Melanie La Barrie, currently starring as Hermes in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown in London, has announced that she will temporarily cease stage dooring. This decision follows two recent unsettling incidents where she was approached aggressively by fans.
La Barrie expressed her concerns via social media, stating, “If I’ve walked away from stage door and I’ve put my headphones on, please do not run after me and grab me from behind. It is a scary thing and makes anxiety and adrenaline run through my body which then takes a long time to leave. I beg you. Thank you.”
Despite her plea, a subsequent event occurred prompting La Barrie to pause on her stage door appearances. “After asking people not to grab me, I was grabbed again at stage door tonight… So I won’t be doing any stage door again for a while. Sorry folks.”
After asking people not to grab me, I was grabbed again at stage door tonight to be asked to take a picture after I said I wasn’t taking pics in the rain. So I won’t be doing any stage door again for a while. Sorry folks.
— Melanie La Barrie (@melanielabarrie) April 27, 2024
The stage door tradition allows fans a moment to interact with performers post-show; however, La Barrie’s experience underscores the importance of respecting personal boundaries.
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