You know how sometimes you meet a performer you've admired for a long time and you cant put a sentence together? What are some things you've said to performers that you wish you'd said differently, or things you've heard other fans say to stars at stage doors, etc?
To Rebecca Naomi Jones: "I don't want to sound like a creep, but I was your first follower on Twitter."
This was true, and said the day after she made a Twitter account.
When I first met Kristin Chenoweth I couldn't speak, I just stood there stuttering. She had to ask me questions so I'd snap out of it.
I was such a creeper when I spoke to Laura Benanti after In the Next Room. I told her that I didn't mean to sound creepy, but I remembered seeing her in the ensemble of The Sound of Music. It was terrible.
This past November, I met Bernadette Peters at Next to Normal and told her "You are my everything... MYFRIENDWASINANNIEGETYOURGUNWITHYOUANDYOUGUYSGETDINNERSOMETIMESYOUKNOW****THAT'SMYFRIEND!".
Very embarassing, but she was very nice.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/07
To Adam Chanler-Berat: So what's really in the green bong?
I. KID. YOU. NOT. I was at this year's Easter Bonnet after the show stayed outside in Minskoff Alley for a bit waiting to meet a friend. One of the chorus boys from the opening number was outside chatting with some friends and this teenage kid who looked like he was 16 walks up to him and says...word-for-word verbatim:
"You were amazing in the show! And so f***ing hot. We could be so f***ing hot. Can you handle 12 inches?"
I was stunned. I couldn't imagine how the chorus boy must have felt!
To Jimmy Smits after GOD OF CARNAGE: "Oh my God, Jimmy Smits! My mother wants to kiss you!" (she went with me to see it)
My mother got kissed and I got embarrassed...Win/Fail
After Addams Family in March I wanted to talk to Terrence Mann because Les Mis was my favorite show when I first got into theater and I had listened to him on the OBCR for over ten years. I couldn't find my words to yell to him, so as he tried to slip away, I reached out and grabbed his arm (I maintain that my hand acted of its own free will). Couldn't believe how creepy it was! I told him that I'd been listening to him on the Les Mis recording for over ten years and how much it meant to me and thanked him. He was like, "Awwww, thank you!" and gave me a hug. Don't know how I emerged from that with a hug instead of a restraining order, but am happy I did.
I never seem to know what to say at stage doors. I want to say so much more than "You're great!" but that's all that really seems to come out.
I met Sutton Foster after Young Frankenstein and I talked about a million miles a minute "we just did Millie at our school and I was jimmy and we love you so much and you are so great and we are close to where you went to high school and you did a few touring shows with my old music teacher." I bet she wanted to be like shut up!! But she was like oh thanks and signed my playbill and walked off.
I was so starstruck by Chandra Wilson last summer in Chicago that all I could say to her was "you're fierce"
Prefacing with Guys and Dolls '92 revival was the first show I saw (that I remember), first CR I totally memorized, and is a very important production for me. A few seasons back when Nathan Lane was in November, Faith Prince was in A Catered Affair, and Peter Gallagher was in The Country Girl I saw all of them, which was incredible. Nathan didn't come out after November, but when Faith Prince came out I told her how much that production meant to me and she appreciated it. When Peter Gallagher came out after Country Girl, I told him how much I loved him, and that my brothers name is Sky cause my dad loves the show (and other reasons), and he looked like he wanted to run as fast as he could.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/07
"I want to say so much more than "You're great!" but that's all that really seems to come out."
Story of my life. I always seem to practice what I'm going to say in my head, but it never happens.
I guess I just feel odd because I'm so shy, so it is hard for me to talk to people, especially in huge crowds, so it usually is just a hi and thank you for them signing my playbill. I always walk away wishing I could say a little more so I don't have them think I'm weird.
But, when I went through the autograph line at the Broadway Flea Market last year, I don't know why I needed to tell Christopher Sieber that I saw him in both Spamalot and Shrek, thinking he would really care.
Not gonna lie. I started crying when I met Gavin Creel at the stagedoor for Hair. I don't remember what I was babbling, but I'm sure it made no sense at all.
I don't know why, but I am so comfortable talking to the actors after the show. I especially like going to the same show multiple times and the actors recognize you and you have more in depth conversations, ala HAIR. I don't think I have ever been tongue tied or shy at a stagedoor before.
^My friend cried when we met Alice Ripley and my friend made no sense when she was talking to her. I think many have been through that.
I always leave Next to Normal crying and have gotten a picture with each of the three Dans (Bobby, Brian, and now Jason...Dan is my favorite character). In each of the pictures it's me with my tear-stained face...not the most attractive, but they are so nice to take pictures with a still-weeping fan!
CockEyedOptimist... that is exactly what I would do, hahaha. I love Terrence Mann.
I have met Norm Lewis, who I adore, twice, once extremely briefly after Little Mermaid, and once for a good several minutes after First You Dream (a Kander and Ebb concert). The first time, there was a huge crowd and he was the first person out of the door. I told the guy in front of me, "When Norm Lewis comes out, could you please let me in front, because I'm a really big fan of his." And surprise surprise, he grinned at me and said, "SURE, I KNOW NORM!" So as soon as Norm Lewis came out, he yelled, "HEY, NORM, THERE'S A LITTLE GIRL HERE WHO WANTS TO MEET YOU!"
I was so startled, I had no idea what to say, so I just blurted, "...You were my favorite Javert." This is really weird because I've never seen him as Javert. The second time, we had a pleasant chat and it was going very well, but then right near the end, I said randomly, "My mom wanted to come, but she couldn't make it. She loves you, every time we get in the car, she makes me play 'You Should Be Loved,' no matter what I listen to." I have no idea why I said that...
Oh, plus one time, I was interviewing Hugh Panaro for a thing at my school, and I made a joke about his 'toilet brush sideburns' that he wore in Sweeney Todd. He told me they were REAL, and that they were his idea. Ulp.
I was embarrassingly giddy the first time I met Raul Esparza and basically said "I watch Company every day I love you".
Broadway Star Joined: 6/15/06
Eh.. In Los Angeles I approached a performer who did a popular show in New York and was now doing a different show here in L.A.
I asked them about the previous show they were in on Broadway and when they asked, "did you see it?" I said "not in person."
hahaha ooops.. they got it I was talking about..um.. a bootleg. lol
I told Brooke Adams that she IS the Chrysler building, after "Lend Me a Tenor"(Spoiler: based on something related to the show) and I told Ramona Mallory that she reminded me of a young Sarah Brightman and that didn't seem to amuse her...
I went to the Little Night Music signing at the theater last April. i wanted to say something to the cast is better than, "you're so amazing!" i thought about all these things i could say. Yet in the moment all that came out was, "You're soooo amazing." To Mr. sondheim i said, "i love your work! you are such a genius" and ran off.
im sure he never heard that before....
I was second in line to meet Kelli O'Hara at Ravinia Festival. I freaked out....Eventually I said "Kelli, you're brilliant. You're my broadway idol". She was very humble, and she has a good sense of humor.
And much more beautiful in person than in the photos.
I have seen Blanca Camacho play Abuela Claudia so many times in In The Heights that when I saw her go on as Daniela, I was so glad to see her survive all of Act Two.
So, when she came out and was signing, I said "You were fantastic. It was so good to see you finally survive Act Two."
She looked at me like I had three heads, until my friend and I explained what I meant to her, which amused her.
Stand-by Joined: 7/9/10
I've gotten better in the last few years, but I have a few from a good while back..
Michael Ball in Aspects - "Oh My God. Oh My God. Wow. Oh My God." (paraphrasing) He looked amused but happily signed.
To Joel Grey - "Oh, it's you!" and then "here" as I handed him the playbill. Smooth.
Tommy Tune & Ann Reinking after National Tour of Bye Bye Birdie - Not many people were waiting, so my sister and I had a few good minutes. Following "Oh Wow, I didn't think you'd come out," I launched into an entire story of how my Mom was supposed to come with us but was sick and so she couldn't be here which is awful because she LOVES you both and it was so sad because she would have LOVED the show, ... and on and on.
Ann Reinking then solved the issue by interrupting me to say, "What's your Mom's name?" To which I said... wait for it.... "Mom." She laughed a BIG laugh and I said "OOOOOH.. sorry..." and told her. She then signed our programs and also wrote on mine, "And to Ms. Mom, get well soon!!" We then took pictures together. Must say they were the coolest stage door people I've ever met.
Updated On: 7/27/10 at 05:34 AM
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