September 2nd, 2016 was the best day of my small life, and will forever be the greatest day of my small life.

The morning started like any other morning: feeling like I needed to vomit at 4:41 in the morning. I ran to the bathroom and threw up my own spit, luckily no actually sickness. After which I tried to fall back asleep but knew I couldn't so I worked on a chapter, which was posted that same morning.

I sat in bed DM'ing my best internet friend evpsd10 We were both so excited that I was seeing Newsies. I finished getting dressed and shoved my bags into the car, ready for the day. The plan of the day was: drop my sister off at school, go to DMV to take permit test then pick up my sister and begin the drive to LA. The plan got a little messed up when I failed my permit test after sitting in the DMV for three hours. Nothing is more frustrating than the DMV, but I just kept reminding myself: Newsies soon.

After the epic failure that was my permit test, we picked up my sister, got some Taco Bell and hit the road, ready for our four hour drive. We blasted show tunes from multiple musicals in the car and I answered some questions on my insta story. Out of impulse, I brought my extra stationary and in the car I began to write Ben Cook and Kara Lindsay letters because what if?

Both letters looked like the were written by a cave man but I didn't care. We pulled over at the base of the grapevine to change into our clothes for the show and I looked rull cute. A pink sweater and a black dress with my black high top converse and my newsies cap. My sister looked rull cute as well. We drove the last hour and a half and made it to the theater. At 3:45. The show was at 8. So we managed our time wisely and went to Starbucks. As we walked to Starbucks, I saw the back of Jacob (or David) Guzman. He was too far for me too scream at him so I didn't. After sitting at Starbucks for I while I trusted my gut. My gut said "go sit outside the Dunkin Donuts across the street from the stagedoor." I followed my gut and it was the best decision ever made. The Dunkin Donuts had an indoor sitting area and an outdoor area. My sister, hating the sun, requested sitting inside. I eventually moved outside, I liked it better.

After a dead time, from the stagedoor emerged one named Michael Rios followed by an Anthony Zas. I ran to the outside and shouted "Anthony Zas! Michael Rios! Hi!" They both looked up smiled and waved, causing my heart to melt. Then out the door came the one and only, Andy Richardson. I screamed "Andy Richardson, I love you!" Andy smiled largely and signed back to me thank you or I love you too, I don't know because I don't sign language.

After Andy, the stage door was quiet for a few minutes before out came two of my favorite humans: Kara Lindsay and Tommy Bracco. I screamed at the top of my lungs, "Kara! Tommy! Hi!" They both waved and I continued with, "Kara, I named your frogs a few years ago!" She smiled so largely and Tommy did this cute little thing where he put his hands on the side of his face and pretended to have a fangirl attack. They walked on.

Next came a large group, with a few members that I recognized almost instantly. Among the group were: Joshua Burrage, Sky Flaherty, Nick Masson, Jordan Samuels, Jack Sippel and a few more. I stood up and screamed "Joshua Burrage, hi!" He looked up, smiled so genuinely and waved. I even heard him reply with a loud "Hi!" Than I proceeded to scream at the rest of the group members, calling them all out by name and adding a hi.

The peculiar thing is that unlike the groups and individuals prior. This group had stopped and was now standing in a clump by the stagedoor. Suddenly the door swung open again and another member joined the group. This moment was like the moments in movies when the camera focuses on one character as opposed to a large group of characters, singling an individual out as a protagonist and make sure you knew that they individual was important. It was a very short moment but it's a moment I'll remember forever. The individual even swung around the stagedoor gate like a movie character then ran a hand through his gorgeous hair. This is individual was none other than Ben Tyler Cook.

This was a big moment for me because when I was in New York two weeks prior to this day, I was pretty much on a man-hunt for Ben Cook. I didn't find him and I was very disappointed about not seeing him but suddenly there he was. It was like seeing an angel in the sense that he's even more beautiful in person. He's one of those people that I figured I'd never get to meet. They'd just be a figure of my imagination forever. I jumped out of chair and yelled, "Ben Tyler Cook! Hi!" He looked around confused for a second then saw me flailing my arms around like an idiot. He smiled and waved back. It was a dreams come true moment. The group walked on to go get some food or something, and minutes later I got a tweet notification from Jordan Samuels.

Yep. That's me. I laughed so hard and kindly tweeted back that it was me because I was very proud of the fact that it WAS me.

The door was pretty quiet for a few minutes then I looked up and Andrew Keenan-Bolger was walking by. THE Andrew Keenan-Bolger. The universal cinnamon roll of Broadway. I stood up once again and shouted that I loved him. He smiled so kindly and waved. THE Andrew Keenan-Bolger waved at a simple lowlife peasant commoner like me. Before I knew it my moment was squashed because he turned the corner and was gone.

The next group, they play large importance to making my day awesome, that came out, caught my eye but not for the same reason that I wish I could say it did later on when I realized who the second member of this duo was. The first person I recognized was Ben Fankhauser and I stood up and shouted at him, unaware of the buddy he was walking with. I didn't think much of it till he leaned forward and IT WAS JEREMY JORDAN. I NEARLY DIED. He waved at me and made the dorkiest facial expression. We all knew Ben Fankhauser was a dork, but Jeremy Jordan is an even bigger one. They smiled and waved at me and I kind of feel bad that Ben got less screaming then Jeremy Jordan, but in all honesty Ben should feel lucky because I acknowledged him first.

A few more people walked out and I yelled at all of them. Soon after I posted all the videos that my sister (who's a horrible videographer) took of me yelling at them on my account, @/helmet4burrage. My aunt and cousin joined my mom, sister and I at Dunkin Donuts when they got there and were laughing at me because they thought I was psycho.

We sat for a few more minutes before walking to a burger place across the street from the theater. We ate dinner and talked about the show and I told my cousin about the stagedoor and how we were going to go and then we talked about school and stuff.

Then at around 6, we went back to Dunkin Donuts. On the walk back, we walked by the hotel they were staying at and noticed someone inspiring looking at their phone. Someone named Andrew Keenan-Bolger. He looked up then I said, "Hi Andrew Keenan-Bolger!" He smiled his freaking adorable smile at me and replied, "hi!" Then I continued to walk to Dunkin Donuts. My mom told me there was a newsie who waved at me. I was like "Who Mom?" and she didn't know but he was wearing all black. I still feel guilty about not seeing him, whoever he was. I have my guesses as to who it was, but I'm not sure. I just feel bad.

After sitting at Dunkin Donuts for like 5 minutes, I saw Kaitlyn Frank leave the stagedoor and walk towards Dunkin Donuts. I grabbed the letter I wrote for her from my bag and ran to meet her. Her outfit was so cute and she was so beautiful. I smiled at her and said, "hey Kaitlyn! I wanted to give you your gift right now." I handed her the letter and she gave me a hug.

"Oh my gosh you're so sweet!" she said then asked, "what's your name?"

"Katie," I replied beaming. Kaitlyn Frank just asked my name.

"Well that'll be easy to remember!" she smiled then said, "enjoy the show tonight!"

I dorkily replied, "see you later!" Then she walked away and I died. I posted a picture of her on my spam account and thanked her for being so kind to me. Ten minutes later, she walked away mid phone call. I saw my letter in her hand with her wallet. It warmed my heart. Then later she walked back to the stagedoor from the other direction carrying a grocery bag. I could see my teal envelope through the plastic.

(She's wearing the blue yoga pants)

Then I was looking at my phone again and when I looked up there was someone parking their bike on the fence right in front of me. This someone is better known as Daniel Switzer. 

After he locked his bike up, I said, "Hi Daniel Switzer!"

He looked up a little freaked out, but then his expression softened when he saw I was just a fansie. "Hey," he replied sweetly. ((DANIEL IS SO SWEET OML)) "You seeing the show?" he asked.

"Yeah!" I replied.

"I'm just getting some coffee before heading over," he explained.

"Getting hyped?" I said. (GOSH IM SO STUPID)

"Yeah," he answered then waved as he walked in, "bye!"

"See you later!" I replied and geeked out, yet again.

He came out later with coffee and said, "enjoy the show guys!"

"Break a leg!" I replied then he walked his bike across the street and went in.

At 7:00 we walked across the street to go to the theater as well. While standing on the corner, I saw my queen crossing the street towards us. That's right, I ran into Morgan Keene on the street before the show. As she crossed, I said her name and she came over to me once safely across the street, "Hi!" she said in her lovely speaking voice.

"Hey Morgan, I wanted to give you your gift now before the show!" I explained and gave her her letter.

"This is so sweet," she touched my arm gently, accepting the letter, "are you going to the stagedoor?"

"Yes!" I replied.

"Then I'll see you later!" she smiled and waved as she continued to walk.

I was dying. Last time I went I didn't get to see Morgan because she was out, so not only seeing her on stage but meeting her before the show was surreal. She's so sweet and my inspiration.

We took a bunch of pictures in front of the theater and then went in. While in the lobby, I bought a Seize the Day shirt. I wanted the Blue Newsies shirt, but that night they only had it in size xxl and I'm not that. I love my shirt so much though. I stowed my shirt in my Newsies canvas bag that I had signed last time I saw the show.

My cousin, sister and I got to our seats in the like 9th row or something. It felt super close, I loved it. But of course some really large guy had to sit in front of me. This wouldn't be as big of a problem if I wasn't barely 5 feet tall. So I had to figure out how to sit so I could actually see. I ended up sitting with one leg under my butt to prop me up and my head tilted slightly to my left shoulder. I took the mandatory playbill photo and posted it on 3 of my 4 accounts, tagging the whole cast, pretty much.

Then the overture started and so did my tears. I'm not an emotional person. I say that I'm crying or screaming or something, but in actuality I look bored. I only have one emotionless face. But I actually started crying, ask my sister. Like balling. I've never cried so hard because of an overture or show and I've seen Les Mis.

The story is so compelling and since I knew everything that the leads did, I didn't watch them as much as I did some of the ensemble members. I noticed things I've never noticed before. Things like: Eveytime Chaz is onstage he has a big smile on his face and he's such a skilled dancer. Josh's facials and at the end of Seize the Day Josh is literally wheeled offstage in a cart with his butt up in the air. I actually started laughing and got some dirty looks because at the same time Crutchie was being beaten... awkward. I also noticed when Jack and Katherine kiss during the finale, freaking Nick Masson teased Jack by making out with his newspaper. I laughed way too hard. I also noticed Josh's entrance during Carrying the Banner after he changed into JoJo from Darcy. He like runs in and clings to the tower. It made me laugh because he looked a little breathless (still cute. Just breathless). I also noticed the relationships between the ensemble characters, I figured out personalities a tiny bit. There's the obvious ones: Race is loud and sarcastic, Albert is bold and out there and very funny. But there's also littler things, like Buttons is kind of the baby of the group (despite Chaz being older) as well as Elmer, also that JoJo is very clingy to his friends always having an arm around a shoulder of conversing with someone, he's rarely alone. I also played find Kaitlyn and would look for Kaitlyn in every scene because they do a pretty fair job at hiding her so people don't go "A GIRL?! THATS A GIRL?! HOW THE HELL?! IS THAT EVEN LEGAL?!" (she's incredible by the way.)

The first act went way too fast. I wish I ran and got a pape but I was too far back and surrounded by old pessimists (ugh they hated me because I'm extremely vocal with going WOO and YAY and gasping and stuff and I laugh really loud at things that aren't necessarily funny). During intermission my sister looked at me and said really quietly, "Josh has a really nice butt."

I laughed really hard and agreed. It's true Joshua Burrage has a really great butt (gee I hope he doesn't read this 😂).

The second act began and went way too fast. I bawled during Letter From the Refuge, Andy is such a cinnamon roll; I love him so much. Stephen slays the "Poor Guys Head is Spinning" line and just over all blows me away. When Josh was Darcy, I nearly fainted. He's so cute in his Darcy costume. I cried again during Once and For All. It gave me chills. The bows began and my cousin, sister and I got out before they even bowed, so we could be in the front at the stagedoor