For those who are unfamiliar with theater etiquette:
It is common for fans to wait at the stage door to get autographs after a show. Some actors are at the stage door every night taking photos and signing items. Some actors do not stage door. On most nights, there are at least a few actors at any given stage door who interact with fans. The exception is if there is an event that the entire cast is attending afterward (like an opening night party). There is no hard and fast rule that requires actors to meet fans at the stage door. Some theaters have a second door where actors can exit if they are not planning to sign autographs. Nepo baby Ben Platt was well known for not stage dooring after performances of Dear Evan Hansen, citing how emotionally draining the show was.
On Saturday, six time Tony winner Audra McDonald posted a video pointing out that there are many reasons why actors choose not to stage door. She said although she has appeared at the stage door for other shows, she has chosen not to during the Broadway revival of Gypsy for multiple reasons, including wanting to get home to her eight year old daughter.
Audra said that the night before, a fan followed her home from the theater and came into her building, the fan came “uncomfortably close” and demanded an autograph because they had traveled “all the way” from another city to see the show. Audra said that crossed a line and created a safety issue for her. She said that if you see an actor who doesn’t stop at the stage door, it has nothing to do with you and asked that you respect that person’s boundaries.