Double Doors to Georgetown Commencement Stage

Bartlet and the Georgetown Chancellor walk out through these double doors after final speech edits at the top of the staircase. They mark the threshold from private preparation space to the public ceremony area. An aide signals readiness, and an announcer calls the procession forward as Bartlet composes himself amid paternal anxiety.

3 appearances

Purpose

Provides exit from backstage area to commencement stage for speakers and officials

Significance

Signals shift from Bartlet's private fears about Zoey to public performance, building tension before the ceremony unfolds

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S4E22 · Commencement

Welty vs. Gandhi — A Father's Anxiety Before the Podium

The double doors function as the physical threshold Bartlet and the Chancellor pass through from private stair landing to the public stage, marking the transition from preparation to performance.

Before: Closed as Bartlet and the Chancellor prepare on the staircase landing.

After: Passed through by the procession; remain as the entry/exit to the ceremony space.

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S4E22 · Commencement

Pocketed Anxiety — Final Edits and the Walk to Commencement

The double doors function as the physical threshold Bartlet and the Chancellor pass through from private preparation to public exposure; they structure the transition and the beat of applause as the pair emerge.

Before: Closed as Bartlet and the Chancellor gather at the staircase landing.

After: Opened as they walk through into the ceremony; remain as the stage entrance for the event.

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S4E22 · Commencement

A Father's Smile — Zoey's Quiet Photograph

The double doors mark the physical threshold the President and chancellor pass through from private rehearsal to public appearance; they frame the moment of exposure to the assembled audience.

Before: Closed or set between the stair landing and ceremony area while preparations conclude.

After: They are opened and traversed by Bartlet and the chancellor as they enter the public space, revealing the crowd.

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