This story is 100% true. I made none of it up and I have video proof for lots of it just in case you doubt me.

This part will cover the days before, the line and up till the beginning of the overture. :)

Also, if you read this whole chapter I will give you a gold star sticker and a virtual hug! So let me know if you read the whole thing!

Thursday, September 8, 2016

My phone had been vibrating in my pocket all day at school and when lunch finally rolled around I was able to check my phone. I got a text from one of my best friends, Alyssa. (she goes by those_wicked_newsies on Instagram) She sent me a screenshot from Facebook. The past few days the two of us had been trying so hard to be able to go to the taping of the Newsies Movie. The screenshot outlined that there as going to be a Standby line outside of the Pantages theater in LA for free tickets. I instantly texted my mom and she told me that we'd talk about it. In the car that morning, my mom had actually asked me what I wanted to do that weekend and I told her I wanted to sit outside the Pantages like a lost puppy until they let me in. Funny how I say these kinds of things.

After school, my mom and I talked and she agreed to taking me down to LA on Sunday: on one condition. I had to go to school on Monday. It was an easy price to pay, considering I'd be seeing Jeremy Jordan and Josh on the same stage if it worked out.

It worked out and when Saturday rolled around all I had to do was clean my room then we could go. We left at 2:00 on Saturday and the whole drive I alternated between texting Alyssa and my internet best friend Emma. (Hey Em!)

My sister and I quoted Bad Weather and Shopping the whole drive down because over the course of the 9 days between both times seeing the show, she had been converted to a full-fledged Fansie. Her favorite toursie was 187% Sky. (This is very crucial information don't forget it).

We went to target and quoted BW&S in more context on my SnapChat story. We did poorly executed Newsie jumps and sang the songs and talked about the cast and were just big ol' dorks.

We got to my aunts house and insisted on eating Chick-Fil-A for dinner. My mom and aunt left to get food while my sister, cousins and I watched The Force Awakens. After the movie, I wet to sleep in my cousins room and my mom and sister slept on the couch.

I went to bed after Alyssa texted me in all caps saying her parents finally agreed to take her to the show. I slept the worst sleep on my life because I couldn't sleep, I was too excited. So excited that I naturally woke up at 5:30 the next morning. I woke up, but then my neck popped rather dramatically and I was no longer able to move my head.

This was not the first time this happened so I wasn't too scared, but the last time it happened I had to miss school for four days because I couldn't move. I got out of bed, already feeling ahead of where I was last time this happened, and almost got decapitated by the ceiling fan. Then I stepped on one of those litter pincher bugs. I smiled and thought, "Newsies". It was keeping me optimistic.

I skipped down the stairs at the ungodly hour of 6 in the morning and told my mom about my neck situation. She told me to ice it then she went back to sleep. I sat awake and checked my Instagram on the couch.

After icing for who knows how long, I stood up to start getting dressed and I looked even cuter than the last time. In a black and white dress that stuck out like a cupcake and some flats that laced around my ankles. Then I attempted to brush my hair, but due to the neck issue, it was a disaster. My mom, like the real MVP she is, did my hair for me. Half up-Half down.

We left my aunt's house at 9:00 and went to pick up my other aunt who didn't get to go to the show last Friday. Then we drove to the theater. We jammed to Newsies the whole way because it was only fitting, and we drove past the theater. At that point in time, there were only twentyish people in line and it was 10:00 in the morning, the line didn't officially start till 4.

We parked the car and gathered all of our stuff for our 'campsite' outside the theater. I'm not underestimating at all when I say campsite. Most people just brought blankets to sit on and an umbrella they could hold, not us. We brought a bright red, soccer mom level shade device that was called an umbrella but really it was a battle zone. We also brought chairs and snacks and a wagon. We were all set. As we crossed the street to the Pantages theater, I got a phone call from Alyssa. I answered it, and all she said was, "turn around."

I obliged and she was standing at the other end of the crosswalk waving like an idiot. I waved back, equally idiotic. After she crossed the street, we hugged and she joined us in line. We became like a super group.

We sat in the morning California sun for 45 minutes until Chaz tweet a picture of the line. We stood up and peered over the top of our campground. I took a picture of the side of the street the picture said he was on, but he wasn't there. I rolled my eyes thinking he'll show up. Alyssa and her dad left the line to go get food for a few minutes and in that time two major things happened.

The first thing was some guys with Newsies Filming lanyards on came by and started handing out FREE DONUTS AND WATER! He said, "we don't want our Fansies dehydrated." It was swell. At this point in time I was standing next to the 'umbrella' on the look out for some cast members or something. Alyssa texted me telling me she just saw Andy, so naturally I one-upped her.

I saw two very wonderful and beautiful people meandering down the line saying wow under their breaths. I stopped them. "Nico! Paige! Hi!" I said excited.

I was standing in front of Nico and Paige.

Nico.

And.

Paige.

Paige had her phone out and was filming our conversation. Nico asked me, "so what do you call your camp?"

I smiled and gestured at the red 'umbrella', "We call it Camp Fansie."

He chuckled, "Hashtag Camp Fansie."

I echoed, "Camp Fansie."

Paige smiled, "you guys came prepared."

"Yeah," I replied fairly absentmindedly because oh I don't know I WAS TALKING TO PAIGE. I asked for a picture and Paige tried to get out but I insisted she be in it. Then I awkwardly told her, "she was so beautiful in person."

She laughed, "thank you!"

I tried to save myself, "I mean you're beautiful on Instagram too, but." I had given up on trying to rescue myself.

They left and Alyssa returned. I rubbed in her face that I just met Nico and Paige. She was mad at me, but I didn't care because she was stuck with me all day. She was either going to hate me or love me.

A few minutes later, Chaz came by with his phone out and he was waving at everyone. Alyssa and I screamed, "We love you Chaz" and he made a heart over his head with his arms. To the unaided eye it would look more like the second step in the YMCA, and he crossed the street away from the theater. My sister nearly died. She loves Chaz.

But my sister died even more when our next toursie walked by the line. The next visitor was none other than Sky Flaherty. I talked to Sky for a second and asked if he were going to be stagedooring tonight after the show. "I believe that's the plan," he informed me.

"Great!" I replied then we took a picture which was awfully full-filling since he skipped me last time.

Alyssa, my sister and I retreated back into Camp Fansie. After about 15 minutes of waiting for another toursie. My sister started repeating my name, "Katie. Katie. Katie. Katie."

"What?" I answered.

"Get up." was all my sister said in reply.

I jumped up and headed my way were two of my favorite people on the planet: Ben Cook and Joshua Burrage. I screamed, "Hi Josh!" from behind the 'umbrella' then I forced my way out. It was really hard to get out of there so that was my biggest accomplishment of the day. I walked up to him and hugged him. I didn't even say anything I just hugged him. He hugged me back as best as he could because him and Ben had just gone shopping and he had bags in his hand. (Later in the day, my sister told me that his face lit up when he saw me this time. Lit. Up. I guess that makes us best friends.)

I pulled away and Josh told me how excited he was to see me again and wished us luck getting tickets. I then asked for a picture with them. They obliged.

(It was like being sandwiched between your happiness)

Then I asked Josh a super serious mega super duper crazy important question that had burning me up for weeks now, "Do you like Star Wars?"

He shrugged and gave me a more or less expression then explained and glanced at Ben to make sure he was talking right, "yeah, I've only seen the new one, but I liked that one."

I smiled, "good to know. Good to know." I seemed like that was what I wanted to say, but in actuality I wanted to scream: "WE SHOULD HAVE A SLUMBER PARTY AND WATCH 1-6!" Glad I didn't say it, but I might write about it someday.

Afterwards I turned to Ben and asked another really important question to me, "are you a robot?" (Those of you that follow me on Instagram know how I feel about Ben and robotness)

He rolled his eyes, "no. I am not a robot."

I folded my arms across my chest, "you know, Benjamin, denial of being a robot is a sure sign that one is, in fact, a robot."

Ben laughed and replied, "I promise I'm not a robot."

I just rolled my eyes then much to my dissatisfaction, I stepped out of the crowd. I would have much rather talked to them all day and never let any other fansies have any opportunity to associate with the Kings of New York, but alas I am a nice fansie and I allowed others to talk to them. But I stayed close by... just in case.

As I was standing there "minding my own business" (I was just hoping no one would steal my boyfriend) Chaz walked by filming on his phone. He was Periscoping. I was in Chaz's periscope like three times in the three minute video because I'm cute. No, it was because I was in the right place at the right time.

Josh and Ben left as did ye ole Razzle Chazzle and Alyssa and I were standing on the street corner. I began to elbow her aggressively whispering, "Alyssa, is that who I think it is?"

She turned to me, "Katie, I'm blind. I can't tell."

Luckily for us it was exactly who I thought it was. The one. The only. Andrew Keenan Bolger. I forced (when I say forced I actually mean forced) him to take a picture with me. He claimed he was all sweaty from his hike. I looked him in the eyes and told him, "I don't care." I took a picture with him because if it we didn't get in, I still wanted a pic with AKB.

Immediately after this, Andrew told everyone he wasn't taking anymore and would be back later to take pictures. I looked at Alyssa victoriously since we both got our picture with him.

After this there was a long amount of dead time where no one walked by, but Alyssa and I claimed we had already succeeded, meeting all the people we already had. But a very familiar looking person came walking by talking to people. Alyssa and I shouted, "Jeff Calhoun!"

The reason for the season turned around and looked at us alarmed at the recognition. We asked for a picture and he happily agreed. He was so nice, he even stood off the curb so he wouldn't tower over us in our picture. He asked me if I was a singer, dancer, actor. I told him I sang and acted and started dancing because of my love for the show.

"Do you know any choreography?" he asked.

I stupidly tried to replicate the part in Seize the Day when the slap their legs, "I know that part kind of."

He laughed, "Chris Gatelli might walk by later and if you ask he might teach you some choreography."

"That would be so cool!" I smiled. The sad thing about this interaction was that Alyssa and I were the only one that recognized him and he directed the whole show.

Then a Zas was crossing the street and I ran over to talk to him. He wished us best of luck getting tickets and was just over all super amazing and AH ZAS. (I refuse to call him Anthony because calling him Zas is just so much more fun.)

After Zas left, I stopped another toursie. No one recognized this one and I was honestly so offended because he's lowkey one of my favorites. Walking from the stagedoor by the line nOT GETTING RECOGNIZED WAS IAIN YOUNG! HE WAS ON BROADWAY FAKE FANSIES!

I stopped him and asked for a picture. He lit up because he was recognized, and was just over all super sweet just like every other time I'd met him. Iain Young is forever one of my favorites and I honestly just love and appreciate him so much.

Iain also has the cutest smile and dresses so well and he has great hair and he's a terrific dancer, singer and actor. Come on guys, love Iain more please he deserves it.

Then crossing the cross walk was my favorite lil cinnamon roll, Andy Richardson. I approached him and asked for a picture and he happily agreed. I love Andy so much that it's not even funny. He's my favorite Crutchie 100% and I just adore Andy.

(ew what is my hand doing. I'm not even sure. I'm not trying to be the Arthur meme but I guess I could be. Whatever, it looks stupid, don't comment on it.)

I retreated to Camp Fansie. On my way back Josh and Ben walked by headed the same direction they came from earlier. Like did they go around the building? Did they jump off the roof of the theater just so they could walk by me again? When they walked by, I smiled and waved and they smiled in return.

After they had crossed the street towards the Dunkin Donuts, my mom whisper-yelled at me, "Katie, have him sign your picture."

"Oh crud, I forgot," I hit my forehead and fished my picture from last Friday and sharpie out of my Newsies bag. I stood in front of Camp Fansie eagerly waiting for Josh and Ben to return. I, in the least creepy way possible, saw them exit Dunkin Donuts. I met them at the street corner and asked Josh to sign my picture.

"Yes! Of course!" he smiled and tried to figure out how to hold his stuff. Ben came up and grabbed his bag and Josh signed my picture and smiled at me. I hugged him again and thanked him.

(Who's really third wheeling? Me or Ben?)

Then Josh reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He looked at me intensely and asked in a low voice, "Katie, do you wanna be in a selfie?" (he knEW MY NAME).

"Yes!" I said and he set his phone in selfie position. My sister and another fansie jumped in the photo and I was still dying that he knew my name. After the picture was taken, I thanked him for letting me be in it then he thanked me and I let him go back to the stagedoor, realizing that if I didn't get in that would be my last time meeting him.

As I walked back to Camp Fansie, it dawned on me that the selfie we just took was the obligatory theater selfie. I nearly fell down onto the pavement. I was going to be on his Instagram.

(F A M O U S)

Then I saw JP.

Now let's get something straight here. I adore JP. He's one of my favorites, not even joking a little bit. I was really mad.

No

One

Recognized

Him

I was in line with a bunch of fake fansies. I stopped him in the same manner that I had stopped Iain. He was surprised that I knew who he was and took a picture with me and I gave him the letter that I didn't get to give him last Friday. He thanked me and took the picture.

JP is so incredibly sweet and I always get excited to meet him because it's JP! He always makes me smile with that cute little smile of his. I LOVE JP!

Of course as I was talking to JP, I missed one of my favorite people on the planet. Alyssa told me that as I was taking her picture with JP, Kaitlyn walked by. I nearly started bawling because I missed Kaitlyn. Those of you that follow my Instagram know just how much Kaitlyn inspires me. Alyssa and I chased her down the street and I found her by the box office, waiting in line to pick up her tickets for her family or something for the show. I said, "Kaitlyn! Hi!"

Her head snapped upwards at the recognition. Then she smiled and walked towards me telling her boyfriend to hold her place in line. She gave me a hug and said, "hey sweetheart!"

Now I was crying at this point but I managed to say, "Hi, Kaitlyn." I introduced myself as Katie so maybe she'd remember who I was (I think she did). She took a picture and I nearly died because K A I T L Y N.

She was so nice to me even though I was a blubbery mess because Kaitlyn is my role model and inspiration in life and getting to meet her was so too crazy for me. She wished us best of luck with tickets and we thanked her.

Now is a perfect window of time to explain how tickets worked. So the line was to see who would get in if one of the invited audience members didn't show and the odds were pretty sucky. Every hour some crew members would pace the line counting. We were always in the mid-thirties. I don't know just how long the line was, but from what I could see it wrapped around the block.

The next people we saw were Tommy Bracco and Jack Sippel. They were taking pictures of the theater from across the street like dorks. Alyssa got a picture of them in the act, but I did not. They crossed the street and I asked for a picture. Tommy said sure and Jack stepped back. I looked at Jack and said, "I'm taking one with you next so don't go anywhere." His smile brightened.

I asked Tommy, "have you given a pep talk yet?"

In his adorable accent he said, "no I have not given a pep talk yet."

Then I followed up my question, "can you give us a pep talk?" He just laughed and took a picture with me.

Such a kind-hearted gentleman. He gave the entire group a semi-pep talk about staying optimistic about getting tickets because at this point we still had 3 and a half hours till the line even technically started.

Then I talked to Jack. He's a gem who deserves more love and the whole world. I literally love Jack Sippel and I honestly just want to clone him so I can have one for myself. He's so too perfect. He's like a puppy. I love Jack. End of story.

(Also our picture was 100% too cute for life)

He's so nice. I can't even.

Then I attempted to start a sing-a-long in line, but everyone is lame and it turned into a Katie solo of Seize the Day. You'd think that with a group of fansies it wouldn't be a solo, but it was. I have no regrets; it was fun. Then one girl and I did the choreography to seize the day and I probably looked like a flailing baby bird, but whatever it was fun.

Then the same crew member from earlier in the day with the donuts came by with a huge Newsies tote bag saying there was going to be trivia. I looked at Alyssa and we whispered we need to win. I won a Newsies CD. I wanted the hat, but noooooooo. The questions were stupid though: they were guessing questions and I was like "ask me anything about Josh Burrage and I can answer it." But they didn't. But I got a CD because I knew how long it took for their shoes to wear out.

Then it was finally 4 o'clock. At 3 my mom broke down Camp Fansie and took it back to the car while I held our spot because at 4, if you moved you were out of line. The 4-5:30 hour was the worst of the day. There were so many Newsies that walked by that I couldn't meet because I couldn't get out of line.

Jeff Calhoun came up to me and Alyssa and whispered to us, "You guys have a really good shot at getting in." Alyssa and I looked at each other and nearly started crying, the director of the show just told us we were going to potentially get in. I thanked him and he walked on.

Then we saw Beth. I elbowed Alyssa, "Is that Beth?"

Alyssa nodded and I screamed, "Beth! Hi!" She looked around, surprised by the sudden recognition. The female swing never gets recognized which is sad because Beth is incredible, sweet and beautiful. She joined me in line to take this picture since I could no longer move. How sweet and pure and beautiful is that? I love Beth. The end.

Then Anthony Norman began walking by, unrecognized. I stopped him and asked for a picture he was also surprised at the recognition. Of course I recognized Anthony. He was one of my favorites. I love him so much and believe he deserves so much more love since he's an amazing performer and has great hair. Alyssa and I gave him the title of Best Hair in the Cast (Fight me). He, just like Beth, joined me in line for this picture.

(Actual puppy, just saying.)

While I was stuck in line, many Newsies walked by. Examples: Ben Fankhauser, Tommy Bracco and Jeff Calhoun (who gave a sick Tommy Bracco impression), Steve Blanchard, Josh Burrage walked by again, Michael Dameski, Anthony Zas and a few others. Here's what I think about Josh walking by yet again. I honestly think he kept wanting to see me. That may just be my own stupid narcissistic nerdiness, but I believed it. Everytime he'd walk by (a total of like 5 times) he would make eye contact with me and smile and say hi. So Josh Burrage loves me, but we'll get into that more in the next part.

Finally at 5:30, after being in line for a grand total of 7 and a half hours, the line began to move forward. There were cheers from line members in front of me and I started sobbing. When the crew member handed me my ticket, the tears came down my face so fast. I had been waiting for this for months. I hugged Alyssa and my mom and we went in.

I was expecting them to have given us Mezzanine tickets or something, but no. I got Orchestra seats that typically would have sold for $100 +. I bought a One Night Only shirt and Lanyard and went to the bathroom then waited to go inside the actual theater. Alyssa and I were suddenly on the hunt for Kevin Massey who we found out via Instagram was there. We didn't see Kevin just yet, but for some reason we saw Andrew Wilson. I questioned this because he should be backstage because he was in the show, but he was in the lobby.

We took our picture in the Seize the Day cutout and then I went into the theater. I read my playbill. Everything was perfect. Except: Josh wasn't Darcy. Jack was. BUT Nick was still Bill and Mush. I was mad about it for about twenty minutes until I realized I actually loved Jack and that Josh got to be a Newsie the full show instead, but his Darcy costume is my favorite so that made me sad.

They opened the doors and I saw the set. The projections were clearer, brighter and nicer. I got to my seat. One away from the aisle, in front of a whole line of cameras. Oh yeah. There were a total of 11 cameras there. We had no idea who was going to be on the aisle seat, but I didn't care. Maybe I'd make a new friend. Alyssa and I talked. (I was separated from my mom, sister and aunt but that didn't faze me.)

Our aisle buddy sat down and he looked oddly familiar and I couldn't tell why. After a minute of silence, I said to our new friend, "hey, I figured I'd give you a heads-up now, but at Intermission I'm probably going to climb over you to get a pape."

He laughed and said, "thanks for the heads up."

"So how longer were you in line?" I asked.

"Oh I wasn't in line," he replied.

"Do you have a connection or...?" I asked.

"I'm the Les' brother," He said plainly. I stared at him dumbfounded then looked back at Alyssa. Craziness. (We also found out the entire row behind us was filled with Disney Executives).

I talked to Ethan's brother, Oren, until the Jeff came out and gave a speech. He was so nice and we helped him filter his photo. At one point he said, "I don't know how big of fansies you two are but do you know Chaz?"

"Of course we know Chaz!" I chuckled and thought, if only he knew how crazy we were.

"Well, not to toot my own horn, but we're like besties," Oren said.

Alyssa and I both said, "jealous" at the same time.

We saw Jack Feldman and I climbed over Oren to meet him. Jack Feldman was so nice and was so thankful we came to see the show. We took a picture. It was adorable.

We saw Jeff Calhoun again and he waved at us and said really enthusiastically, "you guys got in!"

I nodded and thanked him for everything and he thanked us for coming. Jeff came out onstage and gave a speech not even ten minutes later and looked right in our direction when he said thank you. He admitted that they had never run the full show with this cast before, and I feel bad for laughing. (No I don't). Jeff left the stage and we waited for the show to start. Ten-ish minutes later the overture began and I started crying again. Alyssa and I gripped each other's hands like we were the only things holding each other to the earth. It was surreal.

>

NEXT PART WILL BE POSTED SOON IT'S JUST REALLY LATE AND I WANT TO SLEEP! xoxoxo