Spinoff topic: Crazy Stage Door fans...

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/1/03 at 11:43pm

Thinking about the intense Rentheads made me wonder if anyone ever witnessed really odd behaviour at stage doors.

I haven't stagedoored much, so I don't have many stories. I always notice that mother/daughter teams are pretty dangerous :) I once saw a woman try to sneak her young daughter backstage to Aida to find Adam, who wasn't coming out of after matinee. She got yelled at. (I later learned that Adam wouldn't come out after matinees because people were following him on the subway! Yikes.)

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 8/1/03 at 11:46pm

The only odd behavior I've seen is at "Rent".. it was Crazy when Joey Fatone was in it!

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/1/03 at 11:49pm

AUGH! What bothered me was seeing all the little girls sitting on their dads' and moms'shoulders trying to see him when he came out of the stagedoor...WHY on EARTH would you bring little kids to see that show? I was 18 when I first saw it and some of it still went over my head.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/1/03 at 11:49pm

Rent :: both involving Cary Shields.

1.) broadway. A girl jumped on Cary Shields.
2.) Benny tour. A mother-daughter duo trying to corner Cary. Creepy.

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/1/03 at 11:52pm

I left work around 5 the other Wednesday, so the matinee was getting out and I hear all this squealing and see this HUGE mob outside the Nederlander. I thought Joey was back or Justin Timberlake was Roger now or something...Then I realized the hysteria was for Cary!

I guess he's the first "hot" guy that show has seen in a while. As adorable and lovable as Sebastian and Matt Caplan are, I guess Cary's different.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/1/03 at 11:53pm

Cary has a subtle sex appeal and the fact that he doesn't knoew he is sexy make him more so.
I know girls used to chase Manley Pope and Luther Creek down the street.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 2:18am

This is actually funny b/c I had been by the stage door of Nine (well, between the stage door and the front entrance). I was waiting for my friends who went to see the matinee, and when they came out we decided to stick around to see who would come out. Turns out none of the stars were coming out after the matinee that day, and this one woman was causing such a scene. She was actually trying to push past the stage door guy so she could get in. It was disgraceful. All I could think was, what nerve. These actors do 2 shows a day on matinee days. They have every right to rest between performances, and this woman is getting upset because she can't get her poster signed. It's people like that who make waiting at stage doors a "stalker" thing.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 10:01am

When people talk about "Rentheads" I always laugh. They don't seem like normal theatre fans. Wouldn't it be funny to have us "normal" theatre fans go against "Rentheads"?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 10:08am

honestly, there are some normal people who are Rentheads, but there are many others who think that Rent is the be-all-end-all and kiss the ground that cast members walk on.

Question :: what NORMAL functioning human being sees a show that has played just over 3,000 peformances over 1,000 times??? Who sees ANY show 1,000 times??

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 11:06am

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. "I've seen the show 1000 times" last year.

My friend was seeing Rent with her school, so I met up with her and decided to try lotto (which I've never tried before). I lost, was walking away, and some guy came up to me and told me that he had an extra ticket, and the friend he was with saw me, thought I was beautiful, and told him he should offer it to me.

So, I got to sit next to this guy, who asked me how many times I saw it. I told him 3, and he goes,

"I've seen it 867. I hold the record."

Um...okay? Your parents must be so proud.

Also, many of these people don't care about other shows unless a Rent member is involved. (Aida, Wicked, Zanna Don't are all accetable.)

Some girl I met at a Rent thing a while ago Imed me and mentioned she saw Urinetown because her friend had tickets and said she didn't like Tom Cavanaugh.

Me: Well, Hunter's supposed to be coming back soon, so that's good.
Her: Who's Hunter?
Me: The original Bobby. Sutton's brother.
Her: Who's Sutton?

(Right then, I almost had to sign off. WHO ARE SUTTON AND HUNTER?????????? You spend your life in the theatre district watching the same show over and over, and yet you haven't gained any common knowledge of other shows? Fine, maybe I'm a theatre snob, but when Sutton's involved, I get defensive :)) Updated On: 8/2/03 at 11:06 AM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 11:18am

No that is not being a theatre snob at all, there ARE certain fans of rent that won't see any show unless one of their 'gods' is in it and I don't like that view at all. But you also have many others, who branch out and discover many different shows that have NOTHING to do with Rent andthey find a genuine love for Broadway/tehatre because of Rent.

As far as Joel goes, do the math and see how nuts this guy is. 1,000 show multiplied by $20 ruch ticket for each one. The guy could almost buy a car.

[AlienOnBroadway]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 11:44am

Can I say how much I don't like EVERY Rent fan being lumped into the same category as Joel?
Not everyone who enjoys seeing Rent is like Joel. If you remember anything I ever say, remember that.

And I understand the negativity associated with some of the behavior of Rent fans. I saw Cary being mobbed BEFORE he actually started as Roger. Crazy.

About people seeing a show ONLY because their 'gods' are in it could also be seen as being supportive of their favorite performers! Yeah, it is THEIR loss for not branching out and experiencing other things, but I hesitate to start condemning them for it. It is just a different way of looking at things.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 11:46am

It is only a moinority that do that, but I just don't the thought that "if it's isn't Rent or rent related it sucks". Yes it is their loss, but when they don't even TRY o push their own envelope and exlore other things....


As far as Joel, I don't mean to sond as though everyone is a 'Joel'. That would be just cruel.

[emmamia]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 12:24pm

@ Mamma Mia in vegas we dont exactly have a stage door so they walk out the main theater entrance ... so for a cast members bday we went dressed as the Dynamos and we waited for the cast to come out and a japanese couple thought we were the dynamos and wanted our picture with us. we tried to explain we were not them but they didnt understand so we snapped a picture with them and they were the happiest ever thinking they just met the real dynamos.

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 12:39pm

Thats sick.. 867 times? Where do you get the money for all those tickets????? I know who your talking about cause I've seen this person!!

I've seen POTO 9 times and my parents think thats crazy!!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 12:42pm

that number in the 800s was a while ago. I read where he passed 1,000 about the same time that the show passed 3,000.

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 1:16pm

Wouldn't you get sick of the show??

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 1:29pm

Alien, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lump everyone together...Joel's a rare case. It just seems like a lot of people really just revolve their lives around that show. I mean, I've seen it a bunch of times. I even made Sebastian a scarf last year (because he's just the kind of guy that you want to make a scarf for...don't ask :)) I KNOW that's crazy, but looking back, it's probably one of the most normal things a Renthead has ever done for an actor.

I wonder how cast members feel about the intense fans...like I said, I love Sebastian and stop by to say hi once in a while, just because he's the sweetest guy and a great hugger and makes me smile :) But seeing the same people night after night, before and after the shows...granted, it's usually young girls, but I would think even the actors would find it a little strange. Updated On: 8/2/03 at 01:29 PM

[Phantess]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 2:55pm

I can get a little crazy at the phantom stage door...During the time Whoopie was playing in the show in the theater across...yea they put up the baricades and I was thrown out of the little alley over there. Oops it was worth it though.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 8:14pm

What I find funny is that some Rentheadsa always gripw, after seeing the show for the 300th time, that everytime they go back, they notice that an actor does the same thing everytime and doesn't totally change up the way that they play a character at every performance.
Don't you just HATE it when a person stays in character and sticks to the script for the whole show every performance?? Mind you, these are peopel who comment on how great it is when people on the stage are holding their own little conversations when their mic volume is down or who goof off on stage the whole show then turn around and slam Joey Fatone if he breaks character once.

[theatrediva10086]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 9:16pm

Something comical happend at the Shubert Stage door this past wednesday...I was picking something else up, and I wanted to buy something from Broadway Barks...There was a barricade up and there were a crowd of like 20 little girls all under the age of ten waiting by the door...Two people came out and said that Bernadette wouldnt be out and Tammy had already left...Another cast memeber came out and started selling stuff for Bway Barks...She walked over to the group of kids and one of them must have recognized her, because all of a sudden, they basically surrounded her to get her to sign stuff...She got away from them and came over to me and started laughing...The little kids wanted the little kids from the cast to come out...Well, three of them did, and were almost attacked by the young girls and their chaperones...

Now, in my other post, someone mentioned Dave the Autograph Hound...He sounds like a man that for some reason seems to be at every show I go to, and every celebrity themed event...

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 10:12pm

I saw something cute at the Millie stagedoor once...I was walking by after another show and I hear,

"THERE'S JIMMY! THERE'S JIMMY!!!!!"

Gavin came out to sign for food being delivered, and the huge group of, like, 10-year-old girls caught him.

Gavin was about to say, "Sorry, guys, I can't stay outside" but he must have felt bad when he saw it was all little girls, so he was like, "Wait, you can follow me down the street" or something and this line of little girls followed him down the street so he could sign for the food.

It was TOO cute. Seeing the little girls going crazy over him and Gavin's reaction...he's so sweet.

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 10:15pm

BroadwayGuy, it also really annoys me how these people obsess over having to win lotto EVERY TIME.

I've played lotto 3 times and lost every time. Other people win every time they go.

I mean, Rent has student discount prices for $40! That's the price of 2 lotto seats. Heaven forbid they pay the $40.

There are people who really CANNOT afford regular-priced tickets, never saw the show before and are from out of town and can't get to the city easily, but they can't sit in the lotto seats because the same people are in the night after night.
I mean, if you see the show 5 times with lotto tickets, you might as well buy a $100 ticket!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 10:28pm

Gav is such a nice guy. I hope he is back on Broadway soon in something that shows him off.

[cabarethed]

Posted: 8/2/03 at 11:11pm

I really don't want to speak ill of Rent-heads, esp. since I'm friends with one (although she's mild with attending)...it really did kind of freak me out, the whole stage door/lotto bit, when I Finally went back in February. I gotta say though, those are some of the nicest actors on Broadway. I guess I also don't like the limitation of shows the majority of them will see. I don't think I'm being hypocritical b/c even though I've seen Cabaret an obscene amount of times, I plan it out. For instance, I usually see it on a Sunday b/c that way I can see another show beforehand (Cabaret's one of the few with a 7 pm show on Sun), and that way I'm not wasting my time. I almost always double up, and I LOVE seeing other things. Plus, I'll go to the stage door, but not a whole lot. Frankly, I haven't really talked much to the ensemble or anything. A few Emcees knew who I was, but that's it. I used to worry back in 01 that the cast would look at me and go, Oh God that scary girl's back again...but I was being silly. Maybe Michael O'Donnell, Kristin Olness, or Michael Curry might recognize me now, but that's about it.
My main rule is DON'T chase after an actor if they're well past the theatre. Gauge their attitude...if you want a picture, but they don't look like they're in the mood, then just don't. You don't want a pic with a pissy actor.

I'll never forget The Tale of the Allergists Wife stage door when Marilu Henner, Rhea Pearlman, and Richard Kind were the cast. I went for the hell of it, just to stand back and kill time...I like observing people. People HOUNDED Henner. I personally despise the woman, but I really felt bad for her- she looked kinda scared, esp. since her kids were there. Pearlman came out...same thing, but she was a lot more smiley. Kind came out with his bicycle, all set to go, but people attacked him. He looked like he was a shy person and quietly obliged, but not very happily. People were shoving playbills at him, shaking his hand, yelling a bunch of different things at him, oy it was terrible...he looked so flustered. I went up to him, handed him my playbill when he was ready, and told him how much I enjoyed his performance and how great it was to see him since I've followed his career for many years. He paused, relaxed, looked at me and just thanked me so much, how that was such a very nice thing to say. I always enjoy that story