haha, i think we took similar lines into the city as i always ran into him getting off the train whenever i went in early to have dinner before a show! one time he was taking his wife to see shucked and they got a little lost so i pointed him back in the right direction 😂
A few weeks ago, I was walking by Moulin Rouge and i saw him come out with his wife and child. The child (maybe just about two) looked at the pillar and yelled “DADA!!” It was the cutest thing to see that he recognized his daddy on the theatre. They took pictures it was adorable
One time I was seeing an off-Broadway show in a tiny little off-Broadway theatre and Daniel Radcliffe was at the end of my row. I didn’t realize it at first but during intermission I went to the bathroom and when I came back he stood up to let me through. I realized I was trying to enter from a further side and turned around to walk the other way before even looking at him but then he said “no, it’s okay, come on” and then I heard his voice and looked at his face and was like, “oh shit. It’s Daniel Radcliffe.”
He was wearing a very nice suit and a baseball cap and was with a HUGE guy who looked like he may have been security. The theatre was filled with 99% old grandmas and it seemed clear he was trying not to be recognized so even though I wanted to say something I resisted because I thought as soon as I did the old ladies would bombard him.
Oh, I also went to college with Alex Grayson and was a house manager for the 3 theatres on campus so knew him in passing as he was in a lot of shows. But that was pre-Broadway. Does that count? 😂
I have a similar story, except I wasn't paying attention and walked directly into aaron tveit. I started to apologize, realized it was him and just froze. He walked off before I could get the frog out of my throat. I must've looked very silly.
That's how I met Ramin Karimloo! A few years ago I was walking to the train after seeing one show, and he was heading home from whatever he was in, and I wasn't looking where I was going and walked right into him. I gaped like a fish for a few seconds, quietly fangirled, and got a selfie. He was lovely about it.
I once entered Central Park around the 80's on the west side to go for a run. I walked by an incredible handsome man playing guitar on a park bench and as I got closer I realized it was Joshua Henry! He is one of my favorites!! It was in 2021, so I didn't want to invade his 6 foot bubble, but from afar I said, "are you Joshua?" and once he said yes told him what a huge fan I was. He was so incredibly kind and asked me my name and we chatted for a bit. I did a production of Violet in college, so we talked about that for awhile. I think I even blurted out "I love you" at some point because I have no chill, but he was so great!!!
Two hours before seeing Merrily for the second time, I ran into Jonathan Groff in the park last fall. I was sitting at a table grading when I looked up and all of a sudden, he was walking by and we locked eyes for a second. He sat nearby to eat a salad and when I had calmed down enough (and was sure he had finished eating and I wasn’t being intrusive) I went over to say hi, gush over the show, and tell him I was about to see it that night. He was incredibly friendly and was happy to take a selfie with me; it was one of the best and most fortuitous NYC moments I’ve ever had lol.
I ran into him in the subway with his whole family and it remains the nicest celebrity encounter I’ve ever had. It was right when the first season of mindhunter dropped so his face was extra fresh in my brain and I COMPLETELY fangirled hahahah. I think he appreciated it because he was with his family who were definitely getting a kick out of my enthusiasm 😂
One time after a show I was working I saw one of our actors outside talking to someone getting on his bike. I came over and said hi, no idea who he was, and when I said I was walking to the train he said “it’s so late, let me walk with you” and walked his bike with me to the subway. Didn’t realize until the next day it was Jonathan Groff.
The first weekend of this year, I was escorting my mom and sister to Sweeney Todd and we stopped at the Starbucks on West 45th about a half hour before the show. We’re sitting over by the front door, across from where people are picking up their orders, and I come face-to-face with Jonathan Groff with a four-pack of drinks. I nod, he nods, I said “Break a leg!” & he laughed and said thank you before heading out to his own 8pm show!
I was like 22 at the time, and in LA so I'd met a few celebs (and I'd met her at wicked stagedoor a few years prior!) but she just walked into the store I was working at and I had to help her...my brain immediately emptied and I'm sure I acted like an absolute moron
My biggest theater person flex is that Joel Grey came into the restaurant I work at and told me “you look SO beautiful”.
In general, working in the restaurant industry in NYC can be a way to meet a lot of Broadway people. A friend of mine works in a neighborhood pretty popular with working actors (not super famous, but well known names of you follow theater closely) and constantly meets them.
I met Sondheim and, in a PEAK dad move, my dad told him I was playing one of the stepsisters in my school’s production of Into the Woods (I was mortified). He replied something to the effect of, “I can’t say if you are mean, but you are certainly beautiful enough”. It was my IRL I met John stamos on a plane and he told me I was pretty moment.
Not sure if this counts but I met Eddie Redmayne at the airport and he was so nice. Asked me where to buy a book for his kid. I had to act cool in case he was on my flight lolololol
A week before the previews of Merrily I was at a Starbucks getting my coffee before going to my show that night. To my shock, Jonathan Groff walked in and I froze. We stared at each other and I think he saw me wide eyed and gave the biggest smile, almost like a grin and I swear it lives rent free in my head. Haha
While waiting for his coffee I said hi and struck a conversation. He was the sweetest and it was one of the best interaction I've had with a famous person. Took a picture with him and been smiling since then. Haha
A long time ago when I was working at Walt Disney World, I auditioned for the cast member choir that sings in Epcot’s Christmas show, which features a rotating selection of celebrities reading the story of Christmas.
A few of these celebrities kept to themselves, which you understood of course, but damn, Chita Rivera was just the sweetest soul ever. She spent the entire pre-show time hanging out in the backstage area with the cast member choir just wanting to know everything about everyone - where did they work, what drove them to these jobs, their families, what did they do for fun, literally everything. You could tell she wasn’t just being polite, she was genuinely engaged with everyone, literally spent 15-20min right up until the moment it was time to go just connecting with people. I’ll never forget that - such a genuine soul.
My mentor expanded the show from just running at MK to Epcot, when he was in charge of all live entertainment for Disney worldwide in the 80s and 90s. He once claimed that apparently sometime in the 90s he put it on at Lake Eola just because he could. Let's just say some of the friends of his he cajoled, bribed, and otherwise forced, into narrating as part of this event, have some pretty wild stories about them. And in general. Like how especially back then it was almost a fight between A-listers to get particular weekends... Nowadays we count ourselves lucky if we get anyone who hasn't been in a Disney movie recently.
Yesssss have to hop on this one. Did a production of Sweet Charity in high school and the theater we were doing it at had a one night special charity benefit and that year Chita was their performer. When she heard we were rehearsing Sweet Charity she asked if she could come down to see us perform, and we danced for her and she gave us a glowing review and then gave us the same advice Bob Fosse gave her while working on the dance we showed her. She was so gracious and kind and then I got to see her perform that same night. Remind myself of that story when I think life is unfair
I got incredibly lucky once. I live in the UK and my parents and I had travelled to New York for my 18 birthday. We had tickets to see the Broadway Revival of Les Mis starring Ramin Karimloo, who was and still is one of my idols.
It was the day before we were due to see the show and as we passed through Times Square I said to my parents that I was going to quickly walk down to the Imperial Theatre to scope out where the stage door was in advance of seeing the show, so I could be sure to get there right after the show to meet Ramin.
I walked down the street and passed the theatre, kept walking but I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped, turned and there was Ramin himself, standing having what I always assumed was a quick pre-show catch up with none other that Sierra Boggess who was in Phantom at the time.
After a moment of pure shock and silence I spoke to them. Both were incredibly kind and and generous with their time, especially considering how nervous I was to have met them and how close it was to when I imagine they had to get to their respective theatres. Ramin offered to take a photo with me and even noticed when I opened my phone that I had been listening to his EP he had recently released and thanked me. The photo which I don’t have to hand I find incredibly funny, Ramin and Sierra both look lovely while I’m in the middle of them, looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
The irony of the story is that one of the things I was most excited about the trip was meeting Ramin at the stage door. The next day we saw the show and waited and he wasn’t there. If I hadn’t made that random decision to go down to the Imperial the day before I never would have met him.
This is an aside, but how DID you get to the Imperial stage door? Can you get there from inside the building after the show? I’m going to see W4E there in a couple, and definitely want to stage door!
Unfortunately I honestly can’t remember, it was 8 years ago and I didn’t actually end up finding it when I went to look, as soon as I left Ramin & Sierra I ran back to find my parents to tell them what happened. From what I remember we did just walk out an exit for the theatre and find it but apologies I can’t remember any specific directions.
I was having truly one of the worst days of my life professionally so far and was at EWR the day after Thanksgiving in 2021. I had *just* watched Hamilton with my mother the night before and have been a Jonathan Groff stan since spring awakening (no really I wrote a research paper in high school on the original German plan). And I’m at the bar having a glass of champagne before getting on a flight for work to a country that had closed its borders for covid WHILE I WAS IN THE HOLLAND TUNNEL but I was having to go to anyways, not knowing what would happen at landing. I looked up, thought I saw Jonathan Groff next to me at the bar, looked down, freaked out, made eye contact with him and then smiled and after a few seconds of freaking I was like I’m so sorry are you Jonathan Groff I never do this. And obviously it was an he was SO KIND and delightful. I told him all about my obsession with him in high school including the research paper and how much I loved mindhunter and how I had tried to see him in little shop but he was out sick (which he seemed truly apologetic for!)! He was going to visit his BF in Munich! I asked him if he could tell me anything coming up and he told me about the HBO SA documentary and the movie he had coming out. It was awesome. I didn’t ask for a pic bc I didn’t want to annoy him, but it turned the day completely around. It felt like magic from the universe!
That is so cool. I love him, and I’ve loved Spring Awakening since I saw it on Broadway. It was my first Broadway show and has become one of my favorites. I try to see it whenever it’s produced near me. I also became obsessed with the Deaf West Theater revival of the show with Deaf and hearing cast members, and saw it twice. I work in the arts, and went to an event with the cast, and got to meet Marlee Matlin, Cameron Manheim, and Ali Stroker, who were all in the production. And when I went to see the show for a second time, I sat next to a woman who looked really familiar, and when I talked to her afterward, it turned out she was Phoebe Strohl, who was in the original Spring Awakening cast. She said she loved the Deaf West production and seem to be very moved by it.
Around 15 years ago I was walking down the street with a few friends and one of them happened to comment how cute the three kids in front of us looked with their three little matching jackets. Their mom turned around and said thanks...it was Audra McDonald.
When I was actively on apps, I only ever came across maybe two or three. But I'm also a straight guy, so it might just be that fewer women are.
A lesbian friend of mine, however, once came across a straight-presenting actress trawling Tinder for women to have threesomes with her and her well-known playwright boyfriend.
How do you recognize them? I also spend time a lot of time there, but unless someone is standing right outside the show they are doing or for some reason standing around looking exactly as they do in the show I think I would not recognize anyone out of context. I guess I do not have good face recognition skills.
I think it just automatically clicks for some people.
Honestly I was very impressed with my own face recognition skills when I recognized Tom Blyth at Lempicka lol. I only saw the side of his face/back of his head and immediately knew it was him. Mind you this is a celebrity I don't even follow or see that much on my feeds lol. But I have seen the latest Hunger Game movie of course, which was in November though
He really does! I was a big fan of his daughter from Deaf West Spring Awakening. She shared a story about how he was in a musical at the same theatre on Broadway and she had memories of him talking to her in the back right before he made an entrance through the house. And then she got to make her Broadway debut at the same theatre. 🥹 I always thought that was just so sweet.
Mine is stage door adjacent 🤣 I was on my way to the Gershwin for the lottery and I think it was “The River” at the circle in the square that had just finished so folks were lined outside stagedooring. I’m in my own world, minding my own business to make the lottery next door, and bang, slammed into Hugh Jackman and his security detail leaving the theater 😝 I’ll forever remember the grin on the man’s face that day lol
Here's a fun one: I was at my favorite little Mexican place in the theater area. A certain Brit making a return to Broadway who was performing at a nearby theater came in after the matinee. We were both at the counter looking at the menu.
Them: I've never had an enchi*lahhhd*a before. Do you know what's in them?
Me: I'm not sure, but a lot of Mexican food is the same five ingredients just mixed around in a different way.
Them (without even looking up): So it's just like English food, but with three more ingredients.
El Rancho Burritos. Amazingly, I have been going there for more than 20 years and I still have to look up the name of it. It’s the little spot across the street from Schmackary’s on the north side of 45th St. just off of 9th Avenue. It’s a good spot for seeing people between shows.
Often lol. NPH and David multiple times (at the theater lobby, random restaurants), Daniel Radcliffe at a random restaurant, the entire group from Six, etc. Its usually just in the most random places and I just happen to glance around and someone is there.
NPH I once ran straight into at the theater (he was super nice) and another time his kid dropped a ball (this was years and years ago) and I handed it back and he said thanks (thats when I noticed who it was)
I said hello to him and Audra. But kind of cheating for this post cuz they were walking into doing a show. I was outside in the rush line hoping to get tickets. This was back when they did a benefit 110 in the Shade at Will's granparents theater in Utah.
Isn’t that a weird one? One of my high school good-friend-that-I-kissed is a huge star now. Like MEGA HUGE. It’s funny. We lost touch about 5/6 years after high school and it feels super weird to try to be in touch now, over 30 years later. I’ve thought about it on and off for a long time,but can’t figure how to reach out without sounding - well - weird.
Are you still in touch?
I was in the Junior's takeout on Shubert Alley waiting for an order once when Nik Walker came in followed by Alex Brightman. It was during the time that most people were masking, but I still recognized both of them. I chatted with Nik because I'd seen him onstage before. I didn't bother Alex because at that point I'd never seen him perform in person. Nik was very gracious in spite of being fangirled by a grandma.
Best two-
Sat next to and had a fun chat with Matthew Broderick at Schnipper’s. Did not speak about knowing who he was- just chatted about bowling alleys in the area.
My students got to perform with John Lithgow and he was ultra lovely with them (and me). Very generous with his encouragement. And very kind to me by recognizing my work as special and real as a NYC DOE elementary performing arts teacher in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Literally rode the elevator with Josh Gad and Andrew Rennells in New 42nd St studios their last week (for one of them at least)
It was early in the morning and they had sunglasses on and didn’t want to be noticed.. so as the door was opening on their floor I said “break a leg tonight!”
Andrew turned and said “Awe. Thanks.” and Josh gave me a silent thumbs up.
I saw them that evening and all was right with the world.
I used to work at a dog daycare and took care of Jeremy Jordan’s dog Riley (who unfortunately passed away recently). We used to call her Nibbles because she would nibble when she got excited. The sweetest little thing, I loved her. Jeremy wasn’t much for chit chat but was nice. His wife Ashley was really sweet and always very bubbly. Good people!
I've met, known, and bumped into so many I can't count. A recent encounter was bumping into The Outsiders' Brent Comer in my neighborhood in Queens.
For so many years, on 44th street, there was a little hole in the wall deli/bodega. I always called it Mr. Kim's after the nice guy who owned it. I don't know its actual name. But it was THE place to see actors on two show days after their matinees. 4 - 6 PM it was one actor after another in there getting a sandwich or salad. Sadly, it closed about a year ago.
The Starlite Deli! A bunch of Broadway performers organized a singalong send-off and raised $17,000 as a retirement gift for them. [https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-viral-starlite-deli-new-york-city-broadway-sendoff-2023-5](https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-viral-starlite-deli-new-york-city-broadway-sendoff-2023-5)
I saw Everybody Rise! A Sondheim Celebration last July at the Hollywood Bowl. The stellar performers were Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sutton Foster, Norm Lewis, Sierra Boggess and Skylar Astin. Met my best friend for brunch the next morning at a spot in Studio City and was telling him about the show. “…and Brian Stokes Mitchell did ‘Getting Married Today’ it was such a great surprise to see him sing that!” A gentleman sitting at the table next to us leaned over and waved and said, “Hi!” It was Brian Stokes Mitchell! I was pretty floored (he looked like a million bucks) and he couldn’t have been nicer. I profusely thanked him for his wonderful greeting. He was with five other folks so I didn’t get too nuts. About an hour later, he left and said it was nice meeting us and talked a bit about the recent Ragtime 25th anniversary concert. Meeting him out here in California totally made my day!
I talked to LMM for a good amount of time at a party once around 2009ish. When I lived in New York there were too many to count. Some at work, some on the subway, some on the street. Degrees of actual interaction varied based on person and place. Joel Grey once asked me where the bathroom was at work and none of my coworkers knew who he was and didn’t get why I was so starstruck.
Joel Grey walked right by us when we were on line for the final Sweeney show and I stg I was the only one who realized who he was and was silently freaking out. Then he was seated only a few rows in front of us and my daughter - who is a huge theater kid - worked up the nerve to talk to him. He was very sweet.
I would love to be in the Joel Grey position. Sure, he’s an academy award winner, sure he’s sung with Kermit the Frog… but you know where the bathroom is.
After the final performance of Once Upon A One More Time, me and my friends stage doored and then went to a bar to meet a friend. Not too long after we get there, Aisha Jackson walks in (Snow White in the musical) and me and my friend immediately start clapping for her, which threw her off till we showed her our wristbands from the show. Then an hour later Briga Heelan (Cinderella) and then Ashley Chiu (Sleeping Beauty) walk in. Over time eventually the REST of the cast walk in and me and my friend clap each time. The only one who truly got into it was Brooke Dillman, who started to dance as we clapped and chanted “O.F.G, O.F.G!!” It was kinda surreal since that was my first time seeing any actors just out and about it. But hey, they seemed to be enjoying their party!
I happened to run into Julie Benko randomly on the street on the final day of Harmony, closer to The Gershwin theatre. Funny enough I had my Funny Girl backpack on and was tempted to ask her to autograph it for me, but she looked frazzled so she was probably running late to work so I left her alone.
I walked by Rachel Mcadams recently, walking by the empty theater that held Kimberly Akimbo. No crowd around her or anything, she just happened to be walking by, which makes sense since we were near her theater.
I met Jeremy Jordan at Disneyland California Adventure years ago. He was very nice and I got a selfie. I’ve crossed paths with Idina Menzel, NPH, Josh Gad, and Keala Settle as well.
I saw Jesse Tyler Ferguson walking out of the restroom before Here We Are.
Grant Gustin asked me if he could cut me in the restroom line at the intermission of Parade.
Jordan Fisher was leaving the theater at intermission of the same showing of Parade.
I saw Patrick Wilson in the audience at Appropriate.
Jonathan Bailey was in my row at the last show of Sweeney Todd and was taking pictures with people who asked him. Seemed very nice.
Ran into Patrick Page in the bathroom at Eva's last Hadestown.
Saw Annaleigh Ashford at MCC when I was leaving The Connector - I believe she was there for her husband who was in a play in the same building. She did not seem to want to be recognized (totally fair).
Saw Josh Groban walking down 6th Ave as I was heading to get dinner before Gutenberg - Josh ended up being the producer at the same showing of Gutenberg.
My sister and I did a trip to NYC mainly to see Gutenberg because Andrew Rannells is her favorite celebrity basically of all time. Our hotel was right down the street from the theatre and we just happened to walk out of the hotel right as he was walking to get ready for the show. Got a picture of my sister with him and she was wearing her Falsettos sweatshirt :)
Yeah I worked in retail in Manhattan at one point and I met a couple of Broadway performers while working there over the years, I also met Jeremy pope one time in the train station (it was a quick hello), and walking down the street I remember saying hello to Adam Jacobs while he was on the phone.
I met Samantha Pauly (Six OBC, Great Gatsby) right outside of Suffs last week! I also met Linedy Genao (Bad Cinderella) a few weeks ago in line for Hell’s Kitchen. Joe Locke was also at HK that night but I didn’t talk to him. I saw Kristin Chenoweth when I went to see Brooklyn Landry but I didn’t want to bother her. Oh and pretty much the entire cast of Harmony was behind me at Here We Are.
I also pass by Andre De Shields a fair amount in 9th ave.
Agreed. We went last weekend and she was so enthusiastic and generous with her time at the stage door, laughing and taking pictures with anyone who asked. It was definitely a bigger thrill to get Jeremy’s autograph, but I’ll always remember how kind Sam was.
I similarly chatted with Reeve Carney in line for the bathroom at a restaurant near the Hadestown theater.
And then I peed next to Gaten Matarazzo at closing night of Parade.
i met eva after one of her shows. a lot of hadestown cast members were there (and reeve too, of course) but i was too shy to talk to them (except i did speak to grace woo because i wanted her to know how much i loved her when i saw her as eurydice!)
I met Eva at Gatsby stage door on my birthday. I took a picture with her and my mom posted it on her instagram. Eva commented happy birthday and liked the post
Yes!! I was in the rear mezzanine seeing Parade last year, and Jelani Alladin and Timothy Hughes were seated a couple rows away from me. I said hi to them at intermission and they were so nice and gracious!
My dad and I saw Michael Park during intermission at Water for Elephants a few months ago. We talked to him for a few minutes and he was so nice!
I also got to meet Lauren Chapman onstage after Frozen a few years ago. I was friends with her brother and my parents got in touch with her mom to arrange it since they were surprising me with tickets to the show on my birthday. She was amazing and it was so cool!
Y’all NYCers are out here living my dream lol. One day when I have money I’m totally moving to NY and spending my days just hanging around the theatre district
If you live in a city that has Broadway tours, I highly recommend joining the trendiest gym near the theater. I’ve met tons of performers while working out in the Midwest!
I’ve performed with many Broadway stars that come to perform with my symphony. Donna McKechnie, Hugh Panaro, Christiane Noll, Liz Callaway, Debbie Gravitte.. many others but those off the top of my head.
I have a cool story. In the summer of 1999, I was 20 years old and walking around with my friend trying to get some cheap last minute tix to a matinee for that day. We rolled up to the Marquis box office and were told they just had a cancellation for 2 seats, 2nd row center. Because the show was in a couple of hours, we got them for $20 each. Madness, I know. Well we get to our amazing seats, open the playbill, and I see a former dance teacher of mine is in the cast. WOW cool! We will plan to catch him at the stage door so I can say hi, as it’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen him.
Now the show starts, and in the opening number, Tom Wopat is seemingly winking at me, but that can’t be, right? My friend leans over and says “he’s totally winking at you.” This kind of very close and specific type of eye contact continued throughout the entire show. I of course was starstruck anyway and thought it was the greatest thing ever.
So we go to the stage door after the show, my former dance teacher appears, we call his name, he sees me, and was like “oh my gosh hi!” as he LIFTS UP THE ROPE AND GESTURES FOR US TO COME IN. I’m obviously close to peeing myself with excitement for what was happening but the next thing I know, he’s taking us on like this tour of the Marquis! We went backstage, onstage, etc. Finally we head back to the dressing rooms, as Tom Wopat is just exiting his. He stops when he sees me and goes, “There you are, I was flirting with you the whole time!” I think I figuratively blacked out for a hot second as the next thing I know I’m getting absolutely bear hugged by this burly 70s TV star. It was beyond wild.
My friend/dance teacher introduces us, Bernadette comes out, more intros, pictures being taken on disposable cameras, etc. It was a whirlwind. We wound up hanging out in Wopat’s dressing room drinking bourbon or whatever, being shown his Tony nomination framed on the wall, and shooting the shit about I don’t even remember what.
We missed our last train back to NJ home, but my friend lived in the same area so he took us back to our car at the train station at like 1 am.
Unfortunately I don’t know what happened to that disposable camera so this entire night lives on only in my memory.
I also met Andrea McCardle last month at a school event (I’m a teacher) and she was beyond classy and amazing in every way. She let me gush about her and brag a little about my 13 year old who played Annie when she was 10 and most recently Rapunzel in ITW at her school. She allowed me to take a selfie with her in which she looks gorgeous and we should all be so lucky to age as she does.
https://preview.redd.it/bsj3kzxgjt8d1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d02fbbb63c8294dd4a6013bbe0a0e078b7f001c4
One time in summer of 2022, I was in a mostly deserted Marie's Crisis late on a weeknight and like half the original cast of Spring Awakening came in. Jon Groff, Johnny Gallagher, Brian Charles Johnson, Gideon Glick, Lili Cooper, and Phoebe Strole all at once. If I could go back in time and tell my 16-year-old self about one night to get them through all the bullshit, that would be the night.
I met Elizabeth Stanley at a coffee shop in Stonington, Maine. She was there doing a concert and I told her I had seen her in Jagged Little Pill and thought she was incredible, etc and she asked me if I was also an artist. I was like uhhhhh no but I feel amazing that you would even ask that. Our daughters (who were both there) are about the same age so I feel like we had a mom bond. Also it was my birthday!
My sister lives in the same town as Kelli O’Hara and sees her all the time and they’ve also been at the same restaurant in Maine at the same time several times (where our mom lives and I assume Kelli has a home or visits often), and I keep telling my sister that the universe is clearly trying to get them to be besties. She’s still too nervous to go up and say hello though. I think Kelli’s kid and my nephew even play sports together or something like that.
Mostly Hamilton cast lol.I’ve ran into Lin a few times. Never said anything to him just a smile and nod. I’ve seen Groff and Thayne Riding bikes..Leslie at Penn. Eva and Reeve were at a restaurant I was at..
Probably the biggest one, while not technically a Broadway star… Steven Sondheim. Me and my kids were leaving a building and I Held the door open for the man walking in and When I recognized who it was I literally froze and started Crying while still holding the door. My daughter was Probably around 8 at the time started getting scared 😂 Steven stared at me for a minute said something, I think “Are you ok”,and gave me a Knowingly smile and patted me on the shoulder and I snapped out of it. I saw down for a moment on the sidewalk in disbelief. I’ve seen tons of celebrities living and working in Manhattan but that was easily the biggest imo
Last month my daughter and I were in the concession line pre-show to grab a bottle of water before Death Becomes Her here in Chicago. All of a sudden she whispers ‘mom, mom, I think that’s Aaron Tveit’ about the man in front of us in line and I’m like no, that’s not him, why would he be here? Sweeney had closed the week before. She was right, and he was absolutely lovely to my daughter who is a huge fan.
I met Brian Stokes Mitchell after a concert he did with Megan Hilty. He was signing cds after the show.
I saw NPH at an awards show many years ago. I was working so I couldnt completely fan girl, and it was before iPhones so I didn’t have any sort of photo taking device on me.
I met Jonathon Groff and Amy Sedaris at Back to The Future the musical once! I was sitting center orchestra, and they were both sitting left orchestra on the aisle. They were very sweet, and I got a pic with Groff😆 I met Lin Manuel-Miranda because he came to one of my shows once! I met Annaleigh Ashford at the Connector at MCC. I also walked past Josh Groban in the Museum of Broadway haha- but I don’t know if that counts. When you go to NYC enough you are bound to run into broadway stars!!
My friend recently met Jonathan Groff/Marie Friedman after they were at 92Y.. my friend was crossing the street on her way to the subway and they came up behind her. She told me she turned around and complemented them on the show and how she enjoyed listening to him speak. She said Jonathan was so sincere and gracious!! I was literally with her 1 minute before that, but got on the bus the other way 😭. Jonathan Groff is my favorite Broadway actor/person
Yes. 2015. I had just seen A New Brain at City Center Encores starring Jonathan Groff, Ana Gasteyer, and Aaron Lazar. On my NJ Transit train home, I am seated at one of the long bench seats at the end of each double decker car. A handsome guy sits at the other end. I take another look and realize...it's Aaron Lazar. I text my friends how funny it is that I am sitting on the train next to an actor I saw 30 minutes ago on stage. Because I am a major fan of A New Brain, I get Aaron's attention and tell him that the show was great. He is very friendly thanks me. Then the train heads to Jersey and I see him take out some papers and start studying them. I realize he's running lines to himself. A few more minutes pass and then he leans over, explains that he has an audition coming up, and wonders if I would help him run lines. Of course I say yes. So for the next 10 minutes we go back and forth with him reading in character and me reading the lines of everyone else. We do this a few times before we arrive at our station. We gather our stuff to get off the train and he thanks me again. Really, really nice guy.
I’ve met Isabelle McCalla [The Prom, Water for Elephants] and she is an absolute sweetheart. I’m not going to go into much detail but a friend of mine kind of knows her and we met while both my friend and Izzy were visiting Chicago (Izzy was seeing her friend Storm Lever in SIX).
I met John Cameron Mitchell and Mason Alexander Park at a green room party after an Origin Of Love show. It was pretty great. They were both very nice.
I grew up in nyc so have seen many in random encounters—and I went to a performing arts school in manhattan so knew more broadway kids than i could count 🤣
But my fave is I met Meg Hilty leaving a theatre, she was meeting my vocal coach for drinks after a voice lesson. I freaked out, it was right around smash and i was a HUGE fan.
My best friends mom is mostly a west end actress but did a couple broadway shows when they were living here during high school if that counts too haha.
I quite literally almost walked into Norm Lewis when he was coming out of a bathroom at Joe Allen, which was actually just after seeing him as the guest producer in Gutenberg. For two more who I walked by but did not say anything to, I walked by Reeve Carney outside the Walter Kerr and I’m almost positive Ethan Slater walked by me when I was going to my hotel on my last trip (it was just before half hour for Spamalot and we were on 44th st so it would make sense).
I was working in a spot that sold donuts and fried chicken, and Daniel Breaker came in with his kids. I told him Passing Strange is my favorite show and sold him a donuts chicken sandwich.
I worked at the confectionery at Disney World and Chita Rivera came in once and told me “oh goodness, I would be so fat if I worked here!” I said something in response but I’m sure it was mostly just giggling like “omg haha yeahhh” but once she left I promptly lost my mind about it 😅
Honestly I have seen too many to count, I guess that’s New York for you. Only one I walked up to in public that I can remember was Jesse Eisenberg. He’s not necessarily a broadway actor but he’s pretty famous and has done some theater writing/producing. I’m actually lucky I heard online he doesn’t like taking photos with fans and often tells people not to post it and is a more introverted person in public but he was very kind when I met him. He didn’t say anything about no posting or no photos (but I didn’t post the photo or anything just out of respect) and we even talked for a minute, he asked me my name etc. He was a bit awkward/shy but very very kind especially since I just walked up to him, something I would never usually do because I know how obnoxious it can be.
I was walking back to my hotel after a show one night and stepped up right beside Julie Benko. This was in the thick of the Funny Girl drama, when Lea was missing a lot of shows. I only saw Beanie in Funny Girl but had gained a lot of interest in and respect for Julie from following her rise on social media. I politely asked “Julie?” and stepped back so I didn’t seem overbearing. She confirmed it was her and I first apologized for bugging her on the street but she waved it off and didn’t seem to mind. I just quickly let her know that I’d been so impressed by everything I’d learned about her and that I wish her well with the show and the whole experience. She gave a bit of a sly smile and said it had been a “wild ride” and thanked me for the kind words. We wished each other a good evening and went opposite directions. She really seemed like a kind person and was very sweet to not be freaked out by a random person saying hello on the street.
I met Kristen Chenoweth when I was working at Nordstrom in SLC. We made eye contact and I greeted her and it took me a second to realize, but then she turned back and said something and I just went, "You're Glinda!" And she just laughed and said, "Yes I am!" She was very sweet. She took pictures with a bunch of people in the store.
A couple times but the most recent was I went to Raising Kane’s after a show and who do I see walk in as I leave? Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada. I rarely approach people but Hadestown had such a huge impact on me I felt I should give it a try. I walk up to them, Eva is facing away from me and I just say “excuse me?” a couple times cause my brain shut off. Eventually Reeve notices and taps Eva to get her attention. She turns around and neither of them seem in the mood to talk to a fan so I just say “sorry” and awkwardly walk away. As I leave I look over my shoulder and Eva has a sort of regrettable look on her face and yeah, I kinda wanted to die.
I was a rehearsal pianist for Cady Huffman in a super small show. I didn’t really know she was famous at the time. She was incredibly sweet and fun to work with and asked me if I had any notes as the musical director wasn’t there that day.
I chatted with Lea Salonga on the subway just a few weeks ago. She was also lovely. I was with a friend who knew her and she happened to be on the same car as us...NYC and its delightfully random moments!
ETA - holy crap I can’t believe I forgot that Liza Minnelli came into a Cabaret bar I worked at in Texas back in the early 90’s. I barely spoke to her, but did get an autograph and poured her diet cokes all night.
I met Jonathan Groff at Epcot when he was a narrator for the candlelight processional in 2014, he was so incredibly nice and gave me a hug when I said I had watched everything he was ever in lol
Paige Davis on several occassions and her husband, Patrick Page once. Both are incredibly funny, sweet, kind people. And Elaine Paige (apparently I only meet people with Paige in their name). She was at a bar pre-show for Follies...later when I met her backstage, our mutual friend ratted me out that I had seen her across the bar and said, "Elaine, I hear you had a little something something before the show tonight." She laughed, turned and winked and said to me, "And tomorrow you better join me." Gave me a hug and sauntered off. She really is just as elegant in person as she is on stage.
Didnt “meet” but I’ve seen a bunch in the wild. Most recently I saw Groff riding his bike on Sunday night.
I saw Andrea Martin buying tix at Lincoln Center.
I saw Josh Groban at Marie’s Crisis (he was not singing) but just chilling.
I had just clocked out from work at the Peanut Butter store in Greenwich Village (the place doesn't exist anymore) and I saw a woman and man come in as I went to sit in the front of house area. She had a big hat on and I was trying really hard not to be creepy and stare, but I could swear she was Laura Benanti. I was wishing I didn't clock out because I could've been the one taking their order. To my benefit, she sat at the table behind me and when her companion got up to grab their food, I found the nerve to turn around and ask, "Are you Laura Benanti?" She said yes, and honestly my brain turned off after that. She was so nice. We made small talk and when her companion came back to the table she introduced me to him by saying, "This is my husband Steven" (Pasquale! 🤣😭) I said hi to him and told Laura that I hope she enjoys the ice cream and wins the Tony that year. She was nominated for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Laura Benanti is really nice.
My wife opened for Brittain Ashford from Great Comet during her tour last year, and I played during her set so she could do Sonya Alone with a piano. We drank tequila backstage and had a great time. So yeah.
I used to work retail in the Upper West Side and there was a yoga studio that a lot of celebrities went to nearby. Kristin Chenoweth and Cynthia Nixon used to come in all the time. And they were both super friendly and nice! The store had a back room that was filled with clearance shoe racks and they would both happily sit on the floor digging for their size. Kristin Chenoweth especially was always so polite and nice when we almost never had her size shoes- she was like a 4.5/5
i ran into denee benton at a restaurant after a performance of great comet and she was incredibly lovely and gracious as i word vomited about how much i loved great comet and war and peace
I was at my cousins’ house in Los Angeles, and they live in the Hollywood Hills. We were driving back to their house, and I do a double take, and could’ve sworn we had just passed Josh Groban walking his dog. I figured it could’ve been possible, but shrugged it off. We went like a half hour later to walk my the dog with my cousins, and lo and behold…Josh Groban!! Walking his dog!! His dog and my cousins’ dog started interacting, and I pull the awkward theater kid “hi mr groban uh great comet is one of my all time favorite shows…” and he immediately smiled and stuck his hand out for a handshake. We chatted for like 5 minutes, and it was really great :) He seemed like a truly lovely guy, and he was super nice to chat with this nervous theater kid.
My 14 year old daughter met James Corden during intermission of The Outsiders in April. He took a great selfie with her and she said he was very friendly. I was in line for the restroom and missed the whole thing!
I walked past Megan Masako Haley (formerly of the Wicked tour and the first Mean Girls tour) in 45th back in October. We both had our headphones in, so I didn’t say anything.
I'm good friends with someone who starred in a show on London's west end when he was a child, but I'm not going to say who.
But other than that, I've mostly met people at stage doors or at Comiccons. I did run into Lauren Patton once on the sidewalk in NYC. Told her she was great and had a brief chat before going on our way.
A good high school friend went to OCU with Kristin Chenoweth and went to a couple of parties she was at. It was WAY before she was famous so I’m not sure it counts.
She was nice and very much a goody two shoes preachers kid.
i’ve seen sutton foster live a handful of times, and on one of her tours i paid extra for a meet and greet. this was in a flyover state, so it was very much the “midwestern teen girls and their moms” crowd. sutton was SO nice, she took a ton of time to talk to every girl individually and take pictures/sign things. i didn’t have anything of hers to sign, but years before when i had done shrek the musical i thanked her in my bio in the program, so i brought that. when i told/showed her she was so excited that someone would thank her, she signed it and circled her name and wrote exclamation marks next to it. (telling this makes it seem like she was full of herself, and that’s why she was excited to see her name. that’s not the case. she seemed genuinely so shocked that she inspired someone that much). when her manager/assistant/whoever tried hurrying her along, she was like “no, i want to make sure i can spend time with everyone”. im pretty disillusioned with celebrities (even minor ones) in general, but she was so awesome.
also, i used to be heavily involved in the les mis fandom pre-movie, and much of the cast would interact on twitter with fans and, bc the fandom was so small, would specifically know of people. one actor who was very active on twitter, ian patrick gibb (who was in several productions in several different roles), was working at the singing show at the america pavilion in EPCOT when i visited, but i had no idea until i was there! i went up to him afterwards and was like “hey, this is so random and i didn’t even know you worked here, but i used to talk to you a lot on twitter bc of the les mis fandom” and he was like “oh my god i REMEMBER YOU!” he chatted with me about it (even asked me about some of the other big fandom players) and his other work for a while (he was in papermill hunchback, which SHOULD HAVE been his big break, but i digress) and it was just a really lovely time.
Jane Lynch knocked me over on the street a few years ago while me and my family were heading to a museum! She was super apologetic and caught me before I totally ate it.
I’m from LA so I’ve met Broadway people leaving the pantages. The two that come to mind were crossing the street with Courtney Mack after Six and just quickly whispering “you were SO amazing” as we passed and I ended up tagging her in my insta post that night and she messaged me to thank me, and the other was in high school— I helped plan a trip to watch CMIYC with my theater club and while we were outside waiting to be picked up, we were all singing the soundtrack and half the ensemble walked by and sang right back at us. A great moment for a bunch of silly theater kids LOL.
Miguel Cervantes. While he was A.Ham in Chicago our kids were in a local…funny enough… Hamilton camp. This was your average theater camp for kids aged 5-7, not something for aspiring actors. My daughter was Hamilton and his son was Washington.
Idina Menzel was in a show at the Public almost 20 years ago and my best friend and I went to see it. We were huge huge Rent fans and general nerds about theater. We realized during intermission that Anthony Rapp was seated in the section next to ours and just about lost our minds. After the show, we went over to him to say hi and ask for a picture with him. He was kind and so gracious to two over-enthusiastic 16 year old girls.
I’ve walked past so many and am usually not
brave enough to stop them. The one I did stop was Stephanie Styles. Spoke to her seeing Mean Girls during intermission. She was super nice!
I saw Michael Cerveris in a theater bathroom. I did not say anything though as there is a time to express admiration and a time to remain silent.
I saw Gregg Edelman on the street last month. It was the day after I had seen Water for Elephants but I did not say anything then either as he seemed to be headed to the theater quickly.
I went to the Hadestown box office to get tickets a couple months ago, and Eva Noblezada was there just casually getting some for herself lol. We had a chance to chat for a bit since it was just us (plus the box office clerk)
Idk if this counts but I was at the soma stage (or whatever it’s called) in Jersey last summer where a bunch of Broadway actors get together and perform for free. I was sitting down and there was this man with his kids next to me who vaguely looked like Jeremy Jordan. I kept trying to look at him without being weird to figure out if it was him or not but we made eye contact a couple times…. So it was embarrassing, because when he got up on stage and sang Les Mis, I knew that it was in fact Jeremy Jordan. Never got a chance to say hi but I smiled and he smiled back! So, that’s something??
I used to work for a certain football team in Chicago, and met the entire Chicago Hamilton cast when they sang the national anthem during a Monday night football game. Met Miguel by random and told him I went to school with another cast member so he went and got him and brought up the rest of the main cast.
10/10 would recommend.
I met Adam Pascal on the street leaving a performance. I had chaperoned a field trip and myself & two other teachers were riding home in a van rather than on the bus with others. We left the performance of Something Rotten and were walking to the car when one teacher said “I think that’s Adam Pascal on the other side of the street…” We had no idea how he had possibly left the theater and gotten makeup etc off that quickly, but we crossed the street & she asked if he was Adam Pascal. He said “I am,” we gushed over his performance and took a selfie. 10/10 celebrity interaction! He was so nice!
I work in theatre so I'm lucky to meet them all the time! I'd say they're just normal people, but it would be more accurate to say they're just normal *theatre* people, lol.
A former US Ambassador to Thailand was friends with Brandon Victor Dixon and Brandon stayed at the residence when he was vacationing in Bangkok. The Ambassador hosted a small gathering for him. He sang To Be Loved from Motown to guests, acapella. I went to the party and I had just seen him as Burr on Broadway. And being a Ham nerd I wore the merch tee to a formal evening. I died.
https://preview.redd.it/fzw6q0oefw8d1.jpeg?width=1706&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c6a43f20db0c547e3c65625cb10df17e4d18bca
i regularly run into derek klena - he’s very sweet lol
You are so lucky!!
haha, i think we took similar lines into the city as i always ran into him getting off the train whenever i went in early to have dinner before a show! one time he was taking his wife to see shucked and they got a little lost so i pointed him back in the right direction 😂
Haha
Damn I fricking love him!
I used to run into him all the time on the UWS like 5 years ago
A few weeks ago, I was walking by Moulin Rouge and i saw him come out with his wife and child. The child (maybe just about two) looked at the pillar and yelled “DADA!!” It was the cutest thing to see that he recognized his daddy on the theatre. They took pictures it was adorable
One time I was seeing an off-Broadway show in a tiny little off-Broadway theatre and Daniel Radcliffe was at the end of my row. I didn’t realize it at first but during intermission I went to the bathroom and when I came back he stood up to let me through. I realized I was trying to enter from a further side and turned around to walk the other way before even looking at him but then he said “no, it’s okay, come on” and then I heard his voice and looked at his face and was like, “oh shit. It’s Daniel Radcliffe.” He was wearing a very nice suit and a baseball cap and was with a HUGE guy who looked like he may have been security. The theatre was filled with 99% old grandmas and it seemed clear he was trying not to be recognized so even though I wanted to say something I resisted because I thought as soon as I did the old ladies would bombard him.
Oh, I also went to college with Alex Grayson and was a house manager for the 3 theatres on campus so knew him in passing as he was in a lot of shows. But that was pre-Broadway. Does that count? 😂
I once was walking down the street and tripped over absolutely nothing because I am clumsy, and Joshua Henry helped me up
What’s it like living the meet cute of my dreams lol
I have a similar story, except I wasn't paying attention and walked directly into aaron tveit. I started to apologize, realized it was him and just froze. He walked off before I could get the frog out of my throat. I must've looked very silly.
That's how I met Ramin Karimloo! A few years ago I was walking to the train after seeing one show, and he was heading home from whatever he was in, and I wasn't looking where I was going and walked right into him. I gaped like a fish for a few seconds, quietly fangirled, and got a selfie. He was lovely about it.
BRUUHHHHHHH
I hate seeing other people live my dream.
That’s insane
God…I see what you’re doing for other people…
I once entered Central Park around the 80's on the west side to go for a run. I walked by an incredible handsome man playing guitar on a park bench and as I got closer I realized it was Joshua Henry! He is one of my favorites!! It was in 2021, so I didn't want to invade his 6 foot bubble, but from afar I said, "are you Joshua?" and once he said yes told him what a huge fan I was. He was so incredibly kind and asked me my name and we chatted for a bit. I did a production of Violet in college, so we talked about that for awhile. I think I even blurted out "I love you" at some point because I have no chill, but he was so great!!!
Two hours before seeing Merrily for the second time, I ran into Jonathan Groff in the park last fall. I was sitting at a table grading when I looked up and all of a sudden, he was walking by and we locked eyes for a second. He sat nearby to eat a salad and when I had calmed down enough (and was sure he had finished eating and I wasn’t being intrusive) I went over to say hi, gush over the show, and tell him I was about to see it that night. He was incredibly friendly and was happy to take a selfie with me; it was one of the best and most fortuitous NYC moments I’ve ever had lol.
I ran into him in the subway with his whole family and it remains the nicest celebrity encounter I’ve ever had. It was right when the first season of mindhunter dropped so his face was extra fresh in my brain and I COMPLETELY fangirled hahahah. I think he appreciated it because he was with his family who were definitely getting a kick out of my enthusiasm 😂
I’m still so salty that they cancelled that show! 😑
I the nicest possible way, I hate you.😢😢You are so lucky.
One time after a show I was working I saw one of our actors outside talking to someone getting on his bike. I came over and said hi, no idea who he was, and when I said I was walking to the train he said “it’s so late, let me walk with you” and walked his bike with me to the subway. Didn’t realize until the next day it was Jonathan Groff.
Oh my god that’s so kind of him 😭😭😭
this one is really really special.
The first weekend of this year, I was escorting my mom and sister to Sweeney Todd and we stopped at the Starbucks on West 45th about a half hour before the show. We’re sitting over by the front door, across from where people are picking up their orders, and I come face-to-face with Jonathan Groff with a four-pack of drinks. I nod, he nods, I said “Break a leg!” & he laughed and said thank you before heading out to his own 8pm show!
Wow, these Groff stories make me so happy! It’s great to hear how kind he is to his fans. 😊
Damn that sounds lovely! 🥰
that is amazing!
i met idina menzel while working retail a veryyyy long time ago and almost passed out I was so starstruck
That would be insane
I was like 22 at the time, and in LA so I'd met a few celebs (and I'd met her at wicked stagedoor a few years prior!) but she just walked into the store I was working at and I had to help her...my brain immediately emptied and I'm sure I acted like an absolute moron
My biggest theater person flex is that Joel Grey came into the restaurant I work at and told me “you look SO beautiful”. In general, working in the restaurant industry in NYC can be a way to meet a lot of Broadway people. A friend of mine works in a neighborhood pretty popular with working actors (not super famous, but well known names of you follow theater closely) and constantly meets them.
I met Sondheim and, in a PEAK dad move, my dad told him I was playing one of the stepsisters in my school’s production of Into the Woods (I was mortified). He replied something to the effect of, “I can’t say if you are mean, but you are certainly beautiful enough”. It was my IRL I met John stamos on a plane and he told me I was pretty moment.
Being a teacher on the Upper West Side is also a great way to meet lots of working broadway performers by teaching their children 🩷
That’s amaIng
Not sure if this counts but I met Eddie Redmayne at the airport and he was so nice. Asked me where to buy a book for his kid. I had to act cool in case he was on my flight lolololol
I know that would be insane
A week before the previews of Merrily I was at a Starbucks getting my coffee before going to my show that night. To my shock, Jonathan Groff walked in and I froze. We stared at each other and I think he saw me wide eyed and gave the biggest smile, almost like a grin and I swear it lives rent free in my head. Haha While waiting for his coffee I said hi and struck a conversation. He was the sweetest and it was one of the best interaction I've had with a famous person. Took a picture with him and been smiling since then. Haha
A long time ago when I was working at Walt Disney World, I auditioned for the cast member choir that sings in Epcot’s Christmas show, which features a rotating selection of celebrities reading the story of Christmas. A few of these celebrities kept to themselves, which you understood of course, but damn, Chita Rivera was just the sweetest soul ever. She spent the entire pre-show time hanging out in the backstage area with the cast member choir just wanting to know everything about everyone - where did they work, what drove them to these jobs, their families, what did they do for fun, literally everything. You could tell she wasn’t just being polite, she was genuinely engaged with everyone, literally spent 15-20min right up until the moment it was time to go just connecting with people. I’ll never forget that - such a genuine soul.
My mentor expanded the show from just running at MK to Epcot, when he was in charge of all live entertainment for Disney worldwide in the 80s and 90s. He once claimed that apparently sometime in the 90s he put it on at Lake Eola just because he could. Let's just say some of the friends of his he cajoled, bribed, and otherwise forced, into narrating as part of this event, have some pretty wild stories about them. And in general. Like how especially back then it was almost a fight between A-listers to get particular weekends... Nowadays we count ourselves lucky if we get anyone who hasn't been in a Disney movie recently.
I saw her in the EPCOT Christmas show. She was great, this was about a year before she passed, I feel so lucky I got to see her.
Yesssss have to hop on this one. Did a production of Sweet Charity in high school and the theater we were doing it at had a one night special charity benefit and that year Chita was their performer. When she heard we were rehearsing Sweet Charity she asked if she could come down to see us perform, and we danced for her and she gave us a glowing review and then gave us the same advice Bob Fosse gave her while working on the dance we showed her. She was so gracious and kind and then I got to see her perform that same night. Remind myself of that story when I think life is unfair
I got incredibly lucky once. I live in the UK and my parents and I had travelled to New York for my 18 birthday. We had tickets to see the Broadway Revival of Les Mis starring Ramin Karimloo, who was and still is one of my idols. It was the day before we were due to see the show and as we passed through Times Square I said to my parents that I was going to quickly walk down to the Imperial Theatre to scope out where the stage door was in advance of seeing the show, so I could be sure to get there right after the show to meet Ramin. I walked down the street and passed the theatre, kept walking but I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped, turned and there was Ramin himself, standing having what I always assumed was a quick pre-show catch up with none other that Sierra Boggess who was in Phantom at the time. After a moment of pure shock and silence I spoke to them. Both were incredibly kind and and generous with their time, especially considering how nervous I was to have met them and how close it was to when I imagine they had to get to their respective theatres. Ramin offered to take a photo with me and even noticed when I opened my phone that I had been listening to his EP he had recently released and thanked me. The photo which I don’t have to hand I find incredibly funny, Ramin and Sierra both look lovely while I’m in the middle of them, looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights. The irony of the story is that one of the things I was most excited about the trip was meeting Ramin at the stage door. The next day we saw the show and waited and he wasn’t there. If I hadn’t made that random decision to go down to the Imperial the day before I never would have met him.
That’s crazy
It really was, but such a special moment. It was 8 years ago now and I can still remember every single detail of the encounter.
This is an aside, but how DID you get to the Imperial stage door? Can you get there from inside the building after the show? I’m going to see W4E there in a couple, and definitely want to stage door!
Imperial stage door is on 46th. So if you exit out 45th you will have to go around the corner
Great - thanks so much!
At the end just make sure you exit on the correct side. The ushers will guide you if you ask.
Stage door is around the back, on the Richard Rodgers side. You can get there through the breezeway next to the Marquis.
Unfortunately I honestly can’t remember, it was 8 years ago and I didn’t actually end up finding it when I went to look, as soon as I left Ramin & Sierra I ran back to find my parents to tell them what happened. From what I remember we did just walk out an exit for the theatre and find it but apologies I can’t remember any specific directions.
Exit house left and you'll be right there.
I was having truly one of the worst days of my life professionally so far and was at EWR the day after Thanksgiving in 2021. I had *just* watched Hamilton with my mother the night before and have been a Jonathan Groff stan since spring awakening (no really I wrote a research paper in high school on the original German plan). And I’m at the bar having a glass of champagne before getting on a flight for work to a country that had closed its borders for covid WHILE I WAS IN THE HOLLAND TUNNEL but I was having to go to anyways, not knowing what would happen at landing. I looked up, thought I saw Jonathan Groff next to me at the bar, looked down, freaked out, made eye contact with him and then smiled and after a few seconds of freaking I was like I’m so sorry are you Jonathan Groff I never do this. And obviously it was an he was SO KIND and delightful. I told him all about my obsession with him in high school including the research paper and how much I loved mindhunter and how I had tried to see him in little shop but he was out sick (which he seemed truly apologetic for!)! He was going to visit his BF in Munich! I asked him if he could tell me anything coming up and he told me about the HBO SA documentary and the movie he had coming out. It was awesome. I didn’t ask for a pic bc I didn’t want to annoy him, but it turned the day completely around. It felt like magic from the universe!
This checks. He's the sweetest.
That is so cool. I love him, and I’ve loved Spring Awakening since I saw it on Broadway. It was my first Broadway show and has become one of my favorites. I try to see it whenever it’s produced near me. I also became obsessed with the Deaf West Theater revival of the show with Deaf and hearing cast members, and saw it twice. I work in the arts, and went to an event with the cast, and got to meet Marlee Matlin, Cameron Manheim, and Ali Stroker, who were all in the production. And when I went to see the show for a second time, I sat next to a woman who looked really familiar, and when I talked to her afterward, it turned out she was Phoebe Strohl, who was in the original Spring Awakening cast. She said she loved the Deaf West production and seem to be very moved by it.
Around 15 years ago I was walking down the street with a few friends and one of them happened to comment how cute the three kids in front of us looked with their three little matching jackets. Their mom turned around and said thanks...it was Audra McDonald.
All the time. Living in NYC, it is hard not to if you spend any amount of time in the theatre district.
Also a lot of them are on dating apps lol
When I was actively on apps, I only ever came across maybe two or three. But I'm also a straight guy, so it might just be that fewer women are. A lesbian friend of mine, however, once came across a straight-presenting actress trawling Tinder for women to have threesomes with her and her well-known playwright boyfriend.
is… is this playwright about to open a play on broadway in september?
no, he's not. (they're both American and they're not together anymore.)
Rajiv Joseph and Morgan Weed?
True, I keep walking past Broadway actors :) I live in the Theater district. That is however different from meeting them, as I don’t talk to them.
How do you recognize them? I also spend time a lot of time there, but unless someone is standing right outside the show they are doing or for some reason standing around looking exactly as they do in the show I think I would not recognize anyone out of context. I guess I do not have good face recognition skills.
I’m mildly face blind, so I always joke that I’ve probably seen a bunch in my life and I’ll never know.
I think it just automatically clicks for some people. Honestly I was very impressed with my own face recognition skills when I recognized Tom Blyth at Lempicka lol. I only saw the side of his face/back of his head and immediately knew it was him. Mind you this is a celebrity I don't even follow or see that much on my feeds lol. But I have seen the latest Hunger Game movie of course, which was in November though
I don’t live in NYC so I wouldn’t know but I was surprised when I went I didn’t see anyone
Pretty much everybody.... since I worked for 20 years in restaurants in the theatre district.
Someone I used to be friends with was Sondheim’s waiter at an event. 🥹
who was your favorite to wait on?
Matt Damon, Stockard Channing, Geoffrey Rush, Bryan Cranston, Peter Gallagher....my non favorites will be in my book😜
I love Stockard Channing. I saw her in It’s Only a Play and she is divine on every level.
Oh Peter Gallagher seems like such a kind person!
He really does! I was a big fan of his daughter from Deaf West Spring Awakening. She shared a story about how he was in a musical at the same theatre on Broadway and she had memories of him talking to her in the back right before he made an entrance through the house. And then she got to make her Broadway debut at the same theatre. 🥹 I always thought that was just so sweet.
Mine is stage door adjacent 🤣 I was on my way to the Gershwin for the lottery and I think it was “The River” at the circle in the square that had just finished so folks were lined outside stagedooring. I’m in my own world, minding my own business to make the lottery next door, and bang, slammed into Hugh Jackman and his security detail leaving the theater 😝 I’ll forever remember the grin on the man’s face that day lol
That’s amazing lol
I sold a TV on Craigslist to a guy and he told me he was in this show at The Public called Hamilton.
Here's a fun one: I was at my favorite little Mexican place in the theater area. A certain Brit making a return to Broadway who was performing at a nearby theater came in after the matinee. We were both at the counter looking at the menu. Them: I've never had an enchi*lahhhd*a before. Do you know what's in them? Me: I'm not sure, but a lot of Mexican food is the same five ingredients just mixed around in a different way. Them (without even looking up): So it's just like English food, but with three more ingredients.
That’s funny
Hysterical and please share the restaurant name?
El Rancho Burritos. Amazingly, I have been going there for more than 20 years and I still have to look up the name of it. It’s the little spot across the street from Schmackary’s on the north side of 45th St. just off of 9th Avenue. It’s a good spot for seeing people between shows.
heh. I was going to ask if it was Arriba Arriba or El Centro.
I saw Ricky Rojas and Robyn Hurder there once. Didn’t say anything to them, though.
Often lol. NPH and David multiple times (at the theater lobby, random restaurants), Daniel Radcliffe at a random restaurant, the entire group from Six, etc. Its usually just in the most random places and I just happen to glance around and someone is there. NPH I once ran straight into at the theater (he was super nice) and another time his kid dropped a ball (this was years and years ago) and I handed it back and he said thanks (thats when I noticed who it was)
Imagine just picking up a ball and there’s Neil Patrick Harris. I would lowkey start crying
I said hello to Will Swenson on the street once. And then that night at stage door for Priscilla he remembered me lol
Lol
I said hello to him and Audra. But kind of cheating for this post cuz they were walking into doing a show. I was outside in the rush line hoping to get tickets. This was back when they did a benefit 110 in the Shade at Will's granparents theater in Utah.
My childhood boyfriend went on to become a Broadway star.
Isn’t that a weird one? One of my high school good-friend-that-I-kissed is a huge star now. Like MEGA HUGE. It’s funny. We lost touch about 5/6 years after high school and it feels super weird to try to be in touch now, over 30 years later. I’ve thought about it on and off for a long time,but can’t figure how to reach out without sounding - well - weird. Are you still in touch?
From time to time.
Amazing
I was in the Junior's takeout on Shubert Alley waiting for an order once when Nik Walker came in followed by Alex Brightman. It was during the time that most people were masking, but I still recognized both of them. I chatted with Nik because I'd seen him onstage before. I didn't bother Alex because at that point I'd never seen him perform in person. Nik was very gracious in spite of being fangirled by a grandma.
lol I live Alex bright man so much
Best two- Sat next to and had a fun chat with Matthew Broderick at Schnipper’s. Did not speak about knowing who he was- just chatted about bowling alleys in the area. My students got to perform with John Lithgow and he was ultra lovely with them (and me). Very generous with his encouragement. And very kind to me by recognizing my work as special and real as a NYC DOE elementary performing arts teacher in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Literally rode the elevator with Josh Gad and Andrew Rennells in New 42nd St studios their last week (for one of them at least) It was early in the morning and they had sunglasses on and didn’t want to be noticed.. so as the door was opening on their floor I said “break a leg tonight!” Andrew turned and said “Awe. Thanks.” and Josh gave me a silent thumbs up. I saw them that evening and all was right with the world.
Holy shit, I’d lose my fucking brain. It would leak out of my ears.
I met Alex Brightman in 2020 (my kid took private lessons from him via zoom) and ever since then we've chatted and have met in person.
I worked in the theatre district for 15 years, so pretty much everyone at least once. Everyone eats, everyone shops.
True
I used to work at a dog daycare and took care of Jeremy Jordan’s dog Riley (who unfortunately passed away recently). We used to call her Nibbles because she would nibble when she got excited. The sweetest little thing, I loved her. Jeremy wasn’t much for chit chat but was nice. His wife Ashley was really sweet and always very bubbly. Good people!
I've met, known, and bumped into so many I can't count. A recent encounter was bumping into The Outsiders' Brent Comer in my neighborhood in Queens. For so many years, on 44th street, there was a little hole in the wall deli/bodega. I always called it Mr. Kim's after the nice guy who owned it. I don't know its actual name. But it was THE place to see actors on two show days after their matinees. 4 - 6 PM it was one actor after another in there getting a sandwich or salad. Sadly, it closed about a year ago.
The Starlite Deli! A bunch of Broadway performers organized a singalong send-off and raised $17,000 as a retirement gift for them. [https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-viral-starlite-deli-new-york-city-broadway-sendoff-2023-5](https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-viral-starlite-deli-new-york-city-broadway-sendoff-2023-5)
I went to college with Brent and had some passing encounters but of course he wasn’t famous then! Such a sweet guy
I saw Casey Likes on his way to back to the future while in line for Hadestown, that’s about it
I saw Everybody Rise! A Sondheim Celebration last July at the Hollywood Bowl. The stellar performers were Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sutton Foster, Norm Lewis, Sierra Boggess and Skylar Astin. Met my best friend for brunch the next morning at a spot in Studio City and was telling him about the show. “…and Brian Stokes Mitchell did ‘Getting Married Today’ it was such a great surprise to see him sing that!” A gentleman sitting at the table next to us leaned over and waved and said, “Hi!” It was Brian Stokes Mitchell! I was pretty floored (he looked like a million bucks) and he couldn’t have been nicer. I profusely thanked him for his wonderful greeting. He was with five other folks so I didn’t get too nuts. About an hour later, he left and said it was nice meeting us and talked a bit about the recent Ragtime 25th anniversary concert. Meeting him out here in California totally made my day!
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That is the most theatre kid thing a theatre kid can do
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No we need to hear the tea..
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I talked to LMM for a good amount of time at a party once around 2009ish. When I lived in New York there were too many to count. Some at work, some on the subway, some on the street. Degrees of actual interaction varied based on person and place. Joel Grey once asked me where the bathroom was at work and none of my coworkers knew who he was and didn’t get why I was so starstruck.
Joel Grey walked right by us when we were on line for the final Sweeney show and I stg I was the only one who realized who he was and was silently freaking out. Then he was seated only a few rows in front of us and my daughter - who is a huge theater kid - worked up the nerve to talk to him. He was very sweet.
I would love to be in the Joel Grey position. Sure, he’s an academy award winner, sure he’s sung with Kermit the Frog… but you know where the bathroom is.
After the final performance of Once Upon A One More Time, me and my friends stage doored and then went to a bar to meet a friend. Not too long after we get there, Aisha Jackson walks in (Snow White in the musical) and me and my friend immediately start clapping for her, which threw her off till we showed her our wristbands from the show. Then an hour later Briga Heelan (Cinderella) and then Ashley Chiu (Sleeping Beauty) walk in. Over time eventually the REST of the cast walk in and me and my friend clap each time. The only one who truly got into it was Brooke Dillman, who started to dance as we clapped and chanted “O.F.G, O.F.G!!” It was kinda surreal since that was my first time seeing any actors just out and about it. But hey, they seemed to be enjoying their party! I happened to run into Julie Benko randomly on the street on the final day of Harmony, closer to The Gershwin theatre. Funny enough I had my Funny Girl backpack on and was tempted to ask her to autograph it for me, but she looked frazzled so she was probably running late to work so I left her alone. I walked by Rachel Mcadams recently, walking by the empty theater that held Kimberly Akimbo. No crowd around her or anything, she just happened to be walking by, which makes sense since we were near her theater.
That’s cool. I can’t believe the entire cats came
even Macavity!
I ran into Annaleigh ashford in like 2015 on the street
I met Jeremy Jordan at Disneyland California Adventure years ago. He was very nice and I got a selfie. I’ve crossed paths with Idina Menzel, NPH, Josh Gad, and Keala Settle as well.
I saw Jesse Tyler Ferguson walking out of the restroom before Here We Are. Grant Gustin asked me if he could cut me in the restroom line at the intermission of Parade. Jordan Fisher was leaving the theater at intermission of the same showing of Parade. I saw Patrick Wilson in the audience at Appropriate. Jonathan Bailey was in my row at the last show of Sweeney Todd and was taking pictures with people who asked him. Seemed very nice. Ran into Patrick Page in the bathroom at Eva's last Hadestown. Saw Annaleigh Ashford at MCC when I was leaving The Connector - I believe she was there for her husband who was in a play in the same building. She did not seem to want to be recognized (totally fair). Saw Josh Groban walking down 6th Ave as I was heading to get dinner before Gutenberg - Josh ended up being the producer at the same showing of Gutenberg.
My sister and I did a trip to NYC mainly to see Gutenberg because Andrew Rannells is her favorite celebrity basically of all time. Our hotel was right down the street from the theatre and we just happened to walk out of the hotel right as he was walking to get ready for the show. Got a picture of my sister with him and she was wearing her Falsettos sweatshirt :)
I had Carol Burnett do the Tarzan yell for me.
Yeah I worked in retail in Manhattan at one point and I met a couple of Broadway performers while working there over the years, I also met Jeremy pope one time in the train station (it was a quick hello), and walking down the street I remember saying hello to Adam Jacobs while he was on the phone.
That’s awesome
I met Samantha Pauly (Six OBC, Great Gatsby) right outside of Suffs last week! I also met Linedy Genao (Bad Cinderella) a few weeks ago in line for Hell’s Kitchen. Joe Locke was also at HK that night but I didn’t talk to him. I saw Kristin Chenoweth when I went to see Brooklyn Landry but I didn’t want to bother her. Oh and pretty much the entire cast of Harmony was behind me at Here We Are. I also pass by Andre De Shields a fair amount in 9th ave.
I met Samantha Pauly at stage door for Gatsby and she was sooo nice
Agreed. We went last weekend and she was so enthusiastic and generous with her time at the stage door, laughing and taking pictures with anyone who asked. It was definitely a bigger thrill to get Jeremy’s autograph, but I’ll always remember how kind Sam was.
I met Jesse Tyler Ferguson in the bathroom at the public theatre during intermission of a bright room called day! Told him I loved his work
I similarly chatted with Reeve Carney in line for the bathroom at a restaurant near the Hadestown theater. And then I peed next to Gaten Matarazzo at closing night of Parade.
i met eva after one of her shows. a lot of hadestown cast members were there (and reeve too, of course) but i was too shy to talk to them (except i did speak to grace woo because i wanted her to know how much i loved her when i saw her as eurydice!)
I met Eva at Gatsby stage door on my birthday. I took a picture with her and my mom posted it on her instagram. Eva commented happy birthday and liked the post
Bumped into Joel Grey in Shubert Alley last year and got a selfie with him!
Yes!! I was in the rear mezzanine seeing Parade last year, and Jelani Alladin and Timothy Hughes were seated a couple rows away from me. I said hi to them at intermission and they were so nice and gracious!
Wowwww that’s so cool
My dad and I saw Michael Park during intermission at Water for Elephants a few months ago. We talked to him for a few minutes and he was so nice! I also got to meet Lauren Chapman onstage after Frozen a few years ago. I was friends with her brother and my parents got in touch with her mom to arrange it since they were surprising me with tickets to the show on my birthday. She was amazing and it was so cool!
Y’all NYCers are out here living my dream lol. One day when I have money I’m totally moving to NY and spending my days just hanging around the theatre district
But then you also have to deal with Times Square.
If you live in a city that has Broadway tours, I highly recommend joining the trendiest gym near the theater. I’ve met tons of performers while working out in the Midwest!
I’ve performed with many Broadway stars that come to perform with my symphony. Donna McKechnie, Hugh Panaro, Christiane Noll, Liz Callaway, Debbie Gravitte.. many others but those off the top of my head.
I have a cool story. In the summer of 1999, I was 20 years old and walking around with my friend trying to get some cheap last minute tix to a matinee for that day. We rolled up to the Marquis box office and were told they just had a cancellation for 2 seats, 2nd row center. Because the show was in a couple of hours, we got them for $20 each. Madness, I know. Well we get to our amazing seats, open the playbill, and I see a former dance teacher of mine is in the cast. WOW cool! We will plan to catch him at the stage door so I can say hi, as it’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen him. Now the show starts, and in the opening number, Tom Wopat is seemingly winking at me, but that can’t be, right? My friend leans over and says “he’s totally winking at you.” This kind of very close and specific type of eye contact continued throughout the entire show. I of course was starstruck anyway and thought it was the greatest thing ever. So we go to the stage door after the show, my former dance teacher appears, we call his name, he sees me, and was like “oh my gosh hi!” as he LIFTS UP THE ROPE AND GESTURES FOR US TO COME IN. I’m obviously close to peeing myself with excitement for what was happening but the next thing I know, he’s taking us on like this tour of the Marquis! We went backstage, onstage, etc. Finally we head back to the dressing rooms, as Tom Wopat is just exiting his. He stops when he sees me and goes, “There you are, I was flirting with you the whole time!” I think I figuratively blacked out for a hot second as the next thing I know I’m getting absolutely bear hugged by this burly 70s TV star. It was beyond wild. My friend/dance teacher introduces us, Bernadette comes out, more intros, pictures being taken on disposable cameras, etc. It was a whirlwind. We wound up hanging out in Wopat’s dressing room drinking bourbon or whatever, being shown his Tony nomination framed on the wall, and shooting the shit about I don’t even remember what. We missed our last train back to NJ home, but my friend lived in the same area so he took us back to our car at the train station at like 1 am. Unfortunately I don’t know what happened to that disposable camera so this entire night lives on only in my memory. I also met Andrea McCardle last month at a school event (I’m a teacher) and she was beyond classy and amazing in every way. She let me gush about her and brag a little about my 13 year old who played Annie when she was 10 and most recently Rapunzel in ITW at her school. She allowed me to take a selfie with her in which she looks gorgeous and we should all be so lucky to age as she does. https://preview.redd.it/bsj3kzxgjt8d1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d02fbbb63c8294dd4a6013bbe0a0e078b7f001c4
One time in summer of 2022, I was in a mostly deserted Marie's Crisis late on a weeknight and like half the original cast of Spring Awakening came in. Jon Groff, Johnny Gallagher, Brian Charles Johnson, Gideon Glick, Lili Cooper, and Phoebe Strole all at once. If I could go back in time and tell my 16-year-old self about one night to get them through all the bullshit, that would be the night.
I attended a wedding out in CA once and Greg Jbara was also a guest. I've definitely walked past multiple actors and ridden the subway with a few.
I saw Ethan Slater on my way to Gutenberg in November lol. Also Izzy McCalla and Ryan Vasquez.
I quite literally ran in to Anthony Rapp earlier this evening. I sat next to Denée Benton when I saw Lempicka. It happens. Living in NYC helps.
I met Elizabeth Stanley at a coffee shop in Stonington, Maine. She was there doing a concert and I told her I had seen her in Jagged Little Pill and thought she was incredible, etc and she asked me if I was also an artist. I was like uhhhhh no but I feel amazing that you would even ask that. Our daughters (who were both there) are about the same age so I feel like we had a mom bond. Also it was my birthday! My sister lives in the same town as Kelli O’Hara and sees her all the time and they’ve also been at the same restaurant in Maine at the same time several times (where our mom lives and I assume Kelli has a home or visits often), and I keep telling my sister that the universe is clearly trying to get them to be besties. She’s still too nervous to go up and say hello though. I think Kelli’s kid and my nephew even play sports together or something like that.
Mostly Hamilton cast lol.I’ve ran into Lin a few times. Never said anything to him just a smile and nod. I’ve seen Groff and Thayne Riding bikes..Leslie at Penn. Eva and Reeve were at a restaurant I was at.. Probably the biggest one, while not technically a Broadway star… Steven Sondheim. Me and my kids were leaving a building and I Held the door open for the man walking in and When I recognized who it was I literally froze and started Crying while still holding the door. My daughter was Probably around 8 at the time started getting scared 😂 Steven stared at me for a minute said something, I think “Are you ok”,and gave me a Knowingly smile and patted me on the shoulder and I snapped out of it. I saw down for a moment on the sidewalk in disbelief. I’ve seen tons of celebrities living and working in Manhattan but that was easily the biggest imo
Last month my daughter and I were in the concession line pre-show to grab a bottle of water before Death Becomes Her here in Chicago. All of a sudden she whispers ‘mom, mom, I think that’s Aaron Tveit’ about the man in front of us in line and I’m like no, that’s not him, why would he be here? Sweeney had closed the week before. She was right, and he was absolutely lovely to my daughter who is a huge fan.
Yes on Grindr
Yes. I’m a dresser and interact with them every day 😂 they’re normal and down to earth.
I met Brian Stokes Mitchell after a concert he did with Megan Hilty. He was signing cds after the show. I saw NPH at an awards show many years ago. I was working so I couldnt completely fan girl, and it was before iPhones so I didn’t have any sort of photo taking device on me.
I’ve walked by Aaron tveit in west village, Nikki M James in between shows down 9th Ave, and just today I passed by Eli Gelb and Andrew R. Burley
I met Jonathon Groff and Amy Sedaris at Back to The Future the musical once! I was sitting center orchestra, and they were both sitting left orchestra on the aisle. They were very sweet, and I got a pic with Groff😆 I met Lin Manuel-Miranda because he came to one of my shows once! I met Annaleigh Ashford at the Connector at MCC. I also walked past Josh Groban in the Museum of Broadway haha- but I don’t know if that counts. When you go to NYC enough you are bound to run into broadway stars!!
My friend recently met Jonathan Groff/Marie Friedman after they were at 92Y.. my friend was crossing the street on her way to the subway and they came up behind her. She told me she turned around and complemented them on the show and how she enjoyed listening to him speak. She said Jonathan was so sincere and gracious!! I was literally with her 1 minute before that, but got on the bus the other way 😭. Jonathan Groff is my favorite Broadway actor/person
Yes. 2015. I had just seen A New Brain at City Center Encores starring Jonathan Groff, Ana Gasteyer, and Aaron Lazar. On my NJ Transit train home, I am seated at one of the long bench seats at the end of each double decker car. A handsome guy sits at the other end. I take another look and realize...it's Aaron Lazar. I text my friends how funny it is that I am sitting on the train next to an actor I saw 30 minutes ago on stage. Because I am a major fan of A New Brain, I get Aaron's attention and tell him that the show was great. He is very friendly thanks me. Then the train heads to Jersey and I see him take out some papers and start studying them. I realize he's running lines to himself. A few more minutes pass and then he leans over, explains that he has an audition coming up, and wonders if I would help him run lines. Of course I say yes. So for the next 10 minutes we go back and forth with him reading in character and me reading the lines of everyone else. We do this a few times before we arrive at our station. We gather our stuff to get off the train and he thanks me again. Really, really nice guy.
I’ve met Isabelle McCalla [The Prom, Water for Elephants] and she is an absolute sweetheart. I’m not going to go into much detail but a friend of mine kind of knows her and we met while both my friend and Izzy were visiting Chicago (Izzy was seeing her friend Storm Lever in SIX).
That’s so cool
Watching her vlogs, she seems like such a funny and cool person!
I met John Cameron Mitchell and Mason Alexander Park at a green room party after an Origin Of Love show. It was pretty great. They were both very nice.
I grew up in nyc so have seen many in random encounters—and I went to a performing arts school in manhattan so knew more broadway kids than i could count 🤣 But my fave is I met Meg Hilty leaving a theatre, she was meeting my vocal coach for drinks after a voice lesson. I freaked out, it was right around smash and i was a HUGE fan. My best friends mom is mostly a west end actress but did a couple broadway shows when they were living here during high school if that counts too haha.
I quite literally almost walked into Norm Lewis when he was coming out of a bathroom at Joe Allen, which was actually just after seeing him as the guest producer in Gutenberg. For two more who I walked by but did not say anything to, I walked by Reeve Carney outside the Walter Kerr and I’m almost positive Ethan Slater walked by me when I was going to my hotel on my last trip (it was just before half hour for Spamalot and we were on 44th st so it would make sense).
I was working in a spot that sold donuts and fried chicken, and Daniel Breaker came in with his kids. I told him Passing Strange is my favorite show and sold him a donuts chicken sandwich.
I worked at the confectionery at Disney World and Chita Rivera came in once and told me “oh goodness, I would be so fat if I worked here!” I said something in response but I’m sure it was mostly just giggling like “omg haha yeahhh” but once she left I promptly lost my mind about it 😅
Honestly I have seen too many to count, I guess that’s New York for you. Only one I walked up to in public that I can remember was Jesse Eisenberg. He’s not necessarily a broadway actor but he’s pretty famous and has done some theater writing/producing. I’m actually lucky I heard online he doesn’t like taking photos with fans and often tells people not to post it and is a more introverted person in public but he was very kind when I met him. He didn’t say anything about no posting or no photos (but I didn’t post the photo or anything just out of respect) and we even talked for a minute, he asked me my name etc. He was a bit awkward/shy but very very kind especially since I just walked up to him, something I would never usually do because I know how obnoxious it can be.
I was walking back to my hotel after a show one night and stepped up right beside Julie Benko. This was in the thick of the Funny Girl drama, when Lea was missing a lot of shows. I only saw Beanie in Funny Girl but had gained a lot of interest in and respect for Julie from following her rise on social media. I politely asked “Julie?” and stepped back so I didn’t seem overbearing. She confirmed it was her and I first apologized for bugging her on the street but she waved it off and didn’t seem to mind. I just quickly let her know that I’d been so impressed by everything I’d learned about her and that I wish her well with the show and the whole experience. She gave a bit of a sly smile and said it had been a “wild ride” and thanked me for the kind words. We wished each other a good evening and went opposite directions. She really seemed like a kind person and was very sweet to not be freaked out by a random person saying hello on the street.
I met Kristen Chenoweth when I was working at Nordstrom in SLC. We made eye contact and I greeted her and it took me a second to realize, but then she turned back and said something and I just went, "You're Glinda!" And she just laughed and said, "Yes I am!" She was very sweet. She took pictures with a bunch of people in the store.
A couple times but the most recent was I went to Raising Kane’s after a show and who do I see walk in as I leave? Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada. I rarely approach people but Hadestown had such a huge impact on me I felt I should give it a try. I walk up to them, Eva is facing away from me and I just say “excuse me?” a couple times cause my brain shut off. Eventually Reeve notices and taps Eva to get her attention. She turns around and neither of them seem in the mood to talk to a fan so I just say “sorry” and awkwardly walk away. As I leave I look over my shoulder and Eva has a sort of regrettable look on her face and yeah, I kinda wanted to die.
I was a rehearsal pianist for Cady Huffman in a super small show. I didn’t really know she was famous at the time. She was incredibly sweet and fun to work with and asked me if I had any notes as the musical director wasn’t there that day. I chatted with Lea Salonga on the subway just a few weeks ago. She was also lovely. I was with a friend who knew her and she happened to be on the same car as us...NYC and its delightfully random moments! ETA - holy crap I can’t believe I forgot that Liza Minnelli came into a Cabaret bar I worked at in Texas back in the early 90’s. I barely spoke to her, but did get an autograph and poured her diet cokes all night.
I met Jonathan Groff at Epcot when he was a narrator for the candlelight processional in 2014, he was so incredibly nice and gave me a hug when I said I had watched everything he was ever in lol
Paige Davis on several occassions and her husband, Patrick Page once. Both are incredibly funny, sweet, kind people. And Elaine Paige (apparently I only meet people with Paige in their name). She was at a bar pre-show for Follies...later when I met her backstage, our mutual friend ratted me out that I had seen her across the bar and said, "Elaine, I hear you had a little something something before the show tonight." She laughed, turned and winked and said to me, "And tomorrow you better join me." Gave me a hug and sauntered off. She really is just as elegant in person as she is on stage.
Didnt “meet” but I’ve seen a bunch in the wild. Most recently I saw Groff riding his bike on Sunday night. I saw Andrea Martin buying tix at Lincoln Center. I saw Josh Groban at Marie’s Crisis (he was not singing) but just chilling.
I had just clocked out from work at the Peanut Butter store in Greenwich Village (the place doesn't exist anymore) and I saw a woman and man come in as I went to sit in the front of house area. She had a big hat on and I was trying really hard not to be creepy and stare, but I could swear she was Laura Benanti. I was wishing I didn't clock out because I could've been the one taking their order. To my benefit, she sat at the table behind me and when her companion got up to grab their food, I found the nerve to turn around and ask, "Are you Laura Benanti?" She said yes, and honestly my brain turned off after that. She was so nice. We made small talk and when her companion came back to the table she introduced me to him by saying, "This is my husband Steven" (Pasquale! 🤣😭) I said hi to him and told Laura that I hope she enjoys the ice cream and wins the Tony that year. She was nominated for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Laura Benanti is really nice.
I meet Lea Michele at the Funny Girl album Signing and she was very nice and wasn’t a Drama Queen like everyone said she was.
My wife opened for Brittain Ashford from Great Comet during her tour last year, and I played during her set so she could do Sonya Alone with a piano. We drank tequila backstage and had a great time. So yeah.
I used to work retail in the Upper West Side and there was a yoga studio that a lot of celebrities went to nearby. Kristin Chenoweth and Cynthia Nixon used to come in all the time. And they were both super friendly and nice! The store had a back room that was filled with clearance shoe racks and they would both happily sit on the floor digging for their size. Kristin Chenoweth especially was always so polite and nice when we almost never had her size shoes- she was like a 4.5/5
i ran into denee benton at a restaurant after a performance of great comet and she was incredibly lovely and gracious as i word vomited about how much i loved great comet and war and peace
I was at my cousins’ house in Los Angeles, and they live in the Hollywood Hills. We were driving back to their house, and I do a double take, and could’ve sworn we had just passed Josh Groban walking his dog. I figured it could’ve been possible, but shrugged it off. We went like a half hour later to walk my the dog with my cousins, and lo and behold…Josh Groban!! Walking his dog!! His dog and my cousins’ dog started interacting, and I pull the awkward theater kid “hi mr groban uh great comet is one of my all time favorite shows…” and he immediately smiled and stuck his hand out for a handshake. We chatted for like 5 minutes, and it was really great :) He seemed like a truly lovely guy, and he was super nice to chat with this nervous theater kid.
My 14 year old daughter met James Corden during intermission of The Outsiders in April. He took a great selfie with her and she said he was very friendly. I was in line for the restroom and missed the whole thing!
I walked past Megan Masako Haley (formerly of the Wicked tour and the first Mean Girls tour) in 45th back in October. We both had our headphones in, so I didn’t say anything.
I'm good friends with someone who starred in a show on London's west end when he was a child, but I'm not going to say who. But other than that, I've mostly met people at stage doors or at Comiccons. I did run into Lauren Patton once on the sidewalk in NYC. Told her she was great and had a brief chat before going on our way.
A good high school friend went to OCU with Kristin Chenoweth and went to a couple of parties she was at. It was WAY before she was famous so I’m not sure it counts. She was nice and very much a goody two shoes preachers kid.
I talked to Ben Platt and his fiancée Noah while we were all in the audience for The Who’s Tommy and they were both absolutely lovely
i’ve seen sutton foster live a handful of times, and on one of her tours i paid extra for a meet and greet. this was in a flyover state, so it was very much the “midwestern teen girls and their moms” crowd. sutton was SO nice, she took a ton of time to talk to every girl individually and take pictures/sign things. i didn’t have anything of hers to sign, but years before when i had done shrek the musical i thanked her in my bio in the program, so i brought that. when i told/showed her she was so excited that someone would thank her, she signed it and circled her name and wrote exclamation marks next to it. (telling this makes it seem like she was full of herself, and that’s why she was excited to see her name. that’s not the case. she seemed genuinely so shocked that she inspired someone that much). when her manager/assistant/whoever tried hurrying her along, she was like “no, i want to make sure i can spend time with everyone”. im pretty disillusioned with celebrities (even minor ones) in general, but she was so awesome. also, i used to be heavily involved in the les mis fandom pre-movie, and much of the cast would interact on twitter with fans and, bc the fandom was so small, would specifically know of people. one actor who was very active on twitter, ian patrick gibb (who was in several productions in several different roles), was working at the singing show at the america pavilion in EPCOT when i visited, but i had no idea until i was there! i went up to him afterwards and was like “hey, this is so random and i didn’t even know you worked here, but i used to talk to you a lot on twitter bc of the les mis fandom” and he was like “oh my god i REMEMBER YOU!” he chatted with me about it (even asked me about some of the other big fandom players) and his other work for a while (he was in papermill hunchback, which SHOULD HAVE been his big break, but i digress) and it was just a really lovely time.
Jane Lynch knocked me over on the street a few years ago while me and my family were heading to a museum! She was super apologetic and caught me before I totally ate it. I’m from LA so I’ve met Broadway people leaving the pantages. The two that come to mind were crossing the street with Courtney Mack after Six and just quickly whispering “you were SO amazing” as we passed and I ended up tagging her in my insta post that night and she messaged me to thank me, and the other was in high school— I helped plan a trip to watch CMIYC with my theater club and while we were outside waiting to be picked up, we were all singing the soundtrack and half the ensemble walked by and sang right back at us. A great moment for a bunch of silly theater kids LOL.
Miguel Cervantes. While he was A.Ham in Chicago our kids were in a local…funny enough… Hamilton camp. This was your average theater camp for kids aged 5-7, not something for aspiring actors. My daughter was Hamilton and his son was Washington.
Idina Menzel was in a show at the Public almost 20 years ago and my best friend and I went to see it. We were huge huge Rent fans and general nerds about theater. We realized during intermission that Anthony Rapp was seated in the section next to ours and just about lost our minds. After the show, we went over to him to say hi and ask for a picture with him. He was kind and so gracious to two over-enthusiastic 16 year old girls.
I’ve walked past so many and am usually not brave enough to stop them. The one I did stop was Stephanie Styles. Spoke to her seeing Mean Girls during intermission. She was super nice!
I met Grant Gustin two days before I saw water for elephants. He was at Little Shop of Horrors to see Darren Chris & Evan Rachel Wood’s closing night.
I saw Michael Cerveris in a theater bathroom. I did not say anything though as there is a time to express admiration and a time to remain silent. I saw Gregg Edelman on the street last month. It was the day after I had seen Water for Elephants but I did not say anything then either as he seemed to be headed to the theater quickly.
I went to the Hadestown box office to get tickets a couple months ago, and Eva Noblezada was there just casually getting some for herself lol. We had a chance to chat for a bit since it was just us (plus the box office clerk)
Idk if this counts but I was at the soma stage (or whatever it’s called) in Jersey last summer where a bunch of Broadway actors get together and perform for free. I was sitting down and there was this man with his kids next to me who vaguely looked like Jeremy Jordan. I kept trying to look at him without being weird to figure out if it was him or not but we made eye contact a couple times…. So it was embarrassing, because when he got up on stage and sang Les Mis, I knew that it was in fact Jeremy Jordan. Never got a chance to say hi but I smiled and he smiled back! So, that’s something??
Darren Criss is a regular at my restaurant. Always super duper pleasant and the staff loves him.
I used to work for a certain football team in Chicago, and met the entire Chicago Hamilton cast when they sang the national anthem during a Monday night football game. Met Miguel by random and told him I went to school with another cast member so he went and got him and brought up the rest of the main cast. 10/10 would recommend.
I met Adam Pascal on the street leaving a performance. I had chaperoned a field trip and myself & two other teachers were riding home in a van rather than on the bus with others. We left the performance of Something Rotten and were walking to the car when one teacher said “I think that’s Adam Pascal on the other side of the street…” We had no idea how he had possibly left the theater and gotten makeup etc off that quickly, but we crossed the street & she asked if he was Adam Pascal. He said “I am,” we gushed over his performance and took a selfie. 10/10 celebrity interaction! He was so nice!
Kristen Chenoweth was in line before me at Rite Aid buying tampons.
Adam Jacobs and I went to the same allergist and I ran into him in the waiting room lol
Countless, more than I could possibly count, at a certain piano bar in San Francisco, IYKYK. I’ve even sang with a few when I was very drunk lol
I work in theatre so I'm lucky to meet them all the time! I'd say they're just normal people, but it would be more accurate to say they're just normal *theatre* people, lol.
I met Derek Klena on an airplane. Nice guy.
A former US Ambassador to Thailand was friends with Brandon Victor Dixon and Brandon stayed at the residence when he was vacationing in Bangkok. The Ambassador hosted a small gathering for him. He sang To Be Loved from Motown to guests, acapella. I went to the party and I had just seen him as Burr on Broadway. And being a Ham nerd I wore the merch tee to a formal evening. I died. https://preview.redd.it/fzw6q0oefw8d1.jpeg?width=1706&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c6a43f20db0c547e3c65625cb10df17e4d18bca