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I work in theatre.......

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:56 am
by redgirl73
I don't know if this may be of any help, but i have worked in theatre (UK) for over 10 years.

For fans requesting signed programmes etc sending them to the Stage Manager will rarely work. A SM is too busy to go around to dressing rooms to get anything signed. Once inside the theatre, the cast have to got through warm-up, make-up, wigs, costume then do the actual show. I would suggest therefore either send them to Stage Door where every member of the cast and crew has to pass through or send it to the cast member personally.

Also, depending on how famous that person is, in my experience having to sift through hundreds of letters, keep them very short as they don't really get read as you might hope they would be.

Regards.

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:20 pm
by Lorena
Actually in my point of view it's very helpful information. I'd also like to ask you whether they may pay for stamps or it's always better to send own stamps. If it can influence the response somehow.

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 5:50 pm
by x-Jen-x
Thanks for the info =) thatw as very helpful. West end theatre or Broadway theatre?

Oh and Jodie Prenger sent me a second autograph like, last year by mistake(or maybe just a another extra one) and she payed for postage and wrote the envelope herself :)


Jen
xx

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:19 pm
by chriscollector
Lorena wrote:Actually in my point of view it's very helpful information. I'd also like to ask you whether they may pay for stamps or it's always better to send own stamps. If it can influence the response somehow.
If they are too busy to do most things even reading the letter, why would you think they have the time to go and buy postage to send out fanmail? Especially overseas.

As for how can it affect the outcome. I think it greatly decreases you chance of a success. Some are really nice and pay postage, and a few pay agencies like Spanky Taylor who pay the postage then bill the star 1.75$ per letter sent out.

RedGirl: How do you address a letter to the stage door? Is that a term given to a stage hand who handles this type of thing? Here in the USA I've never heard that term.

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:34 pm
by Lorena
chriscollector wrote:
Lorena wrote:Actually in my point of view it's very helpful information. I'd also like to ask you whether they may pay for stamps or it's always better to send own stamps. If it can influence the response somehow.
If they are too busy to do most things even reading the letter, why would you think they have the time to go and buy postage to send out fanmail? Especially overseas.

As for how can it affect the outcome. I think it greatly decreases you chance of a success. Some are really nice and pay postage, and a few pay agencies like Spanky Taylor who pay the postage then bill the star 1.75$ per letter sent out.

RedGirl: How do you address a letter to the stage door? Is that a term given to a stage hand who handles this type of thing? Here in the USA I've never heard that term.
The fact is that I sent out fanmails for Jude Law and Daniel Craig, both without postage and they paid for it. That's why I've got a hope that it can commonly happen, but obviously not. Maybe I was just enormously lucky!!

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:15 am
by TheScarletPimpernel
Lorena wrote:
chriscollector wrote:
Lorena wrote:Actually in my point of view it's very helpful information. I'd also like to ask you whether they may pay for stamps or it's always better to send own stamps. If it can influence the response somehow.
If they are too busy to do most things even reading the letter, why would you think they have the time to go and buy postage to send out fanmail? Especially overseas.

As for how can it affect the outcome. I think it greatly decreases you chance of a success. Some are really nice and pay postage, and a few pay agencies like Spanky Taylor who pay the postage then bill the star 1.75$ per letter sent out.

RedGirl: How do you address a letter to the stage door? Is that a term given to a stage hand who handles this type of thing? Here in the USA I've never heard that term.
The fact is that I sent out fanmails for Jude Law and Daniel Craig, both without postage and they paid for it. That's why I've got a hope that it can commonly happen, but obviously not. Maybe I was just enormously lucky!!
Please keep in mind that those two actors undoubtably are millionaires (or more!) and have personal assistants to take care of things like running to the post office!

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:57 pm
by Lorena
That is very true but e.g. I still didn't receive an autograph from Catherine Zeta-Jones and I guess she could have hands on the same service....I don't take it so thoroughly. Although you're right that it could be problem pointing some "common" actors.

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:59 pm
by osiris
chriscollector wrote:RedGirl: How do you address a letter to the stage door? Is that a term given to a stage hand who handles this type of thing? Here in the USA I've never heard that term.
The stage door is the exit/entrance that people use to get into the theatre, i.e. the back/side door. In British theatres there is usually a person that mans it during opening hours, to ensure no one comes in who isn't supposed to and to organise mail etc. There's also usually pigeon holes or the like, so that their mail can be picked up easily when the actors come in (obviously, for bigger stars, mail often wont fit in them so they're not used lol).

Celebrity
"Play/musical"
c/o Stage Door
Theatre address

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 3:43 pm
by dobie516
That's great and useful info. Thanks for posting it.

Re: I work in theatre.......

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:42 pm
by Jaffer
redgirl73 wrote:
Also, depending on how famous that person is, in my experience having to sift through hundreds of letters, keep them very short as they don't really get read as you might hope they would be.

Regards.
Thanks! Although, if you made it to short, could it not appear as if your simply an "ebayer"?