Fanmail.biz

Alan Rickman is about to end his stint at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Harvey Theater in a few days. I had tickets to see Michael McGlone (the geico guy... y'know "Does a wood chuck really chuck wood?") on 72nd Street in Manhattan, so I just had to try to get Rickman. So, here's my timeline/tale.

Thursday, February 3, 2011
-6am: Wake up and gather my stalking kit together. This time, it consisted of my Galaxy Quest DVD cover that I got Tony Shalhoub to sign, Sweeney Todd DVD cover, 8x10 of me and Michael McGlone that we took at his last show, a black sharpie, a red sharpie, and a silver sharpie that I intended both Rickman and McGlone to use. Pay attention to the silver sharpie's purpose on this trip.

-12pm: Pick up my friend, Dave and head to the Hamilton, New Jersey NJ Transit station.

-1:21pm: Board train

-almost 3pm: Get to NY and start walking South down 7th Ave. Screw the cold. Cab time.

-3:30pm: Cab driver dropped us off in front of the main BAM building... nice $22.50 cab fare.

At this point, I had to use my phone's GPS to find the Harvey Theater. We found out, and after viewing video of an encounter than 2 older Rickman fans had last year at the same theater, I knew what I was looking for...

After walking around the block, I found it.


So, Dave and I stood there, battling the cold and the urge to find a bathroom. When I find a stage door, I don't move until the job is complete. I'm a professional urine holder... I only hold mine, so don't ask!

Another guy shows up and just stands around. I didn't know what he was up to. After he chuckled at my "No, Geoffrey Rush isn't singing Ozzy's Diary of a Madman" joke, I figured he was here for Rickman, as well.We got to talking, and it definitely helped pass time. He was a fellow collector, and not a dealer, so I definitely welcomed his company.

-5:45pm - a shiny black car pulled up. You know what that means!

Alan Rickman got out of the backseat of the car, and i fumbled for my DVD covers and sharpie. I asked if he could sign for us. The first thing he said was "eBaaaay freaaaks". Scared that he wouldn't sign, I promptly said "NO NO NO! You can personalize it, if you wish!" He signed my Galaxy Quest DVD cover right next to Tony Shalhoub's signature. I was scared that he's write over it, but he didn't.



He, then, handed me my Sweeney Todd cover. I didn't push the issue. I asked for a picture... AND THIS HAPPENED

THE FLASH DIDN'T GO OFF! AHH!
Dave's Snapple bottle fell out of his pocket and crashed on the sidewalk. In hindsight, i wish I would have said "By Grabthar's hammer... By the suns of Warvan... You shall be avenged!" But, I was cold and nervous.
He signed Dave's stuff, and then the other guy's... Like a bumbling 4 year old, I asked him for another picture since the flash didn't go off. Actually, it came out more like this "M-may I... get another picture with you... seeing... as though... theflashdidn'tgooff?????" He just stood there with a smirk on his face, staring at me. All I could think was "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?!?!" He nodded his head while smiling.

Dave, Me, Dr. Lazarus
Happy as a pig in shit, me and Dave went to the subway to catch a train for $2.50... $20 less than the cab. By Grabthar's hammer... What a savings!
But wait... the silver sharpie that I wanted to be used to sign the 8x10 that I brought... WASN'T WITH ME! GAH! In the natural high of meeting Alan Rickman, I must've dropped my pen I was re-assembling my stalker kit (I actually call it my 'rape kit'. Don't judge.)
We got to the 72nd Street stop by 6:30. How convenient, seeing as though the Michael McGlone show was on 72nd! Sweet.
The show was fantastic, and I had Michael sign my 8x10 with the black sharpie that I brought. It still came out fine.

So there we have it!

And for anyone that would try searching for information on the stage door for this venue like I did... I'll type it out.

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
Harvey Theater (Theatre?!)
212 Ashland Pl
Brooklyn, NY

STAGE DOOR ^^^ Stand there. 3 hours before the show start would be a nice time to start standing there, just in case. DON'T MOVE!

I wish there would be a website or a thread about exact locations of stage doors, pictures of them, etc.

Fantastic success! He seems very friendly on these pics! Congrats!

Indeed! He's a very nice guy.

Fantastic Encounter dude! He comes across as harsh and cold, but that's his trademark. inside he's probably busting a gut watching people scramble for items and photo ops. I saw a vid of him in that same location and there was mostly ladies getting items signed and he was smiling and having a good 'ole time.

RYAN J.

RYAN J. wrote:Fantastic Encounter dude! He comes across as harsh and cold, but that's his trademark. inside he's probably busting a gut watching people scramble for items and photo ops. I saw a vid of him in that same location and there was mostly ladies getting items signed and he was smiling and having a good 'ole time.

RYAN J.

Yep! I used that very video as a reference for where the stage door is. As he appeared "cold", I was able to see through him and could tell that he was enjoying every bit of it... it wasn't hard, as he had a small grin the entire time.

Amazing success!!!, i actually sent him my DVD cover of Galaxy Quest(already signed by Tim Allen), as that along with Die Hard are my fave movies of his, so he just said Ebay freaks to mess with you, I heard Kevin Smith was even intimidated by him before Dogma, once again great success, i heard his play is plain brilliant

What a great story, so funny! Amazing encounter. I think he really loves his fans, even though he might not like showing it.