My Best Stage Door Experiences

A theatre lover shares her favorite post-show interactions with stars

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This past summer, there was much ado surrounding stage dooring after Dear Evan Hansen Tony winner Ben Platt and rock star turned Kinky Boots lead Brendon Urie took to social media to explain why they couldn’t always greet fans. While I certainly understand and respect any actor’s decision not to interact with the public post-performance, these episodes made me sad because, as a frequent stage-door Jane, some of my best theatre memories come from after the show.

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Last year, I even had an unexpected pre-show interaction when a friend and I drove down to Washington, DC to see the revised Secret Garden. We were running late so she dropped me across the street from the theatre and went to park the car. I had thrown my back out a few days earlier and was really struggling to cross. “Can I help you?” a woman behind me asked. Normally I would have refused, but I was so worried about getting there safely before curtain that I took her arm. When I looked at her face, I realized I was hanging on to Secret Garden composer Lucy Simon! After my shock wore off, I told her that I had come from New York specifically to see the show and that I have loved the score for 25 years. She helped me to my seat and after the show we met up again, and I thanked her profusely for both her music and her assistance.

But of all the stage door interactions I have experienced, none has impressed me more than Christy Altomare, who currently stars as Anya in Anastasia. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Altomare said “the fan base for Anastasia is the most rewarding thing,” and it’s clear that she takes her responsibility to us “Fanastasias” very seriously. Because of my disability, a stage door as crowded as Anastasia‘s is difficult for me. So when I took my niece (who also happens to be named Anya) to the show, Altomare agreed via mutual friends to meet us inside the theatre so I could get a photo with both Anyas.

So while it’s certainly not required that any actor give audiences anything beyond the onstage performance, a few minutes of a star’s time can create lifelong memories for us fans.

Do you have any great stage door stories? Share them in the comments!

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Ronni Krasnow works as a librarian. In her far more interesting life as theatre nerd, she runs the Ahrens & Flaherty Facebook page, serves on the reading committee for the New York Musical Festival, and creates theatre-related collage art.

Top image: Christy Altomare with the author and her niece. Photos courtesy of the author.

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RONNI KRASNOW