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| Author | Topic: Bernadette's Fans |
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Elizabeth
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4/12/2004 | posted: 4/20/2004 at 1:05:35 PM ET
Hi--I am new here but have been lurking a bit. I have a question for those of you who are a bit more plugged in than I am. Bernadette seems to have a lot of young fans--and by young, I mean teenagers. How is that? I am not questioning her talent or the scope of it, but am wondering how they began following her career. Unless, they are very tuned into the theatre world which I guess is possible. I am just trying to think back when I was 14, 15, 16 and I don't think I would have known who she was.
|  moljul
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4/2/2001
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Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
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| posted: 4/20/2004 at 1:40:31 PM ET
Elizabeth, I find it interesting as well as I didn't become a fan (though I had heard of her) until my late 20s.
I think a lot of younger fans first see her in music classes because a lot of teachers seem to show the video of Into the Woods. Also, I think a lot of these young fans are also big musical theater buffs so if they started to investigate musicals, her name would obviously pop up.
I also feel that Bernadette is a wonderful role model for young girls (and boys). And a good role model is definitely hard to find these days in my opinion.
Anyway, just my two cents.
|  leebee
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1/19/2004
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Fav. BP Show: Sunday In The Park With George
| posted: 4/20/2004 at 1:42:16 PM ET
When we met Bernadette outside the Schubert a few weeks ago, there were lots of younger people there to see her. Listening to them talk, and hearing them talk to Bernadette, it seemed that all of them were very music/theater oriented and were themselves studying as musicians, singers, actors in a serious way. My impression is that your run-of-the-mill movie-star-of-the-week type entertainer has little appeal for these young people. Bernadette is obviously a very inspiring figure to them.
|  Christine-NYC
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3/23/2002
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Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
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Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 4/20/2004 at 1:53:20 PM ET
Personally speaking, I became a big fan when I was around 14 or 15 years old (now I'm 22). I do not, and have never, studied musical theatre (or any theatre for that matter). I became a fan through her movies, and then later on discovered she was a Broadway actress and singer (though I did see her in Annie and Cinderella, and new she had a good singing voice...I just didn't know it was what she did). I thought she was strictly a movie actress.
The first time I ever saw her perform a Broadway show (live or on tape) was the first preview night of Annie Get Your Gun. I had seen a commercial in late 1998 saying that Bernadette Peters was going to star as Annie Oakley on Broadway and that tickets were available for the first preview. I yelled out, "Oh My God! Bernadette Peters is going to be on Broadway!" to which my Dad laughed and said, "Yeah. lol She's been in quite a few Broadway shows. Whenever someone wants a big name for a show, they get Bernadette Peters."
Long story short, I made him get me tickets for that first preview, and have been a major fan ever since. And since my Dad said she was such a big Broadway personality, I went back and discovered her older Broadway/Solo works which I immiedietly loved. 
<3CMH<3
|  Jean
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6/7/2003 | posted: 4/20/2004 at 1:56:40 PM ET
It's been many (OK,maany) years since I studied psychology and sociology, and I'm far removed from today's cultural trends, but...
I think youngsters at a certain age need role models and turn outward from their parents. Look at any fan site, and you probably will find young teens. As far as the specific youngsters who are Bernadette fans, I really don't know for sure, but you two (edit:three)probably just put your respective finger on some of the keys-interest in musical theater, etc. And, let's not forget "Annie" Anamaniacs (Sp?), as well as the previously-mentioned Into the Woods, and even something like "Annie Get Your Gun", all very appealing to kids.
Ironic, eh, considering her status as a gay icon and her occasional "bombshell" image, but I agree 100% with Moljul--what a great role model, not only as a person but as a professional.
{Later Edit: I guess my other point is that older fans probably don't use the internet much, at least not for fan sites, nor do they hang around stage doors as much; therefore what we see on the internet or at the stage door doesn't necessarily represent her fan base as much as it represents certain behavior patterns. (Oh I like that--I'll say it again--"behavior patterns.")}
| Chiquita
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Registered:
12/4/2003
From:
Toronto | posted: 4/20/2004 at 2:07:31 PM ET
Just to add my two cents
I agree with everyone that she is a great role model! Jean's point is also very true and I had never thought about it.
Personally, I think that it's refreshing for teenagers to have a REAL person to look up to. Not someone who is a product of hollywood or a record company or whatever. Also, it's true that a lot of her younger fans are involved, and know a lot about, theatre and the performing arts and I think they realize that she's the real deal and not fabricated.
Personally, I've known who she was forever because my uncle was a huge fan. However, I never really appreciated her until I actually met her and realized she was a wonderful person, and so kind to her fans. I think that's what draws people to her. Now a days a lot of performers are always "on" and you never know when they are really being themselves. I think it's refreshing to meet someone like Bernadette and have her be so down to earth.
Just my opinion.
You either got it, or you aint!
| BroadwayBabyGal
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Registered:
5/8/2003 | posted: 4/20/2004 at 2:09:53 PM ET
I first heard of Bernadette when I was 10 or 11. I've always been into musical theatre. I didn't become the huge fan that I am now until I saw Gypsy for the first time 10 months ago. I was 18. I'm 19 now, btw.
~*Jessica*~
| broadwaykrayzie
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11/2/2003 | posted: 4/20/2004 at 2:23:38 PM ET
I first saw Bernadette in into the woods on tape. The witch was my favorite character of course. I didn't fall in love with her until I saw her in annie get your gun, when I was 15. Then I always had her picture on my books and my friends would come up to me asking "who's that?" But it was because of her that I got interested in seeing other broadway shows. Now I'm totally obsessed with everything broadway thanks to our Bernadette 
| Elizabeth
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4/12/2004 | posted: 4/20/2004 at 2:33:50 PM ET
Thank you everyone--I have sparked a good thread I guess. My question was really prompted by standing at the stage door of the Schubert with a friend of mine a few weeks ago and being truly amazed at how many young fans she has. Given the fact that she started at such a young age, I can see why she is such a great role model.
Thank you all!
| moljul
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New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 4/20/2004 at 3:02:10 PM ET
Yes, she did start at a very young age but she remained true to her self and her professionalism. She maintains a private life and isn't all over the tabloids with various strange escapades. She is also thought of extremely highly by colleagues. Just look at the transcript of the Gypsy Chat and the wonderful things the 3 women say about her. Because Bernadette's career has spanned so many years, she has had an opportunity to work with so many people. I really think the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" should be replaced with Three Degrees of Bernadette Peters. I have never heard a negative thing about her and in fact those who have worked with her seem to want to go out of their way to tell you how sweet, kind, hard working and professional she is.
|  SingOutAnnie
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Registered:
8/23/2003
From:
Bradenton/Sarasota, FLA | posted: 4/20/2004 at 3:11:54 PM ET
'Guess I've been in a behavior pattern since last June (first time I saw Gypsy and Bernadette).
|  BP Broadway Diva
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| posted: 4/20/2004 at 3:41:07 PM ET
I don't remember when I first became a fan of Bernadette's or what was even the first thing I saw her in. I'm 18 and have loved musicals, Broadway, theatre, etc since I can remember. LOL I have tapes of me when I was 3 years old singing and dancing with Judy Garland to the Wizard of Oz. I think that's when I really got hooked. After that I just kept on learning more and more...and now after meeting Bernadette and seeing Gypsy a few times, I feel very privileged!
*§~Danielle~§*
"If you'll just hold Chowsie for me-that's short for chow mein. Mommy just loves her chow mein, now doesn't she, Chowsie Wowsie?"
"Once I was a schlepper...Now I'm Miss Mezepa"
| Anonymous
Anonymous Poster
From Internet Network:
68.167.198.x | posted: 4/20/2004 at 9:36:15 PM ET
Well even though this seems sort of repetitive I thought I would give why I became a fan of Bernadette's at age 14...I am now 16. See I do theatre but was never "into" Bernadette, I never really saw her stuff or anytrhing except for Annie and later Cinderella. At a camp I went to all of the "older" (actually 20-25 year olds) people loved Bernadette and had us watch somethiing...i don't really remember. so at age like 11 I had this thought in the back of my mind about how everyone loves her. And then I saw Cinderella and liked it and bought it and found out that Bernadette was tight. After this nothing really happened, until she started Gypsy and I was really interested, saw her, and realized why everyone likes her so much. So in conclusion (sorry this is so long and babbly) I think that Bernadette is also a "tradition" passed on through theatre people, our older friends or parents or anyone likes Bernadette and the feeling gets placed into our mind, from there we become the little researches online and get interested and then prepare to pass the legacy that is Bernadette Peters onto our posterity.
thank you and goodnight.
| Karen
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Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 4/20/2004 at 9:51:47 PM ET
Wow, Anonymous, that was really interesting. Thank you. Post some more! I love hearing from the point of view of someone your age whom I would never meet in the normal course of life. Gotta love the internet!
| daedreams
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Registered:
6/21/2002 | posted: 4/20/2004 at 11:32:55 PM ET
wow it is amazing how people came to know of her. i guess i knew of her a little bit growing up and annie being one of my favorite movies to this day but i didn't really like her until i was in high school and i heard "i'll be your baby tonight" and was awestruck. and it didn't hit me how BIG she was until i had a show at the ordway and saw her picture on the wall of stars backstage and i nearly fell to the floor. i'm glad she has remained true to herself and uses her celebrity standings for awesome charities.
"beauty belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams" eleanor rosevelt
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