Les Miserables

I meant to finish writing this post a long time ago...
Back in September I saw Les Misérables for the first time after winning 2 free tickets to the Broadway revival in a giveaway. I had never seen the show during its original Broadway run because the story never really compelled me to get a ticket, and I wouldn't have seen the revival if not for winning tickets because most reviews stated that it wasn't as good as the original. Nevertheless, I was excited to see the show, especially when I found out that Lea Salonga was playing the role of Fantine during that time! Salonga originated the leading role of Kim in Miss Saigon, the show that got me into loving musicals. I knew the music from the show and listened to the original cast recording numerous times before ever seeing the musical. When I finally saw it—my first Broadway show—it was long after Lea had left the cast. Having never seen her perform live on stage before, I really looked forward to seeing Les Miz, even more so when I discovered that Ann Harada was in the cast as well. =) She was the original Christmas Eve in one of my other favorite musicals, Avenue Q.

With my other ticket I brought my mom since I thought she might want to see Lea perform live. My mom had seen only one other Broadway musical before going with me to Les Miz, and that was Nine, a show we also saw together, which starred the handsome Antonio Banderas. :) When I asked her what she thought of Les Miz after seeing it, she told me that she liked Nine better. :) As for me, I thought Les Mis was just okay, but my opinion was changed recently when I saw the excellent anniversary concert on TV. In the revival, I enjoyed Lea's performance. She was wonderful. :) I enjoyed seeing Ann Harada as well and thought she was entertaining.

After the show, we waited by the stage door, which I don't usually do. I had only done it at 2 different shows before then, one of which I did just for the heck of it because I saw people gathered there. My mom, on the other hand, has done the stage door thing 100% of the time because of being with me. ;) Since she was with me again, I thought it would be fun and a nice memory. We got our Playbills signed, and when Lea came out, I said that we should ask if we could get a photo taken with her. My mom's reply was, "Who's going to take it," which knowing my mom and how she said it, might have been her way of saying that she didn't exactly want to do it. One of the people who was waiting next to us cheerfully volunteered to take a photo, though; but when Lea went to pose with me, my mom didn't even try to get in the photo! =( She can be a little camera shy at times. I had my own bashful moment earlier when Ann Harada came out and started signing. I wanted to ask her for a photo together, but when the time came, I chickened out and didn't ask! (^^;;)

Signed Playbill

As Lea worked her way down the line of waiting people, the crowd began to disperse, and I took the opportunity to take some photos of her while she was signing autographs for the rest of the fans:

Afterwards, I finally got some photos of my mom posing outside of the theater, and she took some of me as well. :) We also went across the street so I could get some shots of the theater with the marquee lit up, and while I was taking photos, a man walking past asked us if we would like for him to take a photo of us together. That was something I didn't expect, considering we weren't taking pictures of each other. I was a bit wary, but then I told him, "Okay." So in the end, my mom and I did get a photo taken of us together. :)