A few thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Every year there's a summer blockbuster that I end up catching months later on DVD and wish I'd seen it at the movies.

I didn't want that to happen with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, so this afternoon I became part of a record-breaking opening weekend for the final film installment of J.K. Rowling's series.

I've been kind of indifferent toward the Harry Potter movies. I saw the first couple, then skipped a few in the middle. To me, they weren't as interesting as the books, all of which I've read and enjoyed. Still, this was the last one, so I really wanted to see it on the big screen.

I never got around to Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and I was surprised that Part 2 began without any introduction to the characters or story. It just begins, like there was a short intermission and you've returned from the bathroom or getting a snack. Luckily, I remembered enough from the book that it didn't matter.

And I can understand the point of view of director David Yates. If you've never read a word of the books or seen any of the movies, it's unlikely you'd start with this one. Still, if you're thinking about taking it in just to see what the fuss is about, don't bother. Or at least rent Part 1 first.

Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has a dark, apocalyptic look that's so appropriate for a climactic battle with Voldemort. I got a bit choked up at the end, even though I knew what was coming. I liked it, although it's obviously special effects and action driven, which is why in the end, I prefer the books.

I was thinking afterward what a great job Rowling did in synthesizing British history and literature and culture. She explores this idea of a mythic, idealized English character in a strong and absorbing way.

There are shades of Shakespeare, Dickens, Tom Brown's School Days, the Arthurian legend, St. George and the Dragon, the Duke of Wellington and probably other influences that I'm not sufficiently Anglophile to pick up on.

And Rowling blends everything together in a way that's masterful. I wish there had been a series like Harry Potter when I was growing up. They're thick and detailed and wonderful books to just lose yourself in. (The closest would be Lord of the Rings but they're more for high school or college.)

The other thing I'd like to mention is Daniel Radcliffe. I was never a big fan of Radcliffe's from the movies. He always struck me as kind of a passive actor. But I realized in this final Harry Potter that he's perfect for the role.

I read online somewhere in the past few days where someone questioned (jokingly, I assume) whether Warner Bros. had been hoping for a growth spurt somewhere between the first and last films. The writer concluded that Radcliffe's size actually works in his favor, and I agree.

I think part of Radcliffe's strength as Harry is that he's not 6 feet 5. He's got this boy-man look and that gives him an appealing vulnerability and he uses it well. It heightens the underdog quality. I think his slender build also makes it easier for young audiences to identify with him. He's a life-size hero.

But the place where I've truly come to appreciate Radcliffe's talent is onstage. I thought he was riveting in his Broadway debut in 2008 as a troubled teenager in Equus. And he's utterly delightful making his Broadway musical debut this year, in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

I'm hoping Radcliffe will continue his theatre work, becoming part of a tradition of great British actors who move seamlessly between stage and screen.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, at Broadway's Hirschfeld Theatre
Gratuitous Violins rating: **** out of ****

The Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, starring Daniel Radcliffe, put a smile on my face from beginning to end. Judging by the rapturous applause, I wasn't the only one having a great time.

Before the show I took in the Harry Potter exhibit at Discovery Times Square. It was great to see props and costumes from the movies and it's clear why Radcliffe engenders so much goodwill - he's the orphaned boy wizard we've watched grow up. We want him to do well.

And he brings oodles of boyish charm to J. Pierrepont Finch, a window-washer who uses luck, pluck and a how-to manual to climb the corporate ladder at the World Wide Wicket Company. Sporting an eye-catching blue bow tie he sings sweetly, dances up a storm and speaks with a flawless American accent.

I'll admit that Radcliffe isn't the most powerful singer, which detracts a bit from "I Believe in You." But not every role requires a big Broadway voice - think David Hyde Pierce, who was wonderful in Curtains and doesn't have one either. What's important is that Radcliffe creates such an engaging character.

Plus, director/choreographer Rob Ashford has put together the splashy, exuberant production numbers around Frank Loesser's catchy score that I love in a Broadway musical. "Company Way," "Coffee Break," "Paris Original," "Grand Old Ivy" and "Brotherhood of Man" were so much fun.

And this isn't a one-man show by any means.

John Larroquette, who towers over Radcliffe, has great chemistry with him as gruff company president J.B. Biggley. Rose Hemingway was delightful as Rosemary, the secretary who falls for Finch. She sounded so lovely, especially in "Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm." Christopher J. Hanke was hilarious as Bud Frump, Biggley's nephew and Finch's nemesis. And Ellen Harvey steals every scene as Biggley's secretary, Miss Jones, who succumbs to Finch's flattery.

How to Succeed is one of only eight musicals that have received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Based on a satirical guide by Shepherd Mead, a bestseller in the 1950s, it was adapted for the stage by Abe Burrows, Willie Gilbert and Jack Weinstock. The show debuted on Broadway in 1961 with Robert Morse, who also starred in the movie.

And I think it holds up pretty well, despite being a bit dated. Of course the women at the World Wide Wicket Co. are relegated to the secretarial pool. And how many people get the joke that the person hired to head the advertising department has the initials BBDO?

But How to Succeed still works because the songs are memorable and the characters are fun, the dancing is phenomenal and in many ways its send-up of the business world resonates 50 years later. (CNN's Anderson Cooper provides the authoritative voice of the how-to guide's narrator.)

This is the story of a young man who, despite not going to the proper school or having the right connections, still rises to the top through, okay, stretching the truth a bit here and there. With so much charm and a face like a choirboy, can you really hold that against him?

In some ways it's a uniquely American story - it speaks to our belief that with enough gumption anyone can make it, no matter how humble their background, even a window washer like "Ponty" Finch.

Radcliffe has already proved his mettle as a stage actor - I thought he was absorbing in Equus, as a troubled teenager who blinds horses. He could have sat at home in London and counted his Harry Potter earnings but he chose to take on the challenge of a Broadway musical.

I admire him for getting out of his comfort zone. I hope he continues to take risks and that they're all this incredibly entertaining - and successful.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2011!

Fifty years ago, in 1961, 54 shows opened on Broadway.

Musicals from 1961 include Frank Loesser's How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Jerry Herman's Milk and Honey, Bob Merrill's Carnival!, Johnny Burke's Donnybrook!, and Comden and Green's Subways are for Sleeping.

Among the year's plays were Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons, Neil Simon's Come Blow Your Horn, Jean Kerr's Mary, Mary, Ossie Davis' Purlie Victorious, Henry and Phoebe Ephron's Take Her, She's Mine and Harold Pinter's The Caretaker.

Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana featured Bette Davis in her final Broadway role. William Shatner appeared in A Shot in the Dark before he went on to boldly go where no one had gone before. And Dustin Hoffman made his Broadway debut, in The Cook for Mr. General, six years before starring in one of my favorite movies, The Graduate.

Three plays opened and closed on the same night: The Garden of Sweets, set in a Greek-American candy store and ice cream parlor in a city on the Great Lakes; Julia, Jake and Uncle Joe, which took place in a New York apartment, a Moscow hotel room, the office of the American ambassador and the Kremlin; and Once There Was a Russian, set in 1787, in Potemkin's study in a small Crimean palace on the sea.

One show from 1961 that became a hit is on my must-see list for 2011: the revival of How to Succeed in Business, with Daniel Radcliffe taking on the role created by Robert Morse. Radcliffe was compelling in his Broadway debut in Equus and I'm looking forward to seeing him in a musical.

Wherever you are I hope your 2011 is happy, healthy and filled with great theatre and as always, thank-you for stopping by.

World AIDS Day 2010

I know it sounds strange to say that I enjoy being asked for money but I look forward to those pitches for donations to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS when I'm at a show.

Since it's World AIDS Day 2010, here's a pitch from me.

At the end of 2009, there were 33 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS, about 1 million of them in the United States. An estimated 56,300 Americans become infected every year.

This year's United Nations report offers some encouraging statistics: worldwide, the number of people newly infected with HIV is declining and AIDS-related deaths are decreasing.

But much work remains, including caring for people who are living with the disease.

Whenever I go to the theatre at this time of year I always make sure that I have a little extra cash to drop in the bucket if the cast is collecting for Broadway Cares. (Touring productions of Broadway shows often collect donations, too.)

The organization will award about $10 million in grants in 2010 to groups in nearly every state and around the world. Broadway Cares supports health clinics, food service and meal delivery, housing and emergency assistance. Most likely an organization near you receives help.

Broadway Cares also supports other organizations that provide services to performing artists, including the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, the Al Hirschfeld Free Clinic and resources for actors and dancers.

While they're serious about the organization's good work, the requests for donations at the curtain call are often done with a sense of humor. In 2008, I watched Daniel Radcliffe auction off a sweaty polo shirt he wore during Equus.

This fall, David Hyde Pierce was ready with a few witty one-liners after La Bete. (He should host the Tony Awards!) And it was sweet to see 12-year-old Jeremy Gumbs, the youngest cast member of The Scottsboro Boys, smile broadly at the curtain call after playing a very serious role so well. He was so incredible in the musical that it was almost startling to realize yeah, he's a kid.

But I have to give the prize to the cast of Lombardi. Bill Dawes, who plays Green Bay Packer Paul Hornung, had us laughing hysterically. And Dan Lauria was pretty funny, too, staying in character as the legendary Packers coach.

I got an autographed Playbill for $20 (a color one!) and I saw quite a few people walking out of the theatre with $100 signed window cards. But any amount helps.

I'm happy to support an organization that helps so many people and it's my way of saying thank-you to the people whose work I've enjoyed all year long. That includes everyone who works onstage and backstage and without whom, the show would not go on.

Broadway Cares also has an online store with lots of great ideas for gifts for Christmas, Chanukah or any time of year.

Who should host the Tonys?

Okay, it probably doesn't matter all that much who hosts the Tony Awards, which air at 8 p.m. June 7 on CBS. I figure if people are interested in the theatre and in Broadway, they'll watch the show. If they're not, they won't, regardless of who's hosting.

But hey, it's Tony season and the Los Angeles Times blog Culture Monster is engaging in a little fun speculation about who should host. I haven't seen many of the nominated performances this year, so I figure I need something to speculate about.

Some of the names on their wish list are clearly meant to be funny: hunky Cheyenne Jackson, hirsute Jack Black. (He did star in Prop. 8 - The Musical!) The fishy Jeremy Piven. Also, Will Ferrell, Nathan Lane, Jane Fonda and Michelle Obama.

And apparently the New York Post's Michael Riedel is pitching Dolly Parton. (He also has a funny column today on actors supposedly campaigning for the Tony. Really? I'm shocked, shocked.

I'd like to see the cute and talented Neil Patrick Harris. Or, someone in the comments suggested Daniel Radcliffe, to make up for his being snubbed in the Best Actor in a Play category for Equus. And what about Kevin Spacey? The Old Vic Theatre, where Kevin is artistic director, originally produced The Norman Conquests. He'd be great.

I guess former Tony and Oscar host Hugh Jackman is probably busy. Too bad. I wonder if anyone has ever hosted more than one major awards show in the same year?

Daniel Radcliffe, I tip my Sharpie to you

Congratulations to Daniel Radcliffe for getting his caricature unveiled at Sardi's this afternoon. He'll be part of an illustrious tradition and it's a well-deserved honor, in my opinion.

While I had mixed feelings about the play, I thought he was terrific as a very troubled teenager in Equus. And in every interview I've seen he handles himself so well. For a great example, check out what he had to say on Theater Talk about the challenge of keeping his performance fresh.

I think this is a good time to say that I owe Daniel an apology. When I wrote in November about getting his autograph at the stage door I mentioned that he seemed to take an awfully long time to sign his name. I suggested, in what I hope was a lighthearted way, that he practice a quick, illegible scrawl.

I didn't realize until later that he has a condition called dyspraxia, which affects his handwriting. So of course, I feel horrible. He mentioned dyspraxia briefly when he was on Inside the Actors Studio and he talks about it a little more in depth in this interview by Kevin Sessums at The Daily Beast. (Thanks to Rocco at What's Good, What Blows for the link.)

"I have a very mild form of it. I’ve gotten it mostly under control now. I played a lot of videogames as a kid which really helped it. It basically surfaces as bad coordination. Another example of it is how terrible my handwriting is because I can never quite tell when the pen is going to land on the page."

Now I have even more respect for him trying to sign all of those Playbills after a performance. He'd have a perfectly understandable reason for bowing out of the task, but he doesn't. And judging from the number people who find my blog by searching for Daniel Radcliffe, stage door and autographs, I know how much it means to his fans that he makes the effort.

You can catch Daniel on Broadway in Equus at the Broadhurst Theatre through Feb. 8.

Inquiring minds want to know

Whenever I check my statcounter to see which Google queries have brought readers to my blog I often find that I've answered about 90 percent of their question. Close, but no cigar. I wish I could run after those people and say, "Wait, give me another chance!"

So as one of my blogging resolutions for 2009, I'm going to try to answer questions from readers on a more regular basis to supply that missing 10 percent. Naturally, I get a lot of questions about theatre and Broadway shows, which I can usually answer; a lot about violins, which I can't; and some random ones about movies, books or tv shows. (Apparently, the movie Ice Castles has a pretty big fan base.)

In the meantime, here are a few recent ones:

1.) Does Daniel Radcliffe come out after shows to sign autographs? I get a lot of queries about whether actors come to the stage door to sign Playbills after a Broadway show. Usually, they will, although matinees can be dicey. And this year, I've had some notable disappointments. But yes, I did get Daniel Radcliffe's autograph after an evening performance of Equus. You can read about it here. And to the person who asked, Leah Michele is DEFINITELY NOT mean at the stage door! Why would you think that? She was very nice to everyone when I met her after a matinee of Spring Awakening in the summer of 2007.

2.) Is the aisle seat good at a Broadway theatre? Well, for me, there's nothing like being smack dab in the middle of the orchestra, in the first few rows. But yes, I think aisle seats are generally good, especially if you think you'll need to make a quick exit. Although there's been a disturbing trend of shows charging more to sit on the aisle. Unless you have a medical reason or you want to reach out and touch the elephant during the parade of animals that opens The Lion King, (And who doesn't!) I'm not sure it's worth the extra money.

3.) Can Spring Awakening be saved from closing? January is going to be a very dark month for Broadway. A handful of long-running musicals are closing and other shows are finishing up their limited runs. At this point, I don't think any of them can be saved, including Spring Awakening. The last performance for the 2007 Tony winning Best Musical will take place on Jan. 18. But don't lose hope. You can still catch it, along with many other terrific Broadway shows, on tour. It's probably coming somewhere near you. Go here for more information.

4.) Can you take pictures at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular? Sadly, yes. At least at the performance I attended. While it clearly states on the show's Web site that photography is forbidden, (as it is in all Broadway theatres and probably all theatres everywhere) people were snapping away at will throughout the performance and no one appeared to be stopping them. But I did attend a 10 a.m. show and Radio City Music Hall wasn't very crowded. Maybe the ushers are more diligent later in the day.

5.) What does Johnna symbolize in August: Osage County? Good question. Johnna, originally played on Broadway by Kimberly Guerrero, is the Native American housekeeper hired by family patriarch Beverly Weston to look after his sick, pill-popping wife. The play takes place in Oklahoma and Johnna is a representative of the original occupants of the land. I think she also symbolizes the importance of family. Playwright Tracy Letts describes her role in an interview with The Times of London.

6.) Where did Carrie Bradshaw go to college? Did she have any family? Where did she grow up? Michael Patrick King, the executive producer of Sex and the City always kept the origins of Carrie and her pals a little mysterious, as if their lives didn't really begin until they moved to Manhattan. Carrie apparently mentioned in one episode that her father left her mother when she was 5 years old and she may have grown up close to New York and gone to college in the city. I'm guessing New York University, but that's just a guess. Here are some more hints.

7.) What's the town in Massachusetts in the Seinfeld finale? This is one of those questions where I smack my forehead (figuratively, not literally). I wrote about watching the final episode of the long-running NBC comedy for the first time this summer, 10 years after it aired. But I never mentioned the specific town in Massachusetts where it takes place. Duh! The NBC corporate jet that Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer are taking to Paris makes an emergency landing in the fictional town of Latham, Massachusetts in the final episode. Here's a rundown on the whole sad incident.

Equus

Gratuitous Violins rating: **1/2 out of ****

I've never been all that enthralled with Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potter movies. But now that the boy wizard is all grown up and tackling a big, adult stage role - wow, what difference. Seeing Radcliffe make his Broadway debut in the revival of Peter Shaffer's Equus, at the Broadhurst Theatre, really gives me a new respect for him as an actor.

Radcliffe plays Alan Strang, a British teenager who inexplicably blinds six horses at the stable where he works and winds up in a psychiatric hospital. Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon to you Harry Potter fans) is Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist who tries to get at the reason why Strang did something so horrible, and to help him.

I really enjoyed Radcliffe's performance as a troubled boy, the way he reveals more and more about himself as Dysart peels away the layers of this mystery. At first, he's barely communicative, speaking in television jingles or giving short, clipped answers to questions. Dysart learns from the nurse at the hospital that Strang is plagued by nightmares, and it's clear he's in great pain.

In John Napier's scenic design, audience members sit above the stage in a semicircle - almost like they're overlooking an operating room - or for some reason, I thought of an ancient amphitheater. And the horses - actors wearing these oversized aluminum heads and hooves - are striking, especially Lorenzo Pisoni as Nugget, the horse to which Strang has an erotic attachment, and takes on secret nighttime rides.

I'd never thought of Radcliffe as very expressive performer but I was really struck by the way he moves in Equus - leaping on the back of a horse, trembling under a blanket after all of his defenses have been stripped away. He's a slight person and he makes Strang seem like kind of a loner - a quiet boy, not very social, not an intellectual, not someone you'd notice if you passed him on the street. It's probably not a coincidence that his name is close to "strange."

Griffiths was ok, but he didn't totally engage me as Dysart. I didn't find him all that compelling as a character. Maybe the problem is the play itself. A great deal of his dialog is a soliloquy in which he envies Strang's passion and bemoans the fact that he doesn't have anything remotely like it in his own life. While he's an academic who studies his obsessions from a safe distance, Strang has immersed himself in them. He'd love to feel something as deeply as Strang does.

Religious faith and overly strict parenting also seem to take a hit in Equus. Strang's mother has imbued her son with a deep faith - something his father disdains, along with television. When his father tears down a drawing of the crucifixion hanging in the boy's room, Strang replaces it with a photograph of a horse - and transfers his worship in a way that's well, disturbing to say the least.

It's almost as if Shaffer is saying, keep the kid from watching telly and fill his head with Bible stories and this is what you'll get. And that doesn't seem quite fair - either to religion or parents. Deep religious faith doesn't necessarily lead to the kind of obsessive devotion that Strang displays.

I was kind of disappointed in some of the supporting cast, too, especially Carolyn McCormick and T. Ryder Smith as Strang's parents. Neither one really came to life for me in any great way and McCormick especially seems to have one overwrought tone throughout the whole play.

But Anna Camp was terrific as Jill Mason, the more worldly girl who gets Strang a part-time job at the stable where she works, and lures him into a sexual situation. She's the opposite of Strang - talkative and perky and quite effective in the role. I don't think she means to hurt Strang but she's clearly leading him into something that he's not ready to handle.

There's been a lot of talk about their nude scene, which comes near the end of the play. (Ok, all of the talk has been about Radcliffe and to answer the question on the minds of his fans - he wears boxers.) I thought it was very tastefully done and both young actors handle it well.

Dysart agonizes over whether he'll destroy the boy's passion if he cures him. I think it's an interesting question, this intersection of madness and passion and what do you take away when you restore sanity. Do you somehow diminish the creative process? But I can't really believe that Dysart could envy Strang. His passion leads to violence. Next time, he could hurt himself or someone else. And that's nothing to envy - or romanticize.

Daniel Radcliffe and the sweaty shirt

I really look forward to the pitches that cast members make at the end of the show this time of year for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

First, it's a great cause and I always drop something in the bucket. The organization helps people with HIV and AIDS as well as those with other illnesses, such as breast cancer. Second, you get to watch the actors you've just seen playing characters break the fourth wall and address the audience as their real selves.

Last night, at the end of Equus, it was especially exciting. Daniel Radcliffe auctioned off a sweaty polo shirt that he wore onstage in New York and London. He autographed the shirt and even wiped his face with it, so the lucky recipient, who paid $550, is assured of getting some of Harry Potter's DNA. How thrilling!

I'll have much more to write about Equus later but let me just say that Mr. Radcliffe gave a mesmerizing performance as a troubled teenager who blinds horses. And at the risk of sounding completely shallow, he has quite a cute little tush!

A lot of people find my blog by searching for Daniel Radcliffe, stage door and autograph, so here's the scoop:

I did manage to get his autograph and Richard Griffiths' at the stage door afterward. It was a pretty hairy experience. The stage door at the Broadhurst is on the front side of the theater. Just make a right turn as you exit. But you can't miss it - you'll see the security guards and the metal barricades.

The security people won't even let you near the metal barricades unless you show them a ticket for that night's performance. And you'll be wedged in like sardines with your fellow theatergoers. It was a bit of a madhouse, with the guards constantly telling us to move back and to not push. But it was kind of hard to avoid pushing when you tried to move back!

I was just behind the front of the barricade and I kind of scoped out the situation while we were waiting, trying to find an opening in the crowd where I could thrust my Playbill at Radcliffe. (He comes out fairly quickly, within 20 minutes. You'll have to wait longer for Griffiths but by then, the crowd will be gone.)

When he got to me, he seemed to take a looong time to sign his name. "Daniel" came out pretty good, but the signature starts to trail off by the end of "Radcliffe." He needs to work on a quick, illegible signature! Update Dec. 1: Okay, now I feel awful. I just heard Radcliffe say on Inside the Actors Studio that he suffers from a mild form of dyspraxia, which can affect fine-motor control, such as handwriting. So I apologize for joking about your signature.

Radcliffe will work both sides of the barricades. My advice is to position yourself on the side next to the giant Shrek poster. That way, when his driver pulls up and the car door opens, you'll be in good position to try and take a picture before he jumps inside.

Hang on Broadway, I'm coming!

In a bid to personally save Broadway during these perilous economic times, I depart for New York City this morning on my most ambitious theatre trip ever. Wait, you ask, even bigger than your seven-musicals-in-five-days marathon in July 2007?

Yes, even bigger than that. I'll be spending an entire week in the city that never sleeps and I'll be taking in a mind-boggling 11 shows. Maybe 12 if I can squeeze in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

I'm not limiting myself to the Great White Way either. All of New York City needs my help. So I'll be attending my very first opera, venturing downtown to the venerable Public Theater and even traveling off the island of Manhattan, to the exotic climes of Brooklyn.

Will I have the stamina, the intestinal fortitude, that this mission into the very heart of drama, comedy and musical theatre requires? By Sunday night, will I remember anything about the show I saw on Monday? Will I be able to answer the two most burning questions on the minds of my readers: Where is the stage door at the Broadhurst Theatre and does Daniel Radcliffe sign autographs?

Stay tuned.

Daniel Radcliffe talks theatre

I loved the Harry Potter books but I've never been all that crazy about the movies. It's nothing personal, they're not bad movies. I just get more out of the books - they're richer, more detailed. And I'm not a huge Daniel Radcliffe fan. I feel bad saying this, because he was just a kid the first time I saw him on screen, but his performance always seemed a bit bland.

But I saw an interview with Radcliffe on Theater Talk and I was so impressed with what he had to say as he discussed preparing for his role in Equus, first in London and now on Broadway. At the tender age of 19, he just struck me as a very thoughtful young man who obviously takes his craft seriously.

And I loved what he said when Michael Riedel of the New York Post asked him what he'd learned from his Equus costar Richard Griffiths. Radcliffe responded that the main thing he'd learned was the importance of keeping his performance fresh.

"Someone asked me, How do you make it fresh every night? Well, I said, you just remember that people are paying exorbitant amounts of money to come and see you and it has to be the first time you've done it for them. If I change a line reading or whatever on stage, Richard is quick enough and listens so brilliantly that he will just go with it and be able to use it to make the scene fresh. So that's the main thing I've learned, just about keeping the play as sort of a living thing, not just rest on your laurels."

Radcliffe was 12 when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came out in 2001. While the interview has made me even more excited about seeing his Broadway debut, part of me thinks it'll feel a little weird to see him in an adult role. Even though I've watched him grow up over the course of the Harry Potter films, I still have that mental picture of him as a little boy.

Daniel Radcliffe and the stage door

I've gotten e-mails from a couple of readers who are making their first trip to Broadway just to see Daniel Radcliffe in Equus. More than a few people have stumbled upon my blog by searching for his name and "stage door." So I know there's a lot of interest in whether he'll sign autographs. After digging around on the Broadway World message boards, here's a little update.

Several theatergoers have reported that Radcliffe is making an appearance at the Broadhurst Theatre stage door, signing Playbills and even an occasional Harry Potter dvd case. As always, past performance is no guarantee of future results. But if he's signing autographs now, there's a good chance he'll do it through the entire run of the play.

A Broadway World post from Without A Trace has a pretty detailed description of what it was like at the Equus stage door, and it's quite a mob scene, with hundreds of people screaming and pushing.

"Daniel Radcliffe was the last one out and he signed for A LOT of people. He first went around to the right side of the barricades and signed for most of the people in the front (he even signed someone's Harry Potter DVD cover). Then he came around to the left side of the barricades. Everyone around him was telling him how much they loved him in Harry Potter, etc etc.

"When he got to my spot in the barricades, I told him that his performance in this show was brilliant and that it is wonderful to see him in a role that most people wouldn't think to see him in...and he pulls it off so well.

"He then asked me if I had seen the show that evening, and I said no, that I had seen the first preview on Friday night. He responded with "Oh, that was a good night to be here!" Then I told him that I was telling all my friends to go see the show, and he said "We're not completely sold out, keep telling people to come!" Then I thanked him again and he seemed very gracious and pleased with my comments about his performance. Then, he went onto the next person, who mentioned Harry Potter again..."

Apparently, this person went to the stage door on a night when he or she wasn't seeing Equus, to stake out a good spot. That might not be possible if you're coming from out of town. So you should probably head out of the theatre as quickly as possible - even if it means giving up a pit stop. There'll be time for that later - after you get your autograph.

Stopping at the stage door is a great and time-honored part of going to a Broadway show. I've had wonderful experiences and disappointing ones so whatever happens, I can sympathize.

My advice is, stand your ground, don't be bashful about reaching out with your Playbill, remain calm and above all, just enjoy being part of the whole crazy scene. (Although they're not all as crazy as this one will be). Here's a video that will give you some idea of what you can expect.

Ok, if Equus is your first Broadway experience - have fun and break a leg! Hopefully you'll see a great show and take home a great souvenir. And of course, you'll want to return.

My Broadway debut - one year later

Tonight marks the first anniversary of my first Broadway play - A Moon for the Misbegotten, and tomorrow, my first Broadway musical, Curtains. One year ago this evening, at the tender age of 47, I stepped inside a Broadway theater for the very first time in my life and was immediately hooked. It's never too late to make your debut on the Great White Way, is it?

While it was a chance to see Kevin Spacey's performance in Moon that lured me to New York initially, I've been back three times since April 2007, and I've seen a total of 21 different shows (Moon twice). And while I have my favorites, I can honestly say that I've enjoyed at least a little something about each and every one of them. Going to the theatre in New York City is still a pretty big thrill for me. I'm very envious of people who live there and can go all the time. I just wish I had a chance to see more off-Broadway shows, too.

I've now been inside 18 of the 39 Broadway theatres. There are some I like - the cozy, intimate orchestra section of the Belasco, for example. There are others I'm not crazy about - I felt sooo far away sitting in the rear of the Hilton's orchestra. The narrow, rectangular-shaped lobby of the Richard Rodgers made me feel absolutely claustrophobic. I'm hoping to get to all of them eventually, and if it comes down to the final one, I'll swallow hard, bite the bullet and go see The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic, because that show most likely isn't going anywhere in my lifetime.

This week, I got a comment on a post I wrote awhile ago about going to the stage door after a show to get my Playbill signed. The person who wrote has never been to a Broadway show, but is planning to go see Equus with Daniel Radcliffe, and wanted some advice. Imagine, someone asking me for advice. Can you believe it?

So, to mark the first anniversary of my first Broadway show, and in a shameless attempt to pump up the hits to my blog, (weekends can be slow, you know) here are some words of wisdom to another novice theatergoer.

Before I start, just in case there's one person left on the planet who doesn't realize it, Equus is not a play for young children. It's about a psychiatrist treating a young man who has an unhealthy fascination with horses. Nudity and adult themes are most definitely involved. You'll be seeing a side of Daniel Radcliffe you've never seen in the Harry Potter movies. (I'm not talking just about his acting.)

So forewarned is forewarned. Now, you want to get outside as quickly as possible after the show ends to claim a good spot. (My advice is to make a quick trip to the bathroom, because you might be there for awhile). I'm not sure where the stage door is at the Broadhurst Theatre, but you can ask an usher. With Radcliffe's fame, there'll be metal barricades set up, and a mob scene. You won't have any trouble finding it!

We don't know yet what color the Playbill will be, but I would recommend two different-color Sharpies (available at most drugstores), one black and one a lighter color, like red or silver. You can also check back at the Playbill Web site after the show opens to see what the cover looks like, so you'll have a better idea of which color will show up best.

Now this is important. If you're there alone, make friends with someone standing next to you, so you can trade cameras and hopefully each get a picture of yourself with Daniel Radcliffe. With the number of people, it'll probably be close to impossible. My guess is he'll be quickly signing his name and moving on. But you should be prepared just in case the opportunity arises. (And I wouldn't bother lugging your 800-page Harry Potter book to the theatre, chances are he'll only sign Playbills).

In my experience, the star of the show usually comes out last. Perhaps it's done for dramatic effect, or because he or she has so many important visitors backstage. I don't know. So you could be waiting a half hour or more. (You'll have plenty of company). But don't despair and don't leave until it's obvious that he's not coming out. There'll most likely be security people around to let you know if he's not going to make an appearance.

While there are no guarantees that he'll come out the stage door and sign autographs, I have a feeling Daniel Radcliffe will be pretty accommodating. Once you get your signature, etiquette dictates that you move to the back and give someone else a chance. Be persistent, hold your ground and don't be shy. I hope you have as wonderful and memorable an experience as I did, one that turns you into a lifelong theatre fan. Now go out there and break a leg.