Originally posted by Shatcher I did stock one summer in this tiny Wi town and we has to do a reciving line after every show. Producer called it the enjoyed it line. We called it the kiss my butt line. It was always in full dress outside, the cast would exit the stage from call through the house and right to the line. The actors hated it.

Is this a popular practice? I saw a show in NJ where the cast did this - full dress, immediately following curtain call. Very awkward, couldnt get past them without saying something as they were lined up right by the door. I hope that theater's abandon this tradition. It's quaint, I guess, but so lame.

This is a question somewhat along the same lines.  How about a director backstage before the show and during intermission.  I actually when I stage managed kicked a director out from backstage and the greenroom.  He kept on giving notes to the actors and he even went as far as to stick post-it notes backstage.  I ripped all these down of course.  The cast was very upset and distressed at the dirctor's constant presnece so I asked him to leave and told him he could only come to the green room after the show.  He was very nasty about it and said it wasn't my show, it was his show and he had every right to do as he pleased.  I held fast to my convictions and still 'kicked him out'.  This is the only time in all my years of doing theatre that I've had this problem. 

At the risk of seeming redundant......NYET!  NO!  NON!  NEIN! to allowing audience members/friends/etc. backstage at intermission.  A particular gripe of mine is cast members that allow (or invite) their young, noisy, active, and (dare I say it) obnoxious children into the dressing room to spend intermission "entertaining" the cast.  What are they thinking?  Oh, wait....I guess they're not.

This made me think about a time I directed a show for a theater that had the snack bar next to the enterance to back stage.  The theater required that the next show in rehearsal was required to man the snack bar for the current show and our cast had a bit of a problem with that cast (i.e. light cues erased, props moved, etc.)  Well, this particular night one of the actors decided he wanted to go back stage while waiting for intermission.  He noticed one of my cast wearing an apron and he demanded the actor take it off because it was his he loaned for a previous show and forgot to get back.  This was right there minutes before the actor was to go on stage.  This was a costume piece I found in the costume closet so I figure fair game.  I was in the light booth and could hear them arguing up there.  I had to run down and instead of fighting gave him the stupid apron and told him to leave back stage.  How petty do you have to get just because you are upset over a show that was selling out and extended into your run.  This was not my idea to extend, the board made the decision.  Incidently, the next show flopped. 

We've never had a problem of audience members backstage or in the dressing room at intermission. Surprising, really, since the restrooms are "shared" - one door leads to the public hallway, the other to the makeup room.

Alas we too do the "receiving line" although nobody really knows why or how it started.  I asked about it once, but as a performer, I don't really mind.  I never once thought the audience members would hate it, I guess in my mind of COURSE the audience would want to see the cast on the way out. 

All of the points raised here are good ones.   Think our receiving line will stay, but definitely some good points here for and against.