Best with Fans — Page 3

Sebastian Arcelus, Mayumi Ando, Karmine Alers, Daphne Rubin Vega

---

Often, I can't make out whose autograph I got anyway when reading it later. But when they stop and engage in a short conversation that's the best. And when they actually recognize you, after you have seen them a few times

My children never consider their theatre experience complete unless they meet the actors afterward. They do try for the autographs, but my little one certainly enjoys a good chat.

I hear ya, BwayLover!

Christine-I couldn't stay after at the stage door either, but that was a really sweet thing Bernadette did, making the driver stop and all.

---

Though I wasn't a huge fan of his performance, Joey Fatone was absolutely one of the best with fans I've ever witnessed. He usually had a HUGE bunch, as there is no easy retreat from the Nederlander, and he'd stick around usually ten or fifteen minutes signing and taking pictures before getting into his waiting SUV. Not to mention that he only called out five or six times in his five month run (and he was scheduled for all eight shows a week), probably because he knew that people were coming to see him. It really made me respect and appreciate him a lot.

A few other Rent people that are almost always incredibly nice are Sebastian Arcelus and Ryan Link. Ryan comes out with his "Can't Talk" sign when he needs to rest the voice, but is still animated and sweet while mute.

John Tartaglia was a sweetie, when I asked him for a picture, he made sure we took it under the Avenue Q sign. He also assured me it was ok to have a crush on Rod. Good.

Maybe it is, but compared to the rest of the Rent cast, it's really not. Four of them were pre-arranged (VMA's, and a trip to LA to do publicity for being in Rent on various talk shows), and only one was not announced ahead of time. And for a fan of the stand-by, five was not really enough! Plus, I consider Rent to be a very draining show to WATCH sometimes, let alone perform, which is probably why the cast members call out more often than other shows. I wouldn't really know though.

I would hope that any Broadway *star* would be extremely grateful and gracious to have anyone at all, ask for their autograph.

It's always intrigued me that so many celebs (and I mean household names, not Sutton or Alice),who spend so much energy and a good portion of their lives *clawing* their way to the top, (to get famous), suddenly "cherish their privacy".

My best experiences have been Raul Esparza, James Brennan (ME & MY GIRL) and David Bryant (original Marius from OBC of LES MISERABLES). My worst have been Molly Ringwald, Harvey Fierstein, Michael Crawford and Michael Maguire.

---

I found Michael Crawford to be very pleasant after "Dance of the Vampires".

Molly Ringwald was very sweet to my son after Tick Tick Boom, I must say, to give her credit. But after Cabaret one night, as she signed autographs, I mentionned to her that my kids happened to be watching one of her movies lately, hoping I guess for a smile or a nice word. Rather, she very curtly asked "Do you want my autograph?" Actually I didn't--already had it, but I just said "yes" and left it at that. Oh well, it was cold out, maybe she was tired, but it really was one of those give a signature but don't expect repartee kind of moments, and I felt disappointed in her.

I have to say that I have never had any bad experiences when meeting performers at the stage door. Sutton Foster was such a sweetheart..she was so nice and didn't make it at all seem like an obligation. Also Patrick Wilson was great, a friend of mine who is also a huge fan of his wasn't able to make it there with me and so he wrote her out a quick message on the playbill and signed it.

My favorite experience was defininely with Adam Pascal though!! Oh man....he was sooo great though and he actually talked to my friend on the phone(my cell!!) and if anyone wants to hear the whooole "phone story", as we now call it, let me know! I had heard from other ppl that he wasn't very good with fans but I really don't understand any of that because he was soo sweet!!

Ooh yeah, I forgot to mention, Billy Zane was really nice after Chicago. He seemed like he'd be full of himself (just MY own observation), but it was a relatively small crowd and he was very polite and nice about signing. My friend is a huge fan of his but couldn't make it up with me. I had one of his nice flyers with me and asked him to sign it. As he signed, I told him that about my friend. He paused, asked her name, and then personalized it to her with little peace-love-happiness symbols. I thought that was a very lovely thing to do.

Raul Esparza's great with faces. I had one of the happiest actor experiences of my life, thanks to him I never once saw Molly Ringwald sign. Not a particularly nice lady (and NOT just b/c of that). I was disappointed that Jennifer Jason Leigh snuck out a back door after Proof. There was practically nobody there...I didn't want anything from her, I just wanted to speak to her for a brief minute b/c I was so overwhelmed by the show and her performance. Oh well. After some past rude actor experiences, I'd rather have no encounter than a potential bad one.

I also can't emphasize enough how wonderful Neil Patrick Harris was (another good one with faces). The second time I met him, I was one of the only people out there...he kinda hugged me and we had a long conversation in the freezing cold, even with his friends waiting by the car.

Lately, Alan Cumming's been a little weird with fans, but the first time I met him (after Design for Living) was the absolute best. He was my first celeb and I was dying. My friend had already met him a few times by then, so he knew her. In a nutshell... He responded to every fan and saved us for last. He said hi to us, told us to wait, and put his mom in a cab (she was going back to Scotland). Then his boyfriend and friends waited up by his car while he talked to us for a really long time. He told my friend how he saw her website for him, how he saw mine, chatted about other things, and then did the whole autograph/pic bit. It was, for lack of a better word, simply amazing. In fact it may have been awesome. I was spoiled for any other encounters from that point forward.