"I'm sorry, you got me mid-swallow"
It's ironic that the clock just switched over to othe 24th. San Jose. City of requirements owes me nothing now. First time around, I met Bono. Fucking Bono. This time, the city delivered again, and I met Anthony FUCKING Rapp!! Warning, this will be long, and completely abuse the words 'wonderful' and 'brilliant'.
So here we go.
Well I get there, and I feel super out of my league. I mean, most of these people are musical theater people, and it was being sponsored and held by the San Jose Children's Musical Theater Program, and everyone was just..they all knew each other and had been going there and etc etc. So I bum around and finally get inside, and I'm second fucking row center. I mean, it's not a big place to begin with, but come ON, that's insanity.
So we're waiting, and waiting and the lady comes out to introduce him, and then she tells us that he was nice enough to stay tonight for a signing of his book. And all of a sudden I just wanted it to be later so I could meet him, but then he came out and I forgot that part for an hour.
Can I just take a pause and tell you how wonderful this man is? He's this charming, witty, intelligent, talented, couragous man, in this itty bitty little body. I know that sounds insane, but he's so adorably..pocket!anthony! you just want to smoosh and cuddle him. Among other things. And he's articulate as fuck.
Ayways, so alot of what he talked about I expected, talking about the beginnings of Rent, of it coming full circle and making the movie. But what was really great, was to hear him talk about the NWTW version of Rent. How different it was. He kept singing little lines from the play now, and then singing the lines they originally were. He did this for Rent, One Song Glory (Left Brain), What You Own (Real Estate). The best part was during a few lines of real estate, the end says something like "Maybe I'll find a girl. One who doesn't want to be on top" and he looks at this little 10 year old boy he had been talking to in the audiance and said "You're too young to know what that means.....I'm so fired!!"
He then went on to read for about 20-30 minutes from his book, from the part where he sings Roger's bit at the presentation, all the way through opening night of the show. When he read us the bit about Adam's outfit, the overall's and sweater etc, he gave us this look like, "I know!!!" As he talked about his reaction to Jonathon's death, his eyes were shut, and he was just reacting, and it was really emotional.
After he read for a while, he opened it up to questions. The first question caught him while he was drkinking water and he sorta choked and laughed, saying she caught him mid-swallow. then he sorta paused, blushed, and said ANYWAYS.
One of the questions was 'what does theater mean to you?' and he took a while to answer it, finally saying it was those moments that completely change you, that leave a physiological change on your brain, that carve a pathway for whatever reason, that can change your entire life, that you are constantly searching for. He thinks thats what theater and music can do, and god, how much can we all agree with that? It was so nice to see him articulate it so well.
Then someone asked how he got into acting, and he was ADORABLE, saying it was a series of people saying go here, go there, try this, try that, and he kept just saying "....okay!"
Another question was asking if he ever got tired of being the officiary (his word, he thinks he may have just made it up, but he can so there. Again, his words) of RENT, and he said he honestly never does get tired of it. He loves it, he's proud of it, and if it's for the rest of his life the first line in his biographies, he'll have no regrets. He said he can't get tired of talking about something he loves so much. (Ahem, me with Oz and U2, and him)
Another question asked how he was like Mark, and he said he hoped that he was wiser now, but they're both really dedicated, really passionate about their work. They both have really strong ideals and very strong ideas about what's right and wrong.
Another interesting question was asking the response he's been getting for his book since it's really personal. He said that his mother's sister actually is really upset with him over it, because she felt a lot was left out. and he was upset by this till his publisher said it's just a side effect for writing about your life. He said that this was the way he grieved and how he saw it, not necessarily what his mum's sister went through. He also said he didn't realize how many young fans he had, and once he published he started to worry about parents being angry with him. (How fucking adorable IS that man?!)
Anyways, now for some quotes:
-"Some of this you may have already heard, so forgive me if I repeat myself, but it's my history and I'll tell it as much as I want!"
-"Some people have the workshop version of Rent" A guy in the back raises his hand. Anthony: "HOW?! How does it ever exist?! It was like 10 nights and no one even knew what we were doing!!" Later that same guy has a question and he says, "Last question, you, illegal-man!"
-"Excuse me, you got me mid-swallow"
-"It's horrible, and an awful cliche. But we're friends. We're family. It was like coming home." -on the movie and the 10th anniversary benefit.
Oh god, he sang the last bit of 'what you own' and his voice was GORGEOUS, I mean he REALLY sang it, not the half talking, half singing he did with the rest.
Oh and he has this really adorably quirky habit of not touching his mouth to the water bottle he's drinking from, he just pours the water into his mouth, without touching it at all. it's completely fascinating and adorable.
So afterwards, we all jetted to where he was signing, and they asked us to not use flash please, and he wouldn't be posing for photos since he wanted a chance to sign all of our books. So I finally get up there, and I refused to let myself have a Bono moment. I had this one shot to tell him what I thought, and goddamnit I was going to use it. So I didn't say anything at first but then he was like "Hi Sandra.." And kinda watched me (our names were on a slip on the books), and I just...lol, took a huge breath and started rambling.
I said "thank you for everything, you were talking about how some songs or shows can completely effect you and change everything for no real reason, and I really got that from your cd. The honesty there completely inspired me, and it ended up being that final push I needed to apply for grad school." And he looked up and just grinned and said 'thank you, that means alot to me' and i sorta laughed and said, "So it was either I stand here and say nothing, or I tell you all of this. I guess I went for the second.." And he grinned, and said "No, thank you for telling me." Then he asked what degree I have, and where I want to go (Cause he's so fucking WONDERFUL and engaging, and genuinely nice and wants people to feel comfortable), and I told him I have a wildlife degree, and I want to go to school in Australia. And he looked up interested and asked if I had ever been there, and I said yeah I studied there for 6 months. He asked where and I told him townsville, and he said, OH just south of Port Douglas!! I kinda goggled him and said.. uhh yeah, yeah it is. And he smiles and says, yeah, isn't it gorgeouos there. and i agreed, and said thank you again, then i said OH, the inappropthought girls say hi (cause I told tolavieboheme if i could talk i'd do this) and he smiles all amused and says 'oh those girls...'. so then it was the next chick's turn and i stood to the side and tried desperately to take pictures that weren't blurry due to lack of flash, and due to the fact that the man gestures and nods like a SPAZZ. a spazz with REALLY nice hands.
moral of the story: I talked to Anthony Rapp about AUSTRALIA!! And he's dreamy, and wonderful, and charming, and smells really nice.
Like I said, pics are blurry but i DID get a quick video. I was annoyed as hell about not getting any good shots, and you can't actually hear him, but it's a quick NOT BLURRY shot of him talking to someone, and just being adorable. So those will come tomorrow with the dsl.
So for now, I hope you liked the tale, because fuckkkkkk, I sure fucking did. I heart that man so much!!
So here we go.
Well I get there, and I feel super out of my league. I mean, most of these people are musical theater people, and it was being sponsored and held by the San Jose Children's Musical Theater Program, and everyone was just..they all knew each other and had been going there and etc etc. So I bum around and finally get inside, and I'm second fucking row center. I mean, it's not a big place to begin with, but come ON, that's insanity.
So we're waiting, and waiting and the lady comes out to introduce him, and then she tells us that he was nice enough to stay tonight for a signing of his book. And all of a sudden I just wanted it to be later so I could meet him, but then he came out and I forgot that part for an hour.
Can I just take a pause and tell you how wonderful this man is? He's this charming, witty, intelligent, talented, couragous man, in this itty bitty little body. I know that sounds insane, but he's so adorably..pocket!anthony! you just want to smoosh and cuddle him. Among other things. And he's articulate as fuck.
Ayways, so alot of what he talked about I expected, talking about the beginnings of Rent, of it coming full circle and making the movie. But what was really great, was to hear him talk about the NWTW version of Rent. How different it was. He kept singing little lines from the play now, and then singing the lines they originally were. He did this for Rent, One Song Glory (Left Brain), What You Own (Real Estate). The best part was during a few lines of real estate, the end says something like "Maybe I'll find a girl. One who doesn't want to be on top" and he looks at this little 10 year old boy he had been talking to in the audiance and said "You're too young to know what that means.....I'm so fired!!"
He then went on to read for about 20-30 minutes from his book, from the part where he sings Roger's bit at the presentation, all the way through opening night of the show. When he read us the bit about Adam's outfit, the overall's and sweater etc, he gave us this look like, "I know!!!" As he talked about his reaction to Jonathon's death, his eyes were shut, and he was just reacting, and it was really emotional.
After he read for a while, he opened it up to questions. The first question caught him while he was drkinking water and he sorta choked and laughed, saying she caught him mid-swallow. then he sorta paused, blushed, and said ANYWAYS.
One of the questions was 'what does theater mean to you?' and he took a while to answer it, finally saying it was those moments that completely change you, that leave a physiological change on your brain, that carve a pathway for whatever reason, that can change your entire life, that you are constantly searching for. He thinks thats what theater and music can do, and god, how much can we all agree with that? It was so nice to see him articulate it so well.
Then someone asked how he got into acting, and he was ADORABLE, saying it was a series of people saying go here, go there, try this, try that, and he kept just saying "....okay!"
Another question was asking if he ever got tired of being the officiary (his word, he thinks he may have just made it up, but he can so there. Again, his words) of RENT, and he said he honestly never does get tired of it. He loves it, he's proud of it, and if it's for the rest of his life the first line in his biographies, he'll have no regrets. He said he can't get tired of talking about something he loves so much. (Ahem, me with Oz and U2, and him)
Another question asked how he was like Mark, and he said he hoped that he was wiser now, but they're both really dedicated, really passionate about their work. They both have really strong ideals and very strong ideas about what's right and wrong.
Another interesting question was asking the response he's been getting for his book since it's really personal. He said that his mother's sister actually is really upset with him over it, because she felt a lot was left out. and he was upset by this till his publisher said it's just a side effect for writing about your life. He said that this was the way he grieved and how he saw it, not necessarily what his mum's sister went through. He also said he didn't realize how many young fans he had, and once he published he started to worry about parents being angry with him. (How fucking adorable IS that man?!)
Anyways, now for some quotes:
-"Some of this you may have already heard, so forgive me if I repeat myself, but it's my history and I'll tell it as much as I want!"
-"Some people have the workshop version of Rent" A guy in the back raises his hand. Anthony: "HOW?! How does it ever exist?! It was like 10 nights and no one even knew what we were doing!!" Later that same guy has a question and he says, "Last question, you, illegal-man!"
-"Excuse me, you got me mid-swallow"
-"It's horrible, and an awful cliche. But we're friends. We're family. It was like coming home." -on the movie and the 10th anniversary benefit.
Oh god, he sang the last bit of 'what you own' and his voice was GORGEOUS, I mean he REALLY sang it, not the half talking, half singing he did with the rest.
Oh and he has this really adorably quirky habit of not touching his mouth to the water bottle he's drinking from, he just pours the water into his mouth, without touching it at all. it's completely fascinating and adorable.
So afterwards, we all jetted to where he was signing, and they asked us to not use flash please, and he wouldn't be posing for photos since he wanted a chance to sign all of our books. So I finally get up there, and I refused to let myself have a Bono moment. I had this one shot to tell him what I thought, and goddamnit I was going to use it. So I didn't say anything at first but then he was like "Hi Sandra.." And kinda watched me (our names were on a slip on the books), and I just...lol, took a huge breath and started rambling.
I said "thank you for everything, you were talking about how some songs or shows can completely effect you and change everything for no real reason, and I really got that from your cd. The honesty there completely inspired me, and it ended up being that final push I needed to apply for grad school." And he looked up and just grinned and said 'thank you, that means alot to me' and i sorta laughed and said, "So it was either I stand here and say nothing, or I tell you all of this. I guess I went for the second.." And he grinned, and said "No, thank you for telling me." Then he asked what degree I have, and where I want to go (Cause he's so fucking WONDERFUL and engaging, and genuinely nice and wants people to feel comfortable), and I told him I have a wildlife degree, and I want to go to school in Australia. And he looked up interested and asked if I had ever been there, and I said yeah I studied there for 6 months. He asked where and I told him townsville, and he said, OH just south of Port Douglas!! I kinda goggled him and said.. uhh yeah, yeah it is. And he smiles and says, yeah, isn't it gorgeouos there. and i agreed, and said thank you again, then i said OH, the inappropthought girls say hi (cause I told tolavieboheme if i could talk i'd do this) and he smiles all amused and says 'oh those girls...'. so then it was the next chick's turn and i stood to the side and tried desperately to take pictures that weren't blurry due to lack of flash, and due to the fact that the man gestures and nods like a SPAZZ. a spazz with REALLY nice hands.
moral of the story: I talked to Anthony Rapp about AUSTRALIA!! And he's dreamy, and wonderful, and charming, and smells really nice.
Like I said, pics are blurry but i DID get a quick video. I was annoyed as hell about not getting any good shots, and you can't actually hear him, but it's a quick NOT BLURRY shot of him talking to someone, and just being adorable. So those will come tomorrow with the dsl.
So for now, I hope you liked the tale, because fuckkkkkk, I sure fucking did. I heart that man so much!!