It's amazing to get to meet the actors who have put such hard work into one of your favorite shows.
However it's often hard to know what to do or say besides "Thanks" each time someone signs your Playbill. Here's some tips:
- Smile and say thank you to each and every performer.
Every single performer?
Yes, every performer, even the tiniest part of the ensemble. Many ensemble actors don't come out at the stage door, but when they do it's really sad for them to be ignored just because people don't know who they are. I've heard of some actors who have had people pull away their Playbills and won't let the actor sign them just because they weren't the big name up on the marquee. That's so sad!
Sometimes it takes so long for actual actors to come out of the stage door. What do I do while I wait?
Read through your Playbill and familiarize yourself with the cast and their pictures a bit so you know who people are when they come out. Talk to the people around you about what they liked about the show, if they've seen it before, etc.
I feel kind of bad when the orchestra members come out. Do I ask them to sign my Playbill, too?
I've never seen anyone ask an orchestra member to sign their playbill, but I bet they wouldn't mind if you did. Sierra Boggess' sister is in the pit orchestra for Les Miserables so it would be kinda cool to meet her. Many stage doorers cheer when orchestra members come out.
Should I applaud for the performers when they come out?
Many stage doorers applaud and cheer when performers come out. One of the weirdest stage doors I've ever been to was a show that Vanessa Hudgens was in. Because most of the people at the stage door were just there for her, no one cheered or even had anyone sign their Playbills when the other leads came out, much less the ensemble members. It was absolutely silent. This especially proved to be a disappointment when Vanessa didn't even end up coming out the stage door!
What do I do if I don't recognize a performer at the stage door
Yes, Elphaba looks different without her green makeup. Yes, that actor wore a wig for the show and now they have completely different hair. Sometimes it can make you feel awkward if a performer comes out and you have no idea who they are. There are a couple ways to handle this. First of all, just let the person sign your Playbill if they come up to you. Smile and say 'Thank you! The show was wonderful." You can ask someone next to you who they played before or after the actor comes over or you might hear people talking about who they are. Also, the pictures in the Playbills are there for a reason. Take a look at the cast bios and pictures because that's how the people look without stage makeup and costumes.
I really wanted to see _____ in a musical and then they were sick! I was so mad!
If you've been waiting six months to see this certain actor you love and spent all your allowance on a ticket, it can be really disappointing if they are sick and you don't get to see them perform. But there's one person who's fault it isn't. The understudy. I've heard stories of people who went to see If/Then in order to see Idina Menzel perform and then when she didn't, they ranted at her understudy, Jackie Burns, at the stage door, telling her that she had ruined their vacation. You are entitled to being disappointed, but I can tell you that these understudies work so hard at their jobs and they are so undervalued so go ahead and be disappointed, but thank the understudies anyway because without them there wouldn't be a show.
I really wanted to see _____ in a musical but then they didn't come to the stage door!
When I went to see Les Miserables, the star, my favorite Valjean ever, Ramin Karimloo, had been sick, so he didn't come to the stage door that night. I went back twice to try to catch him and get his autograph and finally I got his autograph just as he was leaving a matinee. It was amazing. Had I been a second later, I would have missed him. So one way is if you are going to be in NYC for a couple days or if the show is going to be in your hometown for a couple days is to just swing by the stage door after a show even if you didn't actually go to the show. Eventually they will probably go to the stage door. You can also drop off a letter or little gift to an actor by leaving it at the theater or mailing it to the theater. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but you could probably send a letter with a self-addressed envelope and picture or playbill inside, asking the star to autograph it.
I only really want this one person's signature, so how do I keep the other cast members from signing my Playbill?
So maybe you just want Emma Stone's signature on your Cabaret playbill and no one else's so that you can frame it on your wall, unadulterated with the pen marks of Ensemble Member #4? That's understandable and pretty easy to solve. Sometime, before or after the show or at intermission, just ask an usher for an extra Playbill. There's always some to be spared. Now that you have two, you have one that you can hold out for every swing, standby, and understudy who comes out the stage door (remember to smile and thank them). Then you have another one that you present with a flourish only when that special celebrity makes their stage door appearance.
I always get to the stage door but at the back of a huge crowd. What do I do to make sure my Playbill gets signed?
This is hard. I went to see Newsies during closing week and the stage door was packed. Often other fans will be pretty nice and if you ask someone to pass your Playbill to the front, they will and then get the actor to sign it and then pass it back. You might not be able to get a picture, though. Also now that if you are all the way in the back of a huge mob, sometimes a far away picture of an actor is what you will have to settle for. Or you might only be able to get the signatures of a couple leads and not every single ensemble member. Also, if you are going to be in NYC for awhile, figure out what time the show normally ends, and then on a night you aren't seeing the show, get to the stage door before the show lets out. You will be first in line and have a much better opportunity of getting a picture or signature.
I went to see Matilda and none of the kids came out to sign my Playbill. What do I do?
This is often the case with shows with young actors for several reasons. It could be because of child labor laws. It could also be because the management doesn't want the tiny children getting bombarded by obsessed fans. With shows like Matilda, where the main character is played by several different children on a rotating basis, the management don't want one child getting more fanmail and fan adoration than another because kids don't know how to handle that as well. In most cases you will just have to make peace with the reality that you won't be able to get a picture or a signature. Please do not try to find the actors leaving the theater from another door, not the stage door and ask them for a signature. If they aren't leaving through the stage door, it's because they don't want to sign or take pictures right now.
The actors don't seem happy at the stage door.
The actors have just had to do a full 2 or more hour show and sometimes its a two show day. Either way its a lot of tiring work. So give them a little grace, smile and be enthusiastic about what you liked about the show.
My favorite actor in the world just took a selfie with me and, while I will remember it forever, he's probably already forgotten it.
I know how this feels. I had spent four or five months waiting to meet Corey Cott and then I took a quick stage door selfie with him and that was that. And while I can't say that Corey Cott has any idea who I am even now, I do have some tips for how to get actors to remember you, without being that creepy kind of fan. One excellent way is to make fan art. Draw a picture or make a collage (please keep it appropriate) and the actor might hang it in their dressing room or post it on their Instagram. If it's really important to you to be remembered by an actor, try going to some workshops that the actor might be doing or something like that. Some people are remembered by actors because they've seen the show 20 times. Unfortunately this is expensive and requires that you live in NYC. Another way is to not only make gifts for the leads in a show but also for the ensemble and for the swings because they will appreciate even more.
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