Yesterday was the day I took my younger sister, Lauren, to see Max and Lauren in Grease.  Not too long ago Lauren approached me and asked if we could bake cookies for Max and Laura.  I have a friend who's a very minor celebrity (he's not an actor and you guys probably wouldn't know him) and I bake him cookies for his birthday every year.  I think she wanted to "get in" on the action by giving cookies to Max and Laura. 

For weeks Lauren was diiliberating on what to wear.  She has a "Pink Ladies" tee shirt I'd bought her when she played Jan in Grease a few years back.  She'd wanted to wear it but I was concerned it would be too cold.  I ended up talking her into wearing a pink sweater instead.

The day started rainy but cleared up before we had to leave for the train station.  We left for the station half an hour before the train was due to leave.  About two years ago we got a parking garage at the station to catch the overflow of travelers.  But, the popularity of the train station has quickly taken over the garage.  It took me so long to find a spot.  So long, in fact, that we missed the 11:34 (which was due to arrive in NYC at 12:59) by seconds.  So we had to wait for the 12:11 which wads due to arrive in NYC by 1:36.

But they were doing work on the trains and we got to NYC after the schedule arrival time.  I knew Lauren and I wouldn't have been able to walk from Penn Station (33rd) to the B-A (47th) in time so we hopped a taxi.  We probably could have walked faster.  We, literally, caught every red light along 8th Avenue.

By the time we got to the theatre is was after 2pm.  We walked inside JUST as the overture was ending and the prologue was starting.  We had to wait to go to our seats until the opening number was over.  Thankfully, we didn't get to miss any of the show though.

There was a slip of paper in the playbill saying that Emily Padgett would be playing the roll of Patty Simcox that day.  I've never met or seen Emily but gosh she's the spitting image of Allyson Fisher.  Funny how they got someone who looks and sounds EXACTLY like Allison to be her understudy.  And, yeah, I know it was Allison

Lauren was really into the show and she laughed a lot.  Our seats were great.  Row A (which is actually the third row) on the aisle on the right side of the the theatre.  It felt like we were involved with the action.  I think Max spotted me during Those Magic Changes.  I can't say for a 100% sure, of course, but that's how it looked.

The crowd seemed really mixed.  Some people we were really into the show and some people didn't seem to really the care.  The people who were in front of me seemed to think they were at the dentist.  They actually tried to leave before curtain calls even started but decided but seemed to change their minds.  They did leave before curtain calls were over.

No one was standing during the curtain calls - even after Max and Laura took their bows.  When no one was standing when they came out to sing again I took some intiative and stood up and got Lauren to do the same.  Once we were up a few people stood up but not many.  In fact, a woman in the front row center tried to get up to leave during the singing and Max pointed at her.  She quickly sat back down.  I thought it was pretty funny.  Lauren said she saw Jenny smiling at her and she was pretty excited about it.

When the curtain calls were over we put our coats on and headed out to the stage door.  When we got there no one was there but within a few moments a class trip from a high school in Pennsylvania showed up.  I figured there went any hope of getting a picture of Lauren with Max and Laura.  But their teachers wouldn't let them stay at the stage door. 

Patrick, Jose, and Jamison all stopped to sign.  I'd been hoping that Lindsay would stop because I wanted a picture with her and Lauren (Lauren played Jan in her school production) but she quickly walked by the small crowd.

Max and Laura came out and started signing.  They started where Lauren and I were standing.  Max and Laura said hi to me and Max asked how I was doing.  I let Lauren hand them the cookies and Max and Laura were pleasantly surprised.  Max asked what they were and I said they were snickerdoodles.  I asked if there was too big a crowd for pictures and Laura said they would when they were done signing.  They posed with each other but not with any fans.  When they were done signing a woman asked Max and Laura to pose against one of the posters but Max said they had to go.  Laura went back inside and Max left in the car.

Once they were gone I started helping Lauren get our stuff together.  Put myu camera away, help her with her scarf, etc.  By the time we were done Laura had come back out.  She thanked us again for the cookies and headed off with Robyn and some other girls from the show.

Lauren and I headed down the street to get some dinner.  I'd told her I'd take her to Ellen's Stardust after the show if it wasn't raining.  And since it was clear that's where we were headed.  Laura, Robyn, and their gang were headed the same way.  We were behind them until we reached 50th where they turned and Lauren and I kept going straight.  I hope they didn't think we were following them.  They have enough crazy fans to worry about.  Don't want her thinking I might be one of them.

Lauren got a real kick out of Ellen's.  I didn't tell her about the singing waitstaff before we got there so she was surprised.  She loved it and was singing along with most of the songs.  The service was only okay though.  We had our food before we had our drinks and I had finished half my sandwich before they came.  But other than that it was fine.

Once we were done eating we went back to Penn Station and started the trip home.