A Night I’ll Never Forget

If you know me, you know Newsies isn’t just my favorite Broadway show — it’s part of my DNA. So when I get the chance to meet anyone connected to it, my excitement is off the charts. But this night… this night was in a league of its own.

It all started when I learned that Andrew Wilson — one of the actual newsies — was in Life of Pi as a puppeteer. Naturally, I wanted to meet him. The tricky part? As a volunteer usher, I’m often stuck inside until after the cast has left the theatre.

Enter my amazing friend Angie, who works backstage helping actors with costumes. I gave her a letter for Andrew asking if he’d be willing to meet me, and explaining why doing so would require him to wait a few minutes longer than usual at the end of the night.

Thursday night, my phone rang. It was Angie — and Andrew was right there in the background. He told me he’d be out of town Friday but would love to meet me Saturday night… and he’d be bringing a friend.

I asked who.

 “Meredith Inglesby,” he replied.

I shrieked. Out loud. My mom warned me not to run the car off the road (I was driving at the time.)

Not only was she Hannah in Newsies, but her husband, Steve Blanchard, played Joseph Pulitzer! I’d also seen them both in Little House on the Prairie a few years back — and I’d seen Meredith 20 years ago in On the Record. This was suddenly becoming a beyond-my-wildest-dreams double-meet.

The Lobby Encounter

Saturday night finally came. I’d mentioned to the front-of-house supervisor that one of the actors had kindly agreed to meet with me after the show, and he arranged for me to work in the lobby so I could leave a few minutes early.

As I stood at my post, I noticed a man cross the lobby, hesitate, and walk back. A few minutes later, he approached me and asked if he could get into the theatre somehow to leave a message for a friend. He assured me that he was in the cast. 

I had a sneaking suspicion who he was, so I asked his name, and as he began to say, “Andrew Wilson,” his eyes landed on my name tag. His face lit up and he exclaimed, “You’re Ginger!” before wrapping me in the warmest hug.

I wish I could tell you what we talked about in those first few minutes, but I was so overjoyed that my brain went completely blank. All I remember is directing him into the theatre so he could leave a note for Meredith on her seat. He told me she would be arriving soon, so naturally, I spent the next ten minutes scanning every face that walked into the theatre, wondering if I’d recognize her.

Meeting Meredith

About ten minutes before the show began, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, and there she was—Meredith Inglesby herself!

I did recognize her, instantly. She was warm, gracious, and seemed genuinely surprised and delighted that I not only remembered her from Newsies, but also from Little House on the Prairie and On the Record. We chatted for several minutes, though once again, my excitement makes it hard to remember all the details. What I do remember is the feeling—absolute euphoria.

Stage Door Magic

After the show, I hurried to the stage door, where I finally got to meet Andrew and Meredith. To say they were wonderful would be an understatement. They were gracious, kind, and fun, and they seemed just as excited to meet me as I was to meet them.

They were pleasantly surprised when I handed Meredith programs from past shows I’d seen her in. Andrew even took pictures of her signing them, which made me laugh. Both of them also signed my King of New York t-shirt—the one I’m collecting official Newsies autographs on.

And they absolutely lit up when I gave them their gifts (pictures are in the gallery below).

For Andrew, I’d made a towel and mug rug embroidered with “Life of Andrew” in the same style as the Life of Pi logo. The back of the mug rug was newsprint fabric, and on the opposite end of the towel I added "#newsiesforever." He loved it.

For Meredith, I created a towel with her name in white typewriter letters on a red background with "#newsiesforever" at the other end. Her mug rug had her name in red typewriter font, angled like the Newsies logo, on Little House on the Prairie fabric. It was bordered with newsprint fabric, backed with red typewriter print—little nods to her incredible career.

I also made a matching set for her husband Steve (my way of reaching Joseph Pulitzer himself, even if I didn’t get to meet him), and for their daughter, a dragonfly-themed towel and mug rug set, so no one would be left out.

We spent a good twenty or thirty minutes together on the steps outside the stage door, swapping stories. They told me about their time in Newsies, and I shared what the show has meant to me. We ended with pictures together—one of them capturing us punching the air with our classic Newsies fist. (Pictures to follow -- I have to figure out how to get them off my phone first.)

Forever a Newsie

That night was everything I could have hoped for and more. Andrew Wilson and Meredith Inglesby gave me not only their time, but their kindness, generosity, and joy. It’s the kind of experience that keeps me waiting those “few more minutes” at the stage door, even if people look at me funny for doing so. Because sometimes, just sometimes, the wait leads to a night you’ll never forget.

And for me, this one will stay in my heart forever. 

And I will never, ever forget it.

#NewsiesForever

************

What’s the most memorable stage door experience you’ve had? Share it below so we can all relive the magic together.