11 Things I Learned About Megan Hilty (and Matt and Brian)

As many of you know, I have recently attended an amazing Megan Hilty concert in Port Washington. For the whole overview of the experience go here. This post is twelve new things I learned about Megan. These are new to me, maybe not to you, but I thought they were interesting.

11 Things About Megan Hilty You Probably Didn't Know
1. She auditioned for Smash with the song Bye Bye Baby
Yup, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was a favorite show of hers before she starred in it. She sang the song when she auditioned for Ivy Lynn on NBC's Smash. 
2. She has this habit of flicking her leg back
I've never noticed this before, maybe you have. She does this motion where her leg goes up behind her almost like the motion of a butt kick exercise. It's an adorable little characteristic that probably started as a nervous habit and will forever be a trademark for her at this little theatre.
3. Her favorite Smash song is Second Hand
So this one you could've guessed, but I've never actually heard her admit to it. Whether you knew that or not, I'm sure you knew she's the only one that can sing that song flawlessly while packing it with emotion. The song was first played for Megan by the composers who wanted her input on this new song that was not intended for her character. When she got the script featuring her voice on it, she was ecstatic and surprised.
4. Everyone calls her Meg
When Matt Cusson left his piano to pick a stray hair off of Megan's arm, he called her Meg. When Brian was talking about singing Suddenly Seymour, he referred to Megan as Meg. When I was talking to her after, her entourager said, "Oh, Meg, I gotta take a picture of you with that's case!" And final proof, she signed my case Meg Hilty. It makes sense that she'd have a nickname, and I really loved hearing all of her friends use it.
5. Always played the mom or prostitute
She explained that following her operatic roots, she assumed she'd get leads because of her  classical training and large range. Up until Broadway, though, she was repeatedly cast as the mom or the prostitute. Or she was forced to sing the alto part, more on that one in the previous post.
6. Her album was intended to be rearranged songs that everyone knew
Maybe you've heard this somewhere, but I'd always read that the original idea for the album was covers of movie themes. Either way, I'm so glad the record label kept sending originals because that's how we got our favorite It Happens All The Time songs like No Cure and Be A Man.
7. She thought Summer Lovin' was the most sung duet
Megan's boyfriend, Brian Gallagher, joined Meg on stage to play his guitar and sing Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors. During his explanation that he'd rearranged the song, he said he initially said no to the duet because it's the most over done romantic duet of all time. Megan rattled back teasing, "Really? I thought that was Summer Lovin'." their little exchange was unscripted and an adorable peek into their relaxed relationship.
8. Her other favorite song is Diamonds 
In addition to saying that she loved Bye Bye Baby from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Megan revealed that she has been singing Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend ever since she played Loralei last summer. Safe to assume that she pretty much can't refuse a show with a deceptive blonde.
9. She plays with her hair...a LOT
This was one of the most fun things to observe as it just made her so dang human! Whenever she'd forget what she was saying or wait for someone to come on stage, she'd run her finger through her golden locks. This is another little habit that you rarely see unless it's in a candid environment such as this intimate setting.
10. Matt Cusson's name is not how it looks
When Megan introduced her piano playing, soul singing friend Matt Cusson to the audience, I thought I was the only one in that audience who would know his name. But I didn't even know his name, or at least not the way Megan pronounced it. I'd always said it how it looks CUSS-in. But according to Megan, it is actually CUE-sun. I was waaaay off on that one.
11. Brian is NOT into hokiness
He was so not into singing a romantic duet, especially the one that's the most over done, like EVER. He mad it pretty clear that he was only doing Suddenly Seymour because Megan wanted it and that he'd rearranged it as much as possible. They never kissed in front of anyone, either, despite ample opportunity. They appear to be a low-key, what you see is what you get kind of couple. Or in other words, just as darn perfect for each other as you can get. (I know, that was hokey, right?)

Concert in Port Washington Landmark on Mainstreet

For Christmas, I received tickets to see Megan Hilty on June 15th! It was a whirlwind experience... 
We arrived at a HUGE building with many different entrances! After walking around the entire perimeter of the building we found a daycare center and a senior center attached to the back of a small theatre. The venue seemed small, but it was the perfect setting for an intimate show. While waiting, I checked my Twitter and found out that Matt Cusson was playing with Megan too! Yay! The theatre doors were eventually opened and people trickled in. An hour later(because you know we were there that early) Megan appeared onstage in black jeans and a shimmery gold top. My heart was racing! After just a nod to Matt at the piano, Megan jumped right in belting out They Just Keep Moving The Line! The crowd was now alive! She introduced Matt, her personality surfacing in the form of hair flips and heel kicks. An spectrum of songs began, each preceded by an explanation of its story and meaning to her. Bye Bye Baby and Be a Man were followed by the duet Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop accompanied by her boyfriend Brian Gallagher. Onto a song I didn't know about the life of a strong singer with a large range who is always put as an alto. This one made me laugh! Next was the classic The Man That Got Away and a Sinatra Medley as performed at her Carnegie Hall debut. A duet about love was sang by Matt and Megan followed by comments from Matt about the awkward level of singing a song of that nature to Brian's girlfriend while Brian was on the stage watching. We were then transported to the Smashiverse with Megan's soft vocals on Secondhand White Baby Grand and then an excellent duet of That's Life with Matt playing Kat, giggles erupting from the duo as Megan looks at Matt keeping the original Smash lyrics calling Matt a wife. All too soon, Megan was announcing her final song, Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend, thankfully with three encores all of which were performed. A standing ovation was followed by another encore performance of Popular, Megan teasing Brian as being her Elphaba. The concert ended with a sad Muppets song. As soon as she had entered, she disappeared. 

Dying for a chance to meet Megan, I approached a man standing regally in front other he curtain leading backstage and, as If reading my mind, he told me she would not be making an appearance. Slightly devastated and ever determined, we wound around the side of the building to what looked like a stage type door. In a window on the second floor, I could see a blonde head bobbing around. So close to meeting her at this point, I was struggling. After waiting there alone for a few minutes, some locals came by. The boy explained that the green room was right up the stairs behind a mysteriously open door. After some prodding, our moms convinced us to run up into the room. At the top of the stairs stood Megan. (And you know what, she's just a normal person.) Brian and Matt chilled at a table behind her. Megan was so sweet! Here was our conversation, it kind of all happened at once:

Me: Hi Megan! Will you sign my phone case?
Megan: Of course! Who is that? That's ME! (she laughs)
Brian: I have one of those too (wink)
Entourager: Ooh! Meg! Let me get your picture with that case!(She holds my phone case up next to her face and he snaps picture of it)
Megan: You sure you want me to sign this? I don't wanna ruin it!
Me: YES! You can't ruin it!(she signs it, Matt and Brian walk over from table they were sitting at)
Me: I came from Michigan to see you guys.
Megan, Matt, Brian, and entourage: Wow! That's far! That's cool! Wow!
Brian: YOU'RE BAILEY!
Me: (super shocked he recognized me) Yup!
Matt: BAILEY FORD, right?
Me: Yea! You all tweeted me Happy Birthday last week!
Brian, Matt, Megan: Yea! Mmhmm, we did. (Head nodding)
Me: That made my day!
Megan: Aw! Well good, I'm glad!
Me: Hey Matt and Brian will you sign my program too?(they sign)
Brian: Meg, look at her shirt!
Megan: Wow! That's cool too! You draw it?
Me: Mmhmm, I did.
Matt: That is pretty sweet looking.
Me: Can I get a picture with you too?
Megan: Of course! (I hand phone to a lady and she takes two pics of us! Ah!)
Me: Well thank you so much you guys! This made my whole trip!
Megan: No problem! So great we got to meet you!
Matt: Yeah! Good to finally meet you!
Me: Amazing to meet you guys! Thanks so much! (Turns around and nearly runs into the suddenly appearing security guard, *gulp*)

I ran out and had a freak out moment of disbelief that I'd just had a freaking CONVERSATION with MEGAN HILTY! Not to mention Matt Cusson and Brian Gallagher! What!?! Best night ever, going to be a hard one to top!