how to do requests for a full cast autographed playbill?

[Emi89]

i just discovered about 52 american stamps (i'm from london, uk) so i figured i'd try a few playbill requests since i dont have any other use for them than SAE's until my next trip
i have a few questions?

who do i address to?
if i were to write a letter to one particular person but i wanted to ask for a playbill signed by the whole cast would that be ok? or should i write the letter seperately and then address to the stage manager for the playbill request?
how many stamps should i include on the SAE?
is it possible to request multiple playbills?
would it be awkward to request just one autograph on one playbill but a full cast set for the other?


never done this before so i have a bunch of questions haha


also, out of curiousity, is there any use in writing to the venue where a show recently closed? do they ever keep old shows playbills in house? or do they get sent off somewhere

[missmaexox]

who do i address to?

Address it to To the Cast of ______

if i were to write a letter to one particular person but i wanted to ask for a playbill signed by the whole cast would that be ok? or should i write the letter seperately and then address to the stage manager for the playbill request?

I think you should write it seperately and then address it to the stage manager or something. But I've never really done a playbill request.

how many stamps should i include on the SAE?

I think 2 would be okay, and make sure it's a 5x7 SASE.

is it possible to request multiple playbills? would it be awkward to request just one autograph on one playbill but a full cast set for the other?

I don't think I've ever seen anyone request multiple. I'd stick to just one.

never done this before so i have a bunch of questions haha

It's okay, haha!

also, out of curiousity, is there any use in writing to the venue where a show recently closed? do they ever keep old shows playbills in house? or do they get sent off somewhere

I think they get rid of the leftovers. You'd probably get an RTS anyway, since the post office knows it's closed, and they wouldn't deliver the request. I just wouldn't do that.

Good luck! {thumb2}

-Kelsey

[Emi89]

thanks kelsey,
i should have made it clearer, i'd need to put enough stamps to get it back to the UK, in other posts people seem to be suggesting two different numbers bsed on one or two playbills so i assume that multiple requests are done..
the only reason i considered multiples is because i was going to ask for one specific person in the cast's autograph for a friend at the same time

[missmaexox]

thanks kelsey,
i should have made it clearer, i'd need to put enough stamps to get it back to the UK, in other posts people seem to be suggesting two different numbers bsed on one or two playbills so i assume that multiple requests are done..
the only reason i considered multiples is because i was going to ask for one specific person in the cast's autograph for a friend at the same time

Oh okay then. I'm guessing 4 or 5 stamps would work then, but I'm not an expert at numbers of stamps. But it'd probably be 4 stamps for two playbills, and to the UK I'd add 1 extra stamp just in case. So, 5 stamps should do it, but you should get someone who would know for sure how many .

-Kelsey

[M:chael]

Hi Emi89 ,

What type of stamps are they? If you send a 6x9 SASE, for one playbill, you would need $1.74 worth of postage. If you are expecting something else use this link to calculate postage.

Most of your questions are answered HERE {thumb2} .
The ones that aren't I'm sure Greg (TheScarletPimpernel) will see this post and give you very incisive answers .

[Gracie84]

In requesting multiple playbills, I think it depends on the show, from what I heard Wicked Broadway keeps a track of who requested playbills and I don't think they send more than one, the only reason I got two was because I wrote about my charity auction and they sent me another one to auction off. But some shows don't mind as long as you include the postage for 2. I know in the US it's 2 forever stamps for one playbill and 3-4 forever stamps if you want more than one, but that's from US to US.

[Emi89]

core kid, they're US first class stamps with the bell

gracie84, yeah i wondered if there might be some limitations hence my asking, thing is i wanted to get a specific person's autograph for my girlfriend who wants to be on broadway someday in a role the person once played and she's a fan... possibly personalised, something "to name, follow your dreams, autograph" esque, either as a birthday or a just cause present
its not that i want two for myself or that i want to sell one so i wondered if it might be possible

i'm thinking about maybe buying a playbill or something from said role and sending that with an autograph request since its more relevant and then i'm not asking for a load of playbills from the new show, think that'd be a better idea?

[M:chael]

Then you would need 5 stamps (2.10) 4 wouldn't be enough (1.68).

[Emi89]

thanks

[TheScarletPimpernel]

I sent you a PM in reply to your other, ... but if you check here first .

DO NOT request that the stage manager go hunting around for your autographs. That's NOT their job -- lucky enough to have them do the cast-signed...they need not find actors and have them signed things so people can save a few bucks. If you want an autograph from a star, you send them a letter. Some "stars" of shows will send cast-signed without requesting, but also DO NOT request a cast-signed from an actor/actress. It's low and makes it seem like you're out for a cheap autograph. Please keep in mind these are people, they don't get paid as good as other actors, and most of them actually read their letters and it gets them through the tough 8-performance-a-week show.

If you want, for example, a cast-signed Phantom of the Opera playbill and star Marni Raab's on another, .. then you simply have to write two requests in two seperate envelopes. Again, a stage manager is not a PA nor agent nor manager nor whatever for actors; they have their own job: keeping up with the show/etc.

Just request a signed playbill from the actor/actress at the end of your note. Most will either send a playbill anyway, or a headshot.


MissMaexox:
Thanks for responding, but I think you should just get some facts straight (not to sound like a know-it-all...you did say you never did this before):
-Address it to the STAGE MANAGER, or Cast & Crew would work as well; Stage Manager is usually more appropriate.
-It's 2-3 stamps for a NYC-US. Playbills can manage anywhere from $.75-$1.10.
-A playbill will absolutely never fit in a 5x7. 6x9 is the bare minimum - it JUST fits one perfectly.
-You can attempt to request multiple (such as 2?), but I wouldn't reccomend it. The cast-signed playbill "industry" is QUICKLY failing thanks to people on this board, and especially thanks to eBay. Some shows will, plenty shows will not.
-"I think they get rid of the leftovers. You'd probably get an RTS anyway, since the post office knows it's closed, and they wouldn't deliver the request. I just wouldn't do that"

You wouldn't get an RTS - you'd get no news. ***SOMETIMES*** in ***EXTREMELY*** **Rare** cases sometimes cast-signeds are left-over, or just blank playbills, but generally no. I've seen one pure success on this board from it, and I've come up short 2/3 times (and waiting on that 3rd one believe it or not).

When a show closes, everything is loaded out, and whatever is left (ie: a chair in a dressing room - the Al Hirschfeld for example apparently has lots of stuff from Curtains still in it) is either trashed or re-used. Clearly, "A Tale of Two Cities" wouldn't be giving out "Curtains" playbills, nor would "Hair" most likely be giving out 'Tale' ones.

The post office, unfortunately, could care entirely less that a show closed. When a show closes, the theatre doesn't close, which is why it's important to address a show with it's theatre name as well.

Examples:
Stage Manager of "West Side Story"
c/o Palace Theatre

or

Stephanie J. Block
'9to5'
c/o the Marquis Theatre


Good luck!