Nicest Broadway Person You've Met Somewhere besides Stagedoor

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?

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.

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

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.

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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.

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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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.

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.

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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

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