Ridiculousness at If/Then Stage Door Last Night

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Saw If/Then last night and stayed at the stage door. It was crowded, but now as packed as I thought it would be. Anthony and everybody else came out. They were followed by Lachanze (who was incredibly sweet), who was about to leave when she saw a girl on crutches at the end of the line who wanted to see Idina, she told security and they let her behind the girl barricades. Idina came out and they got all excited. As she started to make her way down the line and closer towards them, I, and many others, heard them say "What should I have her sign?" They were having the rest of the cast sign a ratty old piece of paper and they reached into their purses and took out Gentleman's Guide playbills. Turns out they hadn't even seen the show yet were getting special treatment to meet Menzel. Before any of you say that maybe they didn't even see the show, they were talking about how much they wanted to see the show. Many people who were crowded behind the barricades were extremely angry. Shouldn't the security guards have asked them if they had even seen it?

On another note there was a lady sitting next to me ranting about the lines regarding Arizona, lightly making fun of it. She said she was on the board of ed of the Arts department at the University of Arizona and was going to write a letter to the creators. Isn't this overreacting a bit?

Aside from these problems I enjoyed the show a lot. Idina got a standing ovation after "Always..."

[ClydeBarrow]

If you don't like what happens at mobbed stage doors then maybe don't put yourself in those situations.

I'm sure that woman from Arizona's concerns will be greatly taken into consideration. She is on a board after all.

[haterobics]

So, the travesty is that a cast member thought a girl on crutches who loves Idina saw the show, so she got her queued up to have an easier time on the other side of the crowded barricades?

Since they have no way of knowing she attended, and we have no idea if they have plans to attend while visiting NYC (like if they are going Wednesday afternoon, Idina wouldn't come out afterward, so it would make sense to go after a different show), does it matter?

If the people queued up got their stuff signed by Idina, too, it seems to have had no effect.

[tazber]

Yea, I have to agree with haterobics.

I think the real story here is how wonderful LaChanze was to notice the girl and telling security to let her closer.

What a sensitive and warmhearted thing to do.

[Littleshopofcarrie]

It was nice of Lachanze, I guess it just bothered me that that they got to take pictures with her and got to sort of chat while she kind of rushed through everyone else's. Now I admit I'm sounding like I'm mad at Menzel for not talking to everyone, I understand that she does not have to come out of the stage door, and I wouldn't blame her for rushing, she must have been exhausted after that exhilarating performance!

[Jordan Catalano]

[YouWantitWhen????]

Regardless of whether she saw the show that day, she was a young fan on crutches. And the cast made time for her. Who cares if she saw the show that day?

If the girl had not been there at all I am sure your experience would have been the same - she just took some of her time to share it with someone else. Be glad she signed and leave it at that.

For the record, I think Idina should get a freaking medal for routinely signing (except matinees) show after show for the mob waiting for her after she deals with those visiting her dressing room. I get that this is part of the bargain performers make, but it seems like she does it with a smile on her face while all the time I am sure she just wants to go home (you know to her son) and relax.

[ClydeBarrow]

The real lesson here is to bring crutches if you feel the need to stage door. That's what the OP was getting at, right?

[haterobics]

Then you get two experiences: an interaction with Idina Menzel about how you got hurt, and having to explain to all your friends why you're on crutches in your picture with Idina, since they don't recall you ever being injured recently.

[YouWantitWhen????]

I was going to suggest breaking a limb before the next time he/she stage doors, just to get that extra benefit.

[ukpuppetboy]

This could be an amazing spectacle - the stage door would turn into Lourdes overnight.

Though how long before the predictable: "Idina signed 3 things for that girl with the neck brace and only 2 things for me in my arm cast??!"

But you're right - she has the patience of a saint. Particularly with how many people seem to be flogging off their playbill collections for a fee lately..

[FishermanBob]

"It was nice of Lachanze, I guess it just bothered me that that they got to take pictures with her and got to sort of chat while she kind of rushed through everyone else's."

So you got your thing signed but she didn't "chat" with you? That's horrible. Tellya what. Let us collectively make it up to you. You be you and we'll be Idina and we can have a chat. I'll start... "Hey, thanks for coming. Did you enjoy the show? What can I sign for you?" OK, now you go...

[jnb9872]

The only thing I understand less than stagedooring and autographs are people who complain about their experiences stagedooring and getting autographs.

[Littleshopofcarrie]

"So you got your thing signed but she didn't "chat" with you? That's horrible."

I was just annoyed that people who paid to see the show had to pack behind barricades while these girls who didn't pay to see it got special treatment. I wasn't the only one annoyed by this, in fact I didn't even care to look if they had seen it or not until other people started to complain. Yes, I'm grateful that she signed. Yes, I understand it is extremely nice of her to come out and sign after that magnificent performance. No, I didn't feel like she HAD to chat with me and sign my playbill.

So why is it that everybody on here frowns upon people stage-dooring when they didn't see the show, but when somebody complains about something like these people attack me?

[YouWantitWhen????]

Or, in other words "Daddy, I want an Oompa Loompa".

[South Florida]

"The only thing I understand less than stagedooring and autographs are people who complain about their experiences stagedooring and getting autographs."

Yes!

[Jane2]

"I was just annoyed that people who paid to see the show had to pack behind barricades while these girls who didn't pay to see it got special treatment."

Ya see, this ^ harkens to the belief that when you buy a ticket, it includes conversations, pics, and autographs from the cast. You're entitled to that, right?

[FishermanBob]

"So why is it that everybody on here frowns upon people stage-dooring when they didn't see the show, but when somebody complains about something like these people attack me?"

I guess for me it was because when you said ridiculousness, you created an expectation. I was hoping to read that maybe a chimpanzee was on a unicycle dressed in a tuxedo throwing confetti into the air or maybe a small car pulled up and clown after clown got out until there were 40 of them standing there, or maybe the naked cowboy stopped by and he was fully dressed, you know... real ridiculousness. Instead, it was just that Idina signed for someone who didn't see the show. Very disappointing.

[ukpuppetboy]

It's all been said. And Fisherman Bob wins this thread, hands down..

[jnb9872]

I once saw the Naked Cowboy fully clothed eating lunch at Cranberry's Deli on 45th Street.

To be honest, Bob, this thread is more ridiculous than that was.

[ClydeBarrow]

I came into this thread thinking it was about the cast of MTV's Ridiculousness visiting Idina at the stage door.

[veronicamae]

^^ I Thought that was Megan Hilty at first.

Also, may have laughed a bit too heartily at Bob's post re: chimpanzee.

To the point of the thread - I understand the annoyance, but I also understand the other side of it. I have stage doored when I haven't seen the show - because I already had or will. It is easier, you're guaranteed a spot, etc. by getting there earlier than the majority. But, I understand if you're an audience member that night it can be annoying because that feeling of "but they cut in line" creeps up on you.

But, no one is entitled to any actor's time after the show, and the sidewalk is a public space.

Moral of the story: next time, go to the stage door on crutches or a wheelchair to get noticed.

[haterobics]

"I was just annoyed that people who paid to see the show had to pack behind barricades while these girls who didn't pay to see it got special treatment."

The people who paid to see the show got to see the show. After the show, you're all just people standing on a sidewalk.

[brdway411]

What's that song.... oh yah

LET IT GO, LET IT GO..........

[orangeskittles]

To be fair, had this girl with the crutches been at Hedwig, it wouldn't have worked out in her favor because Neil doesn't take pictures and only signs Hedwig merchandise. Different stage doors, different rules. Sometimes it works out in your favor, sometimes it doesn't.