Ben Platt Meeting Experience

[DearSaraH]

Hi everyone!

I was just wondering if anyone has met Ben Platt when he arrives at the Music Box, not at the stage door. I really want to meet him and get a picture with him but he seems to not be on a schedule with the stage door anymore and he also doesn't take pictures there.

Does he stop on the way in to the Music Box? I saw a video on Twitter and no one really seemed to be there/care.

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

DearSaraH said: "Hi everyone!

I was just wondering if anyone has met Ben Platt when he arrives at the Music Box, not at the stage door. I really want to meet him and get a picture with him but he seems to not be on a schedule with the stage door anymore and he also doesn't take pictures there.

Does he stop on the way in to the Music Box? I saw a video on Twitter and no one really seemed to be there/care.

 

"

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=stalking

[DearSaraH]

KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: "DearSaraH said: "Hi everyone!

I was just wondering if anyone has met Ben Platt when he arrives at the Music Box, not at the stage door. I really want to meet him and get a picture with him but he seems to not be on a schedule with the stage door anymore and he also doesn't take pictures there.

Does he stop on the way in to the Music Box? I saw a video on Twitter and no one really seemed to be there/care.

 

"

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=stalking

 

"

Meeting someone on the way into the theater that they perform at 8 times per week publicly isn't stalking but I guess go off sis if you have nothing better to do with your life?

[defygravity2]

DearSarahH, although I have no Broadway acting experience, I have been on these boards long enough to know that trying to meet actors BEFORE a show is a big no no and is very frowned upon. They are normal people going to do their job, and it is important to respect their privacy while they are going to work. If they choose to come out and stage door after a show, that is the time to meet them. 

[haterobics]

Not sure how this is different from figuring out how he leaves the theater so you can intercept him. Basically, you go to the stage door, and he may or may not come out. That's sort of the end of things.

[tobiasragg]

DearSaraH, do not do this.

[froote]

If he wants to meet people he'll leave via stage door. If he doesn't, he wont. Not sure why anyone would want to meet somebody who wasn't in the mood anyway.

[LizzieCurry]

DearSaraH said: "I was just wondering if anyone has met Ben Platt when he arrives at the Music Box, not at the stage door. I really want to meet him and get a picture with him but he seems to not be on a schedule with the stage door anymore and he also doesn't take pictures there."

Looks like you need to adjust your goals.

[ColorTheHours048]

If anyone wants to meet fans, they will take the time to do it after the show at the stage door. If they choose not to spend a ton of time there or choose not to take pictures, that's their prerogative and you should respect that instead of trying to find ways to catch him when you think he'll be "free." Meeting an actor at the stage door is a privilege, not a right.

[DearSaraH]

First off, you all need to calm down. Second off, I'm not being disrespectful. I'm simply asking if he does do it. For example, Nick Jonas met fans before and after every HT$ show, INCLUDING ON THE WAY IN! I asked a question and it required a simple answer. Either yes, he does take pictures, or no, he prefers not too. You all are attacking me and it makes me wonder if any of you get out much.

[Lot666]

DearSaraH said: "First off, you all need to calm down. Second off, I'm not being disrespectful. I'm simply asking if he does do it. For example, Nick Jonas met fans before and after every HT$ show, INCLUDING ON THE WAY IN! I asked a question and it required a simple answer. Either yes, he does take pictures, or no, he prefers not too. You all are attacking me and it makes me wonder if any of you get out much."

You'll find that this board is filled with people who, while they often have valid points to make (and there are several valid points above), they prefer to do so in the bitchiest, most condescending manner possible. Pleasure is derived not from providing helpful responses, but by making the target feel bad while ostensibly making themselves out to be Oz The Great & Powerful.

[froote]

You're the one desperately trying to meet someone you don't know so I'm not sure it's us you need to worry about in terms of getting out much.

[LizzieCurry]

Lot666 said: "Pleasure is derived not from providing helpful responses, but by making the target feel bad."

A response can be helpful and make the target feel bad. 

[Lot666]

LizzieCurry said: "Lot666 said: "Pleasure is derived not from providing helpful responses, but by making the target feel bad."

A response can be helpful and make the target feel bad."

I didn't say it couldn't; I said that the pleasure comes not from the helping but from the hurting.

[DearSaraH]

Looks like you need to get a job, Elizabeth.

[DearSaraH]

ALSO - WHEN I SAID "when he arrives at the Music Box, not at the stage door", I MEANT IF ANYONE HAD MET HIM ON HIS WAY INTO THE STAGE DOOR BEFORE A SHOW. I DIDN'T MEANT THAT I WANTED TO MEET HIM AT SOME WEIRD BACK ENTRANCE.

[Bettyboy72]

I think part of the frustration is there is no answer to your question, nor many questions people post about. Past results do not ensure future outcomes. The best thing to do is do as you please and see what happens. Take your chances and accept the outcome. No one knows a celebrity so they can't tell you what to do or how he will act. If he was nice to one person and short with another will not change your outcome. Just live your life, do your thing and see what happens.

If you came here looking for validation or support for this, you're not going to get that.

[Rainah]

There are actors who don't mind (And may not want to do the gauntlet of fans after a show but are cool with meeting 4-5 quickly on their way in) and there are actors who really don't want to be bothered. Or are late/shy/trying to focus on the show they're about to do. Hard to tell unless you've heard one way or another.

I would leave Ben alone. The stagedoor has been crazy, he's on vocal rest a lot, overall the poor man need a nap and a long vacation. I suspect with all the stuff he's dealt with at stagedoors already, he falls into the latter category right now. 

[Lot666]

Rainah said: "There are actors who don't mind (And may not want to do the gauntlet of fans after a show but are cool with meeting 4-5 quickly on their way in) and there are actors who really don't want to be bothered. Or are late/shy/trying to focus on the show they're about to do. Hard to tell unless you've heard one way or another.

I would leave Ben alone. The stagedoor has been crazy, he's on vocal rest a lot, overall the poor man need a nap and a long vacation. I suspect with all the stuff he's dealt with at stagedoors already, he falls into the latter category right now."

Rainah, that was a breath of fresh air.

[bwayrose7]

In general, doing stage door before a show isn't really done. It's just the convention, especially given Equity rules about actors being signed in by a certain time or they risk penalties. I wouldn't personally recommend it. It's not "stalking" but it's not considered very courteous. Many actors have reasons (personal stress, vocal rest, sheer preference) that they don't do stage door, and you should respect that.

That said, I have, once or twice and by sheer accident, run into actors before a show. Once, I forgot to take a marquee picture when I saw the show, so I walked back up the next day to snap a picture, and when I turned around to leave I almost ran smack into one of the actors arriving (who hadn't come out the day prior). I apologized for not watching where I was going and thanked him for the previous day's show, and he couldn't have been kinder - shook my hand, chatted for a few, apologized for not coming out (which was totally unnecessary) and offered to take a picture then and there.

But I can't stress enough that that was an accident, not me waiting with that express purpose. It was obvious I'd been taking a picture and walking, not hovering by the door. And many actors may not want to or have time to speak before a show, and it's not considered a convention the way that post-show stage door is. I understand wanting to meet an actor whose performance has meant something to you, but I would encourage you to stick to the usual means and be polite. 

[haterobics]

Rainah said: "There are actors who don't mind (And may not want to do the gauntlet of fans after a show but are cool with meeting 4-5 quickly on their way in) and there are actors who really don't want to be bothered."

And a great number of those who don't want to be bothered, but end up doing it a bit anyway just to not seem like ***holes.

[Rainah]

haterobics said: "Rainah said: "There are actors who don't mind (And may not want to do the gauntlet of fans after a show but are cool with meeting 4-5 quickly on their way in) and there are actors who really don't want to be bothered."

And a great number of those who don't want to be bothered, but end up doing it a bit anyway just to not seem like ***holes."

Very true, and I would fall on the side of refraining most of the time. 

I've done it once, because I happened to be there and I had been specifically told by someone who knew the person that they didn't mind. (And it was between shows, they were grabbing coffee and killing time)

But Ben, especially, with all the drama that's been going on about some rude folks feeling like they deserve access to him? I would leave him alone. Even if you personally aren't like that, that's what he's been exposed to recently. It's very likely he'd be more thankful of people just leaving him alone when he's going somewhere. I am reminded of LMM telling the story of how he denied being Lin on a subway just because he didn't want to cause a ruckus. 

[dramamama611]

OP,  you got off easy.   

 

In what world is trying to find out someone's possible routine so that you can lie in wait for them NOT considered stalking?

[Margo319]

The answer is no.  There is your answer.  I hope you are satisfied and can accept said answer.  

[JSquared2]

Dear DearSarahH,

All of your nasty, entitled and downright rude responses thus far indicate that you are EXACTLY the type of person that an actor would wish to avoid when arriving at his workplace.  Please consider taking the advice of the majority and back off.

 

 

[poisonivy2]

No. Many actors prefer to not even speak before the performance -- to anyone. Evan Hansen is a very vocally and emotionally taxing role and Ben deserves his space before a performance to give the best possible performance he can of a very challenging role.

Afterwards if you want to express appreciation many actors come to the stage door.