From a window

Yesterday I was walking along 49th St. at about 9:15, weaving my way through the crowd of smokers outside the Ambassador Theatre (where Chicago is playing). It was intermission time, you see, not just for Chicago but also for Spring Awakening, across the street at the O'Neill. Looking toward that crowd, I could see the lights flashing in the house, summoning the audience members back to their seats. Then I heard shouting, coming from above. I looked up, and there, leaning out a third-story window and calling merrily to a group of young people (fans? friends? groupies?) below her on the sidewalk was Lea Michele, star of Spring Awakening. Next to her, laughing, was her costar Jonathan Groff. Below them, oblivious, the grownups were filing back into the theatre. After a moment, still laughing, Lea shut the window, but I could still see both actors silhouetted behind it, apparently not too nervous about their Act Two call. They seemed so happy to be in their dressing room, I was tempted to sneak into the theatre with the paying customers just to see them onstage again.

I didn't -- I went home. But you'll hear more on how I ended up in that spot at that moment in another post...