Should I bring old Playbill?

[Casey14]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 11:28am

I might be seeing Groundhog Day soon, and I have an old Legally Blonde playbill I never got signed. I want to bring it to have Andy Karl sign but is that like an unspoken no no in the theatre world?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 11:32am

It depends on the situation. Some actors don't like that - usually the really famous ones. For someone like Andy Karl, I think it should be fine. Just make it clear that you saw and enjoyed his work in Groundhog Day that evening, before you bring up Legally Blonde. 

[Newsiesgirl67]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 11:57am

Bring it, I brought mines when I saw him weeks ago, after he signed my groundhog's day playbill and I told him I enjoyed the show, I asked him if he could also signed my Legally Blonde and he was very sweet about it.

Updated On: 8/19/17 at 11:57 AM

[Kitsune]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 1:48pm

Plans to see the show twice over Labor Day weekend - similar case, but I was thinking of asking Andy to sign my new Legally Bound CD.  (Alas, I'll be missing Orfeh, but it's always possible she'll do something in the next few years where stagedoor-ing is appropriate )

 

So it sounds like the etiquette is that as long you really saw the show (and hopefully made it clear to them), then it's okay to at least ask?

[Casey14]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 1:54pm

Thanks guys!

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 2:23pm

Kitsune said: "Plans to see the show twice over Labor Day weekend - similar case, but I was thinking of asking Andy to sign my new Legally Bound CD.  (Alas, I'll be missing Orfeh, but it's always possible she'll do something in the next few years where stagedoor-ing is appropriate )

So it sounds like the etiquette is that as long you really saw the show (and hopefully made it clear to them), then it's okay to at least ask?"

Yep. I would be ready to mention a favorite song from the album too, so he knows you listened to it. Maybe you'll get lucky and Orfeh will be at one of the shows. 

[TheThreadMaster]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 2:32pm

I think you'll be fine. I got Patti LuPone to sign my Sunset Boulevard program from London many years ago at the War Paint stage door. I also got Michael Cerveris to sign my Assassins and Tommy playbills at the Fun Home stage door so I'm sure that Andy Karl will be delighted that you recognize his past work.

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 2:36pm

I can't believe you asked Patti to sign something from Sunset. Any particular reaction to it?

[TheThreadMaster]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 2:37pm

LesWickedly said: "I can't believe you asked Patti to sign something from Sunset. Any particular reaction to it?

 

"

"Oh look at you"

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 2:39pm

Alec Baldwin was thrilled to sign my STREETCAR Playbill when I saw him after ORPHANS.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 3:40pm

Andy would be totally cool with that. I've seen him sign old Playbills. 

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 8:16am

I've brought items from actors' previous bodies of work many times and have always received positive reactions. E.g. I brought a Playbill from a National Tour of "Miss Saigon" to the "Hair" SD for Will Swenson (Chris). That had been the first big MT show I'd seen as a kid and the piece that hooked me on MT for life. Wil actually spent about five minutes looking through the Playbill with me, chatted about how that had been his first big professional acting job, signed it "Will Chris Burger Swenson," and seemed pretty touched that I had remembered his performance from a decade prior.

I've brought merch (like coffee mugs), scripts, cast albums, etc. Even a prop once: I asked Patti LuPone to sign the plastic apple I had caught at "Gypsy" at the Patti/Mandy SD. As long as you have the Playbill for the current show in hand, don't take up a lot of space, and aren't obnoxious about shoving stuff into actors' faces like getting the signature on your item is more important than expressing appreciation for their body of work, I think it's totally fine. I've sometimes received neutral reactions (especially if the performer is in a rush or the SD is mobbed), and sometimes overjoyed reactions, with the majority in the middle. I've never had anyone say, "I won't sign that for you because it's not from my current show." (Note: I've never asked an A-list movie actor to sign something not-related to the show, so the "rules" may be different in that case.)

[ringofkeys2]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 8:24am

I brought an opening night Chess Playbill with me when I saw Fun Home, and Judy Kuhn kindly signed it for me. Her response:

"Wow, a blast from the past!"