Best theater memories in 2021

It’s that time of year again. 2021 is coming to an end and soon we will all be ringing in the New Year. As a farewell to this year, I think back to all the fun times I have had that are theater-related and are now fond memories. I’ve seen so many shows with friends and family, I’ve been to concerts with friends, and even met actors. Here are my five best memories.

1. Waitress reopening evening

September 2 was the date. The first two musicals (Waitress and Hadestown) reopened for the first time since Broadway closed. I saw a waitress that I had only seen twice before. It was so exciting he was coming back to Broadway with Sara Bareilles and I was happy to finally see her in the role for the first time. I had been looking forward to this day for a long time and had planned to go dress up like my favorite character Dawn. When I got to the theater that night I found some friends (they were going to see Hadestown) and they complimented my waitress outfit. A lot of people around me liked my outfit as well and I was even featured on the Waitress social media pages and interviewed for a Japanese news source. A day later I found my picture in the New York Times next to a Broadway comeback article that was so exciting. It was so awesome to walk into this theater and smell the pie again in the lobby and be able to eat the mini pie after the show. During the performance, the audience was so loud and there were so many standing ovations: at each character’s entrance, at funny lines, at iconic moments (when an LGBTQ + USA flag was shown, when the name of the pie honoring Nick cordero has been said …) and popular songs. The best part of the night was Nick corderothe tribute with the name of Pie, his wife Amanda kloots saying a few words after the greetings and all the cast and audience singing his song “Live Your Life” together. I will never forget being in this theater for this special performance and I am so grateful to have seen Broadway return to New York.

2. Meeting Jonathan groff at the restaurant

On September 21, I saw Six for the second time (first time after closing). After school I came home and put on my Six shirt, then my mom and I went to Times Square. Before the show, we had dinner at the Italian restaurant Nizza on 9th Avenue. Once inside the restaurant we were taken to a table at the back near the bathroom (which I found boring) until I turned to my left and saw who was seated at the table next to ours. . . I was in shock. seeing Jonathan groffthe face of! He was having dinner and talking to a friend, so I didn’t disturb him at the time, but I knew I couldn’t let him go without saying something to him. He’s one of my favorite stage actors that I’ve loved since I first saw him on Glee. After his dinner was over and he got up to leave my mom and I went to see him and she told him we were big fans. He was very nice to us and thanked us for complimenting him. When I took a picture with him, he saw my shirt and told me to have a good time seeing Six. Then, after he left, I was so excited by what had just happened that I couldn’t finish my meal. All the time before the show started and after the show I could only talk about Jonathan groff and how random it was that I met him in a restaurant. It was so great to finally be able to tick someone off my list of my favorite stage actors that I would like to meet. Even now, I still cherish this moment and talk about it constantly. Jonathan groff is my favorite celebrity that I have met this year.

3. Dear Evan Hansen reopening evening

If anyone asked me what my favorite musical is, I would say Dear Evan Hansen. This fact is very evident as I have seen the show eight times now (seven on Broadway and once in the West End). The most special and memorable moment to have seen it this year was on the night of the reopening on December 11. It was 7:00 p.m. as I left work and I ran a few blocks to the Music Box theater for the show which started at 7:30 p.m. Once inside I met a few friends and we chatted for a while before the show started. I even got to talk and take a picture with the director Michael greif which is an amazing thing. Before the show started, it was an amazing time to see producer Stacey Minditch and Michael greif will deliver a speech on stage followed by New York Senator Chuck Schumer who wore the famous blue striped polo shirt.

When the show was going on, the audience was so loud with so much applause, standing ovations and laughter: at the top of the show, at each actor’s first entry, during and after the iconic songs (“Waving Through a Window “, Regards, Me,” “You Will Be Found”), at the end of the show and during the curtsies. My seat was in the mezzanine but during the intermission I moved to a front row seat which was empty at side of a friend of mine who was so such a wonderful sight. It was so electric and touching to be back in my favorite theater and see a show that means so much to me. The moment that I will never forget is during the speech after the greetings, people rose from the audience to sing “You Will Be Found. It took a few seconds for me to realize this was the Northwell Health Nurse Choir and that made the performance even more special.

When the audience was released from the theater we were all given blue hats from the show’s brand and there was a little block party that I was delighted to be a part of. I waited outside around the stage door for a while to see the actors come out and it was so sweet to see the previous actors Dear Evan Hansen congratulate the current actors with huge hugs, loud cheers and big compliments (Andrew Barth Feldman shouted compliments to Jordan fisher). I even met Andrew again (he’s my favorite Evan). By the end of the night my heart was so full that I watched my favorite show again and got to experience it with my friends from the theater.

4. Return to 54 Below for the concerts

Any Broadway fan knows that Feinstein’s / 54 Below is the perfect destination for dinner concerts with stage actors. I had only been there once before and have been back several times this year when the live events returned to New York this summer.

My first time back was in June for Andrew Barth Feldman‘s Park Map show on Disney Parks. It was such a fun gig, because I’m also a huge fan of Disney and the Disney parks like him, so I loved every Disney song he sang, every memory he talked about and the knockoffs he made. he did.

I went back to see him in July and had as much fun as the first time. I went back to 54 Below another time to see Antonio Ciprianois a one man show where he sang a bunch of pop songs and musical theater which was another great night. It was so nice to go to all these shows with friends and meet other friends there. 54 Below is a great place to see shows and also has a good menu. Loved the nights I spent there this year and can’t wait to go back next year as I already have tickets for a few upcoming shows.

5. Going to my first Broadway flea market

Growing up, I was always a fan of Broadway, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I really got into the industry by doing more shows (with casting albums and pro shots), seeing many more shows, learning and liking many different actors and doing theater (going to live events, buying merchandise …). I had heard of the Broadway flea market, but didn’t really know what it was until this year, when I first went there.

I followed the map of booth locations that was posted online and had so much fun going to each booth with friends. I was amazed at all of the interesting theatrical items that were being sold. I couldn’t believe some of the posters I found like the original West Side Story and the Lobby Hero poster signed by my favorite actor Chris evans that I bought.

I was impressed with some of the crafts I saw, like the flowers made from posters (of which I got the Mean Girls version). The best item I had was the arm cast of Dear Evan Hansen which was worn by Andrew Barth Feldman and signed by Alex Boniello (my two favorite DEH actors). Despite the crowds and the difficulty finding specific posters among the poster buckets, it was so much fun to be there and support BCEFA. It is a day that my friends and I will never forget and I can’t wait to go back next year.

I’m so grateful to be living in New York and being able to experience all of these great theatrical events. 2021 started off pretty badly, but it got better and it’s a year I’ll always remember.