by Priscilla

Sep.30, 2009, under Backstage Blog, Blog

I’m Peter Thomas Stage Door Keeper of The Palace Theatre

I’m responsible for the general security of the whole theatre during the day and in the evening I’m mainly concerned with security backstage. The front of house team come in for the show and look after the front of the theatre. During the day I get visitors & contractors to sign in, take deliveries and sign for them and I hand out the mail to the cast, company, theatre management and the offices above the theatre, currently occupied by David Grindrod Associates & What’s on Stage. In addition to this I answer the telephone, put calls out on the PA System and when boxes are delivered I make sure the recipients collect them. In the life of a Stage Door Keeper, the hardest time is when a new show comes in. You really have to be on the ball then.

Pete Thomas

I started at the Palace Theatre in Feb 1996 but I became full time Stage Door Keeper in April 2006. I consider this to be the best job anyone can have in the Theatre World. In that time I have worked on 3 productions. Whistle Down The Wind, Spamalot & now the amazing Priscilla Queen of The Desert.
I have seen the film of Priscilla & I have seen the stage show twice now. I love it. It’s a superb show with a wonderful cast, amazing costumes and as for the bus, need I say more. I want the show to run & run.

We’ve had some very keen fans on this show. On a Friday in July, 2 French men arrived at 11.30am asking what time Jason Donovan arrives. I told them anytime after 4.30pm. I expected them to go & come back later, but no, they waited until he arrived, which was 5pm. 5 and a half hours!