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SCENE 5: The Stage Door a k a "STAGEDOORING"
Our guys said hi to our group and thanked us for the flower shower, gave me a hug or two, pictures were taken and they were soon replaced by William, who after a few minutes with the rest of the crowd, spent quite a lot of time with our group! He was definitely an audience favorite and a favorite of
As it got later, the crowd grew smaller and then...Douglas was there. By then I had become suddenly shy (hard to believe, I know) and somewhat embarrassed and almost afraid that perhaps I had overdone the San Francisco welcome, so I hid my face behind the window card as he slowly made his way through the waiting crowd of fans who were between us and him.
I think Gail was the first of our crowd to catch his eye, and I have no idea what happened after that until he tapped on the card and said "Hi Jackie, why are you hiding behind that card?" and with that, the major hugging, babbling, laughing, crying and smiling began for me! It was a brief few moments to treasure forever! I know there were lots of pictures taken, I remember parts of our conversation, and I know he asked me if that was REALLY my window card that he was about to sign. That's because the last time I saw Douglas, I had nothing for him to sign except things for other people...and gave him a bad time about not "needing" any more autographs myself. (Sure!!!)
He also swore that he could NOT see us, but that left us wondering how he knew it was me behind that window card. Anyway, I gave him the "care package" from the group which was loaded down with a bagel guillotine, a Guillotine card game, some "tacky" San Francisco souvenirs, and tons of chocolate chip cookies "FOR THE CAST, DOUGLAS!" To which he responded that NO he was NOT going to share! ;-)
I finally relinquished my hammerlock on him and left him autographing things, talking to our Bay Area gang, hugging everyone and having his picture taken with everyone who wanted one, and I am certain that he made a few more fans that evening, as did William Paul Michal, composer Frank Wildhorn and indeed, "The Scarlet Pimpernel." I think it is probably safe to say that everyone found Douglas to be the charmer I knew he was.
I had (again) forgotten the post cards for Douglas, Matt, DB and William, which we had brought along from Seattle, having also forgotten to give them out up there!
Everyone quickly decided to make a West Coast Regional Ballfest an annual event, including another wonderful dinner and show. M and I are also hoping to make the Bay Area a regular stop on future Los Angeles trips, including our annual STAGE concert trip in early March 2001.
I think I can speak for everyone concerned ~ our Bay Area Ballfest Group, their friends and family members, the staff of the Market Street Grill, the cast, orchestra and crew of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and especially Douglas Sills, Merrill and me, when I say that this was one wonderfully memorable evening and a heck of a Ballfest too! Thanks gang!
Act
Three tomorrow...
THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
is one wonderful
BALLFESTING PLACE!
~*~*~*
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The
crowd was much larger than on Friday night, but we managed to find and fill
a large area in the front and to the left of the rest of the fans.
Matt Farver, and DB were early outs, followed by Matt Shepard and other
cast members, most of them clutching carnations. 
ours
as well, and is not only talented beyond description, but charming as
well. He will soon have a CD out, and we will be delighted when it is
finally available. He said that he has a little more to record while
in L.A. and hopefully it will be released soon afterwards. He really
loved all the surprises and the large group who waited to meet him.
We all took lots of pictures!
