Stage door experiences can be intimidating – so all credit to those who make it safer

Rachel Zegler has called the stage door “intimidating”.

The actress is making her West End debut in the Jamie Lloyd-directed production of Evita this summer, much to the delight of many theatre and film fans.

Currently in previews, Zegler has graciously visited the stage door after shows to sign autographs for waiting fans. There, she’s accompanied by a security guard, who we know to be called Danny, to help her and the crowds stay safe.

In a video that has circulated online, Zegler appears to be in a dialogue with somebody in attendance. Speaking calmly, she says, “Danny’s just doing his job, he’s just protecting me.”

The fan, who is heard but not seen in the video, comments, supposedly about Danny, “He’s doing too much.”

To which, Zegler confirms, “No, he works here and he’s helping me because crowds are very, very intimidating.”

She then appears to calm down the fan, who she seems familiar with, and asks them, “Please don’t disrespect my Danny, okay.”

@takepaigetothelakes

i don’t know what the full story is but the fact that rachel had to say this shouldn’t be a thing. you go to stage door to be respectful to both the actors/actresses involved in the production you are seeing as well as the security who are protecting them. i just want to give her the biggest hug right now 🙁 and i hope this doesn’t stop her from doing stage door for evita but understandable if it does. also if this is your video please let me know so i can credit you. #rachelzegler #evita #jamelloyd #andrewllyodwebber #musicals #musicaltheatre #westend #london #fyp

♬ original sound – paige (taylor’s version) ✨

The situation is another in a long, ongoing conversation about stage door safety and etiquette. Meeting a performer after a show is a privilege, not a right, and shouldn’t be expected. However, theatre-goers have, on occasion, taken advantage of the opportunity, leading to dangerous and sour encounters on many occasions.

In this one, Zegler has a bodyguard overseeing the encounters and still has to bravely stand up to diffuse the tension herself. But not every theatre up and down the country has the infrastructure. Some are set up for stage door experiences, with barriers in place manned by stage door staff, others are simply an exit that gives way to a street.

This can be, as Zegler said, “intimidating” to be faced with a crowd of unfamiliar people craving something from you night after night, after completing a very physically and mentally demanding feat on stage.

Crucially, the stage door is an entrance and an exit for theatre staff and performers to arrive and leave their jobs daily. So there have to be boundaries, not expectations.

Security guards, the front of house team, stage door staff, and many, many more work behind the scenes to keep audiences and companies safe. In the UK, it’s rare to be subject to body or bag searches, with the understanding that the theatre is a safe place. To maintain that sanctuary, everyone has a part to play – before, during, and after the shows.

Today, actors are becoming more personalities in addition to their craft, whether it’s across multi-media or online. As a result, a very small portion of audiences may feel an extra degree of familiarity and entitlement at the opportunity of a face-to-face interaction.

This has perhaps been heightened in Zegler’s case as she is, unusually, performing a number outside the theatre for free to onlookers.

However, it’s a fine line to tread, and ultimately, the responsibility of the fan is not to overstep while riding the high of a post-curtain buzz.

What is important to remember is that at the stage door, there is a chance, on occasion, to meet a performer. And, the chance for a performer to meet the audience. Thankfully, the majority of the time, it is an enjoyable event for all involved, and another example of theatre connecting people in ways that truly are magic. Many performers cherish those moments outside with the audience.

But the people you pose for photos with are not their characters. They are real people with real emotions and a real life outside of the theatre. The same goes for all of the staff whose role is to keep everybody safe. Respect has to flow both ways.