Nicest & Worst — Page 3

The person who sticks out as being the nicest for me in recent memory is Cary Shields. The poor thing had at least 50 screaming fangirls surrounding him and still took the time to take pictures and sign autographs until they were all happy. He even said I should retake my pic with him when the flash didn't go off. Also, he's only big in the DC area and I think somewhat in Boston but Christopher Lane is a total sweetheart.

The only bad experience I can think of is with Lewis J. Stadle. He was Max in The Producers tour last year. They did a show pro bono for the Actors' Fund and he wouldn't do it and the understudy went on instead. Alan Ruck played Leo (he was Cameron in Ferris Bueller's Day Off) and he's very sweet.

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Seems like none of you except Roxy have stage doored any farther back than a year or year and a half. It's all the same people from the same very recent shows.

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I've met a lot of people but the I'd have to say the best/kindest/most personable were;
John Barrowman, Antonio Banderas, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Liza Minelli, Patti LuPone, Ruthie Henshall, Marc Kudisch, Norm Lewis, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Cerveris, Melissa Errico, Lea Delaria, Sherie Rene Scott, Toni Collette, Ben Vereen

and the award for nicest celebrity I've ever met:
Michael John LaChiusa! The sweetest, most genuine man.

The most brusque (signed but were either in hurry or wanted to be anywhere else):
Stephen Sondheim, Idina Menzel, Vanessa Williams, Michael Crawford, Mandy Patinkin, Nathan Lane (it was the final preview of THE PRODUCERS- maybe he was just tired), Clint Eastwood (not a theatre actor, but whatev)


The Worst:
Bebe Neuwirth, John McMartin. Nuff said.

Also, when I met Kate Levering after a preview performance of THOU SHALT NOT she seemed majorly annoyed and on the verge of tears. Similarly, Chris Kattan after a preview performance of THE FROGS (a few days before he was...eh... replaced)... but I'll leave it at that,

A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre

P.S. Raul was always very nice to me, but his mood seems dependant on the show (he was very happy after SUNDAY IN THE PARK, miserable after TABOO, shy after ROCKY HORROR)

Updated On: 12/12/05 at 10:39 PM

Nicest - Nathan Lane, Stephen Bogardus, Chip Zien, Philip Casnoff - met him after a performance and he spent no less than 20 minutes chatting and signing in the middle of winter. Very, very cool guy.

Worst - Barbara Walsh. I actually heard her say to whoever she was walking out with "Ugh. I guess I have to sign autographs now."

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suddenlyseymour- I was actually wondering why people haven't mentioned Kerry either...I mean, I haven't met her, I'm dying to, but like i can't see her as being a diva, in any way shape or form. She seems like the nicest person ever...

*been having a Kerry Butler marathon on itunes*

Nicest- Eden Espinosa and Joey Mac

I haven't encountered any mean people on broadway...YET.

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Rath, I can't speak for everyone but yes I've only stage doored the past year. Whenever I go w/ my family who up until this past year is almost always who I'd go with, they'd rush out and never let me stage door, that's why. Trust me, I wish I did.

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Well can you blame Michelle Federer? She's basically been living in the movie Groundhog Day for 2 years, doing a yucky part...

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That's funny, I've only ever had great experiences talking to Bebe Neuwirth...

I guess from that we can conclude that performers are just PEOPLE and like every other person, chemistry comes into play when meeting someone. You either click or you don't. I think there should always be a level of common curtesy at stage doors on both parts, but not because the performers owe you, but because it's all about respect. However, I want to see a real person, not someone still putting on a performance and being uber-sweet and fake because that's what they think everyone wants to see. I don't trust those people, performers or not.

Of course, there are several people that have been mentioned that I know first hand are just genuinely down to earth and not phony. Alice Ripley is definitely one of the most "real" actors I've ever seen. She doesn't BS anyone, but she's incredibly approachable and fun.

I highly think it's unfair to judge these people based on a one or two time encounter. We all have our good and bad days. And please, tell me you all haven't had your b*tch days at work. I know I have (a fair share of them, infact). I'm sure all you ladies are just peaches to be around when you're PMS-ing, too.

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Alright I have had a lot of stagedoor experiances but this is the huge one that sticks out for me... Someone said Vanessa Williams was one of the worse ones earlier but I have to disagree. I have met her three times at different stage doors. The first time, I wasnt very familliar with her work. The second time I was, and i brought her a little souvineer from my home state. IN LESS THAN A WEEK, she sent me a personally written thank you letter ( not a generic printed thing that she signed but an acutal CARD) on her own personal stationary. Since then, I have met her two more times, and she rememberd who I was. I have also sent 3 more letters to the return addy she gave me, and each time I have recieved a reply that is a farily lenghthy letter. I got an x mas card today acutally so this is fresh in my mind. She has been a DOLLLLL to me.

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Ok, someone mentioned Barbara Walsh so I'll chime in. She was my first ever stage-door encounter, when I was 13 and obsessed with Falsettos (um... yeah, i'm a big old lesbian). She was super sweet. I don't think there was anyone else there (it was cold and raining), and when I went up to her and asked for her autograph she was like "me?" She was all surprised and flattered and happy to sign my playbill. We didn't really talk (i was too nervous) but it was a great experience.

Fast forward a couple of years to Big. (I missed her in Blood Brothers by like 2 weeks). My friend and I sent her a letter before we went to the show. We never heard back so we just waited outside the stage door, and when she came out we practically had to chase her down to talk to her. She clearly had not even read the letter, and she acted like she had no time for us. We were like "the show was really great" and she said "yeah... it's fun." We said "we loved you in Falsettos" and she said "yeah, that was more fun." And then she tapped the hand of the guy she was with and jetted.

Now, if you're a big star who gets bombarded with fans on a regular basis, I can understand that kind of attitude. But COME ON.

On a positive note, I have to be redundant and concur with the Anthony nods. The bestest ever. After meeting him at the stage door I stayed in touch with him for a couple of years and he came out to my school for some events. I ran into him a bunch too, and he always seemed glad to see me. What a sweetheart.

sorry for the long long post. I am very bad at summarizing!

After all the things I've read about her, I'd be panicked if Bebe Neuwirth was even around me...

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I have never had the opportunity of meeting any broadway actors at the stage door as I live in L.A., but I have had the pleasure of meeting several broadway actors in other places.
The few I have met have been friggin' fantastic: Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch (just the other night in fact), Tracie Thoms and Kristin Chenoweth recently at work. Kristin is as gracious as you might think. And, a friend of mine cast Audra McDonald for her newest television show and said she was just a doll and one of the nicest people you'll meet.