. She waited for the crowd to quiet down and gave a speech on what to expect - she’d get to everyone, sign and take pictures, and would engage in quick exchanges and whisper back to preserve her voice. It was efficient and pleasant!

[@jufamy962]

A girl once got physical when I didn't want to borrow my pen because it was my second out of eight shows that week and my only out of 5 pens left after borrowing them before. Told the whole story, she started pushing me and trying to steal it out of my hands. I honestly always thought musical fans were good and fun people?

[@amandastumpff5252]

Oh, and at a sound of music sing-along concert in Dayton, Ohio, when I was a teenager, I also met Charmian Carr who was pretty much one of my idols at the time because I loved the movie so much, and she was such a beautiful and fantastic human being. She actually spent 20 minutes after the show talking to me and my family and taking a beautiful picture and signing her book, Forever Leisl, which is somewhere hidden in my mother’s house and I can’t find, but it was such a beautiful memory and she was such a kind person. I just feel like if you are a kind, patient, gracious true fan, who just wants to express your thanks for these people who have provided you something, these actors are just going to be kind to you, even if they have had a rough night or are not going to sign anything or take a photo, they are going to at least be very kind and sweet to you and you will have a good experience. You just need to go into it expecting nothing.

[@overlydramaticpanda]

One more thing I'd add to your list of "stage door rules" would be to bring your own pen and have it ready/make sure it works beforehand. I've heard a lot of stories from friends of asking someone to sign something only to find that neither of them have a pen or the pen they have wasn't working... I'm someone who only very rarely stage-doors. I've only done it 3 times (once after seeing the WE revival of 'Miss Saigon', once after seeing 'Young Frankenstein' at the Garrick, and once after the Les Mis staged concert in 2019). I did think about going to the stage door after seeing Oedipus in December (just to congratulate the cast on a truly magnificent production) but honestly, it was such a heavy show that if I were any member of that cast, I know the very last thing I'd want to do after that play would be to feel compelled to interact with someone as I was leaving the theatre. All of the experiences I've had have been pretty good, largely because everyone who was there behaved themselves. I remember after the Les Mis concert, there were barriers that kept people right away from the theatre so that the cast/orchestra members who didn't want to engage could just exit the SD and keep close to the wall of the theatre as they left. We were told fairly early on by (I think) the doorman of the theatre that Michael Ball was coming out but that he would be moving quickly down the line and would only be signing programmes and not stopping for selfies or conversations with fans - it was his father's birthday that day so presumably he was going off to spend the rest of the evening with his family - and, to my knowledge, everyone respected that. That being said, I've definitely walked past some very chaotic SDs - Six, in particular, and Dear Evan Hansen while that was still running - and it strikes me that a defining factor in SD horror stories are fans thinking that buying a ticket entitles them to an SD experience that also guarantees their favourite performer will be coming out and willing to do whatever is asked of them. I do think more theatres (as you say, especially in the West End) need to make it absolutely inescapably clear that stage-dooring as an activity is a *privilege* and definitely not a right; and that any abuses of said privilege will not be tolerated. Honestly, this entire discussion of bad behaviour at the stage door comes along so regularly that part of me is thinking it will eventually reach a tipping point where either something *truly* awful will happen which will force everyone involved in the discussion (fans, performers and producers/theatre owners alike) to do a complete reassessment of the situation, or else some theatre owner or producer or even an entire cast will eventually just snap and say "fine, if you can't behave properly then I'm taking this particular toy away from you all" and literally just...stop the entire experience.

[@rhondahiggins7072]

Thank you for this. People forget acting is a job. And a damned hard one at that. When the curtain falls, they are off the clock. Period. Actors don't owe us anything beyond the best performance they can deliver be it on stage or screen. When the curtain falls and the house lights come up, it's time for everyone to go home. Without being harassed for autographs or selfies or worse... chased through the streets by zealous fans. And, by the way, this sort of behavior extends to places like airports. I once watched a gaggle of Delta Airlines employees in Spokane, WA harass Viggo Mortensen to the point where police had to intervene. Their response to the police: "Well... If he didn't want to be harassed, he shouldn't have become an actor!" Keep up the good work, Micky Jo. Maybe paths will cross in London some time!

[@DJWhovian]

I feel this is in part a side affect of having TV, film and celebrity names in theatre shows. Like i was staying in a hotel next to the Duke of York's Theatre when Tom Holland was there and the crowd outside was crazy, blocking the road and pavement, screaming and shouting and i bet weren't even part of the audience for that matinee, which i don't think it's fair that people who haven't seen the show will get to be first in the cue to meet someone or cause for audience members to loose out because of the restrictions that have to be put in place because of this behaviour. This is also why i can find stage doors in part hard to find and be bit inaccessible.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I believe that's the reason why Tom Holland wasn't able to sign / interact at stage door, because it blocked the road and Westminster City Council prohibited it / enforced a strict time limit.

[@DJWhovian]

@@MickeyJoTheatre Oh wow that's so bad. I was just trying to get throw to my hotel after seeing Kathy & Stella and it was awful.

[@ThatGirlAmaya-lr2lb]

I feel so bad for Kit he looks tired and stressed so this would have made it worse for him and that he’s a rising star 😢 people need to understand celebrities are normal people ❤

[@Tori_100]

Also (not that it changes anything) Kit Connor is notoriously private and has made it clear he doesn’t enjoy paparazzi like following so it is very unlikely he did enjoy this interaction. It’s psycho behavior not fan behavior.

[@brainyrat1221]

OMG this! Kit Connor has already dealt with so much toxic fan culture.

[@jordankent3701]

He looks visibly upset in every video I’ve seen of him at stage door, it’s like he feels obliged to do it because of his following i feel so ba

[@Nellanor]

I think the rise of social media has not helped the whole thing, especially in the UK - I’m in a fanbase for a London musical not only with a pretty teenage audience (thanks to it’s prominence on TikTok) but also a pretty young cast, and the way that I see fans thinking they’re ‘in’ with the cast because said cast is terminally online and interact with a lot of fan posts is astonishing. I’ve staged doored at this musical and remember hearing people behind me saying ‘oh I messaged so and so on TikTok and they said they would be here’, and that really irks me in a way I can’t describe?

[@LeBasfondMusic]

I really don't want to sound ancient or a "back in MY day!!" person, but it's true. Whilst this has ALWAYS been an issue, social media, and the people who were basically raised online, has just exhausted it. I am also glad you brought of CAST members being chronically online as well, because that's easily made it all the more terrible.

[@amycarcaterra8177]

I've stayed so many times my first one was Mamma Mia in the early early 2000's the cast was so down to earth & talked to everyone. Every Broadway stagedoor experience was so calm, well organized & people around me were nice . We helped each other out with taking photos and made sure their playbills got signed too. I loved getting ensemble members & swings autographs they play so many roles. I always respect the actors/actreeses who just want to get out and go home. Legally Blonde, Spring Awakening, Grease 2007 revival. When I stagedoored Sweeney Todd people loved getting ensemble members autographs & Felix who understudied for Gaten. No pushing and shoving they told us Josh & annleigh came out signed so nicely came out about 10 mins apart

[@Tuckerz5d]

Thanks for laying out some basic rules. I’m sorry to hear this behavior is becoming common. I’m somewhat oblivious to it and ordinarily wouldn’t dream of hanging out at the stage door, no less bothering the artists trying to go home. I’ve only done it once, at one of the last performances of “Girl From the North Country,” shortly after the lockdown when Broadway shows were struggling with half empty houses. I loved the show and saw it before lockdown and several times after and I wanted to thank the cast for all the pleasure they had given me during tough times. There were just a handful of us waiting on the street and I got to meet most of the cast and thank them personally. It was quite emotional. Another time, after a brilliant performance of “The Ferryman,” another show I had seen several times and adored, I found myself standing on the subway platform next to Paddy Considine, the show’s leading actor. The train arrived and we got in the car, standing silently beside one another. As much as it killed me, I remained silent and respected his privacy. After giving 110% on stage, I didn’t feel like I had any right to ask for more. Going back to Ki Connor, and his performance, he gives his all, every night. What the hell more do people want?

[@Ranger7Studios]

That happens in social media as well. Some fans think, because they follow you, they deserve more access that they actually do. When in reality, they don't really know you, just your online persona.

[@reneebush2399]

Parasocial relationships rearing its ugly head once again.

[@Showtunediva]

Happy New Year Mickey Jo!

[@znachkiznachki5352]

Thank you for this - I hope it gets to the people who need to hear it.

[@dervy5935]

I was first for stage door on Hadestown Westend second preview. It was the first time id ever done it and was an amazing experience. Donal came and talked to me and my friend for a solid 3 minutes (we'd flown in from ireland ). Every cast member was so kind and generous with their time. Its bizzare that people would act so rudely.

[@charliehorey9886]

This is why we can’t have nice things

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Word.

[@222dpbiz]

I had a lovely stage door experience and a great lesson for all. In 2011 I saw Shayne Ward in the West End starring as Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury Theatre. He was excellent! I'm not really much of a stage door person, as I know the performers must be really tired, but just on the off chance I thought maybe we'd stop by and see if he came out. There was a good crowd out there, but right up front and center of the door, there was a loud and completely obnoxious, drunk group bridesmaids celebrating a little too hard. When Shane came out these women surrounded him screaming and jumping up and down, he was kind and gracious and put up with it for a few minutes, but then suddenly looked up and saw me standing off to the side and said "oh my goodness, I'm so glad to see you!" and he came over to me and gave me the sweetest hug and sort of guided me (and him) out of the fray. I heard one in the wild group say, "wow, who's she?" (trust me he wasn't flirting, I'm about 30 years older than him) We laughed a bit and chatted and when the girls finally gave up and staggered along their way we said good bye with a knowing smile. My friends stood a few steps away with their mouths open, "Do you know him???" I said, "why yes, we're dear old friends". As we walked away I fessed up. We had never met before that brief moment but he is an absolute doll! So for you people who enjoy a stage door, give your idols your absolute respect, you never know what will happen.

[@Stars52505]

People are crazy!!! Thank you for your videos! They are really entertaining and informative and educational

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I appreciate that, thank you!

[@solitarychele]

I’m an old school, line waiting Renthead from 1996. There were some girls who chased and screamed at after Adam and Jesse L. Anthony was great with the stage door. He would sign every Playbill and talk to everyone. There were a few nights when he had things to do right after the show (concerts or dinners with his fan-turned-friends). The crap that got posted about him online (AOL’s Playbill message boards-I’m old). It was horrible just because sometimes he lived his life. A recent stage door experience I had was at Shucked on Broadway. I’ve been a fan of Kevin Cahoon’s since Tommy in 1993. I wanted to wait for him after the amazing show and get him (and other cast members) to sign my can of corn. I’m in a wheelchair. When the barrier was put up, three girls pushed me back and stood in front of me! I cried out, “Excuse me! Girl in wheelchair, here!” They ignored me. It was pretty darn awesome when Kevin made a beeline to me and asked the three girls to “move aside, please. I want to talk with my friend.” Of course they moved for and acted all nice to me. Thank goodness for Kevin’s memory. As a tangent. . . Do you know of Epic the Musical Saga by KZbin creator cyberjunk? It is loosely animated, but the entire thing got released on Monday. It is musical version of The Odyssey. It is raw and could use a good dramaturg to clean things up, a bit, but it is really, really good. You don’t need to watch it as the animation is not the best, but put it on in the background or when you’re on the Tube. I’d love to know what you think of it. It really has a ton of potential. They should be shilling it around to festivals and theatres that produce new things ir maybe even just a workshop. I feel this can’t just sit forever here on KZbin. Again, I’d enjoy hearing what you think. 😊

[@12345lerual]

Adventures at the stage door of the 2004-2005 Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles: I saw this production a few times when i was 15-16, including the final performance. At the stage door that day, there was a middle-aged guy with at least a dozen -- maybe more -- albums that he wanted Robert Goulet to sign. I remember he said something super dismissive like "Got a lot here for you" and Robert Goulet straight-up told him no ("I don't have time for that"), signed the top one and told him very clearly that was all he was getting. It was magnificent to watch. Robert Goulet then made a beeline for me (again, young-looking 16-year-old girl in a sea of middle-aged or older folks), swept me up into a hug for a photo, and then asked for a kiss on the cheek (which I obliged because Robert Goulet). Which was also magnificent. While stage dooring earlier in the run, I was standing next to a young woman who was chatting with Gary Beach, telling him how wonderful he was, and then she asked him for a hug. The look of mortification on her face -- complete with hand clapped over the mouth -- made it clear that she hadn't intended to say that, but Gary Beach, wonderful man that he was, smiled and said, "Oh yes, that would make me feel so nice," and then they hugged. I miss that show...

[@Medusa0999]

When you mentioned in theatre etiquette about paying to see them perform and not for their time afterward, it reminded me about Restoration theatre. Basically in 17th century British theatre (including ironically drury lane) if you slipped the stage manager a coin, you would be allowed to go into the dressing rooms after a show and watch the actors/actresses undress and very often actors pays would be subsidised by sw from audience members/fans during this time. Now of course this isn’t the case today and we frown on how abusive the past was, but I do wonder with how entitled some fans feel to the actors of, given the chance, they wouldn’t insist on getting backstage and having more access to the performers like people did previously.

[@charliem8538]

I remember back when Daniel Radcliffe and then Darren Criss did How To Succeed there were a lot of similar horror stories, particularly around the size and safety (and sometimes vandalism of the area with graffiti etc) of the crowd spilling into the streets, so their stage door procedures have definitely also been a product of experience on how best to manage these super engaged and expecting fans. Another thing I think people should keep in mind is to avoid trauma dumping on the actors, because the things I've overheard being said to strangers is mindboggling, particularly the burden of extreme mental health and grief stories placed on people who as you say are just trying to get home from work.

[@AKMorehouse]

I got to go backstage when Radcliffe was in How to Succeed in 2011 (because I saw the show with someone related to another member of the cast). I had to show my ID more than I ever did at an airport to show I was on the list of invited guests, and while making my way to the stage door I had people yelling at me to “bring me with you,” grabbing at me, asking if I was famous, etc…where just 5 minutes earlier I was just another person in the theater. It was wild, and made me never want to stage door (unless I know someone and visit then backstage… because that was cool).

[@HelenRosemarySmith]

Carrie Hope Fletcher has made lots of videos about stage door over the years which are worth checking out. Seems like theatres and producers need to take on more responsibility for ensuring it is safe, and people need to be respectful and understand it's entirely a bonus and not at all guaranteed!

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I definitely agree that theatres and Producers need to take responsibility here, it feels like a problem that will only progress.

[@EmilyRiehl-x5j]

Whenever I stage door with my playbill I only ask for a photo if it isn’t crazy at the stage door and if I’m not completely sure if they were performing or one of the tech crew people or in the orchestra I only say you did amazing thank you so much

[@magsstorey]

When teen and I saw Tootsie at a matinee, only a few members of the chorus came to the stage door. A security guard invited us to come back to the evening stage door, where we had amazing interactions with Santino Fontana and Sarah Stiles.

[@CoastersandPop]

I have never done stage door as I think about what the experience must be like for the performers, it must be terrifying and if I was them I absolutely wouldn’t. You’ve bought a ticket to a show, that’s it. They literally don’t owe you anything past this. It’s a legacy of parasocial relationships through increased social media and “celebrity” casting creating a perfect storm.

[@Gazellekaz]

I got to the theatre (West End) 3 or 4 times a week and have never stage doored, but I suspect I have sat next to those who do - certain audience members seem to project a sense of entitlement to the point where their experience is all that matters and too bad about anyone else. I really feel for the poor performers who have to run the gamut each night, especially as flu season kicks in. Lately I've noticed folks with hacking chesty coughs who clearly should not be mingling with the public, sitting unmasked in auditoriums (forcing those of us who are well to don our own masks in a bid to avoid their germs). This was particularly notable at the Tempest recently, with someone close to me in the first few rows of the stalls letting loose just as Sigourney Weaver began the 'Our revels now are ended' speech. It threw her off her stride and it really annoyed me.

[@tarahanson1321]

I remember Carrie hope Fletcher posting during her watch me Wednesday vlogs of people screaming for her as she couldn't leave the theatre. It's terrifying for them

[@1stevenreid]

At the stage door for Man of LaMancha many years ago, security said Brian Stokes Mitchell was on vocal rest outside of the show and would not speak. He signed everything, took tons of photos, but didn't say a word. He could have easily not stage doored at all. He was great.

[@koldkutgirl]

after meeting norm lewis at the 25th anniversary for phantom broadway (he was just a guest at the show, he hadnt even been in phantom at that point), he ended up walking to the same parking garage i was in. he was so nice and friendly, we chatted while waiting for our cars. it was just a coincidence we parked at the same place, but i would never have thought to FOLLOW him, let alone any broadway actor ANYWHERE. once they leave the stagedoor/theatre-they dont owe you anything. so be respectful.

[@juliawidmaier5334]

Thank you for posting this. Good reminder to all to be respectful and have some dignity.

[@RobertHeslop]

I actually having some barney telling a tourist (from the US) when I saw a show in in London last year, because they were elbowing past people saying the 'must' get to the stage door so that the cast 'meets their requests'. I just went "sorry, you do you know that cast members are not obliged to come to the stage door, you paid for the production, not to meet them

[@nikki_at_disney]

I've had some of my best theatre memories at the stage door in the late 90's and early 2000's. Internet culture has vastly shifted this very special time to connect with artists. I will always treasure the time I got to chat with Tim Curry after Spamalot! in the West End telling him how formative his films were to my childhood and to express my gratitude. I no longer go to stage doors in Manhattan just because of the sheer mass of the crowds on active streets. It's only a short matter of time before someone gets pushed in front of a moving vehicle because some mob lost their minds when someone comes out.

[@LeBasfondMusic]

Like Swoop says, "it's not drama, it's dangerous."