Wow! Carbon hair-raising experience there. I too saw Gale Harold in that play and I never thought about posting my experience here. Well here it is for you:
OH, Carbon, dear. I lived in New Jersey the state right next door to New York (I'm as little as twenty to thirty minutes away from New York City depending on what transportation I take into the City.)
I saw the play "Suddenly Last..." in November of 2006 w/Gale Harold. My experience was quite differently than yours (I wish you could have been there the night I was) and if I was a little less shy of a person it could have been something much more than it was but I'm just too shy.
My sister and I went to the last show of that evening, if I recall correctly it was a Wednesday night. The play ended a little after 10 p.m. and Gale was the last cast memeber to leave it was about maybe close to 11 p.m. when he came out. (There was no security people present that evening.)
He looked just like Brian Kinney for the exception of two things: he his hair was dyed blonde for the play (which I don't think he was too comfortable with because covered it with black baseball cap). Also he was not tanned like Brian Kinney. He was extremely light... I don't know if it was the blonde hair or the fact that it was cold outside or what but his complexion was extremely light, but it was flawless, not a pimple or blemish the first. He looked incredibly handsome still (although I prefer the QAF tan version myself).
There was just a handful of us waiting outside for his autograph (maybe less than 15 people total). When he came out we surrounded him. He was SOOOOO NICE, INCREDIBLY NICE.
My sister gave him a pen and her program to sign. He was signing it in a dark spot on the program and my sister said, "No don't sign it there... sign it over there it will show up better."
He said to her, "You're a demanding one." My sister and I almost melted. Then I gave him my program (I said nothing), he signed it for me (very nice handwriting too).
After that my sister stood around observing. A man, an elderly man presented Gale Harold something to sign and he said, "I'm not signing that." I have no idea what the man presented to him but he refused to sign it.
Now this is the amazing part, and why I wished your friends and you had been there that night. As I observed him with the fans I noticed he gave them his undivided attention. Any fan that approached him for a one-on-one conversation he indulged them, and not only did he indulge them he talked to them until the fan (and I thought this was beautiful and well as almost unbelievable) ended the conversation and walked away. He was never the one to end the conversation or be the first to walk away.. he always waited until the fan was finished with him.
Four people spoke to him one-on-one (including my sister... she was trying to get me to talk but I was just too shy and trying to act too cool, as not to crowd the man. I regret that now though, that I didn't take advantage of a great opportunity).
Well anyway the three other people where a black man, a very attractive blonde woman and the old man (the same man Mr. Harold refused to sign whatever he presented to him). He treated everybody the same he talked with them, smiled and chuckled while he talked and stayed with the fan until the fan said 'goodbye' to him.
I couldn't get over it how he always let the fan be the one to terminate the conversation and stay with them until the fan was ready to go. He even shook their hands if they extended it to him. At no time did he ever say to any fan, "See you later got a go" or any crap like that; he stayed with that fan until the fan said "goodbye" to him and then the fan was the first to walked away. I can't stress how taken I was with that. Most celebrities are exactly the opposite.
After everyone had left it was just my sister and I remaining observing him from a short distance. Gale Harold started walking up the street and my sister caught up with him, and we walked along side him while she carried on a conversation with him. Well, at least she walked along side him I kept falling back (I was trying so hard not to invade the man's privacy... BIG MISTAKE!)
Well, anyway I heard my sister say to him, "You were really good in the play."
He said, "Thank you."
Then she asked, "Gale, what are you going to do next?"
He said, "I don't know."
Then he went inside a bar on that same block. My sister wanted to follow him inside but I said, "No, don't follow him inside...give him his privacy." (ANOTHER BIG FUCKING MISTAKE!!!).
Another reason I wasn't rushing Mr. Harold is that I don't think he was too happy that night... his performance in the play was 'off' that night. He was terribly nervous on stage that evening for some reason and it showed immensely. However, he seemed very relaxed with this fans. That's another reason I thought he was such a great person because regardless of his performance in the play he was NICE, NICE, NICE to his fans. He did not take that out of them. Regardless of how he was feeling that evening he still gave his fans his undivided attention and was so down to earth and kind.
That's pretty much the entire story, my sister and I kept walking until we came to our PATH train (that's a train that connects between NY and NJ). We got on it and went home. When I got home that night I checked on the NET for the reviews for the play and found the critics review of Gale Harold's performance in the play read like this, "Gale Harold was not up to the part... and that's putting it lightly". So I guessed he was feeling a little down and probably couldn't wait until the season was over with a harsh review like that.
Author's Response: Hey you!...
I can totally agree with you about his manner with the fans...he was gracious and accommodating at all times that I saw/met him and also seemed a little shy at times.
I can also sympathise with you about trying not to crowd him too much-although I think I would have gone into the bar and had at least one drink but kept away from him!
I am sorry you did not speak to him but at least you got to meet him.
I really don't know how I managed to string two words together but i am so glad I did! And He shook my hand too I remember!
Like you, I was totally blown away by how beautiful he is...his skin looked perfect to me too!
I had started writing this almost as soon as I got home and it took me a while to remember stuff in the right order-I was ill and still floating on cloud 9- and as I say I am sure I have some stuff mixed up but I will never forget meeting him!
Thanks for sharing your experiences and for reading mine!
Later x
