This evening I had an interaction that made my day.  We so rarely get to interact with actors anymore at the Guthrie.  And, fair enough, they need to stay healthy so the less interaction with random employees, particularly ones that interact with SO many other random strangers passing through, it's probably for the best.  But I do miss the days when I was down at the main box office window more, and when the actors weren't so sequestered.  It's loosening up a bit but the general atmosphere and rituals of the place don't really have me in a place where I see many of the actors any more.  Even my friends who I know personally apart from the Guthrie.  I do miss all that.

But tonight I had to work the main window, rather than the lobby at the satellite box offices upstairs on 4 and 5, and a new employee was shadowing me to see how a window shift worked.  They'd been at the window before, but never for a show.  And we had two shows, and a lot of tickets to be picked up (both a rare occasion lately) and so it was a very lively shift.  But right before everything really got going, who should appear in the lobby approaching the box office window but Daniel (Danny) Jose Molina.  Our leading man as Prince Hal in Henry IV, and the titular king of Henry V.  The guy whose Instagram and Snapchat/TikTok/Instagram Stories feed I've been following since I saw his performance as Henry V back in the previews weeks ago.  And here we are at closing weekend for Shakespeare's Henriad in the history plays.  In fact, it was a Henry V night so... what the heck is he doing down here.  I mean, it wasn't half hour or anything, and he does live right across the street in actor housing in the condos where the Guthrie keeps a rotating set of rooms for the visiting actors.  He's posted countless "walking the dog"/"skateboarding" videos going to and from the Guthrie and throwing the ball with his dog in the grassy field next to the parking garage.  So for him it's just a stroll to come over and of course he gets here early so he doesn't feel rushed, but he was so casual, just walking through the lobby.  And I've gotten so used to seeing him online, I had to remind myself, "You don't know him.  He's never met you.  You've seen him on stage and online so that's why he looks familiar.  And of course, he's like this in real life.  That's what he's posting online.  But you've never said a word to this person.  It's a completely one-sided funhouse mirror kind of thing."

And he walked right up to me and we started chatting.  Well, first, I couldn't help joking, "Hey, don't you have a show tonight?"  And he played along, as if suddenly realizing, "oh crap, that's right, I need to get back stage immediately" and then he turn right back around and sauntered up to the box office window.  To say this guy is funny, and sexy, and ridiculously charismatic is actually an understatement.  And the nice thing is, he's not one of those guys who knows he's all those things and has completely fallen in love with himself.  Like he's gracing you with his presence.  He's... just a guy.

He was trying to scope out ticket availability because he had a friend coming to town to see the shows, Richard II on Friday, and Henry IV and V on Saturday.  So I went over everything with him.  His friend's got good odds for rush, particularly for Richard II.  Henry IV a bit less so.  Henry V is getting tight.  Which is good, but he also wants to be sure his friend gets in.  So he got the information to report back.

I'd been meaning to send him a message, just thanking him for renewing my faith in the Guthrie's season this year.  Henry V, nine plays in, is the first show I've been genuinely excited about this season.  And he's a huge part of the reason why.  I'd been composing this note in my head.  Because I'm not a person who sends fan messages to actors.  It's easier to just say it to their face at the box office.  Because they're right there.  But I don't get that opportunity much anymore.

And yet, now here the guy was, standing in front of me.

So before he could wander away I said, "By the way, you're amazing."  He seemed genuinely touched to hear this and not at all freaked out, which was a relief.  And I even said Henry V is the first show I've been excited about all season.  And then he did start to get a bit superstitious, like too much praise was going to ruin the show or cause him to be overconfident or something.  "Now, watch, it's going to flop."  "No, no" I said, "Break a leg!"

And I came home and finally wrote a quick message of thanks, to put my interaction in a bit more context.  And also added that as a playwright, it's inspiring to see really good performers live.  It give me something to shoot for, like what would I have to do to get this script to the next level so it would be worth the rehearsal time and attention of...?  And now another name gets added to the list.

I feel like an artist should hear from people who they've affected.  We assume they just know they're good and don't ever have doubts, but all artists do.  Even if we never cross paths or interact again, online or off, he really had an impact on me, as a fellow artist, and I appreciate that.

It's just this side of fan-girling, I know.  But now, at least, I've said thanks, both to his face, and in a couple of sentences he can read if he needs a reminder that he's doing good work.

So I can check that off my list.

Honestly, that interaction made my whole day.

I do miss people.

I should see them more outside of work situations.

It will be nice when I'm actually fully social again and don't have to remind myself of these basic human things.

Pandemic life on top of grieving my parents really has short-circuited something in my brain.