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.

The Tonys

Needless to say, the Tonys were on last night. Sadly, I have no television, I have been roaming the internet to find some video of the entire thing (still no luck, if you find one let me know!). Because of this, I cannot really comment on how they were. All I know is that in the opening number Neil Patrick Harris was incredible. From what I saw I think it's safe to say he was nowhere close to the train-wreck James Franco and Anne Hathaway were at the Oscars, then again, this is Broadway.

Because I am so lucky to actually live in New York City, I actually took a trip down to the beautiful Beacon Theatre to check out the most glamorous night in the theatre world. It was surreal. Honestly, New York city is a hell of a crazy place but surely it's not everyday you go walking down 74th Street and Broadway to see people strutting about in ball gowns. I just sort of lurked watching Broadway royalty strolling about. Okay, so maybe I didn't see anyone I recognized but all the same, I'm sure many of the people I saw contribute somehow to the theatre, making them royalty.

Honestly, it's my dream to just get all glammed up in a beautiful gown, a sophisticated pair of pumps, get my hair done and wear an extraordinary amount of make-up, to go into a beautiful theatre and be surrounded by people who work hard to make an idea on a page a reality that we all then get to be a part of.

While creeping outside of the Beacon, I merely stared longingly at all the people who looked not much older than me jumping up and down in excitement walking to the "special" side of the street, closed off to pedestrians. I think this dream of mine is a tad too far fetched due to my utter lack of any performing talent as well as knowledge of the many other components of theatre, but hey, one can wish right?

I must say it was really weird. I mean, I watch and anticipate the Oscars religiously, the big movie buff I am, and it just seems like another world. It's strange to think the Tonys are roughly the same thing just another community of the art world and it's happening down my street! (Over exaggeration. I don't live that close.) It's funny in a way. I longed to see all those stars and converse with them about all the good they do and how incredible they are, but I can just hop on the train and tell them whenever I want!

Enough of my desire to be one the lucky people attending the Tonys, and on to the winners themselves.

The Book of Mormon. 9 Tonys, virtually everything it was nominated for. Okay, so I have yet to see this supposedly incredible show, and sorry to say, it will most definitely be a long time until I do so due to it's now new hype- also it has no form of general or student rush no matter how much I wish it did.  Still, money does not grow on trees- and neither do tickets, I hear it's sold out for months! The one thing I have been able to do however, is listen to the songs and watch the videos. I, however, have been doing this sparingly, I really don't want to know too much about the show. I know enough to understand that it is a show that makes fun of religion, and I must say, being the somewhat rebellious teen that I am, there is hardly anything I find funnier. Please god, let me win the lottery to the Book of Mormon.

Norbert Leo Butz. Yes, I am aware that I may have mentioned my outrage that Aaron Tveit was robbed again of a nomination, but Norbert, you were truly amazing and definitely deserved this win. His role is quite complex and not to mention "Don't Break the Rules". I think this video says enough. And yes, I am devastated that Aaron only got 30 seconds of stage time. Really Tony people?! You can't even let him perform?

Anything Goes. This is another show that I have yet to see. Also, yet another one that is almost impossible to get cheap tickets to. I got to the theatre at 11am on a day that had both a matinee and a night show and they were all out of rush seats. This show has a Tony winner as the star as well. Congratulations Sutton Foster!

John Larroquette. I must say he is absolutely delightful and incredibly funny in How to Succeed. Honestly, winning a Tony for your Broadway debut? That's impressive.

John Larroquette (right) as J. B. Biggley in
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

The rest of the shows I still have to see and know far too little about to comment on. All of them are now on my wish list and I hope to see them and post on them as soon as I can!

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.

A Night at the Theater

So my most recent night at the theater was this past Saturday night when I went to see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. While roaming around Times Square for hours (to get student rush tickets you need to get there fairly early) went to a diner, a candy store, a few tourist shops and... met Rachelle Rak and Neil Patrick Harris!!

I was eating dinner at some diner across the street from Catch Me if You Can in hopes of running into Aaron Tveit and spotted Rachelle Rak walking down the street. (For those of you who don't know who Rachelle Rak is, you're deeply missing out, she's one of the Catch Me dancers as well as Cheryl Ann... something, the playboy call girl in the show, among many other things) Then, she came right into the diner that I was eating in and sat in a booth not far from me. Finally, after freaking out and summoning courage (aka forcing my friends to join me), I went up to her and told her how wonderful she is in Catch Me If You Can. She was so sweet. She was in the middle of eating and listening to her iPod right before her second show for the day, but still stopped what she was doing, stood up, asked our names, and spoke to me and my friends for a bit!

After leaving the diner, I spotted Neil Patrick Harris walking down the street. As he was passing my friends and me, one of the blurted out, "Oh my god. Are you Neil Patrick Harris?!" He responded sweetly, "Uh, yeah." and kept walking. As he was walking away she screamed "I love How I Met Your Mother!" and he looked back, thanked us and smiled.

T'was a crazy day :)

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.