So i was very curious if anybody who has seen the show recently was able to leave after curtain call and get a good spot at the stage door. i am in Row F of the orchestra and got to wondering if it is usual for people to either leave before the show is out and/or a lot of people how did not see the show already being lined up before the show lets out. I would expect that the crowds probably have picked up since Hedwig's tony wins so was curious what it has been like recently- especially post Tonys. Thanks in Advance.
He is a super chill dude. I did standing room in March, and was the first out to the stage door. About an hour after, he came out. And we chatted for about 5 minutes (literally), he was still signing other peoples, but we kept talking the whole time. I told him how much he inspired me. I did ask for a picture (I didn't remember them saying no posed pics) and he said no in the nicest way, then kept going. I waited until he left to leave, but right before he left he ran over and took a quick picture with me, then ran to his car. He was such a nice person, and tried to sign as much as he could.
The people on the side of the barricade are all from that night's show. The barricade further away from the theater is people who did not see the show that night, so you're only competing with other theatergoers, and NPH spends more time on that side (since there are more Playbills, etc., over there)
The night I saw Hedwig, when my friends and I left the theatre we were in the middle of a crazy thunderstorm with heavy rain, so no one was at the stage door that night. However, we had standing room and were able to get out of the orchestra very quickly after the final bows, so you shouldn't have a problem getting to the front of the barricade if you exit from the orchestra.
We decided to try our luck the next night and wait on the side of the barricade for people that didn't see the show that night. We were able to get a glimpse of NPH and we got pretty close to him at one point, but we weren't able to get an autograph since we were too far back. We did however get a chance to talk with Lena, and she was very sweet. She came right up to us and signed our playbills from the previous night.
Crazy scene Sunday night the 25th, never saw anything like that before. There seemed to be hundreds of people outside the stage door, across the street with cameras filming, everyone at the restaurant across the street looked like they were seated there for the view, and then the bruiser lady security guard or cop, she was tough. I wouldn't have stayed 2 minutes if not for watching the whole spectacle for a little.
"The Origin of Love" may not be enough time. Try leaving as soon as "Tear Me Down" is over. I can't imagine having to sit through more of the show but miss the stage door!
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
You can't tell Neil how amazing he is and how he changed your life if you can't get to Neil and you can't get to Neil if you don't run up the aisle the minute you hear, "… Whether you like it or not …". It's a proven fact.
@ Jane2- Don't Worry. I would never and have never left before curtain- i wait until after curtain call is done. it's one of the rudest things a person could do to leave before. These actors on that stage perform their asses off and you walk out while they are taking their bows and getting the love they soo deserve from the audience. it's just not right. Even if that means not having a spot at the stage door- that's fine. No way i would leave before the end.
I went about a a month ago, my seats were in the mezz. I accidentally left something by my seat, so went back up to get it before heading out. I hadn't planned on going to the stage door, but my friends and I decided to check it out. I didn't realize until reading the boards that I was on the "didn't go to that night's performance" side of the barricade, but it was perfectly fine -- I had started off on the side of the barricade, expecting security to ask me to move, but they extended the barricade outwards, and I ended up in the front. NPH and Lena were both very gracious and signed for (as far as I could tell) everyone, and made eye contact/gave personal attention.
When I saw it in April, about a week after it started previews, it was not too bad at the stage door. THere were plenty of people but not as many as you might have expected. Part of the reason was because it was damp and slightly rainy (and had been raining heavily earlier in the day).
I'm glad darryl provided clarification. When one starts leaving shows early to get to the stage door, one needs to serious rethink why one is going to the theater.
I should have been clearer. what i was meaning was if it was common for other people to leave before the end or already be out there so i knew what to expect when i left AFTER. LOL
The day I went to stage door, unsuccessfully, since NPH wouldn't sign posters at the time although now he does... there were maybe 5 of us waiting that didn't see the show total? And the staff made us wait on the barriers on the opposite side. The barriers then filled up with a rush after the show. There was no trickling out before the end at all. every stayed for the whole show (unlike If/Then, where people were leaving during the finale to get a good line spot).
This was back in March or so, though, so it might be worse with school out and warmer weather, etc. I still have to trudge back down and get that poster signed one of these days, heh.
I think it's very selfish to leave and not applaud the cast just so you can see them at the stage door so you can get an autograph. If you left my performance before it came to an end and asked me for an autograph I'd tell you to buzz off.
Stay for the whole thing. Show NPH how much you appreciated the show.