394 replies to this topic

[theaterfan14]

Racheal Tucker was very nice chatted signed my programme and then got naimh?? over and she had a chat also sabrina aloueche was very nice. Jodie prenger is one of the nicest people i have ever met becasue she goes along the line making sure no one is missed and has a 10-15 min chat with each of you and is like the person you see on tv. we giggled becasue when we saw oliver she wore her slippers to work lol.

[amyja89]

I've never stage doored anything before, I am way too shy.

[rach22uk]

I don't think anyone has ever not been nice at a stage door I've been to  

The WE Never Forget cast were always amazing, especially considering the amount of attention they got...always time for a chat or a picture

What about 'meeting' your idols away from the stage door, say in a restaurant, or in the street, when they are definitely off duty? Do you approach, what do you say. how long do you attempt to engage them

I'd say it depends, I usually wouldn't advocate stopping people when they're 'off duty' but then again we've bumped into cast members of NF in all sorts of places and more often than not they stopped us to say hello or have a chat, which is always nice! I suppose it depends on the person and the situation!

[abalafae]

What about 'meeting' your idols away from the stage door, say in a restaurant, or in the street, when they are definitely off duty? Do you approach, what do you say. how long do you attempt to engage them?

Ruthie Henshall is adorable... I used to run into her a lot along haymarket during Marguerite. She always had a friendly smile and a hello fo me!
Jessica Martin is also lovely. I ran into her a while ago (whilst very upset) and we had a lovely chat and she was stood with me for about 10 minutes or so before having to run off for her show.
Alexandra Silber is very cool.  I ran into her up by Covent Garden the other week and having met her a few times hse stopped for quite a while ofr a catch up.

Stage door meetings... I always find the cast of Sunset to be lovely, also Jodie Prenger is lovely and Al Silber is adorable! Always a pleasure to chat to her!

[Misplaced]

Jessica Martin is also lovely. I ran into her a while ago (whilst very upset) and we had a lovely chat

Which one of you was upset - she or you?!

[abalafae]

Me

[jimee1987]

The cast of "Spring Awakening" are really lovely.
They will sign autographs, pose for pictures and chat.
Usually they finish by saying "Thank you for coming to see the show".

Totally agree. My friend and I only had one pen between us (lesson learned there) and three cast members came out at the same time so they actually queued and waited for the pen. Was pleasantly surprised. It also led onto a conversation about sharpies - how great they are and how all the cast members should get one each.

I've met people at stage doors who have been a little bit stand offish but no one who's ever been outrightly rude or unpleasant.

[PaulT]

What about 'meeting' your idols away from the stage door, say in a restaurant, or in the street, when they are definitely off duty? Do you approach, what do you say. how long do you attempt to engage them? I've 'targeted' Simon Russell Beale, utterly charming as you would expect, Patrick Stewart, royally polite, Kevin Spacey, adorable and Jack Nicholson, distant but he did speak! Also Ben Kingsley was nice and Alan Howard too after their Godot some years back. At Stratford now it must be easy meat catching your actor because the stage door of the Courtyard is in a space which can be cut off by fans. The Almeida bar used to the hot spot for actors in the productions and audience. I was once squeezed onto a bench [ the old bar] with Tom Hollander.

We saw Kevin Spacey in the bar at the opening night of Spring Awakening.  I knew he was someone famous but could not remember who!  What a wally!  If I realised who he was I would have briefly said how much I enjoyed watching him play Richard II.  Susie Blake was chatting to him a two other people.  I was half listening to her and she looked over to me and smiled.  I couldn't remember her name.  If I had done I would have addressed her as "Miss Blake" and told her how much I enjoyed her work with Victoria Wood (I never saw her in Wicked).
When we saw Celia Imrie last week at the stage door I told her that we had sat behind her in a show but were too scared to speak to her.  Her response was....
"Don't ever be scared of speaking to me darling".  Then I kissed her!
We saw Derek Jacobi in the stalls bar before a show.  While ordering drinks he turned to us, smiled and invited us to join him.  But then again that is Derek - a true gentleman!
Slightly off the subject we saw Gareth Malone (of the "Boys Don't Sing" BBC Programme) in the restaurant at the Barbican.  On the way out I congratulated him on the programme.  He was with his parents and about to order his food.  I spoke for about 30 seconds.  When I saw his parents later at the concert (in which he was performing) they said that he was delighted we had bothered to thank him.
When we saw Julian Clarey in the bar at La Cage I briefly congratulated him on his performance in Cabaret (which we had seen twice).  He was charm itself.

Poor Daniel Radcliffe was surrounded by fans when he was at the last performance of Twelfth Night.  As much as I wanted to praise him for Harry Potter and Equus (which we saw twice) I really didn’t think it was fair on the poor chap.

I have only asked for an autograph once and been refused (this was by a very minor celebrity and former soap star).

As a rule of thumb I would …

1) NOT approach an idol in a restaurant (unless they had finished eating their meal or they were about to leave).

2) wait for them to look up and make eye contact – you don’t want to frighten them!

3) be very brief (don’t waffle or go on) and, unless they engage YOU in conversation, leave them in peace.

4) be aware of their body language.  If they are off duty they maybe don’t want you in their face.  Others are pleased to chat.  

One knight of the theatre invited my friends to join him for a meal!

The bottom line is:

Would you want a stranger coming up to you on a night out and to start speaking to you as if you knew them?

[Phoebe-again]

I don't often get the chance to see shows and stage door, but all I have met so far have been lovely!

Samantha Barks: (I'd Do Anything) is now doing the National tour of Cabaret alongside Wayne Sleep and I saw the show in Truro and Plymouth. I am such a big fan of hers and she was so lovely both times, signing and waiting for a photo, despite rain it raining lightly both times. I told her how much I had enjoyed the show and that I had seen it in Truro as well and she was really pleased that I had come back.

Wayne Sleep: met him both times after Cabaret tour too and was just great, thanked me for coming and for coming back to see the show again - chatted for a bit about how the stage here was bigger than in Truro!

Lee Mead: met him after Joseph at the Adelphi, signed for everyone there. I was at the front so got a beautiful smile and a 'hello' twice!

Jodie Prenger: (I'd Do Anything) met Jodie before the evening performance of Oliver that day, (I'm seeing the show in June but am going with a big group and so won't be able to stage door) anyhow, we were the only ones there waiting, which was great, and Jodie was just so lovely! I told her I was coming up to see the show later in the year and she said that I would love it! Signed my copy of her autobiography and souvenir brochure and posed for a photo. Chatted to us for ages about her new 'fella' and told me I looked lovely! I love her, she's great! She gave me a kiss when she left too!

Graham Norton: met the wonderful Graham after La Cage aux Folles in which he was outstanding! Afterwards he signed for eveyone for ages and took photos with anyone that wanted one too! He was so lovely!

Hoping to catch Connie Fisher later in the year, love her so much!

Phoebe

[Leopard]

Don't tend to stage door a lot but was so totally blown away by A Little Night Music I went to the stage door to get autographs and thank the cast - how lovely and so totally enthusiastic about the show they were!! Maureen Lipman is lovely and really funny in person actually, Jessie Buckley was so sweet and Hannah Waddingham is just wonderful - she is so so enthusiastic too.