Relationship Between Company, Forum, and Individuals

[ERinVA]

Yes, parents are often quite happy to have their kids sign autographs, but then that has the potential to put the parents in a bad position with management, especially if the situation is one in which there are people who show up at the stage door on a regular basis. If everyone in the crowd was different after each performance, and the chaperones did not find themselves seeing the same faces showing up there over and over again, it might be a little different, but who knows? Policies get made for reasons that management feels to be valid, especially as regards their duty to protect the children in the cast. But I want to stress again that I do not see these policies as "treating the forum badly" in any way.

[dancingboy]

Ellen, I would like to ask you a question. Where do you get the idea/impression that fans/Forum members have asked to be given special treatment? You use the words ''rights'' and ''privileges'', but where has anyone from the Forum, on seeing the London show, ever said that they have wanted access to the cast as a ''right''? I know of no one who has spoken in this way.

[ERinVA]

There have been many discussions on this forum about how the company does not appreciate its fans and refuses to give access to the child cast. Frequently the words used have been "us" or "we," and not "the forum." However, in my opinion, the use of "us" or "we" in a post on this forum carries with it the assumption that the forum is the common factor that makes the "us" us, and the "we" we. Otherwise, why discuss it in posts on this forum?

But the actual post that occasioned this thread clearly said the following:

Thirdly there is now far less interaction between the cast and fans outside the theatre. With my connections I know how close Billy was to winning the coveted and illusive Olivier Audience Award. The difference can be as simple as the adult cast acknowledging the fans instead of being faced with stony faces and silence. A management decision of course. What performers would not want to great the fans and hear praise? When many forum members are telling me they did not vote for Billy because of the way the forum is treated, surely the management should take heed. Contrast with the US tour and Broadway where the cast had so much time for the fans, backstage tours, photo’s and autographs and a friendly chat. London should learn that every show needs to keep its fans happy, not treat them as the enemy.

http://www.billyelliottheforum.me.uk/fo ... 47&start=0

That is why I made the statement I did about what the forum is, and what it is not. The complaint should not bring the forum into it, as far as I am concerned. A small group of individuals who complain about the way the cast and/or company representatives treat them at the stage door is not "the forum." It is simply a small group of individuals who feel they have grounds for complaint. I will add here that not all of the complaining actually makes it into posts on here. But it does happen in conversations, facebook posts, etc., in addition to what shows up in forum posts. What's more, the phrase "the forum" gets used as an identifier at the show itself by a fair number of individuals who are at the show on a pretty regular basis. I know this because I myself have heard it in pre-show and interval conversations when I have been at the show in London. And as I said before, fair or not, management's reaction to some individuals who regularly visit the stage door has led to the over-generalization about what "the forum" is.

If the words "rights" and "privileges" are not an accurate description of what the complainers think they should have, then I would welcome a clearer explanation of just what the complainers do want. They say they want to "help the show," and perhaps greater access would do that. But as I said before, London does not do what the US show does, and it really is time to just accept that and move on instead of complaining about "the way the forum is treated."

[ActingDude17]

I haven't seen the London show before (and believe me, I would really love to, so in my opinion everyone who is able to just see the production should feel more than satisfied), but my advice to the fan community over there would be to apply one of the many messages of the show and focus on the positive. Complaining about rules and procedures does nothing but, as ERin has said, create a bad perception of BETF, and that's not right. Enjoy this remarkable show we all love, get the stage door experiences you are able to, and be thankful for that!

[dancingboy]

Ellen, I promise this is my last word on the subject ( at least for now). I write this as an individual, as a fan of the show, who just happens to be a member of this Forum. On most occasions I see the show I have seen an excellent performance and show my appreciation in the usual way. I have the utmost admiration for the boys who play Billy and Michael and the girls who play Debbie, therefore I believe they have earned something extra -a 'Well Done'. At the Stage Door I neither seek to engage the young cast members in conversation nor do I seek to take photographs (except on special occasions), simply to say 'Well Done', to give them my support and encouragement. Unfortunately, the opportunity to do this is almost non-existent. That is my gripe. Other people may have different issues.

[ERinVA]

I understand that there are individuals who simply want to see the cast come out and say something nice to them, which in itself is innocent enough. Unfortunately, again we have the "over-generalization" thing, or perhaps it's "guilt by association" with past experiences that the chaperones have had with people who have been far more intrusive, and very determined in their behavior. And this behavior, which can be traced back as far as the first year of the show (and with various individuals) over the years, is not hypothetical. As you might imagine, these experiences color the perception of everyone who shows up at the stage door on multiple occasions. It's not the intention that's the problem in most cases, it's the perception. But each time the chaperones see a familiar face showing up again, the negative perception is strengthened. And the more it happens, the worse it gets.

[burtond]

I understand now -thanks for the clarification. it is the chaperones who should determine whether anyone sees the show multiple times and whether or not they have a pass for the stage door which is a public right of way

[MegaBillyfan]

In my opinion there must be reasons for these "rules"! I fear there are people who forget that the the cast are just kids needing protection and safety. I love the show and I´m a member of the forum to get the news about BETM because I can´t see the show so often while living outside the UK. That´s it. And I really hope the show will go on and I can see it when I´m back in London - that doesn`t depend on the behaviour at the stagedoor.

[ERinVA]

I understand now -thanks for the clarification. it is the chaperones who should determine whether anyone sees the show multiple times and whether or not they have a pass for the stage door which is a public right of way

Of course the chaperones do not have the job of determining who can see the show multiple times, nor is it their job to impede people's access to a public footpath (I knew that was going to come up about the footpath sooner or later). But they do have the job of making sure their charges are safe at all times, and part of that involves relying on perception of danger, whether justified or not.

It disturbs me that this perception of danger gets ascribed to "the forum." That is why I have tried to explain what the forum actually is, and what it is not. It is not people at the theatre, and it is not people on the sidewalk. It's an online community for discussion and celebration of the show. If people go to the show, they do that as individuals. If they stand around the stage door, they do that as individuals as well. If they are treated with suspicion, however, the term "forum" somehow seems to make it into the conversation, and that is what is disturbing.

[burtond]

Whether the admins, mods or whoever at the Forum like it or not, the problem that exists is this - there is the company and there is the forum. The company have never mentioned individuals and if there is a problem it is put down to forum members not indivdals. I appreciate that you may not like to hear it but it is the case. Believe you me, there are many times with all the forum negativity that I would much rather just be an individual but for whatever the reason all regulars good bad and ugly are deemed forum!