Stage Door Chat ✨Revisited

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PO BOX 402
HA6 9JH

[fh]

i read the title as stage door cat, and completely accepted it as a topic that someone would make a video about

[emilymacdougall]

This conversation feels especially timely given all of the recent discourse about Chappell Roan re: fame and what celebrities owe their fans. If you pay for a ticket to see a show, you’re just paying for the show, not the show and a meet and greet. If you listen to an artist’s music, you’re spending your time/money to consume their art. That’s the transaction. You aren’t entitled to their time and/or attention because of that! Though of course if a meetup/photo/autograph etc is welcomed that is always a bonus! I don’t know why this is so hard for people to grasp.

[DarknessHasFallen]

Loved this video, I'm a Stage Door Keeper and I will 100% police your (the publics) interactions with cast and crew, and please understand if you cause any issues or make anyone feel uncomfortable, we will remember and warn company NOT to leave via Stage Door when you are there.
A few tips to help me, help you:
- STAND CLEAR OF THE DOOR ITSELF! Staff of the theatre will also be leaving via the same route, keep a clear respectful path and distance so everyone can go home from work, and so anyone needing to make a speedy exit can do it. Also be mindful of any other exits - my Stage Door has fire escapes next to it, and the amount of people that BLOCK fire exits to be 'first in the queue' is ridiculous!
- Ask respectfully - don't just shove a camera or programme in the performers face, and gracefully accept anyone who does not stop. Please and thank you goes a really long way.
- Similarly, don't bring a STACK of photos to be signed. We know why you're doing it. Stop it.
- DON'T YELL! Would you scream in the face of your barista to say thank you? No? Then why are you doing it to performers...? Also don't start to cheer and then stop when it's not the person you want. Again, just plain rude and also really disheartening to the person you do it to. Just... don't.
- Be aware of the amount of shows that day - maybe don't try for Stage Door if you're the middle show on a 3 show day, cast and crew will have a very short amount of break time so they either will not leave the building or will have less than 30 minutes to get food and back.
- Lastly, follow any advice given by theatre staff - I have had people argue with my security team who are trying to keep people safe, have had people pulling on Stage Door and banging on my office window, and though I don't mind it personally, I have been sworn at and even boo-ed for stepping out to say when cast have left by other routes, especially in the middle of panto season. The boo-ing I appreciate, at least it's theatre based, but never swear at someone for doing their job.

As Carrie said, manage expectations. Stage Door is simply the door for those who work in theatre - that's the people specifically on the show you came to see but also our Ushers, baristas, bar staff, Housekeepers, technicians and admin staff. Just remember you are dealing with humans, humans that may make art you really enjoy, but it's still just a job, and they are just people.

Okay, rant over, love you Carrie! x

[livstephens]

I love stage door because it’s so so lovely to tell the actors how amazingly they did, but if they don’t come out then 100% we shouldn’t be angry because it’s purely a bonus. But it makes me so happy when i see people there, genuinely patient and kind. It creates such a positive atmosphere. I’ve even made stagey friends at stage door which is another bonus 💗

[lilafliesrockets]

The way I would NEVER do stage door if I was an actor. I feel so unbelievably emotionally exhausted thinking about it.

[KatelyBately]

Props to any actor willing to do stage door. Personally for me, even if I loved my job the most, I would hate to feel like I had another hour or two of "work" after I was finished. It might feel great for the guest but 15 seconds per person with 100 people who know more about me than I know about them does not seem like a pleasant experience.

[CaptainSarcasm]

I've always loved hearing Carrie talk about pretty much anything ever since I found her when I was a teenager. I'm so happy that she is just as refreshing as she was 10 years ago.

[PlethoraShae]

Imagine having a stage door at other workplaces. McDonald’s, call centres, an accounting firm, could you imagine feeling entitled to getting these people’s energy and time after their work day?

[_Claire_Louise_]

I love doing stage door, getting to say thank you for an amazing time and for all the effort everyone puts in and have been lucky enought to meet some amazing people! My attitude is that it's always a bonus, not a right (so very much your second point!) I've ended up telling other people waiting to get over themselves basically because they were getting angry with the stage door staff that a specific person wasn't coming out, not like me to say anything at all but the stage door staff didn't deserve to be treated like that!

[katniadawson]

This is such a fantastic video. It's baffling to me that people need to be reminded of these things. Things that surely fall under the umbrella of basic human decency? The entitlement of certain individuals -- thinking that celebs or actors, etc. owe them anything, simply by dint of their vocation, is extraordinary. You are so lovely to tackle this with the degree of compassion and patience you are/have been for all these years. Getting to meet an actor at stage door is a gift, not a prerogative. Much love. ❤

[Duessa]

I really enjoy stage door because I want to tell the actor how grateful I am for sharing the experience of theatre.

My Broadway and West End experiences have almost always been solo. I’ve found the connection with other audience members and security personnel at stage door some of the best places to hear about lesser known shows. I’ve also been quite appalled at the behaviours of some people when the security people announce no one else is coming.

As a teacher I can empathise about the comments of “I pay your salary “. I’m always bothered by the sense of entitlement some people have over people who’ve chosen to be of service to their communities… theatre is a service too, a place to escape, to dream and to learn truth through story.

Thank you for all you do Carrie. I had the pleasure to see you as Eponine many moons ago. You were very gracious at stage door and continue to be with how you share your life, experience and passions.

[TheChristianna]

This is a great list of things to remember thank you!

I think it would be interesting to hear a "best of stage door" video where you highlight positive interactions you remember from stage door, either as an actor or if you went to stage door after watching a show

[hmg]

More needs to be said about this! Also, please say thank you to all who come out of stage door - even the backstage folks like to feel acknowledged!

[alliberry]

Wise words, well said, Carrie. ❤ Makes perfect sense.

[samanthaarana]

Girl I'm so glad you mentioned the thing about salary. As someone who used to be a theatre admin. Ticket sales do not impact the actors at all, or even the crew. They only impact the actual venue that is hosting the show. AND EVEN THEN, in most cases, ticket sales don't make enough money to actually run anything. Theaters depend heavily on grants and donations. Obviously, audiences mean so much to us. But it's so funny to me how much they think they control. What used to get me was when someone would say "I'm a friend of the owner", child you and half the city, no special privileges, you don't get to pick a seat that's already been purchased or meet all the cast for a personal meet and greet!

[jessicabennett]

I remember first hearing about stage door when I was maybe 10/11, before it was a massive thing. I asked my parents if we could go and they had said no. That it was a bit inappropriate to follow people out of their place of work. Imagine if someone waited until a retail worker finished their shift and waited by the exit.

I have been twice since it became more of a ‘thing’ once at Les mis and met Carrie and once at Waitress and met Lucie Jones 2 of my favourite performers who were both so lovely. Both were experiences that I’ll treasure. But I did just feel a bit intrusive. And I couldn’t help but just explode with word vomit about how much I admired them and enjoyed their performances and previous work… And just general word vomit. Which was a bit cringe haha. So I don’t think it’s for me. I can’t be trusted to be chill. But understand why people do enjoy it.

[daniB]

I honestly enjoy stage door, and yes, managing expectations is 100% accurate… I am grateful for every interaction that I’ve had and hope that I’m able to continue to have them…🤩💜 so enjoy getting to express my appreciation to the actors/actresses but when there’s a live band… Every component/person is essential 🎉

[IsThisTheHill]

I live in theater rich San Diego. I never do stage door (never really knew it was a thing) but recently was volunteer usher/audience for Tick Tick Boom (front row). In lobby afterwards cleaning up, main actor walked by me. He turned around, came back & gave me the biggest hug. I said “I was SO with you”. He said “I know” Sweetest interaction ❤

[Lucia_Sargeant_]

5:34 - completely agree! I think sometimes people who go to stage door forget that you are all human beings too. Sometimes you don't want to go to stage door or have other reasons and it shouldn't be an expectation but something that can be seen as an extra cherry on top of the already wonderful cake of seeing a show that they love or for the first time with actors that they admire and who inspire them! ❤

Love this very wholesome honest chat!

[jamesmnaylor]

I recently took my wife to see pretty women for her birthday. After the performance we had to walk past stage door to get to our car. I mentioned that the que would start to form to see the performers. My wife’s reply ‘how rude, you’ve just paid to see them for two hrs now you want see them for free and all they want to do is go home and relax.’