Fan Letters: Dorky or Awesome?

I have a confession to make: I mailed a fan letter to Wesley Taylor (of Rock of Ages and The Addams Family and general awesomeness) a few weeks ago. It’s strange because he is my age. The way I see it, if he and I lived in the same town, he would have been in my geometry class. How do I tell a could-have-been geometry classmate that I think he’s super awesome and kinda dreamy without coming across like a 12-year-old girl? My approach: I acknowledged that it was strange for me and let him know that I don’t know how to write a fan letter without sounding like a dork. Other than that, I was honest, wrote in my own style of writing, and handwrote the letter using my best penmanship and a purple pen. I wanted to be me, but I also wanted to stand out.

One thing I wasn’t sure about, but did anyway, was to include a self-addressed stamped envelope and asked (awkwardly) if I might have a signed Playbill or napkin or scrap of paper. I’m not really sure how it works, if you have to send the thing you want signed, but oh well. I acknowledged in the letter that I have no idea what I’m doing. My friend read the letter before I sent it, and she declared it not too dorky and not creeperish, so I hope that’s enough.

Guess what?! He wrote me back! He wrote me a super sweet note, and he got back to me very quickly. He told me that my letter was the classiest fan mail he’d gotten, assuaging my concerns that I was a total dork. I was so appreciative to receive a response, and that event really fueled my drive to make it to NYC this summer to see The Addams Family and thank him in person.

Anyone else out there written a fan letter? I’d be interested to know your experiences and whether or not you got a response. I bet it depends a lot on to whom you write. A Broadway legend may not have time to respond to all of his or her letters, but and up-and-coming star may not have as much fan mail to go through. Thoughts?