Broadway Actors Who Avoid Fans

[I<3bway]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 5:42pm

Does anyone know about any past or recent broadway actors or actresses who avoid fans at the end of a show or while they're on the street?

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 5:43pm

joanna gleason comes to mind

[zoran912]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 5:44pm

Threads like this have the potential to be so hurtful. Be nice. Be careful. You never know who might be reading.

[I<3bway]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 5:59pm

I've heard of an actress that played Maureen on b-way and she avoided fans. I forgot her name though.

[CarolynW]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 6:03pm

What some fans think is an actor avoiding them, is an acotr going home from the show and maybe...to meet someone. So it is nto always the cAse that a fan is being avoided.

If you meet an actor on the street and not after a show. Then they should not be approached, as they are like other people going somewhere. I know all about having peopel bother you when you are doing something. I used to date a musician and we were always getting fans stopping us when we were out on a date.

So if you are respectufl to most actors at the stage door they will stop and talk to you. But as I said remember they may have an appointment or somewhere to go after the show.:)

Yours,

Carolyn

[morosco]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 6:04pm

Don't judge them if they appear to "avoid" their fans. Respect their privacy. They may choose to do so for many reasons and fans shouldn't take it personally.

[mijofly19]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 6:08pm

Very well said Carolyn. Just because an actor doesn't leave through the stage door, it doesn't mean that they are trying to avoid their fans. Many people will tell you that Joanna Gleason is very kind if you ever meet her. She just used a different exit most of the time in DRS.

[Mama Mo]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 6:41pm

I've had the pleasure of meeting Joanna a couple of times - away from the stage door crush. That scene just makes her very uncomfortable. She's a delightful, friendly lady away from the crowds and she does not try to avoid her fans.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 7:05pm

Whenever I go, if an actor runs off (even if I'm the only one there) it doesn't bother me. They have lives. Go backstage and you'll see how real they are. I haven't met or known one that's hated meeting people...it's just that sometimes they need to run off and meet a friend.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 7:08pm

Exactly. Sometimes, I am actually frightened by the entitlement fans express on this board (the "who gets stuff in response to fan letters" thread is enough to make me boycott celebrity forever).

Nobody is obligated to greet fans or sign autographs. It doesn't make them rude, self centered or egotistical. When the curtain falls, their job is done.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 7:14pm

I don't think many Broadway actors would avoid fans if air conditioning wasn't available. Oh ... we're talking the other kind of fans. Okay ....

Well, then. It's a little known fact that Greg Jbara loathes dealing with fans and uses an exact double to do all that stage door stuff and backstage tours and on-the-street chummy convos that end (for example) with him getting on a bus like a "regular guy." The real Greg leaves by way of an alternate exit, ducks into a limo and laughs his ass off all the way home. The Jbara double's name is Winston Hefillsit. That's who most of you who think you've met Greg have actually met. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if half the time the audience think they've seen Greg on stage as Andre, it's been this Hefillsit guy. Next time you think you're talking to Greg, ask him, "Hey, are you really that Hefillsit dude?" And see how he reacts. And then say you heard this from his (that is *Greg's*) webmaster, and see how he reacts then.

But at least Hefillsit is human. The Broadway stars who use robot doubles for the fan encounters ... now that, I'm not sure what I think about that...

[SirLiir]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 7:58pm

I knew it!

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:06pm

EXCUSE ME!

Broadway stars are NOT human. They have some super-power.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:08pm

Nobody is obligated to greet fans or sign autographs. It doesn't make them rude, self centered or egotistical. When the curtain falls, their job is done.

While I agree with this to an extent, Broadway actors are also a level of celebrity. Movie/tv actors are approached way more often than Broadway actors, but most of them know that that comes with the territory of being in a public eye. They are not required to sign autographs, but it is sort of part of their job. Many actors know that. Broadway actors do not have this NEARLY to the extent that movie actors do, but it's all part of being in the public eye.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:11pm

It's like tipping in a restaurant. No one is really forcing you to give your waiter/waitress that gratuity, but you do come off in a certain way if you choose to not tip. ^_^

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:18pm

Well said sweetq.

I don't see anything wrong with seeing an actor and congratulating them or acknowledging them because they don't fet it like celebrities do.

If I'm on the subway with someone I know, I say something and they are always delightful and appreciate the gesture.

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:30pm

Joanna does seem to try and avoid crowds but when she comes out she is amazing. She signed and even took a picture with me, so that really made my day.

Updated On: 7/2/06 at 08:30 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:36pm

Steve Blanchard

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:41pm

The cast of "Lestat". I waited outside the Palace until midnight last night and not one of them came out.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:41pm

"The cast of "Lestat". I waited outside the Palace until midnight last night and not one of them came out."

I pray that was a joke...

[CarolynW]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:42pm

I am sure Greg Jbara will love having this posted about him. I met and interviewed Greg when he did CHICAGO in Las Vegas. Seemed o.k. to me. He always went out the front door as there are two exits in Las Vegas for most shows. I never saw him avoid people as I met him in the lobby of the theatre.:)

I think Greg still has my interview on his website. Last time I looked it was there.


Yours,

Carolyn

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:45pm

"I pray that was a joke..."

What do you mean? I went back today and had the same experience. It was kind of odd because both times I was the only person waiting?

[beacon1]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:47pm

Robot doubles...now THAT makes more sense.

I must admit I was tempted to make a remark to one actress who had her nose up in the air at patrons who gave her donations the BC/EFA campaign. As we approached the doorway, the couple in front of me (older couple, seemed pleasant) told her that they enjoyed the show. She barefully contained an eyeroll, sighed and handed them a ribbon.

I wanted to say: "Without folks like these buy tickets to your movies and shows...you'd be wearing a cap and asking them 'Do you want fries with that.' " But I didn't.

She couldn't even improv "gracious star doing charity work."

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 8:56pm

jimmy...you ARE joking, right?

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/2/06 at 9:01pm

C'mon you guys have been around long enough to know that Jim makes great jokes about Lestat on every thread.

I actually enjoyed that one quite a bit! :)