Engagement Proposal Advice - Moulin Rouge

[Andres Pacheco]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 12:03am

Hi guys. Long time reader, first time poster.

I need advice on tying my proposal to a Broadway show. I know this is asked often, but trust me, it is never as important as when it is YOUR turn, so bare with me please.

 

I'll try and make it simple. I don't want to go up on stage. I don't want to go back stage even, necessarily. I was to propose during stage door after the show. My g/f and I are HUGE Moulin Rouge fans. We are going to travel to NY to see it for the third time, seeing it in the Can Can seats for the second time in a row. Definitely an experience!

My g/f has adored Aaron Tveit since I can remember. He is her favorite artist of any platform. We have met him twice while stage dooring, and I was thinking...to keep it somewhat humble and more doable...I would LOVE if I could hand my cellphone to Aaron and have HIM record me proposing. Thoughts?

My issue is...I don't want to chance this. I want to contact either Aaron, the stage manager or the production manager...someone...to see if they can help me out in any way. Does anybody here have any advice on how to go about this?

 

Thanks so so much for your help. All in the name of Freedom, Beauty, Truth, and LOVE :)

Updated On: 2/14/20 at 12:03 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 6:09am

That sounds so bizarringly menial. Ive never thought that someone filming you would make it seem more momentous in any way.

Why not propose during intermission (with random stranger filming) and hope to take a celebratory pix with him at stage door?

[theaterdarling]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 7:24am

It is not enough Tveit comes out after a particularly taxing show on a somewhat a regular basis  (including in the middle of winter) signs your Playbills, and whatever other stuff is thrown at him, takes selfies, chats with people (with you and your girlfriend, on not one, but two occasions) and now you expect to schedule a time for him to be your videographer? How many takes will he need to do? From how many angles does he need to capture the proposal?  And what next, maybe you coax a song out of him while he is filming  Why not, as long as he is there? Should he bring the flowers?  If you want to be celebrity hound, fine, but really, have some boundaries and respect.  Actors are not your organ grinder monkeys.                                                      

I've stopped commenting on people's ridiculous stage door obsession, but this one really takes the cake (oh, maybe Tveit bring a cake too?) and, sadly, I can't help myself.  I know you want a special proposal moment that you can post about and have it go viral and blah blah blah and that's lovely, but there are a million ways to do that rather than imposing it on a actor who has just sung his brains out for 2 1/2 hours and just wants to go home. Unless, of course, you want to do this in the middle of one of his particularly relaxing two show days. Good lord.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 7:39am

Oy vey.

[Rosette3]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 8:15am

No this is a bad idea. Many things can go wrong. I don't understand how having a Aaron video record elevates or makes the proposal experience more memorable.

Also if this an engagement between you two and representative of love future marriage your relationship etc etc why bring another guy (nonetheless more attractive more talented star you know she loves) that'll just overshadow you?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 9:52am

If you're serious, contact his agent and get a quote. He's not a show pony, he's a trained professional working actor. Contacting stage managers, etc. will look so very sad and will be ignored. Please remember, he's a real person and not someone who jumps through hoops. 

Honestly, if you are truly serious, contact his management and get a quote or a decline. Pay the man for his time. That might even get you in the dressing room for the proposal. When you want a performer to enter in some manner in your personal affairs, you need to pay them. Be respectful. 

[Piparoo]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:06am

Meowww!  OP seems sweet and is obviously very excited.  I think Bettyboy72's advice is spot on.  Congratulations to you both!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:07am

I’m sure Aaron would love the pressure of not messing up a strangers cell phone proposal video after he finished working for the day. But if he’s busy, ask LuPone to do it. I bet she’d be thrilled.

[emmamcsquared]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:38am

Wow.  I stopped lurking to reply to just not do this.  Stage dooring is so hectic and actors are people too, they have lives and folks they may want to see afterward.  Why not go somewhere afterwards to celebrate and do it there?

If you are honest to god dead set on this then contact the company managers and ask them.

[Andres Pacheco]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:43am

I'm at work but I wanted to chime in really quickly. I'll post more later. 

I'm so sad that this has been the response I have gotten. You all completely misunderstood the spirit of the post and the intent and did nothing but make it as dramatic as possible and, for some reasons, 'guard' Aaron as if he's a poor defenseless human being that I am attacking.

 

First of all, whenever you find yourself in a situation of asking someone to take a picture for you, for example, you ask. They can say no. But you always ask first. If you have a fear of interacting with other human beings or a fear of asking for things... please don't bring these fears to my plans. I'm not scared.

 

Second, I'm not looking for a production. Literally handing him the phone to turn around and record for 3 to 5 seconds while I propose. I thought I would be super quirky and cute to have a clip of the proposal she can show people and let them know it was Aaron who recorded it. Simple. Stop thinking further than that. 

Let me make it clear that I wanted to contact him to ask him personally if he would be ok with this. Meaning.. If I NEVER reach him it he never answers, I would never do it. I would never impose like that on anyone.  I admire his talent and have always been amazed at the work they put in to make these shows happen with the same energy, day in and day out. What you all have done is filled in some of the information gaps with negativity and a projection of your own fears. And when it comes to helping each other out and asking innocent questions... This makes me sad. I'm a medical professional and having an open mind and accepting everyone is  a major point of what keeps medicine going.

Don't accept me. Fine. But please think twice when someone asks you if they can  use your phone to make a phone call, asks for change to buy food, or for your help moving. It's humans interacting with humans and being polite. There is nothing wrong with this.

 

It shocked me that, I'm sure if I looked back, there are multiple people on this board thst have asked for, well, unorthodox things, and have been destroyed with people's comments. Keep them coming. But man I hope you act a little different in your everyday life and everyday interactions with other humans beings. 

[Colin852]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:43am

Even though it wouldn't explain the point of the post, I have to believe he's not being serious. But if you are dude, then just get her a pair of Can-Can seats and figure out a Plan B. 

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:44am

If I were you, I'd contact the stage manager about letting you in the house early and proposing IN the theater. Much easier, and no drama with the cast. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:56am

Andres is SHOCKED that people think his idea is dumb. SHOCKED, I say.

I walk by that stage door insanity every day and yeah, my first thought always is - This would be a great place to propose to someone. Hope you don’t plan on getting down on one knee since you can barely even move a foot. And good luck hoping people give you space and risk losing their spot at the barricades.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 10:56am

In my opinion/experience, a stage manager could not be bothered by something like this. I suggest you contact the theatre owner (Jujamcyn) and see what they can do for you. Maybe they’ll let you go on stage after the show? Or, as someone suggest earlier, in the theater either before or afterwards just the two of you to make it a special moment. They had a marriage proposal over the summer that they captured and posted online! http://www.playbill.com/article/watch-this-post-show-proposal-at-broadways-moulin-rouge

I understand your idea to have Aaron involved, but getting actors involved in such events can get messy. Aside from that, there’s going to be tons (if not hundreds) of other people vying for Aaron’s attention at stage door which will make your big moment so much less special for you and your partner.

I say contact the theater owner and see what they can do.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 11:40am

This could lead to be a germ issue. If I was an actor I would never touch someone’s else’s phone for that issue. Wasn’t there also a video of someone proposing before the performance outside of the lobby? Maybe try that by his poster, and you can tell him at the stage door after the performance

[inmyownlittlecorner]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 12:19pm

Just be lowkey about it. Take her out for dinner to a nice restaurant, go see your favorite show, take a walk together and propose there or even back in the hotel room. It’ll be a special night, it’ll be personal and it’ll be something just for you two.

If you still want to propose at the theatre, I’d recommend going with Greased Lightening’s advice and try contacting Jujamcyn or talk to a stage manager. 

Don’t feel like you have to do a big extravagant proposal.  It can still be special in your own way

[LxGstv]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 12:48pm

I think a lot of people would consider a trip to the city and can can seating for Moulin Rouge pretty extravagant already...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 12:58pm

Andres, it may not be an issue of actual misunderstanding if that many people took your post that way.

Also, do something else.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 1:17pm

Second, I'm not looking for a production. Literally handing him the phone to turn around and record for 3 to 5 seconds while I propose. I thought I would be super quirky and cute to have a clip of the proposal she can show people and let them know it was Aaron who recorded it. Simple. Stop thinking further than that.

Bro, you DO know you could have avoided all this by just having someone film it?  Since you want Aaron to film it and not been seen you could just tell everyone he filmed it.  Heck, you can even say Karen Olivo was holding his arm to keep it steady.  No one would EVER know.  

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 1:28pm

Contacting the theatre owner and/or company manager about getting onstage after the show or being let into the house early to do this is way less of an imposition than asking someone who's on their way home from work to record your proposal at a noisy, crowded stage door, I'm just saying. I work FOH and I often refuse to take people's photos while I'm AT work, for a myriad of reasons. If I were off the clock and done for the day? Absolutely not. 

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 1:29pm

Andres Pacheco said: "I thought I would be super quirky and cute to have a clip of the proposal she can show people and let them know it was Aaron who recorded it. "

 

And what if she says "NO" to your proposal?  Is that something you would want her to show to people?

 

[Andres Pacheco]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 1:35pm

The feedback as to whether this is a good idea or not is absolutely always welcomed. For example, having things done before or after the show (like backstage) being less inconvenient than during stage door is something I didn't think about. That's what I like to hear...constructive criticism. Something that actually helps out. I appreciate that. Good point on that one. Food for thoifhr for sure. 

 

Also, I don't want anything extravagant. I'd propose to her in out living room tonight if I could. 

 

Lastly... She's not saying no lol. That's one of the few things in life I am 100% sure of :) 

 

 

 

 

[sparksatmidnight]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 2:55pm

I don't think your post deserves half the responses it got (well, at least until the I'M A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL DAMNIT thingy which was certainly a one up) but I'm sure you'll understand it's pretty outlandish to finish running a marathon for someone's entertainment only for them to say "that was not enough, can you record me so I can say you're the one recording". It's not quirky, it's not cute, it's just... weird.

 

Highland Guy said: "Andres Pacheco said: "I thought I would be super quirky and cute to have a clip of the proposal she can show people and let them know it was Aaron who recorded it. "



And what if she says "NO" to your proposal? Is that something you would want her to show to people?"

Well if it's Aaron recording...

[Colin852]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 3:39pm

Ok guys, let's help him out and brainstorm some better options  

[starcatchers]

Posted: 2/14/20 at 3:46pm

A) I’m going to echo the suggestion of maybe just seeing if you can get into the theatre early.

BUT

B) Jeez. The responses to this are mind boggling levels of rude and for that, I’m sorry.