It’s four a.m. during spring break and my alarm clock is blaring in my ear. No, I did not forget to turn it off. I purposely set it the night before to wake up for one of the most exciting experiences of my life: meeting Nick Jonas.
Early on April 11, my mother, aunt, and I drove to the White Marsh Park and Ride and boarded the Mega Bus headed for New York City. We were off to see a Broadway show and spend the day wandering through the city.
Once we arrived, we took a taxi to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, where we would later see “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” and attempting to meet Jonas, who was the star of the show.
For two and a half hours, I stood outside the stage door in the freezing cold, making conversation with other fans and waiting. Barricades made a path for actors to get in and out of the stage door while keeping the fans corralled.
Finally, at 12:30 p.m., Jonas and his security arrived. The cheers erupted throughout the crowd of more than 80 people. Although some people were pushing and screaming, others, like myself, were more controlled.
I was excited, to say the least. I have been a fan of Jonas for about six years, and I had never met him before. While he was signing fans’ paraphernalia, I noticed the stereotypical things people say when seeing a celebrity: that he was shorter in person and looked very mature.
As Jonas came to my side of the barricade, I held out my playbill for him to sign and said “thank you.” He replied with “you’re welcome” and a smile, and continued down the line. Though the meeting itself was quick, I was ecstatic that I had the chance to meet Jonas.
Afterwards, my mother, aunt, and I grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading back to the theatre for the show. Although I had already seen “How to Succeed” with Daniel Radcliffe and was in the JC production last spring, this show had my favorite cast by far because of Jonas.
When Jonas hung 40 feet in the air as window washer J. Pierpont Finch, screams and cheers echoed through the theatre. Jonas and his co-stars did an amazing job keeping the audience entertained and laughing throughout the entire performance.
Ashley Beyer is a Lifestyles Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.