Mean Girls Stage Door

[swright1031]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 3:30pm

I was wondering if there were any recent reports of who comes out to stage door. Specifically I was curious if Barrett Wilbert Weed ever comes out, because I heard that she usually doesn't. Thanks!

[(Insert Clever Name)]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 6:32pm

I think everyone came out the night I went except Kate and Barrett. Dont count on her being there. behaviour at this stage door is poor and a group of millennials next to me started chanting for her, even after it was clear she was not coming out.

[dbird]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 7:04pm

A friend was at the show twice last week - Barrett, Erika and Ashley didn't stage door. Kate Rockwell came out on the 2nd night. (Grey was off that both nights). 

Check Instagram for recent posts, they tend to be a good indication.

As for Barrett - sounds like she just has the worst fans. She did stage door the night I saw the show in early May but from what I could hear and see, a group was asking her to be their prom date and some people made some t-shirts and printed her name on it, it just came across weird. Haven't seen any stage door photos of her since.

[Elegance101]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 7:07pm

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if Barrett doesn't do that anymore. The Heathers fanbase is really obsessive and I'm sure she's had her share of incidents in the past (that we don't know of) that were really weird. Plus, we know she's been followed before, so she's probably scared of that happening again (rightfully so).

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 7:35pm

I've heard that too about Barrett, and near stalker levels of obsession on social media.  It reminds me of when Brendon Urie was in Kinky Boots.  His fans were so annoying, so disruptive, and there were so many of them, I understand why both are not doing stage door.  I am sure both are cool people, but Jesus, chill out kids.  

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 8:30pm

And some kids egged Barrett after one of the early previews.  Like... actually threw eggs at her.

The young Broadway fan base (and we all know that I'm not talking about all young broadway fans, I'm talking about tHe YoUnG bRoAdWaY fAn BaSe!1!1!1) scares the pants off of me.  Between teenagers hiring cars to follow Ethan Slater home to people assaulting Barrett, something needs to be done.  I strongly feels that it comes in the form of aggressively letting these kids know what is and isn't acceptable through educating them.

I was going to type "if they're parents aren't going to teach them, we should" but then I realized that most of these kids, if not all of them, are hiding these actions/tendencies from their parents.  So, as we are aware of this behavior, I think we should do our best to call it out and stop it when we see it.  Not rudely, because that never works.  But firmly using understanding and reasoning.  

They're misguided kids.  And they need to be... guided a little.  

Updated On: 6/4/18 at 08:30 PM

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 8:50pm

Yes, they need to be taught proper theater etiquette.  But, most parents don't know what their kid is doing online, and would probably be horrified by some of the stuff they are doing.  I don't know who should teach tweens and teens respect for the theater, but I hope they have some common sense.  These children have been raised when social media was always available.  It's like they think they are not speaking to a real person.  

Why the hell would her fans assault her if they are so obsessed with her?  Egging someone?  The hell?  That is so horrifying and demeaning.  Of course she will never stage door again. Oh my God. 

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 9:03pm

I don't stage door anymore for a variety of reasons.  One of those reason is that stage door culture has changed so much, even in the last four years or so.

It's become unsafe and a since of entitlement is so palpable that it's icky.  

But, I think it's important to calmly and firmly call out this behavior as we each see it.  A nice, "Hey, what you are doing could be considered disrespectful, upsetting, overbearing, or creepy to this very regular person who's just trying to go home from their job" would probably do.

I honestly don't think that a lot of these kids understand that they're not "friends" with these actors just because an actor signed their program and said three sentences to them at the stage door.  But that's not damnable, that's just the young trying to find their place.  It becomes toxic when it becomes an unhealthy obsession and when it intrudes on the actors lives.  

Updated On: 6/4/18 at 09:03 PM

[Avery Berlin]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 9:29pm

I went to the show on 5/30 and Grey wasn’t on for the performance. His understudy did stage door (I can’t remember his name, it was his principal Damian debut). Taylor also came out along with quite a few ensemble members. The stage door was absolutely crazy though. There were tons of people and I was almost knocked over and buried in people.

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 9:41pm

I hope people do not behave like asshats during the show.  Now I am scared to even attend because I don't want to be next to some horrible person chomping on food and on their phone.  Sure, I will yell at them and have security try to remove them, but I would rather not deal with that drama.  Sigh.  

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 9:50pm

EllieRose2 said: "I hope people do not behave like asshats during the show. Now I am scared to even attend because I don't want to be next to some horrible person chomping on food and on their phone. Sure, I will yell at them and have security try to remove them, but I would rather not deal with that drama. Sigh."

Exactly.  I've gotten flack on here for pretty much saying that I only see theatre after lighting a bit of the devils lettuce... but audiences are terrible and it's nice to be relaxed when going into an environment that has, sadly turned stressful.  And it's not the tourists as much anymore, it's the SUPER FANS who feel the need to scream the loudest, clap the longest, and make the show as much about their reaction as it it the performance they're watching.  There seems to be a contest of who can show they're the biggest fan during the show.  And let's not forget that an instagram account dedicated to the Spongebob fandom recently live streamed part of the show on their account.  

I remember when the closing night bootleg of Next to Normal started making it's rounds and it sounded like teenagers trying to have a contest over who sobbed the loudest.  

Updated On: 6/4/18 at 09:50 PM

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 10:24pm

I saw the show on May 23, and most of the cast, including the awesome ensemble, came out and signed. Very kind cast. It was very crowded, full of mostly giggly teen girls, but it was generally respectful. Two or three deep and definiteky some shoving and handing playbills over heads. I think the only principals who didn’t sign were Erika and Barrett, and Kate only signed down one side of the barricade (she had her hands full and was clearly headed home). It was after a two-show day, and they had also had a press event earlier that day, so I was grateful that so many shared their time at the end of the day and, under any circumstances, never blame actors for not signing, given how crazy the stage door has gotten, even in the past five years or so that I’ve been visiting NYC occasionally. As I was leaving, I saw Barrett walk out of the main theatre doors. Thought about saying hi but knew she was ready to go home.

I’m beginning to think stage dooring might not be my scene. I can live without autographs, and it’s no longer practicable to have a conversation with the actors. I might just start sending my favorite performers thank-you notes in the mail once I get home...heh.

Updated On: 6/4/18 at 10:24 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 10:28pm

kade.ivy said: "I’m beginning to think stage dooring might not be my scene. I can live withoutautographs, and it’s no longer practicable to have a conversation with the actors. I might just start sending my favorite performers thank-you notes in the mail once I get home...heh."

If I want a signed window card from a show, I just wait until they are collecting for BC/EFA, much easier and no drama. And you're donating to a good cause.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/4/18 at 11:51pm

It should be noted that it's not like this at every stage door. Not by a long-shot. Not even all the shows with A-list celebrities are as crazy as this. It really depends on the type of show, and the type of fans it has. Even shows that you would expect to be really unruly are actually sometimes fairly calm, albeit crowded - such as Angels in America, for Andrew Garfield. 

I know other people basically implied the same thing in this thread, but I also see some generalizing about stage dooring in general, and I think it's important to make distinctions. 

 

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 6/5/18 at 12:00am

I don't stage door ever, but I have to walk past most of them to leave the area.  Yes, most stage doors I walk past are okay, people not acting crazy or screaming.  The exceptions were Kinky Boots (Brendon), If/Then,  and Dear Evan Hansen (a month before Ben was leaving).  Don't they understand that the actors don't want to be screamed at when they exit a goddamn door?  No one is entitled to an autograph, but honestly it seems sometimes that's the only reason some people go to a show.  Crazy.

[msmp]

Posted: 6/5/18 at 12:23am

Sondheimite said: "And some kids eggedBarrett after one of the early previews. Like... actually threw eggs at her.

The young Broadway fan base (and we all know that I'm not talking about all young broadway fans, I'm talking about tHe YoUnG bRoAdWaY fAn BaSe!1!1!1) scares the pants off of me. Between teenagers hiring cars to follow Ethan Slater home to people assaulting Barrett, something needs to be done. I strongly feels that it comes in the form of aggressively letting these kids know what is and isn't acceptable through educating them.

I was going to type "if they're parents aren't going to teach them, we should" but then I realized that most of these kids, if not all of them, are hiding these actions/tendencies from their parents. So, as we are aware of this behavior, I think we should do our best to call it out and stop it when we see it. Not rudely, because that never works. But firmly using understanding and reasoning.

They're misguided kids. And they need to be... guided a little."

I'm sorry, but what?! What happened here?

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 6/5/18 at 12:29am

msmp said: "Sondheimite said: "And some kids eggedBarrett after one of the early previews. Like... actually threw eggs at her.

The young Broadway fan base (and we all know that I'm not talking about all young broadway fans, I'm talking about tHe YoUnG bRoAdWaY fAn BaSe!1!1!1) scares the pants off of me. Between teenagers hiring cars to follow Ethan Slater home to people assaulting Barrett, something needs to be done. I strongly feels that it comes in the form of aggressively letting these kids know what is and isn't acceptable through educating them.

I was going to type "if they're parents aren't going to teach them, we should" but then I realized that most of these kids, if not all of them, are hiding these actions/tendencies from their parents. So, as we are aware of this behavior, I think we should do our best to call it out and stop it when we see it. Not rudely, because that never works. But firmly using understanding and reasoning.

They're misguided kids. And they need to be... guided a little."

I'm sorry, butwhat?! What happened here?"

I'm going to tread lightly so this tread isn't deleted,

there is a very over zealous young Spongebob fan who had her car follow Ethan's car home one night.  This person's behavior (which was much more than just this instance) got to the point where the cast had to reach out to authority figurers of the person in question.  

 

 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 6/5/18 at 10:17am

I've seen the show several times and have never seen anyone act out of line at the stage door to anyone. In fact I was there one night and this young girl of Indian decent was telling one of the ensemble guys how nice it was to see a Brown person on Broadway and feel represented and damn if that didn't tug at my heart. I feel like there are a lot of bad apples who ruin the bunch, but I've yet to see any majorly bad apples at stage door. 

In terms of who has come out, Barrett and Ashley have not come out while I've been there while Erika, Grey, Kyle, Cheech, Kerry, and Taylor come out pretty consistently as well as many of the ensemble members. 

[Eliza2]

Posted: 6/5/18 at 10:20am

my understanding of the "egg incident" was that it was people who lived in the apartments above who were throwing eggs down at the crowd, not specifically at Barrett. And one happened to hit her. Still awful, but a bit different than someone standing on the street throwing eggs at her when she steps through the door.

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 6/5/18 at 6:36pm

Oh okay.  It does not make that story any better, but I am glad they weren't people literally standing there throwing eggs at her.  Well, I just hope people can always be respectful and remain calm at the stage door, but I know that won't happen.  The more mature shows like Angels and The Bands Visit had the most respectful fans, which I will always appreciate.  

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 6/6/18 at 12:01am

When I saw the show everyone came out except for Erika, Barrett & Ashley Park.

[reginula]

Posted: 8/29/18 at 10:16pm

Bumping this because I'm seeing the show next week. Any recent reports? It sounds a bit... wild? I'm guessing it's consistently several people deep. 

[gleek4114]

Posted: 8/30/18 at 12:47am

I'm also very curious. Has it calmed down since school started? Waiting after a Wednesday matinee doesn't seem like it would be that daunting at this point.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 8/31/18 at 11:03am

gleek4114 said: "I'm also very curious. Has it calmed down since school started? Waiting after a Wednesday matinee doesn't seem like it would be that daunting at this point."

No not really. I was leaving a bar yesterday in Hell’s Kitchen, and it looked like the usual crowd. Spilling all the way down the sidewalk and into the street waiting for autographs. 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 8/31/18 at 11:38am

It's about the same as it's been and the security gets testy about keeping people behind the barricades due to the construction near the stage door. In terms of who comes out - it varies, but I'd say Grey, Kyle, Cheech, Kerry and Taylor continue to be the people who come out most often with everyone else depending on the day.