Spotting Celebrities at Shows- Page 3

[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.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 2:58pm

Mine were Orchestra, except at the Carlyle of course, which was the second table away from the stage.

[boylikethat]

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

I recently sat next to Ava DuVernay at Straight White Men.I told her I was a fan of her work as we were exiting the theater and she thanked me and shook my hand. 

I saw Victor Garbor in the lobby when I saw the out-of-town tryout of Catch Me If You Can in Seattle. I didn't approach him as he was with a friend.

[Danielle49]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 3:25pm

carolinaguy said: "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."

Greta Gerwig was at the Cherry Lane, so no balcony there. It was orchestra when I saw Joel Grey. At the Thoroughly Modern Millie Reunion I saw Charlie Stemp in the mezzanine (odd since I would’ve thought they’d have gotten him floor seats to see his Dolly castmates). I’ve heard of other people seeing celebs in the mezzanine. I think I read on some other thread that someone spotted James Franco in the Hayes mezz once.

[matty159]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 3:52pm

The most recent I can think of was sitting at a preview of Young Frankenstein in London and the ushers and house manager repeatedly getting a couple who kept moving from the rear of the stalls to the two seats directly in front of us. This happened several times with the house manager saying the guests who sat there always come in after the lights go down. That’s when my radar blipped. Finally, the folks retreated, the lights went down, and Mel Brooks (in a Yankees ballcap) and a friend darted down the aisle to the seats! It was really cool seeing him laughing his tail off at his own jokes. I wouldn’t have had the guts to say anything anyhow, but they were most efficient in making sure they were in and out while the lights were down. Regardless, it was a unique experience I’ll never forget.

[BareillesOwnsMe]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 4:08pm

Debra Messing was at one of the Waitress performances I went to a few months back, to support Kat McPhee. A couple rows in front of me. I had a little Smash geek out!

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 4:29pm

Josh Groban, Cherry Jones, and James Franco at Shakespeare in the Park

Lucas Hedges with Ben Platt at Spongebob

Kate Winslet at Three Tall Women

Lea Salonga at M Butterfly

Tavi Gavinson at Collective Rage last night

Taye Diggs at Junk

Spike Lee at Pipeline

Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz at The Low Road

John Gallagher, Jr. at Hamlet at The Public

Justin Kirk at The Heiress

Chazz Palminteri at Meteor Shower

Alice Ripley at Lobby Hero

Tom Stoppard at Harry Potter

Brandon Uranowitz at Saint Joan

Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton at The King and I

Josh Radnor at This Is Our Youth

Jesse Tyler Ferguson at Peter and the Starcatcher

 

Updated On: 9/7/18 at 04:29 PM

[ameliewormwood]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 5:26pm

I saw Jesse Tyler Ferrgusson at Hamilton Broadway.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 6:55pm

Johnathan Groff at Dear Evan Hansen - Orchestra, ended up getting a photo since I liked Glee at the time. Pretty cool to look back on! Apparently, a guy from the Flash was there that night too

Michael Lee Brown at Spongebob - Snack line, Also got a quick photo and had an awesome conversation. Very kind, even though I feel bad for disrupting. Note I'm younger than a lot of the others on here.

Michael Grief at The Lucky Ones - Sat in front of me! Complimented him, didn't ask for a photo but gushed about Next to Normal.

Mike Faist on the street - Didn't stop him, got too nervous. Would have though.

The Platt Family at Jesus Christ Superstar Rehearsal - I didn't say hi since I was in another section, but Jonah performed, Ben Platt was in the section above me, and Marc made a speech. Marc sat with Ben at one point though.

Brittain Ashford on the street - Smiled but didn't say anything. She was walking into the theatre so that would be extremely rude.

[ampi2]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 6:57pm

Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise at Carousel! I was getting merch and they were at the lobby during intermission. I said hi and they were both very kind.

[jbird5]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 7:04pm

Spielberg at the Flea.

Kathryn Erbe at the Flea

Zoe Kravitz (I accidentally kicked her) and Willow Smith at the Flea

Tommy Tune and Patrick Cassidy at some Broadway show

Zach Quinto at AIA (he really didn’t want to be recognized)

Mandy Patinkin at A 24 Hour History of Popular Music (Philadelphia)

Henry Winkler at the Band’s Visit

Ashley Park waiting for TodayTix for Kinky Boots (pre Mean Girls)

Laura Benanti at once on this Island

Claire Foy at 54 Below

Elizabeth Ashley at Betty Buckley at Joe’s Pub

I think I sat next to David Foster’s 2 crazy daughters in the front row at Waitress. They were putting on English accents. I think.

[Btb1993]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 7:10pm

One night at I was at Great Comet and Paul McCartney was sitting in the orchestra. Super cool to see him that close in person.

[NievesG]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 7:14pm

Sigourney Weaver at the 2015 revival of Fiddler on the Roof... I had rushed and gotten third row orchestra tickets and as we were leaving, Weaver was being escorted backstage from the stage. She said hello to everyone but I think all of us were pretty starstruck as no one really said anything to her!

Updated On: 9/7/18 at 07:14 PM

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 8:08pm

If Monday night is an option for a show (usually in previews), that's often my first choice because I always have the day off (my business is closed). So I often see Broadway actors at those shows. I did attend Hamilton the same night as Joe and Jill Biden in July 2015, during Broadway previews. It was pretty wild - the line was forming outside and suddenly a bunch of black SUVs were out front and there was extra security. I figured it was some politician but never expected it to be the VP. I was sitting in the second row of the upper part of the orchestra about three rows behind and to the side. He got standing ovation when he entered, and then mingled and shook hands with everyone at intermission and used the regular restroom, etc. He was directly next to me in the lobby and I was able to say a quick hello.

I'm also pretty sure I had an extended conversation with Mary Louise Parker in the restroom line at Fun Home. I wasn't 100% sure it was her but the resemblance was uncanny, if not. She was with another lady and they were really friendly but I got the sense the friend was wondering if I realized with whom I was chatting. Again, I wasn't positive so I didn't geek out. 

[dwwst12]

Posted: 9/7/18 at 11:19pm

I'd *seen* plenty of celebrities, but had never talked to one until I randomly found myself sitting next to Kate Burton at Boys in the Band in July.  She was making her visit as a Tony voter.  We both happened to be there solo, and we had a very nice chat for 10 or 15 minutes before the curtain.

[HugoP]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 12:01am

my favorite:   saw HELLO DOLLY (Bette version) and had Quentin Tarantino right in back of me.   He was speaking with a range of seatmates-- none of whom he seemed to know-- during intermission and I joined in.   He's a huge musical theatre fan and I asked him what musical he'd like to film.   He said he didn't think he could do a good job with a musical so he was unlikely to try it.  I was surprised-- I think he'd do a great job with a musical;  his work is filled with set pieces that play like musical numbers.    And he loves cinema enough to treat it respectfully.    I wouldn't venture to guess what would be a good Tarantino film musical, but I hope he tries (full disclosure:  I really love NEW YORK NEW YORK and all that Scorsese brought to that film musical)

[teatime2]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 12:15am

Sweeney (Barrow Street): Sara Bareilles and Leslie Uggams!

[msmp]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 1:40am

Re: the seating question, at Sweeney I saw the celebs in the immersive seating, and for Dolly, Lillias White was in fact in an orchestra seat, maybe three or four rows back from me (I was front row at that show).

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 1:52am

"Believe it or not, Rosemary Harris at My Fair Lady on Tuesday."

Incredibly easy to believe. She takes over the role of Mrs Higgins next Tuesday. 

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 2:00am

Sorry if I come off as dick

Not a show but I used to run into Carolee often walking to work. She’d always say I’m the wicked guy.
I always found it funny cause I’ve never done the show.

Hugh Jackman was next to me at jersey boys once. Th woman in front of us kept bothering him. He left at intermission. .

[mufish]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 12:01pm

Patrick Page, Tobey Maguire and Lukas Haas at The Glass Menagerie (the Tiffany revival).  Later saw Matt Bomer and Andrew Rannells leave out the stage door as well.

Charlie Cox leaving out the stage door after A View from the Bridge

Steven Michael Quezada leaving the stage door after All the Way

Finn Wittrock (or a look alike) at Blackbird.

Zeljko Ivanek at The Harvest at Lincoln Center

James Franco at Angels in America on a marathon Saturday.  Tony Kushner was on the opposite end of the row from me as well. 

Barry Manilow at Come From Away;  Irene Sankoff and David Hein were there that night as well.

Hugh Jackman and his wife at Three Tall Women.

Last October, I was in town for Comic-Con and on a break I saw a pretty good non-premium orchestra seat for Hello Dolly was available, so I decided to skip The Walking Dead panel at MSG to see Dolly instead.  I was the second seat off the aisle and the woman in the aisle seat was there when I arrived, and I paid no attention as she allowed me past to sit.  She got up a minute later to say hello to someone she knew, and the people seated in front of me asked if I recognized her, then it must've clicked for them and they said it was Marcia Cross.  I looked, and sure enough it was.  I'm not one to initiate conversations with strangers randomly so after she returned I didn't say anything, but she ended up asking me if I just bought my tickets last-minute and we made a little small talk before the show began.  Afterwards, she asked if I was happy with my decision to see HD instead of going to TWD panel, I told her I was and we parted ways.  I never brought up her work or otherwise acknowledged knowing who she was, though on the way out one half of the couple in front of us complimented her work.  Across the aisle, Annette Bening was at the show that evening as well.

[natashalost]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 7:37pm

When I saw Angels in America both Tony Kushner and Patti LuPone were in the audience. Everyone in the theatre (even the mezzanine) gave them a standing ovation when they walked in!

[green waver]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 8:53pm

Twenty years ago, I sat four seats down from Sondheim(and his then partner) at the Mazzie/Mitchell revival of Kiss me Kate. It was wonderful, because everyone recognized him and no one bothered him. They left after Act One.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 9:15pm

Saw Stephen Schwartz this afternoon at Be More Chill.

[upinlights]

Posted: 9/8/18 at 9:45pm

I met Jim Carrey backstage at Hamilton a few years back... I thought he was a possible KGIII replacement because it was right before Groff left, but no.