Best with Fans
Best with Fans
cmleidi
Broadway Star Joined: 9/27/03
#0Best with Fans
Posted: 10/12/03 at 11:06pm
Which performers are best with the fans? I was amazed at how wonderful Denis O'Hare and Daniel Sunjata are with the fans. They were both there for thirty minutes as they signed playbills, took photos, and talked about other their performances. Louis Pitre was another one who was extraordinarily gracious with her fans. Ben Chaplin was adorable and quite humble when I met him this past week. I heard horror stories about stars who won't sign autographs or stop to talk to the fans, but for the most part, I haven't seen that. I did see (because I was staying at the Mayfair)that Melanie Griffith wouldn't meet the fans over at the Chicago theatre, but she would go across the street, and she would strut and pose while her husband signed autographs. I was warned that Jane Krakowski didn't like to sign autographs, but she was great with the fans.
Updated On: 4/13/04 at 11:06 PM
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#1re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/12/03 at 11:08pmNathan Lane is the absolute best. He's warm, funny and generoous with his time.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
SueleenGay
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/03
#2re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/12/03 at 11:10pmI am sorry, but SALLY RAND was the BEST with fans!!
PEACE.
#3re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/12/03 at 11:14pmBernadette Peters signed almost every single person's Playbill the night I saw "Gypsy." And there were a lot of people.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#4re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/12/03 at 11:21pmI have to put Idina's name into the hat. She's always super sweet and seemingly genuinely gracious. She makes each person feel like they have her complete attention and I've seen her stay to sign every last playbill in line.
cabarethed
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/03
#5re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/12/03 at 11:25pm
I have to second Denis O'Hare. Well, Sunjata was too, but I didn't go up to him. If we're talking Take Me Out, David Eigenberg was quite the sweetheart. But Denis O'Hare...I am in love with that man's acting, and I had gone to the door once before for an autograph and spoke to him for a minute. The second time I saw it (a few months later), I went up to him (when there was actually a free second between fans) and basically gushed. I've never gushed to the point of near tears to an actor before, but his performance just brought it out of me. He was so incredibly kind and said he remembered me from before- get this- and that he remembered my tongue ring (royal blue). Cracked me up.
Roger Bart was an absolute dear. So's Raul Esparza, Michael Hall, Gary Beach, John Stamos, Marc Kudisch, Deborah Gibson, and Neil Patrick Harris among others.
#6re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 12:06amI have observed both Brian Stokes Mitchell and Chuck Wagner to be gracious, patient, and friendly with any fan who approaches them. True gentlemen.
"Do you know ChrisLovesShows?" "Yes. Why, yes he does!"
WhatDoINeedWithLove?
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/03
#7re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 12:10amWell, I gotta give mad props to Sutton! Total sweetie to fans! And Tracy Jai Edwards (new AMber in Hairspray) is sSOOOOOO nice!!!! She kept talking to me! She was sooo intrested in her fans! But I gotta say Gavin creel is the best! He seriously is SOOO honestly nice and loves talking to fans! When i saw him in Bounce he remembered my name from when I saw him in Millie and writing him and he was asking me about college and giving adive and stuff!! HES AWESOME!
BroadwayGirl107
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/26/03
#8re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 12:15amSutton, you just don't get nicer than her. If you've ever met her or wrote to her, ya know what I mean. She must dedicate more time to her fans than most other performers out there.
PennyLou
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/03
#9re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 12:19amMOST of the Hairspray cast is really great when it comes to fans outside. Some kind of sign things but get away as fast as possible and other stay and chat with you a little like I have a full out conversation whit Clark (Corny) and Mary Bond Davis. Also Kerry Butler is really good when it comes to signing things to.
Grace: My love for you is like this scar (points to elbow) ulgy but permanent!
Becky
Broadway Star Joined: 5/14/03
#10re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 12:22am
Anthony Rapp. He looks you right in the eye with this intense stare when he talks to you. He makes you feel that what you are saying is the most important thing in the world to him at that moment. It's almost unnerving.
#11re: re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 4:21am
Hugh Jackman is extremely gracious with his fans. When he came out the stage door the day I saw the show, he went first to his right and then to his left, signing whatever was handed to him and even posing for photos. He got to as many people as he could, even though his wife and son were already in the car waiting for him.
In the UK, Michael Ball is also extremely gracious with fans. He offers to pose for photos with people who are too shy to ask, and gladly signs programs and photos. He's wonderful with children as well. When he was doing CCBB I remember one day a young mentally challenged girl was brought to his attention at the stage door before the show. He asked her if she was seeing the show that afternoon. When she said yes, he found out from her mother where they were sitting, and he told the girl that he would wave to her at the end of the show when the car would be flying above the audience -- and he did!
One other think about MB. There was another day when a man was waiting at the stage door with a lot of stuff for Michael to sign -- play flyers, programs and a video of Michael's Royal Albert Hall concert -- he looked very much like one of those "professional" autograph seekers. When Michael arrived, this guy got to him first with his paraphenalia, but Michael wouldn't sign any more than two items.
MasterLcZ
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/12/03
#12 re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 5:57am
Suleen, darling. You are a lonely voice, crying in the wilderness...
"Christ, Bette Davis?!?!"
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#13re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 7:32am
The best treatment of fans after a Broadway musical that I've ever witnessed was done by two former films stars (who shall remain nameless) who performed the same starring role in this musical. One opened the musical, the other came in after the first left, then, if I recall correctly, the original star came back to close the show. Anyhow, after each performance each of these ladies would sit perched on a desk inside the stage door as fans who had queued were ushered in to meet the star. Autographs were given, photos were snapped, much chatting and gushing ensued. Every fan walked out on air.
What ever happened to class?
Yours for a better Broadway.
BwayTheatre11
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/03
#14re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 7:57amTracy Jai Edwards looks extremely nice. I also think Mary Bond Davis would make a great friend.
CCM '10!
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#15re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 8:54amI'll bet that Broadway Bulldog is referring to Debbie Reynolds and Jane Powell in IRENE. They were, indeed, class acts.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#16re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 8:55amI'll bet that Broadway Bulldog is referring to Debbie Reynolds and Jane Powell in IRENE. They were, indeed, class acts.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
CJR
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/14/03
#17re: re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 9:11amAnn Reinking, John Dossett, Michele Pawk, Donna Lynne Champlin, Roxane Carrasco, Tracy Shayne, Bianca Marroquin, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marc Kudisch, Faith Prince
"You're every gay man's wet dream!" ~ MA
If in Heaven you don't excel, you can always party down in hell...
#18re: re: re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 9:30am
I've never had a problem with anyone at a stage door and everyone's always been pleasant.
I've yet to meet anyone who won't return a handshake and take a 'thank you.'
IssaMe
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/03
TheBalladeer
Broadway Star Joined: 7/27/03
#20re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 9:50am
Brian Stokes Mitchell, Bernadette Peters, Laura Benanti, Vanessa Williams, Kerry O'Malley Marissa Jaret Winokur, Sutton Foster, Kerry Butler, (The whole cast of Little Shop),and Mary Bond Davis I know for a fact are very nice, patient, and gracious at the stage door....There are others that I know for sure, but I am too lazy to type. Most actors on Broadway right now are nice and gracious to their fans. I have never had a problem.
Cheers,
The Balladeer
"Someone tell the story...Someone sing the song...."
CaTheatreGirl
Broadway Star Joined: 5/12/03
#21re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 10:05amI'll third Denis O'Hare and Daniel Sunjata. They are wonderful. I was surprised that Antonio Banderas was great with the fans. Matthew Broderick, though very shy and reserved, will give 20-30 minutes after a show to sign and take photos when you can tell crowds are an uncomfortable sight with him (think back to H2$). Some of those mentioned above, I'll not name names, won't always come out the stage door. You have to watch for them elsewhere, but they will be kind enough to sign Playbills. Dollypop, you gave me a chuckle!
#22re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 10:32am
I'll second Louise Pitre! Even when she's in a hurry, she always stops and signs things, poses for pictures with everyone and actually listens to people when they they talk to her- she is a total sweetheart!! What gets me is that she looks you in the eye and smiles...which makes one feel very special. In fact, all the cast of "Mamma Mia" are very kind to their fans, I must say.
"Years from now, when you talk about this - And you will - Be kind. "
mamamia sammy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/19/03
#23re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 10:37am
Barbra Streisand loves to sign.
Madonna too.
BroadwayWorld: A home for the dangerously unhinged
mmFan
Broadway Star Joined: 10/13/03
#24Best with Fans
Posted: 10/13/03 at 10:42amI've never met Louise Pitre, but I was amazed when I wrote to her via her posted email address and I recieved a response. I couldn't believe that she took the time to write back (and she answered all my questions).
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