Spotting Celebrities at Shows- Page 2

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 1:42am

At Hello, Dolly! on separate occasions: Oprah, Audra McDonald, Ana Gasteyer and the kids from Fun Home. I know there were a few others but I forget.

Anne Hathaway and Elle Fanning at Hedwig.

Jonathan Groff at A Doll’s House Part 2.

Rebecca Luker at the final performance of Fun Home and she was so, so lovely. I talked to her before we sat down for a lengthy conversation and she ended up sitting directly behind me.

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 2:48am

John MacEnroe was in front of me at Wicked years ago with his I'm guessing kid(s) and their friends. Also saw MMA fighter Chuck Liddell at Wicked also years ago. I'm oblivious when it comes to famous people from movies and tv. I could be sitting next to someone and not even know it...lol.

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 2:56am

Something working at Disney World taught me:

Normal people want to be treated like celebrities and celebrities want to be treated like normal people. 

 

[msmp]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 3:04am

When I saw the Barrow Street Sweeney Todd in February, both Ethan Slater and Tony Goldwyn were in the audience, one table away from where I was sitting (the immersive seating, for those familiar with the production).

Matthew Morrison was also at Moulin Rouge the second time I saw the show during the Boston tryout.

Edited to add: Almost forgot that I also saw Lillias White at Hello, Dolly! at Donna Murphy's 7/20/18 show.

Updated On: 9/7/18 at 03:04 AM

[seriously13]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 4:55am

Two off the top of my head:

David Duchovny at Rent (OBC)

Conrad Bain (Mr. Drummond!) at Proof with Mary-Louise Parker

[youwillbefound2]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 6:07am

Kristin Chenoweth was at the Band's Visit when I saw it on July 20th

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 7:36am

My three were: 

Lance Bass at Kinky Boots a couple years ago.

And this past April, Kate Winslet was behind me in line at Will Call at a Three Tall Women matinee, that evening I sat about five seats down from James Franco at Lobby Hero!

I also bumped in Christine Pedi trying to make it to Lobby Hero on time. (Sorry, Christine!!)  

 

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 7:54am

veronicamae said: "Oh, calm down. lol

If your copious actor friends are pissy about a fan saying hello when they spot them at a Broadway show - where they are VERY likely to be recognized given the audience- they need to think about it."

who said anything about pissy? All I would ask you to do is put yourself in their shoes. You're out (on a date, with a friend, etc.), you had a long day at work, you want to relax and have a conversation with the person you are with. But that's not possible because everyone wants to say hello because...why? I really do hope some reading this will get it, and stop being self-entitled nuisances. Sorry to be so blunt about it but it's obnoxious.

[hollebolle]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 7:56am

kmissa said: "Matthew Broderick was at Angels in America and Angelina Jolie’s actor father was behind me at HP Cursed Child. "

I also saw Matthew Broderick at Angels in America after a Friday-night Perestroika!

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 8:53am

Skylar Astin and Anna Camp at Dear Evan Hansen.

Lynn Ahrens and Michael Greif (not together!) at Iceman Cometh.

[GottaHaveAGimmick]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 9:39am

Jeremy Jordan at Pippin

Matt Bomer and Zach Quinto at Lobby Hero

Neil Simon at The Best Man

[Lot666]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 9:59am

Lea Salonga (along with half the cast of Once on this Island) at Phantom of the Opera

Michael Urie at Gently Down the Stream at the Public Theater

[bfreak]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 10:06am

I've seen some celebrities at shows from time to time, but don't usually approach them or anything or think much of it since I wouldn't like to be distracted from the actual show. It's nice to know you're in good company though. Some recent memories I could think of:

David Hyde Pierce at Angels in America (and if you know me, he's one of my favorite actors)

Bryan Cranston at The Band's Visit

Katie Holmes at The Elephant Man (I later learned that Steven Spielberg was also there!)

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick at Fun Home

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 10:07am

I met Donna Murphy and saw Alex Lacimore and Patrick Page at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I also saw Sadie Sink of Stranger Things at Mean Girls in DC.

[jared123]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 10:34am

Only time i've ever seen anyone was at one hamilton show and it was ridiculous.  

I sat next to Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen.  Emma Thompson and Meryl Streep sat right in front of me, and then right in front of them was Harrison Ford.  

[therosenpants]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 10:43am

I was working the box office at my local big theater during Hamilton's tour stop, and Thomas Kail came to the window to pick up tickets. I was overwhelmed when I realized it was him! I thanked him for all the good work he has done for theatre and for Hamilton itself, but the woman next to him heard me and asked for a picture with him (which I never would have done had I been on the other side of the glass). He asked her if she knew who he was, and she outright said no! All cavalier and laughing as if it wasn't rude to ask for a picture with someone you don't even know who they are. I was very embarrassed and apologetic, but luckily the person who came up after the woman knew a mutual friend of Kail's and they had a nice chat, so hopefully he got something good out of it. I know I'll try to never be overwhelmed again if I run into someone famous! 

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 10:55am

The funniest experience I had was sitting right next to Jason Bateman at Spamalot. Since Arrested Development had recently stopped, during intermission I suggested he would be wonderful in Spamalot. He laughed and said he'd love to, but he can't sing. A teen girl sitting behind me tapped my shoulder eagerly and whispered, "Is that Jerry O'Connell??!!!" I whispered back, "No, it's Jason Bateman." ...silence. Guess she did not know who he was...

[goodlead]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 11:25am

This was a long time ago.  I was sitting in the balcony of the Lyceum for Jules Feiffers' "Grown Ups" when I noticed a spare orchestra seat.  At intermission I went down to grab it. I asked those seated next to it if it was vacant, and the woman put her head down.  I realized it was Meryl Streep, who obviously did not want to be recognized and who believed I was planning to talk to her.  I took the seat and positioned my head so that I could hardly see her.  If she didn't want to be recognized, I wasn't going to intrude.

[yesraccoons]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 12:28pm

Last year I saw Andrew Rannells at Bandstand. He actually left through the stage door which seems odd but what do I know.

[haterobics]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 12:31pm

yesraccoons said: "Last year I saw Andrew Rannells at Bandstand. He actually left through the stage door which seems odd but what do I know."

He knew someone in the show, went backstage afterward, and then exited. Pretty basic.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 12:34pm

yesraccoons said: "Last year I saw Andrew Rannells at Bandstand. He actually left through the stage door which seems odd but what do I know."

 

Why odd?  I'm sure he was visiting backstage --- and that's the way out!

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 12:49pm

bfreak said: "(I later learned that Steven Spielberg was also there!)"

This reminded me that he was at Jagged Little Pill when I was. I actually ran into him in the bathroom and had no clue it was him until after the show. ART has gender neutral bathrooms if anyone was wondering why I ran into him in the bathroom. 

[yesraccoons]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 1:15pm

JSquared2 said: "yesraccoons said: "Last year I saw Andrew Rannells at Bandstand. He actually left through the stage door which seems odd but what do I know."



Why odd? I'm sure he was visiting backstage --- and that's the way out!"

I meant odd if he was trying to avoid being noticed.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 1:41pm

Reading these are fun!

Evita Revival - Sat next to Marc Anthony, and it just so happened I was wearing one of his sport coats from his line at Kohls - got a very fun picture with him!

Stritch at the Carlyle - Sat next to James Gandolfini and his wife - he had just done a movie with Elaine and it was so funny to hear Tony Soprano say to his table “I hope she sings The Lady’s Who Lunch”

Gods Of Carnage - Sat directly in front of Morgan Freeman

Promises Promises Revival - didn’t realize it until I was getting up to leave, but I was sitting next to Raul Esparza the entire night, he told me I had an infectious laugh 

Once - sat next to Brian Yorkey, who was so wonderful to talk to

Once - sat in front of Rosie - she made it perfectly clear no one was to even look her way let alone speak to her

Shrek - sat in back of Vince, Linda & Stephanie McMahon from the WWE - they were there with Stephanie’s little girl 

Buckley at the old Feinsteins - sat next to Mr. Riedel - we were both there alone.  I know we all love to hate on him, but I will tell you that in person, at least to me, he was extremely funny and gracious.  He even talked about recognizing what an ass he came off like in the documentary “Showbusiness”.  He even told me stories about going to college in the city where I live and asked me if an old record store was still in business.  What I will never be able to forget to this day, and will forever be grateful for, was he said he had never met such a huge fan of Betty Buckley, besides him of course, and wanted to know if I would like to accompany him back to the green room and meet her.  I of course said yes, and ended up spending almost 45 minutes back there with him, her and Seth Rudetsky.  Eventually I said I needed to be going, and they both said I was welcome to stay longer, but it is a night I will cherish forever.

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 2:33pm

Just curious--were all these sightings sitting in the orchestra? I prefer to sit in the mezzanine for shows since I feel I get a better overall view and I've almost never seen anyone famous. I did see the top of Stephen Sondheim's head at the final performance of the most recent Sunday revival.