Patti, Laura and Boyd and B & N- Page 2

[dshnookie]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 3:30pm

Here now. Got here at 3:15 and was 10th in line. Now there's about 20

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 3:39pm

See you in about a half hour.

[broadwaybaby086]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 3:40pm

And it can only increase exponentially from here. :o)

Report back!

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 6:54pm

Here's a non-climatic addition to the thread.

I got to B&N at 4pm.

The line was horrendously long... I found myself all the way by the entrance to the men's room and in a blink of an eye, there were 50 people behind me (with about 200 in-front).

They started letting people in around 4:20pm. I'd say not even HALF of the line got inside to sit. The rest of us (self included) were cattle-call packed up and around the outside of the windows and monitors.

Patti arrived at 5:05pm and they started the show.

The ENTIRE cast was there (sitting along the side-wall): Tony Yazbek, Leigh Ann Larkin, The Strippers and Baby June/Louis

Laura, Boyd and Patti on-stage with interviewer Patrick Pacheco. TERRIBLE microphone giving feed-back every 3-minutes. Couldn't hear a thing from the outside of the room.

I did not have (nor intend to buy) the CD, and upon learning that the cast would only sign the album... My feet were tired, I figured I could get autographs at the stage door, Eug wasn't a happy camper, so I left at about 5:15pm.

I'm sure those who GOT INSIDE to hear the interview and sit comfortably (I'm guessing they got in-line around 3pm) enjoyed it. And to those who had the patience to wait in-line to get their CD signed (assuming they were let in, as I'm sure time was not on their side), good job.

I'll just YouTube that sh*t Updated On: 8/28/08 at 06:54 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 7:04pm

Hmmm... Weren't there people on another thread saying it wouldn't be that bad?? From EugLoven's report, it's worse than Shirley Maclaine's was. :P

Hope those who went had fun.

[dshnookie]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 7:17pm

Got there early enough to get a seat in the room where the discussion took place, where I proceeded to take countless pictures. Unfortunately, Patti had to leave before she could sign for people in my row and the row in front of me - I really thought Patti would sign for everyone in the room, but it wasnt a big deal. Apparently, she presigned a lot of booklets, so if you didnt get a signature from her personally they gave you an additional booklet with just her signature. Somehow I managed to leave with two booklets, one signed by just Patti and one sigend by Patti and all - it was pretty chaotic at the signing table. I didnt say much to Boyd and Laura (Laura posed for a picture while I pointed my camera at her), and Leigh Ann Larkin was beauuuutiful and so gracious. Tony, the three strippers (Mazeppa being my favorite), and baby June (no idea she had short brown hair) and baby Louise were also there. I took a lot of pictures in the line rather than talking to any of them - but I did thank them all and told Leigh Ann that she was phenomenal and "God Bless You" - and she replied, "Thank you, you too!!" - so sweet.

[dl032656]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 8:01pm

check out after work... insane many people there so i just grap a book and left. i have all sig so i think it is way easy to get sig at stage door round 11PM.you can get pretty much everyone's sig

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 8:09pm

I got there at 4 thinking if I didn't get a seat I could stand in the back of the room. Well I got there and right at the top of the stairs there was an end of a line so I thought wow this is great I am going to get a seats blah blah blah. But then as I was standing there this women asked if I was in line and I said yes and she said it's back there. It turns out they had to leave a space clear for people to get through. Anyway I thought well okay it's can't be that bad but as I walk back it gets longer and longer. If went all the way across the store. One of the guards said this was the longest he had ever seen. So it starts moving and then they say no more room but there are TVs you can watch it on. So I couldn't see or hear the TV and couldn't see into the room over the bookshelf so I stood there trying to hear. It was then time to get things signed and Patti left and I got a booklet with her signature and got the rest of the cast 2 and a half hours after I arrived at the store. Next time I will go earlier.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 8:41pm

I figured it would be a huge crowd of people, so I didn't go. Besides, I had classes and got out at 4, so I wouldn't have made it. But glad to hear from those of you who did go. Updated On: 8/30/08 at 08:41 PM

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 9:20pm

I was about three people behind Eugene and he's not exaggerating, it was quite crazy. I got out at about 6:20 with my signed CD booklets, plus I was able to get a playbill signed too. The guy in front of me even got a windowcard signed. When I left the end of the line was at the glass case where they keep the high end, specialty art books, so that should give you a good idea of how many people there were.

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 11:45pm

I was there. I over heard someone tell Laura that he was going to play her husband in a show some day!!! He said he would remind her of their conversation when it happend!!! Lol! She was gracious but I could tell she thought the guy was nuts.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 12:14am

Drunk Chita, were you drunk?
Eug, which bathroom were you standing by?
Sounds like a good time fer all.
B&N needs a bigger venue for these events.
Maybe at Lincoln Center?

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 6:54am

Eugene and I were standing near the rest rooms on the far side of the third floor past the sex books and closer to the new age/self help section.

[broadwaybaby086]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 7:23am

The great and bad thing about these events is the length; the performances (and occasional interviews) are short and sweet, making it a very pleasant addition to the day of the patron and an untaxing press event for the performers, right before their shows. However, because of its length, moving it to a larger or more accommodating venue wouldn't make sense. The B&N in Union Square has performances and the performance space is a bit more open (save for shelves, etc), but Union Square isn't really the home for the performing arts. The Bruno Walter Auditorium in the Performing Arts Library would be an ideal location for those drawing larger crowds, but that would take it away from Barnes and Noble...which just isn't fair.

My thoughts are that Barnes and Noble Lincoln Triangle provides a nice service to both the casts and labels, promoting their CDs, and to the public, who get a nice free glimpse at the product and performers. It's a first-come, first-served kind of thing, and it's understood. It is unfortunate that at times like these a lot of people miss out, but we are in New York City, and we get hundreds (probably closer to thousands) of free events every year, so many opportunities. Sure, not all of them involve Ms. Lupone, Ms. Benanti or Mr. Gaines, but we're still pretty lucky as a culture. I say keep it at B&N!

Also, minorly related...I'm sad that the Tower Records space is now a Circuit City.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 10:06am

I was there yesterday too, and it was a truly fantastic event.

I left work at 1:45pm and got there a little after 2pm. (i told my boss I had an eye doctor appt. uptown and wouldn't be back) I was the 9th person in line and we all had to wait outside the room until they let us in around 4:15pm. I had a prime seat in the front row on the left side. I sat on the left as opposed to the center because they told us that the left side of the room would be getting their CDs signed first.

Then when Patti showed up a couple minutes after 5pm, the interview began. Patrick did a wonderful job interviewing the three Tony-winning stars. We got a lot of insight into Laura, Boyd and Patti's characters and how they have developed since City Center (since Ravinia for Patti). Plus, after hearing them speak so candidly, it was wonderful just to get to know them all better as human beings. It was a fantastic interview.

The signing was truly a delight too. The entire principal cast was there and they were all more than gracious to sign our CDs and chat with us. Laura and Leigh Ann looked absolutely stunning...what gorgeous women. I was also lucky enough to meet Margaret Styne (Jule Styne's widow), who signed my CD cover as well and was so sweet. She looks great for 72!

I hung around for the entire signing and everyone who waited was able to get a CD signed. It was a wonderful event (save for a few microphone issues) and I feel honored to have been there.

Can't wait to see GYPSY again soon!

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 11:26am

"It was a wonderful event (save for a few microphone issues) and I feel honored to have been there."


The sound was "soothing!" Laura was amazing, you could tell in the beginning she wasn't as comfortable but then she suddenly became very outgoing while she was signing and talking. Sort of like in the show.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 11:33am

Yup. She had her own "transformation" right before our eyes! It was fabulous.

Pictures up:
https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=31701

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=31700

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 11:37am

Some of those pictures are priceless.

[chenothegood]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 1:04pm

Can I just say how gorgeous Laura and Leigh Ann are? I mean i am just basing this off the BWW pics but wow! They barely have any makeup on or anything and are still stunning!!
I saw the show last week and LOVED it!!

[logan0215]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 1:33pm

queef!

[BradMajors]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 1:56pm

[NGD47]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 1:58pm

I would love to have heard the question that warranted that face.

[BradMajors]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 2:09pm

[NGD47]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 2:15pm

[BradMajors]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 2:23pm