Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/05
My Evita LP that I had signed by Patti and Mandy, as well as my Into the Woods LP that I had signed by Bernadette Peter's, I had then signed after concerts, not after the original productions.
I agree with what several of you have said about the true prize being the memories of performances and indeed how they inspire. As someone who knew early on that I was going to pursue acting there have been performances that stand out to me as the ones that made me want to keep going, keep studying. When I look at my playbills now, the signatures dont represent an autograph but rather the memory of how I felt after, how I had been affected. Ones that stick out to me are Michael Cerveris in Sweeney Todd, John Gallagher Jr in Spring Awakening, Patti Lupone in Gypsy, Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Death of a Salesman, Alan Cumming's tour de force performance of Macbeth and most recently Cynthia Ervio in The Color Purple.
That said, i do have one windowcard that remains inspiring to me that I look at almost every day. Everyone got to see the Hair revival before I did. Every friend and family member. I didnt catch it til I went to London. My mother saw the entire revival cast and like any proud jewish stage mother was telling the cast about her son the actor currently training in a B.A. program. The cast responded telling her they wish that all theatre parents were supportive like her and began signing the poster with inspirational messages to me to continue to pursue my craft. Things like "You'll make it" "Follow Your Bliss" "Go Cubs and Go you!" (we're from chicago) and other things from the entire Hair cast. It's framed on my wall and is easily my greatest theatre item.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
I have a playbill from every Broadway production that I have seen since 1964, except one. The only one missing is from Drat! the Cat! At deeply discounted previews, they only handed out a 4 page pamphlet. I figured that I could get a Playbill the next time I was in NYC to see a show. Little did I know that the show I enjoyed more than How to Succeed -- remember I was 14 and had great seats vs. rear mezzanine Row G in the then 46th Street Theatre -- would run for a week. I still enjoy the CD for Drat more than the CD for How to Succeed. In fact, I have never really thought much of it...saw both revivals and modestly liked both.
others...a signed Playbill by Barbra S. And a signed program from Mame by Angela L. And, finally, a glove from the Bernadette Peters Gypsy...we were in the second row and I made it that far.
Understudy Joined: 2/24/07
While not specifically Theatre Memorabilia, it's still one of my favorites. I have several and I'll post a few more over the next few days.....
Understudy Joined: 2/24/07
My CD covers that Patti LuPone signed.
And I also have a Playbill and ticket stub from every single show I've seen (including regional theatre) but I have only been going for 3-4 years (besides the oddball Broadway show when I was younger... I think my oldest is only the Sweet Charity revival featuring Christina Applegate).
But, like everyone else, the memories of these shows and the people I have met will always far outweigh any material possession.
The matchbook from the Russian Samovar the night that Savion Glover took me and my BFF there after meeting him at JLJ. Jonathan Knight was there bc he was friends with ensemble cast and later, Keith David came and sang. I was 19 and they let me have alcohol!!!! Best night ever!
@Jarethan Might be going for more than you're willing to spend, but here's an eBay listing for a Drat! Playbill. I hope you're able to complete your collection. If you're in New York, I'd highly recommend checking at the Broadway Flea Market in September. They have thousands of Playbills there every year, and I always find the most random things.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/291765203822
I have a handful of the beans from the Delacorte production of Into the Woods.
I also have the Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson windowcard from the Public- a production I saw many times and means a lot to me.
TheActr97J said: "@Jarethan Might be going for more than you're willing to spend, but here's an eBay listing for a Drat! Playbill. I hope you're able to complete your collection. If you're in New York, I'd highly recommend checking at the Broadway Flea Market in September. They have thousands of Playbills there every year, and I always find the most random things.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/291765203822
"
I think this may be the pamphlet you were given...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-DRAT-THE-CAT-LESLEY-ANN-WARREN-ELLIOTT-GOULD-Theater-Program-/201577345415?hash=item2eeef23187:g:u6sAAOSwv9hW5wWe
honestly I love getting my picture with people. I have a nuerological disorder that severely effects my memory but when I see my picture with Bernadette Peters, Robin Williams, Hal Prince and of course Angela Lansbury I am able to remember some of the best moments of my life. I know getting a picture is frowned upon sometimes but to me it really means a lot. Also my A little night music cd Autographed by Stephen Sondheim.
Chorus Member Joined: 5/29/15
My Idina Menzel signed Wicked CD &
My TL5Y Movie Soundtrack signed by Jason Robert Brown and Jeremy Jordan
Understudy Joined: 12/14/15
My most prized theater item would be the letter Elphaba sends to her dad in What Is This Feeling!
Stand-by Joined: 8/26/14
I love my ceramic pie plate from the 2006 Sweeney Todd revival. Also my Urinetown toilet paper signed by the cast.
my phantom deformities.
one is stamped MJ which I assume is Mark Jacoby, the other is either KO or KG which I assume is Kevin Gray (Can't think of a phantom that was KO)
Understudy Joined: 2/24/07
My collection of Playbills-every single show I have seen since 1967 in date order in my (many many) Playbill binders.
Hello there! I'm fairly new to the message thread, but I love to read them in my spare time.
I just wanted to comment and say I whole heartedly agree with dramamama. I've seen so many shows since the moment, but my most prized theatre item would be my memories: especially my first show that I saw with my mom and dad. For an early 14th birthday gift ( in 2008 
all I wanted to do was to go and see Rent. My mom and I were absolutely obsessed with the film. My dad hated it and would laugh at how blubbery we got watching it. My parents surprised me with a trip into the city and we got the last seats in the rear mezzanine for Rent. As much as my dad made fun of us, he cried more than the both of us when Angel died and when Collins sang the "I'll Cover You Reprise" and clapped the loudest of them all. I still have the ticket stub from the show and my mom gave me her playbill: February 20, 2008. My dad died from liver cancer a few months after that so the memory of that day is the most prized possession of mine.
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