Phantom of the Opera : Take Two!!
So, since I keep reflecting on that night and it's all a garbled mess that I'm sure doesn't translate well into my conversations, this is something like how the night that I met the Phantom Cast (second time!) went:
We crept up to the security foyer, which is where the stage door is, and waited anxiously for a) the show to finish (that was a WEIRD atmosphere, having the show be playing while we're so close to the backstage!) and b) the members of the cast to come out. The security guard was a real gentleman, offering us drinks of water and holding our purses and such in the office. A few security guards came out as soon as the show was finished, which was tense because I had to turn on my inner "face recognition tool"; however, most of them went into the security office or the elevator around the corner, making it easier for me to pick and choose. I finally chose the corner between the exit and the security office, which faced the backstage hallway (I could see costumes and a rehearsal hall!) as my "hunting position".
About fifteen minutes later, a group of people came walking down the hallway, one of them humming a tune as he walked... let me tell you, it may have only been five seconds, but it was enough for me to absolutely fall in love with it. The guy looked like he might be a cast member, not to mention SOUNDED like one... and he smiled at me as he approached, so I figured, eh, why not. I was like "Hi!" and he came over with a big smile while I asked for his signature in my edition of Leroux's Phantom. My mom said something along the lines of "Wonderful show" and he was like "Aww, thank you!" (at which point, to my horror, I realized he sounded like Cody, AND looked a little like him). He smiled at me once more and began to head for the door when I was like "Oh, wait! Can I get a hug?" to which he was like "Of course!!" and gave me one of THE best hugs I have EVER received. Like, holy flip. If I could hunt him down and ask for another, without getting a restraining order thrown in my face, I would.
I would realize later as I read his signature that I had no idea who "Sal Sabella" was. Turns out he's a swing, and an understudy for the role of Phantom!
Soon after he left, Polly Baird (Meg Giry) came out with a chorus member. She was every bit true to her character... sweet, gentle, and flipping TINY. My mom asked if she could get a picture, to which she was like "Sure" and we posed, and presto! Did I mention I feel obscenely obese next to her?
There was a bit of a pause, during which I apparently assumed a pose too cute not to capture. My mom has dubbed it my "fangirl" pose.
Then John Whitney (Piangi) came out, and I tell you, he's not easy to miss :D He has such a distinctive face. I had to laugh, however, at the book he had tucked under his arm... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!
EMILY: I love that book! *has never read it*
JOHN: Me too, I'm almost finished!
He finished signing, and I thanked him, and we both wished eachother a good night.
Stephen came out a little later, looking every bit the dork I imagined him to be. He kindof gave me a shy smile and I waved him over.
EMILY: Stephen, right?
STEPHEN: Yeah, how did you recognize me?
EMILY: I actually saw the show last night, gave me a chance to do some research haha
He signed my novel, handed it back to me, and then...
STEPHEN: You haven't seen Meg Giry, have you?
EMILY: Yeah, actually?
STEPHEN: Crap. Have a good night! *disappears down the hallway*
EMILY: You too...?
My mom asked me later how the heck I recognized him, and I told her that his goofy grin was the tell-tale.
Literally seconds after Stephen, like, right when he was finishing up signing, Kim Stengel (Carlotta) walks down the hallway and I just light right up. I didn't recognize her last time, but ohhh I made sure of it this time! I let out a huge smile and she came right over to sign my book. I asked her for a hug and she was like "Sure!" and Rebecca Judd (Mme. Giry) was right behind her, and let out a "Aww, what a sweetheart!" to which I responded with a hearty laugh and a sticking out of the tongue. My mom then asked us to pose for a picture, and for some reason, we both just threw our arms around eachother... but this was a little bit awkward as my mom's camera, she realized, had to be turned off and on again. For fear of appearing rabid, I loosened my grip a touch as time went by, and then finally the time came for a picture to be taken. The end result is probably the most fangirl-like pose you have EVER seen from me.
Thank god Rebecca Judd hung around while all this was taking place, because earlier, DC Anderson (Andre) had slipped by while I was getting Stephen's signature, and John _____ (Firmin)'s face decided to be unrecognizable. He walked past me and I was like "....sh*t." Eh, he looked to be in a foul mood anyways.
Rebecca and I talked for a bit about how it was the fact that she was still wearing her makeup that helped me recognize her. And I mean, come on, it's some pretty drastic makeup. Blackened eyebrows, sweeps of brown over her eyes, bright red lips, pale white skin... yeah, I'd be BLIND not to recognize her. At one point, I'm not sure why, I slipped in that it actually wasn't her makeup that caused me to recognize her... and she was like "Oh, it must be my hat then! I always wear this hat!"
And thennn not long after, Greg Mills (Raoul) came out. This is the one I put the most work into, for research on how to recognize him. He was sweaty, he was wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt. He was wonderful. With those eyes, there was no way I WASN'T going to recognize him. He seemed to understand that I was one of those pesky stage door fanatics, because he smiled and came right over. I asked for his signature, to which he complied, and while he was signing, I may or may not have sputtered on about how that little 30 second blip in Think Of Me was all it took to make me melt in my seat. He laughed. My mom perks up and tells him that I'm going to Ottawa U for Theatre, and he's all "Oh, cool!" and I told him it was exciting... my mom then asks if we could get a picture, to which he also complies, and immediately after, I ask for a hug. Thank GOD, the man is TALL!!! I literally had to go on my tip-toes to reach his height! Ladies and Gents, that is significant, because I'm FIVE. EIGHT. I don't go on my tiptoes for anyone! And then my mom was all "Awww, I missed it!" while staring at her camera. Having been only half-ways out of the embrace anyways, we immediately swung back into it, this time with our faces towards the camera. The result is the most hilarious picture I've ever seen. When my mom uploaded the pictures that night, Mike was nearby, and after a few comments on how bold I was, mentioned that "Even MARRIED people don't hug like that!". I mentioned that it was nice to meet him, and we both wished eachother a good night as finally he left.
There was a sufficient amount of time afterwards for me to gush to my mom about him, and then I see the rehearsal hall door open, and a bike followed by a familiar face exits through it. I smile, and wave her over, and the conversation goes something like this:
WOMAN: I am... *waiting smile*
EMILY: *guessy face*
WOMAN: *waiting smile*
EMILY'S MIND: *dangit, I had this problem last time, too! Marni or Sarah, Marni or Sarah...*
MOMENT: *suspenseful*
EMILY: ...Sarah?
WOMAN: Yes!!
EMILY'S MIND: *Phew. But there goes my face recognition status.*
And she was an absolute, absolute sweetheart. The best of the night.
EMILY: I've seen you before, actually; in Toronto...
SARAH: Actually, I remember you!
EMILY: *SHOCK*
SARAH: Yeah, you were on the sidewalk, I remember talking to you!
And there, ladies and gentlemen, life goal #625 was completed. "To have a celebrity remember me." She went on to talk about how she had just come from a rehearsal for this thing she was doing, which explained why she was all sweaty. She asked me if I had met Greg, to which I was like "duh!" and she told me he was playing the Phantom tonight... which I met with a moment of complete and utter "OMG"ness. I took a moment to just imagine how that lovely voice would fare in that role. I told her I'd actually seen the show the night before, with him as Raoul. Sarah then explained how they have like three understudies for the Phantom. She mentioned the name of the guy who played him that night but I can't remember. Michael, maybe? I don't know. And she mentioned David Gaschen, saying that he had one of the best voices she'd heard. Then she was like "Have you seen Sean in the role?" and I was like "No?" and she was like "Oh, he is dreeeaaammyyy!" (in a total singsong voice, like, I felt like for a second I was being serenaded by Miss Daae herself). I shall have to keep that in mind if I ever see the show again.
At one point we were talking about John Cudia, whom I had seen last time as the Phantom. She mentioned that he was on vacation with his wife, Kathy Voytko, to which I responded with a familiar nod, and she was like "Oh, you know Kathy too?" and I was like *coughI'vereadabouthercough* "Yeah!". It's very cute that he is getting a chance to spend time with his wife though. And then suddenly I get the genius idea to grab the letter I'd written for John (assuming he'd be in the show I'd see) from my purse in the security office. Long and short of it, Sarah now carries the letter. She explained that she would see him in Syracuse, but she could try to mail it to him before then. I had a minor fangirl slip-up when she asked if it was urgent; my sarcasm got me in trouble. I was like "No, no, not like I'm expecting a response by tomorrow!" and I was like.... crap. I just implied that I am. So she has it now, and I am contemplating writing Miss Lawrence herself because she's been such a sweetheart to me.
It's at that point that my mom mentions that I'm going to the University of Ottawa for Theatre, and she's all "Oh, you are so lucky!" because apparently, in her home state of Minnesota, theatre isn't exactly one of the high points. It gave me so much hope because Ottawa isn't exactly theatre-central either. But the way she reacted made me think for a second that attending a theatre education in the Nation's Capital might just be prestigious and worth something after all.
She quickly eyed my camera-happy mom and was the most adorable thing ever... she was like "Nooo! I'm ugly!" and then she went on to beg me not to post them online, because she was afraid of nasty comments! And I'm just in total disbelief because the woman is BEAUTIFUL. Hat, track pants, sweat and all! We convinced her to get a picture with me (and the bike hahah my mom said it would be "cool"), and I sincerely noted that it was nice to meet her, at which point she ASKED FOR MY NAME. LIKE SHE WANTED TO REMEMBER ME. I was like... buh. Not like my first name will do a whole lot if ever she felt compelled to stalk me, but STILL.
We pressed the handicap button to open the door for her and her bike, wished her good night, and that was it.
We hung around for a bit, just to see if Marni was still around (because if Sarah wasn't in the performance, Marni had to be), but alas, she was not. Oh well, I'm fine with having met Sarah. Sarah, if you're reading this, expect a letter of your own, soon.