It is important that I record for posterity the events of Wednesday night, especially because they did not (sadly) involve photography of any kind. What exciting events, you may ask? Only the fact that I got to meet one of my top five favorite musical theater performers of the past century. That’s right, on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, I met Julie Andrews.
In the middle of the afternoon, I received an excited Gchat message from one Gavi Young, who is currently interning at the Kennedy Center, asking “ Do you want to meet Julie Andrews tonight?” My immediate and vigorous answer was YES. In order to meet the incomparable Dame Julie, one had to be one the of the first 100 people to buy her new book of poems from the Kennedy Center giftshop. Now I am not normally someone given to extraneous purchases that I don’t particularly want. Then again, I do own an avocado slicer and a mango pitter, but kitchen supplies don’t really count, and I think I got those from my mother.
Anyway, Gavi and I bought the books, and got tickets that came along with them for the signing. I spent the afternoon telling everyone on Gchat/Twitter what was happening and soliciting suggestions for what to say to her. I left work early to get to the Kennedy Center around 5:00, and Gavi and her co-worker met me by the Opera House. We stood in line for about an hour, getting excited and reading our books (which by the way, turned out to be a LOVELY anthology of poems and song lyrics. With an accompanying CD of Julie reading the poems. Why do I have no friends with children so that I can have them listen to this wonderful CD?). We found out that no pictures were allowed, but our enthusiasm was barely dampened with this revelation – after all, we were about to meet the woman who originated the roles of Mary Poppins, Cinderella, and Guenevere!!
After waiting for a while, we walked up to a side room near the Opera House (apparently where the Kennedy Center Honors award winners hang out beforehand . . . as in – BARBRA has been in that room. Woah.) where we waited in a line to get in. Gavi went first, and after she was done, I walked in, got my book taked and opened by a little boy who I was introduced to as Julie’s grandson (so precious), and then I got to the table where she and her daughter were sitting. I spoke with her daughter while she signed it, and I mentioned that I love the Stephen Sondheim lyrics they chose to put in there (from Sunday in the Park with George), and she thanked me for reading it, and then . .. I moved down the table to where Julie was sitting!
She took my book, looking perfectly elegant and matronly and well-dressed and well-coiffed and wonderful. She was much larger than I imagined she would be – not that she’s a particularly large person at all, but I think that she’s pretty tall when she stands up. Anyway, she took the book, and signed it. I told her that I recently read her autobiography, Home, with my friend as a part of our international book club, and that it helped us stay in touch when my friend was on the other side of the world. She said, “oh, that just warms my heart” (imagine Julie Andrews, the most recognizable voice ever, saying that!), and then I said, ‘it’s such a pleasure to meet you”, and she smiled and waved and took the next person’s book.
So, an hour of waiting in line and a day of getting excited culminated in about 45 seconds of interaction with a woman who once possessed one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard, and who still possesses an elegance and presence that bowled me over. What a wonderful, perfect, vigorously fabulous day. I became friends with the Octet watching The Sound of Music, learned to dance like a penguin watching Mary Poppins, and learned to love musical theater watching My Fair Lady as a toddler. It was pretty darned amazing to meet the woman who made those beautiful musical experiences happen.
Twenty thousand points to Gavi, and double that for Julie Andrews for being who she is.
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