Mary D.'s LA story

M: I have a few autographs! Okay, I first saw POTO in Los Angeles in '89, and like so many people fell desperately in love with Michael as the Phantom. It wasn't until my friends and I went a couple times that we learned an enormous line formed at the stage door afterwards, and that MC hung around to give his autograph to everyone who waited! Now when I say enormous line, I mean wrapped around one side of the theatre complex, and the Ahmanson is HUGE. The wait was always at least an hour, but lots of fun, because everyone had just seen Phantom and some were familiar with Michael from other shows, so there was much to talk about. The stage door was below street level, so once you were close enough you went down a short flight of steps, and there he would be stood in the doorway, his curly hair wet, and all ruddy-faced and beaming. I always tried to notice what he wore; usually bluejeans with black trainers (sneakers), a pullover sweater, and sometimes a light, fancy bomber-style jacket if it was particularly cool.

K: Need I tell you that I am dying of jealousy, Mary?

M: I admit it, he was adorable!...Let's see, mostly I asked him to sign the usual program/brochure, but once I had no paper and so I handed him a check I'd voided (which caused a bit of confusion!)...

K: Did he think he'd bounced a check? :0

M: :) No, looking back on it he may have thought I was handing him a check for charity, but I didn't know of his activity in this at the time....And another time I made a huge Christmas card out of two pieces of posterboard for him and the cast & crew, got everyone I met outside the theatre to sign it (there were over a hundred signatures inside by the time I got to the door), and when I gave him this his response was, "My GOODNESS!" :)

K: Ohhhhhhh!

M: I know. He could've said anything and it would have been noteworthy!

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