Je danse avec les dieux!
Feb. 20th, 2011 04:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lesmisloony I AM GOING TO SKIP WRITING ABOUT THE ACTUAL SHOW FOR NOW. I'll review it later. It was fine. Solal's understudy was on and Nuno was weirdly only semi-present, but Mikele was busting it out and Flo was having a pretty good day too (nothing like what we saw in Lille, though). Ariane (Maman Weber) was being really silly and I liked it.
Well. The first part of the day was pretty great. Joanna and I took a roadtrip though towns with names like "Bitche" and we sang MOR at the top of our lungs like some crazy people. The best was when Victime de ma victoire came up and we both spontaneously did the Prince incongru boogie. We also put in the lines from the show whenever it was possible. GOD I love being with other MOR fans. THEY GET ME.
We made it to Amnéville no problem and found a great parking spot at the Galaxie. The Galaxie, by the by, is on the top of a mountain. Right next to this big white blob that turned out to be an indoor ski slope. And across the street was a building with a dinosaur's head busting through the middle. Why.
Well, I was supposed to meet some girl named Audrey out front of the Galaxie to get my ticket to the matinée. Unfortunately... she wasn't answering my texts. It was COLD.
We were discussing how we could find the hotel with great concern when I spotted a familiar grey coat and furry hood approaching. I poked Joanna and went "Is that Maktav? It looks like Maktav. Is it? Or is it a drunken hobo?" It wasn't until he was much closer that I realised that he even had a guitar strapped to his back. Yep, Maktav. WHY DOES HE ALWAYS SEEM HOBO-ISH? He was following the road around the side of the Galaxie. Joanna and I creeped after him (I wish I was more gutsy so I could have been like YO MAKTAV IT'S THAT AMERICAN WHO LOVED YOU SO MUCH IN LILLE but I'm not that good at life) and we saw him go past a fence thing.
A moment later we spotted Matthias Jung (Colloredo) coming up the side road in the same direction. It was only then that we were smart enough to go THE OTHER WAY down the road and stand at the end of the drive, waiting to see if we could tell where he had come from.
The end of the road overlooked a giant four-star hotel. Hmmm.
A second later Ariane (Maman Weber) appeared out of nowhere, wearing REALLY HIGH HEELS. She said Bonjour to us and then asked where the Galaxie was. Hahaha showtime was in an hour and she didn't even know where the GIANT STADIUM was. Amazing. We helped her out.
Joanna and I immediately started trying to determine whether the actors were coming from that giant hotel across the way, but there was no crowd of fans gathered at the door and we kept seeing vans appear from further down the road. We crept around the hotel parking lot looking for vans and every few minutes I'd check my phone and find NO TEXT from the girl who was supposed to sell me my ticket.
Showtime came and I was still not inside the Galaxie.
Well.
So instead Joanna and I checked into our hotel, then we went to a McDonald's. I was weirdly chipper despite not being at the show, because in a way that fan had just saved me forty euros by failing to sell me that ticket. I felt bizarrely rich. Plus I was eating a P'tit Wrap Ranch, which is the SHIZ YOU GUYS. And pomme-frites sauce, which is the other shiz! OH FRANCE I LOVE YOU.
Around the time the show ended we decided to go stand outside the Galaxie again in hopes that we would find a clue that led us to the stage door.
The first thing I found was the Nuno fan who had agreed to sell me her ticket to the evening show. She kept CALLING NUNO ON THE PHONE and was all worried that he hadn't played Stephanie in the matinée. OH DEAR. Also, wtf she was calling Nuno on the phone!!!
A second later, though, Joanna and I saw Laurie, Jocelyne, and Jean-Michel (that's Sophie, Maman Mozart, and Papa Weber) walking out of the Galaxie. I was just staring at them. It was Joanna who said "Uh, why don't we follow them?"
GENIUS.
And guess where they led us? TO THE HOTEL ACROSS THE WAY.
Unfortunately, we didn't stop anyone during those hours of hoteldooring. We saw a lot of dancers and technicians, plus Diane, Mélissa, and Maeva, plus Yamin, but I was just clutching my little bag of dolls and craning my neck for Estelle or Merwan (or Flo, duh). They never came. But I DID think one of the nearby fans looked super familiar, so I went over to talk to her and it turned out to be one of the random Mozartiennes who friended me on facebook a while back despite having no knowledge of who I was simply because my profile pic was a Floto and I'm friends with people like Stagedoor Mélanie and Anais. I was like WELL HOW NICE TO ACTUALLY MEET YOU and we chatted and she turned out to be FIFTEEN YEARS OLD. WHAT.
Then we went to the show. I already talked about that a little. It was fine, no big deal.
There were four aisles leading to the stage and one cutting across the middle of the floor. I was on the intersection of the crossways aisle and the furthest aisle on the side of the stage where Rosenbeeeeeeeeeeerg happens. All I could think was THIS IS PROBABLY WHERE FLO WILL SAY J'AI PERDU POUR L'HISTOIRE. Joanna had been telling me her stories from last year and had given me a new goal--get Flo to high-five me during Victime de ma victoire. So all I could think was YES YES YES THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
Unfortunately, it did not happen. In fact, Flo ran all the way back to the front of the building to say J'ai perdu pour l'histoire. I was bummed. But then in the part where he's supposed to creep down one of the aisles I was craning my neck trying to figure out where he was, but I couldn't see ANYTHING and I gave up. I figured it would be good enough to see him once he was on the stage. Never mind when he's in the audience.
Upon giving up, I turned my head back toward the stage, and what did I see but A FACEFUL OF THE SPARKLY BLACK JACKET.
That's right. Flo was standing RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Literally, I could have kicked him. Not that I would ever harm Florent Effing Mothe. But I could have. Instead of coming from the back he had come in from the side and was creeping up MY aisle!
(lolol that sounds REALLY WRONG)
Anyway, that was as much exflosure as I got during the show.
Afterwards, Joanna and I skipped the crazy madhouse that is the tournée dédicaces and scurried right on down to the hotel door. There was a bit of a crowd already, but nothing as crazy as Lille.
The first person to come through was Yamin. He was being really sweet and taking all sorts of pictures, and when he saw me he said "Ça va?" as though he knew who I was, so I asked for a picture.
When I handed Joanna the camera she said 'Gimme!' and Yamin started going "Gimme gimme gimme..." in a way that made me think he was about to sing me some ABBA. Unfortunately he did not.
Also... is it just me, or is Yamin weirdly attractive in that picture?
Then a van pulled up, and crammed into the passenger seat I recognised Dove Attia and my beloved Patrice Maktav!
No hat! That is the first time I have ever seen his hair... EVER.
He was really sweet, of course. He better be, since I skipped getting a picture with DOVE ATTIA for another with Maktav. However, he did not re-extend his offer to someday bring my doll onstage with him. COME ON, MAKTAV. Haha, just kidding.
The best part is... after I stopped him and asked for a picture... EVERYBODY WAS ALL UP ON MAKTAV.
YESSSSS.
It was the first time I'd ever seen anybody other than me ask for his autograph... ever! GO MAKTAV GO. ENJOY THIS FAME. YOU DESERVE IT, DA PONTE.
A minute later I saw people talking to Laurie Peret who plays Sophie Weber. I'd never gotten a picture with her and she was on my mental list, so I asked and she said of course.
Hahaha her face. As the picture was being taken she asked if I was English. I said no, American, and she said Oh, where? I said North Carolina and she went "Oh...? Caroline du Nord...?" in a way that heavily implied that she didn't know such a place existed. It was precious.
And then Joanna punched me in the arm and went "ESTELLE!"
Aw yeah.
She was trying to go by quickly, but I jumped out of the line and stopped her. Joanna was good enough to take a little video. Unfortunately, it was dark and my camera was blurry, but you HEAR it at the very least.
GOT YOU A POUPÉE ESTELLE
"AHHHH merci! C'est toi qui a fait des petites poupées d'autres personnes?"
"OUI heh heh."
"Bravo! Woauh, merci, ça me fait plaisir! Merci!"
BAM BISOUS FROM ESTELLE
"Uhhhh et uhhh est-ce qu'on peut faire une photo?" (Do you like my strong fake American accent? I use it at the stage door so the ones who don't speak English ask where I'm from and stuff. Haha. I picked the trick up from Laurel in Lille.)
"Oui, bien sûr!"
A lot of time went past then, but the next person I was excited to see... was Merwan!
OH LAWD the people crowded around him like mofos. I was worried Joanna wasn't going to be able to get a video.
In fact she missed the very beginning, when I jumped out in front of him and said in English "Do you remember me???" He stared blankly so I added "The American--" and he cut me off, going, "Did you do it???"
YEAH I DID MERWAN RIM
AW MERWAN DON'T BE JEALOUS
BEST EVER. Did you hear him say "Ah wuz so jilusss"? At the end he waves the clown doll at the camera. Hahaha yes.
And as he was leaving he thanked me a few times and, like, rubbed my arm with his knuckles. Hahahahaha okay.
I HOPE HE USES THAT TINY CLOWN TO TORMENT PEOPLE SOMEHOW.
And that's when it got epic at the hotel door.
I must have waited around for an amount of time before Joanna said Oh, so Flo is there.
WHERE.
I never stop being surprised at how beautiful Florent Mothe is in person you guys. But he was sweetly and patiently working his way down the whole line. I saw him glance at me before it was my turn... unfortunately, I didn't have anything for him to sign or anything and wasn't really intending to ask for a Floto.
As he was posing with the girls in front of us someone loudly talked about how beautiful his eyes are, like in a way that was intended for him to hear, and Flo just waggled his eyebrows and continued to kinda smile at the camera. Best reaction possible.
When Flo got to me he grinned all amazingly and said "You are a real fan now!" And then he was just standing there staring at me, being all smiley and beautiful, waiting for me to ask for a Floto. I think I awkwardly went "I'm just hanging out... but since you're standing still can I get a picture?" and he said of course.
AND PUT HIS HAND ALL UP ON MY SHOULDER AW YEAH
That is a sexyfine attractive piece of humanity right there.
When he let go of me I said "Wait, so I wasn't a real fan before?"
Flo immediately looked kind of ashamed and went "No, but because now you haff done the tour and also Pa-ris..." and I made a betch please face at him, so he kind of tap-punched my arm and went "I'm just keeding weeth you." I think I said "Alright, I know" or something equally not witty... the little arm-poke he did made my brain go blank for a second.
But since he is FLORENT MOTHE and he is super famous and wonderful he had to move on.
The girl from facebook appeared out of the crowd then and showed me pictures she had taken of me and Flo chatting. OMF THANKS KIDDO. And she was like "And thanks to you I heard him speak English!!!" and I was like "ISN'T HE AMAZING".
Then Joanna was like WAIT A SEC WHERE IS MY FLOTO so we jumped out of our spot and went over to the other side, where he hadn't been yet. That way he got to the end of the second line and THERE I AM AGAIN. I just went "Hi!" and took his picture with Joanna. Then I watched him finish up and at one point he looked over at me and SMILED GAH WHY IS HE SO BEAUTIFLO so I smiled back and was like FLOMG WHAT A BEAUTIFLO LITTLE FLOMENT THAT WAS. (Flocabulary explosion there, sorry.)
Once Flo went inside I was like, "Okay, are we waiting for anyone else? That's it, right?" and Joanna was like Uhhh there's a guy named Mozart in Mozart l'Opéra Rock? OH DUH THAT ITALIAN FELLOW.
He appeared... from inside the hotel.
That's right. Mikelangelo Loconte had somehow already made it safely into the hotel undisturbed by fans... yet he CHOSE to come back out and do pictures and autographs.
THAT IS THE ULTIMATE LATINO UPGRADE RIGHT THERE.
While I was waiting for him, I saw Jonathan Kerr slip out of the crowd and I asked for a photo.
He was the only person on my list when I left Lille--I make that mental list of cast members I've never had a picture with--but today I thought of a few more I wanted. Some dancers and such, you know.
Mikele was being OH-SO-PATIENT. He was signing everything with actual letters--no tornados drawn by three-year-olds or other such shenanigans. Remembering that time at the PDS that I let an opportunity for a floto with Upgraded Latino Mikele slip through my fingers, I decided that today I would ask for a picture.
I DID NOT EXPECT THAT TO BE UNNECESSARY.
As he was with the fans in line ahead of me, Mikele noticed me and went "OH! CIAO!" in a way that can only be expressed with capslock. The man has said ciao to me before. A lot, in fact. BUT NEVER WITH SUCH EXUBERANCE.
When he finished up with the girls ahead of us, Joanna started to hold out a picture for him to sign but instead Mikele turned to me, threw his little head back, and belted "AMERICAN WO-MANNNN!"
Brain broke.
He gestured for me to come at him, so I awkwarded forward and he kissed one of my cheeks but then pulled me into a giant hug. I was like OH OKAY THIS AGAIN YEAHHHH. He still smells like a lot of cologne. Yay. And then, because my brain was broken, I asked for a photo in English (I have never ever spoken English to Mikele) and he said "Sure!"
I had to set the camera straight first, and as soon as I was in position Mikele GRABBED ME.
I was so overwhelmed by his upgraded-Latino-ness and how much I was enjoying this hug that I forgot to not look stupid.
And as soon as the picture was taken Mikele shouted "ANOTHER! ANOTHER!"
And you know what happened next.
Mikelangelo Loconte put his mouth on me.
I thought I was making a clever surprised face but I was so actually surprised that it didn't work. The sad/wonderful thing is that we held that pose for what seemed like a really long time.
MIKELANGELO LOCONTE'S MOUTH WAS ON MY FACE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
OH MY GOD I NEVER IN MY LIFE THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO TYPE A SENTENCE LIKE THAT.
YOU GUYS.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A REALLY BAD TIME RIGHT NOW JUST REMEMBER ONE YEAR AGO I WAS ON THE VERGE OF DEPRESSION AND LOOK AT ME NOW.
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN ONE YEAR.
OH MY GOD.
Well. The first part of the day was pretty great. Joanna and I took a roadtrip though towns with names like "Bitche" and we sang MOR at the top of our lungs like some crazy people. The best was when Victime de ma victoire came up and we both spontaneously did the Prince incongru boogie. We also put in the lines from the show whenever it was possible. GOD I love being with other MOR fans. THEY GET ME.
We made it to Amnéville no problem and found a great parking spot at the Galaxie. The Galaxie, by the by, is on the top of a mountain. Right next to this big white blob that turned out to be an indoor ski slope. And across the street was a building with a dinosaur's head busting through the middle. Why.
Well, I was supposed to meet some girl named Audrey out front of the Galaxie to get my ticket to the matinée. Unfortunately... she wasn't answering my texts. It was COLD.
We were discussing how we could find the hotel with great concern when I spotted a familiar grey coat and furry hood approaching. I poked Joanna and went "Is that Maktav? It looks like Maktav. Is it? Or is it a drunken hobo?" It wasn't until he was much closer that I realised that he even had a guitar strapped to his back. Yep, Maktav. WHY DOES HE ALWAYS SEEM HOBO-ISH? He was following the road around the side of the Galaxie. Joanna and I creeped after him (I wish I was more gutsy so I could have been like YO MAKTAV IT'S THAT AMERICAN WHO LOVED YOU SO MUCH IN LILLE but I'm not that good at life) and we saw him go past a fence thing.
A moment later we spotted Matthias Jung (Colloredo) coming up the side road in the same direction. It was only then that we were smart enough to go THE OTHER WAY down the road and stand at the end of the drive, waiting to see if we could tell where he had come from.
The end of the road overlooked a giant four-star hotel. Hmmm.
A second later Ariane (Maman Weber) appeared out of nowhere, wearing REALLY HIGH HEELS. She said Bonjour to us and then asked where the Galaxie was. Hahaha showtime was in an hour and she didn't even know where the GIANT STADIUM was. Amazing. We helped her out.
Joanna and I immediately started trying to determine whether the actors were coming from that giant hotel across the way, but there was no crowd of fans gathered at the door and we kept seeing vans appear from further down the road. We crept around the hotel parking lot looking for vans and every few minutes I'd check my phone and find NO TEXT from the girl who was supposed to sell me my ticket.
Showtime came and I was still not inside the Galaxie.
Well.
So instead Joanna and I checked into our hotel, then we went to a McDonald's. I was weirdly chipper despite not being at the show, because in a way that fan had just saved me forty euros by failing to sell me that ticket. I felt bizarrely rich. Plus I was eating a P'tit Wrap Ranch, which is the SHIZ YOU GUYS. And pomme-frites sauce, which is the other shiz! OH FRANCE I LOVE YOU.
Around the time the show ended we decided to go stand outside the Galaxie again in hopes that we would find a clue that led us to the stage door.
The first thing I found was the Nuno fan who had agreed to sell me her ticket to the evening show. She kept CALLING NUNO ON THE PHONE and was all worried that he hadn't played Stephanie in the matinée. OH DEAR. Also, wtf she was calling Nuno on the phone!!!
A second later, though, Joanna and I saw Laurie, Jocelyne, and Jean-Michel (that's Sophie, Maman Mozart, and Papa Weber) walking out of the Galaxie. I was just staring at them. It was Joanna who said "Uh, why don't we follow them?"
GENIUS.
And guess where they led us? TO THE HOTEL ACROSS THE WAY.
Unfortunately, we didn't stop anyone during those hours of hoteldooring. We saw a lot of dancers and technicians, plus Diane, Mélissa, and Maeva, plus Yamin, but I was just clutching my little bag of dolls and craning my neck for Estelle or Merwan (or Flo, duh). They never came. But I DID think one of the nearby fans looked super familiar, so I went over to talk to her and it turned out to be one of the random Mozartiennes who friended me on facebook a while back despite having no knowledge of who I was simply because my profile pic was a Floto and I'm friends with people like Stagedoor Mélanie and Anais. I was like WELL HOW NICE TO ACTUALLY MEET YOU and we chatted and she turned out to be FIFTEEN YEARS OLD. WHAT.
Then we went to the show. I already talked about that a little. It was fine, no big deal.
There were four aisles leading to the stage and one cutting across the middle of the floor. I was on the intersection of the crossways aisle and the furthest aisle on the side of the stage where Rosenbeeeeeeeeeeerg happens. All I could think was THIS IS PROBABLY WHERE FLO WILL SAY J'AI PERDU POUR L'HISTOIRE. Joanna had been telling me her stories from last year and had given me a new goal--get Flo to high-five me during Victime de ma victoire. So all I could think was YES YES YES THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
Unfortunately, it did not happen. In fact, Flo ran all the way back to the front of the building to say J'ai perdu pour l'histoire. I was bummed. But then in the part where he's supposed to creep down one of the aisles I was craning my neck trying to figure out where he was, but I couldn't see ANYTHING and I gave up. I figured it would be good enough to see him once he was on the stage. Never mind when he's in the audience.
Upon giving up, I turned my head back toward the stage, and what did I see but A FACEFUL OF THE SPARKLY BLACK JACKET.
That's right. Flo was standing RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Literally, I could have kicked him. Not that I would ever harm Florent Effing Mothe. But I could have. Instead of coming from the back he had come in from the side and was creeping up MY aisle!
(lolol that sounds REALLY WRONG)
Anyway, that was as much exflosure as I got during the show.
Afterwards, Joanna and I skipped the crazy madhouse that is the tournée dédicaces and scurried right on down to the hotel door. There was a bit of a crowd already, but nothing as crazy as Lille.
The first person to come through was Yamin. He was being really sweet and taking all sorts of pictures, and when he saw me he said "Ça va?" as though he knew who I was, so I asked for a picture.
When I handed Joanna the camera she said 'Gimme!' and Yamin started going "Gimme gimme gimme..." in a way that made me think he was about to sing me some ABBA. Unfortunately he did not.
Also... is it just me, or is Yamin weirdly attractive in that picture?
Then a van pulled up, and crammed into the passenger seat I recognised Dove Attia and my beloved Patrice Maktav!
No hat! That is the first time I have ever seen his hair... EVER.
He was really sweet, of course. He better be, since I skipped getting a picture with DOVE ATTIA for another with Maktav. However, he did not re-extend his offer to someday bring my doll onstage with him. COME ON, MAKTAV. Haha, just kidding.
The best part is... after I stopped him and asked for a picture... EVERYBODY WAS ALL UP ON MAKTAV.
YESSSSS.
It was the first time I'd ever seen anybody other than me ask for his autograph... ever! GO MAKTAV GO. ENJOY THIS FAME. YOU DESERVE IT, DA PONTE.
A minute later I saw people talking to Laurie Peret who plays Sophie Weber. I'd never gotten a picture with her and she was on my mental list, so I asked and she said of course.
Hahaha her face. As the picture was being taken she asked if I was English. I said no, American, and she said Oh, where? I said North Carolina and she went "Oh...? Caroline du Nord...?" in a way that heavily implied that she didn't know such a place existed. It was precious.
And then Joanna punched me in the arm and went "ESTELLE!"
Aw yeah.
She was trying to go by quickly, but I jumped out of the line and stopped her. Joanna was good enough to take a little video. Unfortunately, it was dark and my camera was blurry, but you HEAR it at the very least.
GOT YOU A POUPÉE ESTELLE
"AHHHH merci! C'est toi qui a fait des petites poupées d'autres personnes?"
"OUI heh heh."
"Bravo! Woauh, merci, ça me fait plaisir! Merci!"
BAM BISOUS FROM ESTELLE
"Uhhhh et uhhh est-ce qu'on peut faire une photo?" (Do you like my strong fake American accent? I use it at the stage door so the ones who don't speak English ask where I'm from and stuff. Haha. I picked the trick up from Laurel in Lille.)
"Oui, bien sûr!"
A lot of time went past then, but the next person I was excited to see... was Merwan!
OH LAWD the people crowded around him like mofos. I was worried Joanna wasn't going to be able to get a video.
In fact she missed the very beginning, when I jumped out in front of him and said in English "Do you remember me???" He stared blankly so I added "The American--" and he cut me off, going, "Did you do it???"
YEAH I DID MERWAN RIM
AW MERWAN DON'T BE JEALOUS
BEST EVER. Did you hear him say "Ah wuz so jilusss"? At the end he waves the clown doll at the camera. Hahaha yes.
And as he was leaving he thanked me a few times and, like, rubbed my arm with his knuckles. Hahahahaha okay.
I HOPE HE USES THAT TINY CLOWN TO TORMENT PEOPLE SOMEHOW.
And that's when it got epic at the hotel door.
I must have waited around for an amount of time before Joanna said Oh, so Flo is there.
WHERE.
I never stop being surprised at how beautiful Florent Mothe is in person you guys. But he was sweetly and patiently working his way down the whole line. I saw him glance at me before it was my turn... unfortunately, I didn't have anything for him to sign or anything and wasn't really intending to ask for a Floto.
As he was posing with the girls in front of us someone loudly talked about how beautiful his eyes are, like in a way that was intended for him to hear, and Flo just waggled his eyebrows and continued to kinda smile at the camera. Best reaction possible.
When Flo got to me he grinned all amazingly and said "You are a real fan now!" And then he was just standing there staring at me, being all smiley and beautiful, waiting for me to ask for a Floto. I think I awkwardly went "I'm just hanging out... but since you're standing still can I get a picture?" and he said of course.
AND PUT HIS HAND ALL UP ON MY SHOULDER AW YEAH
That is a sexyfine attractive piece of humanity right there.
When he let go of me I said "Wait, so I wasn't a real fan before?"
Flo immediately looked kind of ashamed and went "No, but because now you haff done the tour and also Pa-ris..." and I made a betch please face at him, so he kind of tap-punched my arm and went "I'm just keeding weeth you." I think I said "Alright, I know" or something equally not witty... the little arm-poke he did made my brain go blank for a second.
But since he is FLORENT MOTHE and he is super famous and wonderful he had to move on.
The girl from facebook appeared out of the crowd then and showed me pictures she had taken of me and Flo chatting. OMF THANKS KIDDO. And she was like "And thanks to you I heard him speak English!!!" and I was like "ISN'T HE AMAZING".
Then Joanna was like WAIT A SEC WHERE IS MY FLOTO so we jumped out of our spot and went over to the other side, where he hadn't been yet. That way he got to the end of the second line and THERE I AM AGAIN. I just went "Hi!" and took his picture with Joanna. Then I watched him finish up and at one point he looked over at me and SMILED GAH WHY IS HE SO BEAUTIFLO so I smiled back and was like FLOMG WHAT A BEAUTIFLO LITTLE FLOMENT THAT WAS. (Flocabulary explosion there, sorry.)
Once Flo went inside I was like, "Okay, are we waiting for anyone else? That's it, right?" and Joanna was like Uhhh there's a guy named Mozart in Mozart l'Opéra Rock? OH DUH THAT ITALIAN FELLOW.
He appeared... from inside the hotel.
That's right. Mikelangelo Loconte had somehow already made it safely into the hotel undisturbed by fans... yet he CHOSE to come back out and do pictures and autographs.
THAT IS THE ULTIMATE LATINO UPGRADE RIGHT THERE.
While I was waiting for him, I saw Jonathan Kerr slip out of the crowd and I asked for a photo.
He was the only person on my list when I left Lille--I make that mental list of cast members I've never had a picture with--but today I thought of a few more I wanted. Some dancers and such, you know.
Mikele was being OH-SO-PATIENT. He was signing everything with actual letters--no tornados drawn by three-year-olds or other such shenanigans. Remembering that time at the PDS that I let an opportunity for a floto with Upgraded Latino Mikele slip through my fingers, I decided that today I would ask for a picture.
I DID NOT EXPECT THAT TO BE UNNECESSARY.
As he was with the fans in line ahead of me, Mikele noticed me and went "OH! CIAO!" in a way that can only be expressed with capslock. The man has said ciao to me before. A lot, in fact. BUT NEVER WITH SUCH EXUBERANCE.
When he finished up with the girls ahead of us, Joanna started to hold out a picture for him to sign but instead Mikele turned to me, threw his little head back, and belted "AMERICAN WO-MANNNN!"
Brain broke.
He gestured for me to come at him, so I awkwarded forward and he kissed one of my cheeks but then pulled me into a giant hug. I was like OH OKAY THIS AGAIN YEAHHHH. He still smells like a lot of cologne. Yay. And then, because my brain was broken, I asked for a photo in English (I have never ever spoken English to Mikele) and he said "Sure!"
I had to set the camera straight first, and as soon as I was in position Mikele GRABBED ME.
I was so overwhelmed by his upgraded-Latino-ness and how much I was enjoying this hug that I forgot to not look stupid.
And as soon as the picture was taken Mikele shouted "ANOTHER! ANOTHER!"
And you know what happened next.
Mikelangelo Loconte put his mouth on me.
I thought I was making a clever surprised face but I was so actually surprised that it didn't work. The sad/wonderful thing is that we held that pose for what seemed like a really long time.
MIKELANGELO LOCONTE'S MOUTH WAS ON MY FACE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
OH MY GOD I NEVER IN MY LIFE THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO TYPE A SENTENCE LIKE THAT.
YOU GUYS.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A REALLY BAD TIME RIGHT NOW JUST REMEMBER ONE YEAR AGO I WAS ON THE VERGE OF DEPRESSION AND LOOK AT ME NOW.
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN ONE YEAR.
OH MY GOD.
