How to Succeed: Endeavors at the stage door, and MORE. Part III

How to Succeed. Again.

So I know I had only seen the show once, but I have been outside of the stage door many times- and not for the same reason as many. I may have once been a Daniel Radcliffe freak, but seriously, who hasn't? We have all found ourselves crazy about the once-boy-wizard/nude-horse-lover. Still, something about the phenomenon behind this extremely talented young man confuses me. The constant screaming and crying? Really preteen girls? Always on and on about Harry Potter, not about the more intellectual and important things Daniel had done. Please keep to Justin Bieber, he at least sounds like you and doesn't make any drastic career moves anyway.

Anyway, no tangents about less than Broadway talent on this blog. As I was saying, I do love Daniel and all, but the solidity behind a triple threat Broadway actor a bit more incredible to me. Said Broadway actor is Christopher J. Hanke. As Bud Frump he is absolutely amazing. I could very well be the biggest Harry Potter fan on earth and I still find Hanke's character by far the most appealing and fun to watch. Every time he's on stage he has his timeless expression of resentment to the growing success of J. Pierrepont Finch (Radcliffe's character) and though every time Finch succeeds and looks adorably at the audience with that sly smirk etched across his face, nothing amounts to the expression on Frumps face at the end of the amazing number Brotherhood of Man. Hanke is so extremely talented, I wish it was displayed more in his role as Bud Frump.

Another thing about Hanke. I have gone to the stage door of the Al Hirschfeld theatre a bunch of times in hopes of meeting this talented guy, every single time he doesn't come out. Only once had I actually had the pleasure of meeting him and taking a picture, unfortunately the camera I was using was all out of film! This time, I had actually gone to see the show a second time and Hanke hadn't come out so I decided I'd leave him a note telling him how much of a fan I was and how sad I was to not have had the chance to see him this evening. I also referred him to this blog due to my avid theatre blogging. I knocked on the stage door and asked the new stage doorman to give it to him. I really don't know if he'll ever get it, it'd be really cool if he did though! It'd be even cooler if he checks out this blog so shout-out just in case he ever reads this post.

Just to note: Daniel is leaving the show January 1st and then being replaced by Darren Criss for two weeks. I must say, it's as if in auditions they were looking strictly for harry-potter-ness. Daniel Radcliffe was the face of the whole franchise and Darren Criss played Harry in a Very Potter Musical.

Go see this show. Really a great one!

The View from a Broadway Stage

Yes, indeed. I managed to get myself up on a Broadway stage. Something I never thought would be possible because my lack of performing skills (I may have mentioned them before). It was glorious. I attend these shows on a weekly basis seeing all the magic occur, the sets changing before our eyes, emotions flying in all directions.

It all began many weeks ago. An average night at the theatre, heading off to see How to Succeed. My friend Alice and I just stood behind a barricade, watching longingly as the lucky people, friends of the theatre we call them, were aloud inside the stage door. Oh, what we would give to be a member of that somewhat exclusive group. It was that night that we swore to return and one day be aloud back stage.

Alice and I waited about a week. We went back to see Daniel, but also to drop hints about our admiration towards the show to anyone who would listen. One of those few listeners was the stage doorman, and we knew that he was our key. To befriend him was to befriend the guardian of the door behind which the magic of Broadway lies. It was all we wanted.

It was this past Tuesday that it happened. After seeing Baby It's You! I realized it was not very late and maybe we ought to run over to How to Succeed and catch a glimpse of Daniel, and maybe even get a picture with Christopher J. Hanke (something I must say, I'd very much like). We got there telling all we could about our endeavors by this stage door, especially how we got Daniel Radcliffe's pen, currently in my friend's possession. Then the average chaos happened, but Hanke never came out. Alice and I thought we'd wait. We and a bunch of other fans stood outside conversing with Neil, the stage doorman. It was just by chance that his companion's name was Sophia, very similar to my name, and we spoke about that for a while. Finally, Neil said "Sophia, how 'bout you take them backstage." Of course, Alice and I thought he was joking, but she opened the door and led us back there. We saw everything.

The view from a Broadway stage:

Daniel Radcliffe's dressing room door:

We even got to go inside the elevator in the show and take a picture!

I really need to start bringing a camera to these shows, my
cell phone is terrible!

After hanging out, just standing on the stage talking for a while, we decided we'd leave. And so we emerged from the stage door, victorious!

Okay, yes. That was a bit dramatic, I admit. I sort of just needed to tell the story like that from keeping myself from banging my head into a wall out of sheer excitement leftover from that night.

Following that night, Alice and I went back to the stage door to bring Neil and Sophia chocolates as a gift. Though we know that chocolate hardly measures up to that amazing experience, it was the least we could do.

Equus. The experience of a lifetime.

As promised, here is my recollection of my experience at Equus. It was a mere three years ago that my mother had taken me to see this show. She of course had the knowledge that Daniel Radcliffe was fully nude for parts of the play but really had little idea of what the context of said nude scene was and how it would scar a seventh grader.

The play was incredible, even to someone who lacked the intellectual capacity to truly understand what was going on. At first it was a sort of an "OMG It's Harry Potter!" feeling, but after a few scenes, I was brought into the despair and disturbance of Allan Strang's mind. For those of you who don't really know what it's about, just to clarify, it is not Dan Radcliffe just screwing a horse. It's the story of a boy who blinded six horses and his series of sessions with his psychologist to try to understand what brought about his rash actions.

Side Note: the psychologist was played by Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon anyone?)

Sadly, in the performance I saw, the psychologist was played by Bill Buell. Don't get me wrong, Bill Buell was phenomenal (to the best of my memory, I was really young back then) but I was really looking forward to seeing the chemistry between Richard Griffiths and Dan Radcliffe, whom he knows well, not to mention that plays the role of the evil Uncle who despises Harry in the Harry Potter series. Obviously in this performance he takes on a much more supportive role in respect to Daniel's character.

And now, the nude scene. I obviously was anticipating this from the beginning. I, however, was not anticipating it being in the context of an extremely intimate and intense sex scene. Still, that was not the part that scarred me. It was the endless yelling of "I put it in!" by Daniel Radcliffe while sitting completely naked on top of a completely naked girl for what seemed like an hour. It was his running around on stage for another endless amount of time, still full-frontal, "stabbing" horses (aka a bunch of guys in strangely tight suits with horse heads on their heads.

My mom and I then left the theatre for a car ride that was destined to be long and awkward, and my mom simply said "Well that was intense."

And enough of all that unnecessary drama. Thinking back to that night now, it really wasn't a big deal. Those few moments really enhanced the performance and the show was incredible. I can't help but gain so much respect for Daniel Radcliffe who did this role for his Broadway debut and risked his entire reputation if the role hadn't been played so well. Incredible.

And for anyone out there who has never read this play, you really should. And so what if you don't get the whole "Dan naked" experience, the play is a good enough read on its own.

Retraction on Daniel Radcliffe/Part 2 at the "How to Succeed" Stage door

So, because it was not ideal to switch off with the How to Succeed playbill for the rest of our lives, my friend and I had to return to the stage door and see if we could get one more signed. Tonight, about an hour before the show was scheduled to end, we got to the stage door and stood with all the other die-hards. The anticipation for Daniel's arrival was incredible. Everyone there had How to Succeed playbills for him to sign, and a few even brought Harry Potter stuff, that is, until I warned them that he really didn't like the shoving of Harry Potter stuff in his face. I, however, was the only one with a genuine Equus playbill (post to come on that experience).

But before Daniel came out, Chris J. Hanke came out, and was as sweet as ever, he smiled, signed everyone's stuff and was absolutely adorable.

Christopher J. Hanke at the stage door

In fact, tonight Rose Hemingway even came out to sign playbills! If only I had brought mine...

Rose Hemingway at the stage door (Sorry, bad cell phone pics!)

And finally, Daniel came out. Of course there was the usual rush and bustle, a few people screaming and crying. Still, I didn't have such great expectations because of my experience from last time. I decided I wasn't going to have him sign my Equus playbill, thinking it would be weird. But, just as he was passing by, I went out on a limb and put it out for him to sign. He looked very surprised, but then smiled and said, "Wow Equus!" I then went on to tell him that he was incredible in it and how much I loved that performance. He then looked straight at me with those piercing blue eyes (teenage-girl moment of adoration) and said he really appreciates it and "Cheers".

Now, I am left with a healed memory of Daniel Radcliffe, a few seconds of dialogue with him and an Equus playbill with his signature dead center.

My wonderful Playbill

And of course, a few more pictures...

Daniel Radcliffe chaos

Close up of Daniel Radcliffe while he's signing playbills

For any of you out there who haven't seen How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying yet, you really should, it's really a wonderful show, not to mention how fun it is to see Harry Potter/Alan Strang singing and dancing... and of course the rest of the phenomenal cast and crew, truly great job!

I'll be back.

How to Succeed...

Last night I finally saw How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying after going to the theater twice and not being able to get tickets. It was really a wonderful show. Daniel Radcliffe is really an amazing singer and dancer, his last number "Brotherhood of Man" blew me away. John Larroquette is possibly one of the funniest men I've seen on Broadway and Tammy Blanchard and Christopher J. Hanke nearly made the show.

Truly an amazing night, that is until I encountered the stage door chaos.

Outside the stage door there were people waiting for Daniel Radcliffe since before the show ended so by the time I got out there, 5 minutes after curtain call, it was already extremely crowded. Then, only a few people stuck around to sign playbills, and I must say, Christopher J. Hanke was so sweet considering most people made it obvious that they had no interest in seeing anyone but Daniel. Finally, the moment everyone was waiting for happened. Daniel came outside. Everyone was screaming (with good reason, I mean he is Daniel Radcliffe), pushing people, rushing forward. When he finally got close to where I was, I handed him three playbills (I was the only one of my friends who managed to get close enough) and he only signed one. Everyone around was congratulating him and telling him how wonderful he was and no one got any recognition. No "Thanks", smile or even eye contact!

Daniel Radcliffe at the stage door

As I'm sure you can tell form my previous post, one of my favorite parts of the theater is the stage door. When the performers come out and seem resentful or don't even bother, it really gets me down. I mean, we pay good money to see them and all we want to do is tell them how much we enjoyed the show. Okay, so I'm sure they're tired, and he is Daniel Radcliffe, he's probably sick of the screaming fans, but that's what comes with being famous. It's the fans that are the reason he makes all his money, we're the ones that see shows and vote for him for Broadway.com audience awards. The least he could do is give a little something back.

Don't get me wrong, I love Daniel Radcliffe, he's an amazing actor, screen and stage (I saw him in Equus, phenomenal), maybe he just had a hard day.

All in all, it was a lovely show, definitely a must see and Daniel really was amazing.