I remember that day well. Not what day it was, however. It was sometime in August, I think, 2006 maybe. I don't have my ticket stub from it, though I of course have my Playbill. My step-father and I decided to buy tickets to a show in Los Angeles, which was 5-6 hours away. It was the closest show, however, and I had heard of a few of the cast from online videos. Megan Hilty and Kristoffer Cusick were two I was looking forward to seeing, and Eden Espinosa as well. (Click each name to go to a site for each. Especially check out Kristoffer Cusick's song, "On Wings of a Swan".)
Well, after listening to Wicked and Cats and maybe some Brooklyn, and who else knows what, we arrived in LA. After getting slightly lost, we ended up at our hotel, which was a mile or so from the Pantages Theater. We had some time to spare, so we stopped at the Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum thing.
That knocked off enough time for us to be a little early to the theater. Well, we arrived, but they wouldn't let us inside the main theater where the performance was held yet, so we waited in the lobby outside. 3 bottles of water were purchased, at an amazing $4 apiece.
Once inside, we quickly found our seats. Of course I was shaking. Seeing Wicked was a dream come true. There was the Time Dragon Clock head, and the amazing curtain with the map of Oz.
I had already seen the musical in it's entirety online, so I knew how it ended. But a video is not comparable to a live show.
We were seated nearly center, in the balcony, although it appeared any seat in the house would be a good one. We were two seats in from the edge of an aisle. One of the two people who occupied the seats to the right of us jokingly said that we stole their seats. See, when you go to buy theater seats, at least in our instance, the site gives you about 15 minutes or so to decide if you really want the tickets. The site holds the tickets, and makes it appear as though they have been bought. If they are not claimed within the time limit, they go back on sale. Well, we had apparently grabbed their seats when their session timed out.
Anyway, they tipped us off to something that helped make the night more unbelievable. They said that after the show, if we went to the side of the theater by the stage door, that some of the actors/actress came out and signed Playbills. Wow. No. Could not be true. No way.
Well, it was amazing. I had felt sick the first act, nerves and whatnot. When intermission rolled around after Defying Gravity, I really had to pee. Like, immensely. I went and looked at the bathroom line, and decided I could wait. Never try to use the bathroom during a show. It's crazy.
So, afterward we headed to the stage door. We stood in a line and waited. Then, there they were. If I recall Megan Hilty was first. I wished I had a camera, to get photos with the cast. Alas, the meager camera I carried didn't take photos well in the dark (or really at all, it was better for video), plus I think the battery may have been dead anyway.
But at least I got autographs, and to see some of the cast, face to face. As I said, Megan was first. All I could utter was, "Thank you so much." I think Kristoffer Cusick came next. I admit I did have a slight celebrity crush on him at the time. His hand brushed my finger. Just one of them. Which I don't remember, but I think it was on my left hand. Anyway, next I think came the Boq understudy, who had taken Logan Lipton's place that night. He was Michael Drolet, and he signed my Playbill as well. I don't know if he came out intending to sign things, but someone shouted about him being there and well...anyway, he came and signed Playbills. Next came Eden Espinosa, her hair slicked back and wet from washing off her green make-up. If I recall, there were still traces of green near her hairline. That was all the autographs I got. I don't know if anyone else came out after we left.
We headed back to the hotel, but stopped to eat. I ordered a slice of pizza, which I ate little of. I was still too excited. Then this guy came in asking for change, and the guy working the counter yelled at him to get out.
Upon arriving at the hotel, I realized that I forgot my pajamas. Yep. So, I slept in my clothes from that day. The hotel was also cold. But I had seen Wicked.
We traversed back the next day, another 5-6 hours back. I had seen Wicked, something I hadn't expected to happen for years. I had a signed Wicked Playbill, an unexpected bonus. I still have the $4 water bottle from the Pantages Theater. And, you might say I got to meet Megan Hilty, Kristoffer Cusick, Eden Espinosa, and Michael Drolet.
All in all, a night to remember, and never forget.
Here are a couple of photos of my Playbill:
"Tell them how I am Defying Gravity!"
P.B.
P.B.
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