Audra McDonald says overzealous fan followed her home demanding autograph: 'Crossing a big old bo...

The Broadway star pleaded with fans: &34;When you see an actor leave the stage door, if they don't stop, leave them alone.&34; Audra McDonald says overzealous f

The Broadway star pleaded with fans: "When you see an actor leave the stage door, if they don't stop, leave them alone."

Audra McDonald says overzealous fan followed her home demanding autograph: 'Crossing a big old boundary'

The Broadway star pleaded with fans: "When you see an actor leave the stage door, if they don't stop, leave them alone."

By Ryan Coleman

Published on August 18, 2025 08:45PM EDT

Leave a Comment

Audra Mcdonald at the 2024 Tony Awards. Credit:

Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty

Audra McDonald should be able to celebrate the close of her acclaimed run in Broadway's *Gypsy* in peace, but an unsettling fan encounter has the stage legend looking over her shoulder.

McDonald took to Instagram to "share a quick little PSA, which I wasn't going to do, but I think is important" on Saturday, the night before her final performance as Mama Rose in the Majestic Theatre production of the beloved musical.

"Actors, as much as we would love to be able to greet every single one of you, after a show sometimes we're just exhausted, and it's hard," she said, adding that there are "a million reasons" why a performer might not exit through the stage door to greet fans following curtain on a show like *Gypsy*.

Though "there have been shows where I've done it," McDonald explained that she hasn't been doing the stage door at *Gypsy* "for a myriad of reasons… The main ones have been because of health, and exhaustion, and vocal health, and trying to conserve as little energy I have, vocal energy, so that I can get through the next show, and the next show, and the next show." But after her performance Friday, McDonald recalled a harrowing experience that ended up "crossing a big boundary."

McDonald said a theatergoer "snuck around and found me the way I had exited from the theater" that evening and "followed me all the way home to where I was staying, came into the building, and was uncomfortably close."

The six-time Tony Award winner was able to get security involved, which prompted the individual to respond that they'd "come along way" and insist "they deserved an autograph."**

Jewel says she 'went gray overnight' after harrowing stalker experience

Audra McDonald reacts to Patti LuPone saying she's 'not a friend' amid reported feud

"That is crossing a big old boundary, and I just want to call that out. That's a big no-no. That's now messing with my safety, and it's not right," McDonald said. "When you see an actor leave the stage door, if they don't stop, leave them alone. There's a reason that they're not stopping. It has nothing to do with you. It's them protecting their space and peace."

Addressing her nearly 300,000 followers, McDonald pleaded, "Please respect the proper boundaries."

*Gypsy* has been a reliable Broadway hit since its maiden run in 1960 with Ethel Merman in the lead role. The musical featuring lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Jule Styne, and a book by Arthur Laurents. It loosely adapts the memoirs of famed burlesque entertainer Gyspy Rose Lee, who frequently clashed with her domineering stage mother, Rose, as a child performer.**

Audra McDonald in 'Gypsy'.

Julieta Cervantes

***Sign up for **'s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.***

Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Merman, and now McDonald have all been nominated for Tonys for their renditions of Mama Rose, with the first three winning. Though Nicole Scherzinger took home this past year's big prize for her work in *Sunset Boulevard*, McDonald has six other trophies to her name — making her the most awarded (and most nominated) performer in Tony history.

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Theater"

Read More

---

Source: VOGUE MAG

Full Article on Source: VOGUE MAG

#LALifestyle #USCelebrities