Nicest Broadway Person You've Met Somewhere besides Stagedoor

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:40am

I figure we have a thread devoted to meeting people at the stage door so why not have one about meeting people NOT at the stagedoor.

I met Tommy Tune walking down 5th Ave. in early June of this year. Very nice, signed an autograph and took a picture.

Anyone else?

[PlayhouseBeauty]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 1:09pm

I met Norbert Leo Butz and Michelle Federer at Papermill Playhouse. They had taken their two daughters to see The Miracle Worker. I was sitting in front of them. I wanted to say hello or something but I was very nervous and I also felt bad because they were there as a family. Finally at the end when everyone was leaving I was getting my keys out and he saw my Wicked key chain he says to me "I heard thats a good show" I laughed and said "I was going to say hello but I didn't want to interrupt your time with your family" and he said "Thank you" It was nice little exchange, I was happy lol

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 1:53pm

OK, just as preface, get your dirty minds out of the gutter.

At the NYMF mounting of ALTAR BOYZ, I met Cheyenne Jackson, who was entering the men's room as I was washing my hands getting ready to leave. I complimented Mr. Jackson on his amazing performance as Matthew, and he could not be more charming or gracious. I'm sure he does not remember this fan encounter, but Mr. Jackson was a gentleman then, and continues to be so even after all his successes.

[Trekkie2]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 2:13pm

One of my favorite things at the flea market is meeting all the broadway actors who are just walking around. Last year I met Rick Lyon, Hunter Bell, and Barrett Foa, all very nice.

[winter_sky]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 2:20pm

I love Broadway Flea Market. I met Michael Arden, John Tartaglia and Bryan Batt from Mad Men. Can't wait for this year.

[playbills]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 3:18pm

Kate Reinders @ Pax. So nice! She was even wearing pink and green.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 4:41pm

I met Ali Ewoldt at a Lea Salonga concert in Tarrytown NY. She was sitting right behind me and I had to have freaked her out because I kept staring back at her thinking "Hmmm she looks familiar". Once Lea said that Ali was "in the house" it hit me of who she was and we had a nice chat about Les Mis and what she's gonna do next. Very friendly young lady(she always was at the SD also)

She's the only person I ever met outside of SD.

[philly03]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 6:27pm

I've just kind of said a "Hey, how's it going?" to Deborah Lew...the second to last show of Beauty and the Beast (Saturday evening) last year! I was at a pizza place next to the Lunt, and planned to sort of stagedoor for Annilese & company, but it was totally swamped! Kind of stinks for her because that could have been her that would have been swamped if Annilese didn't join to have Beauty to leave with a bang! Oh well, she was very friendly.

[sally1112]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 7:29pm

Some of the OBC of Spring Awakening checked my coat at Red Lobster. When I picked it up after the meal, they were very prompt, and all the loose change in my pockets was still there. Great group of people.

[philly03]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 7:32pm

LOL I forgot: Matt Doyle held the door for me at Talia's on a Saturday and he looked like he was in a hurry! (In between shows!). All I said was Thankyou though...too bad !

[Testing1232]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 7:44pm

Met Tartaglia at the Disney Store... one of the nicest people you could ever meet !!!

[je veux te voir2]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 9:33pm

haha...I met Annaleigh Ashford at Urban Outfitters last year. It was after she had left Legally Blonde and was doing Wicked. I was really awkward and didn't want to interrupt her at first....but I just told her I thought she was great and she was genuinely thankful and gracious. She was incredibly sweet.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 9:43pm

I passed Chrisine Baranski on the street twice, once when she was walking with Marry McCormack. I didn't want to bother, but in retrospect, I wish I would have stopped her.

I randomly met Philip Seymour Hoffman when I noticed him going into a building near Studio 54. Even though he seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, he couldn't have been nicer and spent a good five minutes with me. He's a hero of mine, so I didn't feel that bad taking up some of his time.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 9:46pm

Carol Channing sat next to me at a benefit performance of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (it starred Patti LuPone, Peter Gallagher and Eli Wallach). Carol and talked on and on before the show and during intermission. It was just the beginning of the wonderful friendship I now share with her.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 9:54pm

I would have absolutely died if I'd been sitting next to her. I almost couldn't breath when Sondheim sat down across the aisle from me at a benefit concert.

I think I saw Jerry Herman sitting at one of the tables outside the Marriot Marquis Starbucks. The man looked just like him, but I was too big of a chicken to ask.

[NJgirl]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 10:25pm

Probably Leslie Kritzer at Starbucks during her run in Trailer Park. Amy Morton from A:OC was also very sweet when my friend and I ran into her in Starbucks a few weeks ago.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 10:39pm

Betty Buckley bought me and my friends (we were all college kids then) cheesecake one night. She was drunk off her rocker, but pulled up a chair and sat with us for about an hour chatting up b'way. (OBVIOUSLY, this was YEARS ago.)

Had ice cream with Matthew Broderick while he was touring a million years ago.

[MadameRoseRules]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:33pm

Ages ago I used to work for a talent agent so I met quite a lot of Broadway people there. Most of them were just wonderful. The nicest two of all were Robert Reed of "The Brady Bunch" and "Deathrap" on Broadway and Joy Franz from "Into the Woods." Robert Reed was the living embodiment of a true gentleman and Joy is an absolute doll.

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:46pm

I met Megan Hilty a couple of weeks ago and she was so nice to me. About five minutes later I ran into Stephanie J Block and she's always a sweetheart.
Updated On: 8/9/08 at 11:46 PM

[withoutlovewithoutU]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:52pm

Andrea Burns and Peter Flynn at the Ithaca Starbucks. It was jusr awesome

[nydirector2]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:59pm

Ya know...I've never met a "Broadway Person" who wasn't nice. They all seem to be pretty grateful for where they are and, yes, even if someone recognizes them. Oddly enough, the people who aren't that nice are usually the ushers, the producers, and the company managers.

[kelskier15]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 1:28am

My best friend and I saw the revival of Les Miserables last year. We left the theatre and were looking for a cab back to Penn Station. As we were walking, we stopped at a corner and I looked over and saw Gary Beach standing next to us. I cleared my throat and said: "Excuse me, are you Gary Beach?" He smiled at me and said: "Why yes! It's so nice that you recognized me." So we were chatting for a bit and my friend reminded me that we had to get down to Penn Station otherwise we'd miss our train.

So Gary Beach's cab pulled up he said: "You're college students?" And I answered yes, that we were theatre majors. So he said: "Here take my cab" and then handed me $30. I looked at him in shock. So Gary Beach said: "You're college kids and theatre majors. Let me pay for your cab and buy yourselves some coffee with the change." I started to thank him and he smiled and said: "Please, don't thank me. It's my pleasure. After all, you remembered seeing me in La Cage!"

Was seriously one of the best experiences of my life! He was so nice!

[winston89]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 2:05am

I personally hate doing the whole "are you..." because I always feel imbarassed if I turn out to be wrong. I was in a theatre program last summer that was around the corner from the 7-11 right by Port Authority. I saw Shoshana Bean there and I wasn't sure if it was her at first so I asked. It turned out I was right and she was very nice that I told her that I thought she had an amazing voice.

And, I saw Carey Anderson twice at Saved. One time I was in the student rush line and she came out of the elavator (my guess was that she was doing something in the studio at Playwrights) and the second time was closing night when I was sitting a few seats down from her and her husband. I wanted to say something about how I loved her in Mamma Mia but I didn't because I was to imbarassed to do so. When I was telling people excuse me pardon me etc to get to my seat I slipped in a you were great in Mamma Mia when I passed Anderson. A second later she turned to me and asked me if I thanked her for being in Mamma Mia. I told her I did and she said thank you.

If I was sitting behind her I wouldn't know if I would be able to take my eyes off her because she is so very beautiful.

[je veux te voir2]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 2:07am

wow kelskier15...that experience is absolutely amazing! What an absolutely sweet man and I'm happy for you to have the memory forever! It's such a "what the crap??" experience of genuine human kindness. :)

[misto625]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 1:02pm

I'll second Gary Beach and John Tartaglia as being very nice people. I haven't really talked to many Broadway people outside of the stagedoor to really add any experiences