Want to To Meet the Cast of Wicked…

  Here’s a Beaches Online exclusive tip:  It’s easy to meet the actors of Wicked right now.  Their run at the Times Union Center’s Moran Theater continues through January 22.    After the performance you should exit the theater promptly and go to the exterior stage door outside the building.  Do not stop to use the restroom or buy a tee shirt (you should have done that already)!  In our experience with Wicked, the actors are out the door within minutes of their curtain call.

What to bring: A Sharpie marker, to make it simple when you ask for an autograph. Just hand over your Sharpie, and done!  The playbill is an obvious autograph item and makes a lovely keepsake.   Some fans will bring photos of the actors in character; or the novel Wicked, too.  Certainly the actors will appreciate fans who come prepared, and I’d guess that it would make them even happier to pose for pictures with you, too – so do bring your camera!  We had photos taken with Anne Brummell (Elphaba),Tiffany Haas (Glinda), and Stephanie Torns (the Elphaba lead-in who’s performed twice in Jacksonville so far).  They happily obliged us with everything we wanted personally signed, too.

How to behave:  We’d  keep in mind that the actors are probably tired and would like to get going so don’t monopolize their time.  While there have been few fans at the stage door in Jacksonville (so your chances to meet them are pretty good!)  there will be a few others who’ll want their time, too. Be prepared; present the autographed items quickly, then ask for pictures.  Figure out who in your group will take the photos, then quickly make the switch between yourselves so all who want to pose with the cast member, do.  Keep things moving, and chat conversationally as you do.  Anne, Tiffany, and Stephanie were all  friendly and obliging;  particularly sweet to the youngest in our group; happy to pose with all of us, then each of them with each girl.

Anne Brummell,  Elphaba,  just laughed when the ten-year-old girl blurted, “Where’s Glinda?” after posing for a few pics and signing playbills for everyone.

“I know, I know,” she smiled, “Glinda has all the sparkles!”

And indeed she did. Both on stage, and in real life, Tiffany Hass (Glinda) was charming and accessible to the fans.   I was immediately drawn to her shimmering, sequined handbag and when she leaned in to pose with my youngest, I gushed,  “Your bag!  I love your bag!”

We spent about five minutes with them at the stage door which felt like a generous amount of time, and we got some terrific photos with them.

The next evening some of us attended the show again and came prepared with the printed photos from the night before. We’d enlarged them to 8 x 10 and, I asked each actor to personally sign one for each girl.

We left the theater happy, having seen another great Wicked performance, and the feeling that we were making friends with the cast!