Ones that stick out most to me are Carolee Carmello, Cherry Jones, Lisa Brescia, Hugh Panaro, Hadley Fraser, and Danny Gurwin (a friend: "I loved you in Little Women." him: "So YOU'RE the one who saw it!"). I don't think I've ever had a "bad" experience meeting a performer, though.
Definitely Jonathan Groff - I felt so horrible, though, because the first time I met him I was freaking out, and when I get nervous I tend to snap at people. He asked if I wanted to take a picture and I kind of just snapped, "I guess." It was really bad. I was nicer the second and third times though.
Angela Lansbury - still remember how gracious she was after performances of Mame. Kind, autograph signing endlessly and looking everyone in the eye too with a sweet comment. Never forgot her niceness.
Johnny Gallagher and Jon Groff - They each spent literally ten minutes speaking with me. They are both so thankful for all their support! Matt Morrison - He was really funny and charming, and rode this awesome motor scooter away from Piazza. Lea Michele, Victoria Clark and Kelli O'hara - They got hearts full of love! Jennifer Laura Thomspon - She was incredibly kind (but had a jerky bodyguard). Norbert Leo Butz - He personalized both me and my sister's Playbills, along with any other kid waiting.
+ Laura Benanti, who seems so warmhearted in all her interviews (and during her Tony speech)! I wanted to meet her but she did not stagedoor when I saw Gypsy. She's just had a lot of stuff thrown at her and I think she deserves credit for being so kind.
The entire cast of [tos] is great, but Hunter and Susan are simply amazing. After yesterday's matinee, in mid-90s mugginess, they spoke (at length) to anyone who wanted to chat, ask questions, take photos, etc.
The last vampire is the mother of all vampires and that is the vampire of despair. It'll wake you up at 4am to say things like:
Who do you think you are kidding?
You look like a fool!
No matter how hard you try, you'll never be good enough!
Why is it that if some dude walked up to me on the subway platform
and said these things, I'd think he was a mentally ill as-h-le,
but if the vampire inside my head says it,It's the voice of reason!
DIE VAMPIRE, DIE--[SUSAN in tos]
Brian d'Arcy James after Next to normal sat and hugged my friend for about 15 minute's as she was so emotional from the show (abou a woman with bi polar, my friends boyrfriend is bi polar) and he was genuinely concerned and friendly with us it meant so much to her x
The Legally Blonde cast members are always very nice...especially Noah Weisberg, Michael Rupert, Natalie Joy Johnson, and Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde) Anthony Rapp and Rodney Hicks (Rent) Brad Bass (Wicked) Stephen Collins (Spamalot)
Throwing my cash in the pot with Ted Neeley. He has to be one of the most genuine performers I've ever met. Also, Carl Anderson was a really nice guy (RIP). Honestly, I can't recall ever seeing anyone, either in Providence or NY, who wasn't out and out nice (it helps to be a young and attractive male, though, especially in NY).
"There is no problem so big that it cannot be run away from."
~ Charles M. Schulz
Hey gvendo--are you from RI? I grew up there and totally have awesome JCS memories of Ted Neely and Carl Anderson at PPAC. You mentioned Providence and I totally got a flashback.
The nicest bway person I have met was Anthony Rapp at his book signing at Barnes and Noble in NYC. Just a warm, sweet person.