Mona's Story

How do you put a dream come true into words?

I'm really not sure how. But I sure as heck am going to try.

I've had opportunities that most have not. I have had the pleasure and opportunity to meet Jason Wiles not once.. not twice.. but six times so far in the span of 3 weeks all due to the play SAFE.

Some might think I'm nuts. Maybe I am a little bit nuts. But I call it... seizing an opportunity. I had the time. I had the money. And I was going to take full advantage of the fact that 3 of my favorite actors from Third Watch were going to be involved in an off off broadway show this summer, and do my best to meet them.

It went far... far beyond my wildest expectations.

The first time I saw the show was on June 12th. I picked up my friend at the airport, and we met other friends in the city - so there were 4 of us in the audience who knew each other at the outset. I met other friends in the theatre - online friends - we figured out who each other were while sitting and waiting for the show to begin.

I had no expectations going in to see SAFE. I only -prayed- that it wouldn't be a terrible show, because I had committed to seeing it 4 times with 4 different groups of people. So when I sat in my seat, and the action began on the stage - to say I was blown away by how wonderful the show was, would have been an understatement.

We headed out of the theatre after the show was over, and it began to drizzle. Didn't think much of it - a little rain was not going to keep me from meeting my favorite actors. I had met and chatted with Anthony inside the theatre -- very nice guy, but since this encounter story isn't about the other actors, I won't go into full detail. Outside, I met with other fans who were all there for the same purpose - to meet these fabulous actors who had put a hell of a production to life on the stage.

Out came the man of the hour - Jason Wiles. First, he signed a pile of autographs for people on ebay. I patiently waited my turn, and was rewarded when he waved off another stack of pictures to come and talk to me. I introduced myself as the person who ran Third Watch Dot Net. "Hi, I'm Jason," he said. "No.. really?" I seriously think I -was- that sarcastic. Luckily, he took it as such, and chuckled slightly. He signed my playbill for me, and then I mentioned The Webdude. I asked if we could set it up so that he could talk to her over the phone sometime during the run. I decided not to bother him about it right then and there - after all, it was a long run, and he was probably exhausted. I even mentioned that he was probably tired, and he agreed. 

I had forgotten my camera - and I wanted to kick myself. My friend Lynne had hers though, and we were going to take pictures with that, when the heavens opened. I mean - it POURED. So we decided to abandon for that night. We knew we'd have other opportunities, and I felt sorry for the guy.

But man. My impression... was of being overwhelmed. I didn't sleep that first night. I was soaked to the core by the time I got to my car, and I didn't care. I'd just met Jason Wiles, and he was even nicer than I could ever imagine him to be.

We returned on June 14th. This was the official opening night. Brought two people with me - one who had seen the show with me on the 12th, and the other was someone who hadn't seen the show yet. The show - was even better than the 12th. It was like - everyone was more intense.. Jason was more psychotic than he was on Thursday - which was a feat in and of itself. 

After the show, we once again did the meet and greet. Coby Bell, who hadn't come out on Thursday because his extremely pregnant wife was there, was out this time. So I walked up and introduced myself to him, as well as saying hi to Anthony again - who actually came to find me because I had something for him to sign and had talked to him about it before the show. And then, I walked over by Jason.

My style was to stand back and let others finish with him. I never want to be pushy - and especially since I'd met him already, I didn't want to monopolize his time, or be one of those people who was in his face with autographs. When he was done with his gaggle of fans, he turned and faced me and smiled. I asked if he remembered me, and he said: "Of course!" came over, and gave me a hug. How nice was that? I gave him a jasonwiles.net hat which I told him was from the Webdude, and he smiled like a little kid when he saw it, and walked over to show his wife. I asked if he would mind if I took a picture of him with the hat on. "Anyone wanna jump in?" he asked. And who am I to say no? So I got a picture with Jason, wearing a jasonwiles.net hat. I told him that I was going to be at the meet and greet on Tuesday, and that I'd bother him for pictures and stuff there. "Oh, you're going to that? cool."

So that was where that ended. I waved and told him I'd see him soon, and our small group headed back to the train station to go home. A magical weekend, indeed. 

Tuesday, June 17th, was the Meet and Greet in NYC. I had a rehearsal that night, and it was also my husband's birthday. Do I have the best husband in the world, or what? It's his birthday, and he doesn't mind schlepping into the city on a Tuesday night to feed my obsessions. When we first walked into the bar, I was unsure - it was rather dark.. and rather loud. But then they opened up a back room that was brighter and quieter, and that's where we ended up settling for the night. Jason initially walked in with a group of people, so I was slightly worried that he wouldn't be as approachable as before, but then he walked over to our group and said hello to us again. I introduced him to my husband, and he said he needed to excuse himself to go call his wife. How can I fault the guy for that?

Coby Bell came in, and after getting my picture taken with him, Hubby and I went to find Jason again. He was talking to someone else, but we managed to get involved in the conversation. We talked for a few minutes. This is when he told me that he was a natural blond - which floored me. And that he was "po dunk" until he was 12. He talked about how he always manages to play really intense characters, like Bosco and Truss, and that he hates reading reviews of himself. They "freak me out". I can't really blame him. I suppose I'd be freaked out also. We chatted for a few more minutes, until he was pulled away 
for a photo. "We'll finish this later - I promise," he said. And I had no doubt we would.

Mingled around a bit more - Skipp Sudduth showed up, which was really kind of neat. Chatted with Anthony Ruivivar some more. And then I got to talk to Jason again. I told him that I'd like a picture - and only a few more minutes so that I didn't completely monopolize his time. Adam screwed up taking the first picture, so he sat with his arm around me for what seemed like an eternity, but was realistically only a few moments. We chatted some more - he admitted that he doesn't read about himself -at all- on the internet because it freaks him out. But he said that his mother -does- read, and he had heard something about a "porn 'stache" (Talk Jason message board discussion). I immediately got a bit defensive. " Yeah.. I keep telling them that they have to chill out!" He laughed and agreed. He talked about some other things - the grease he uses in his hair, and I told him that the hair worked for him. He smiled. So I told him I was going to let him be. He gave me a hug, and thanked me for everything. I could have melted on the spot.

We hung around for a few more minutes. At one point, after I had gotten Skipp's autograph, Jason came over to Skipp, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Skipp literally lifted him off the ground. It was rather cute. Jason signed some more autographs, and occasionally would look over to me and smile and wave. I asked him for one more picture - this time with my friend, and of course he said yes.

I left that bar that night an incredibly happy woman.

Fast forward to June 21st. This will be Jason Encounter Number 4, if you're keeping track. I brought 2 new friends to see the show - Neko and Kate. We also met Charm that night - that was a lot of fun. She's a really fun woman, as is her sister. Anyway. The show, once again, was absolutely fantastic. I swore it was getting better and better each time I saw it. At the end of the show, during curtain calls, I thought that Jason made eye contact with me and smiled (did I mention that throughout the run, we were sitting in either A or AA? Never further back?). I thought that I was nuts. Turns out, when I met him afterwards, that he had seen me in the front row - because he told me. I told him that sitting that close to the stage (in AA) was a very interesting perspective. "Oh! Look! It's Jason's Nostrils!" That caused him to laugh. I had once again tried to arrange for Jason to speak to the Webdude, but he asked if it would be possible to do it the following Friday- his family was in town, and he wanted to go and spend time with them. I had no problem with that whatsoever. 

Before he left, I gave him the printouts for Project SAFE. "Are you sure this isn't more stuff about my porn 'stache?" he asked me, after I had assured him that they were only greetings, and there was nothing 'freaky' about it. That caused me to laugh, and I assured him that it wasn't.

As he was getting ready to move on, he smiled over towards me, and grabbed my hand. "Next week. I promise. We'll take care of everything." 

Coby's wife had given birth that morning, but still he stuck around to meet and greet with as many fans as possible. I talked to Anthony once more, and he agreed to let me interview him for my radio show. Again - no details since this isn't the right website for it. 

Left the theatre smiling once again. The more I was getting to know the guys, the more I liked them. 

Then, we have this past weekend - June 27th & 28th. As you all know by now, we worked it out so that Webdude could actually come and see the show herself, as opposed to trying to arrange for these phone calls. This was a very good thing. The show... again, was extraordinary. 

During curtain calls, Jason not only smiled at me, but he waved as well, sending my friend Tina into a rage of jealousy. It was quite amusing. Then, we headed outside to meet and greet after. First we saw Anthony, and then Coby, and then, again, the man of the hour. He approached us, said hello to me, and then I introduced him to The Webdude. "I thought that was you," he said. "Someone told me that you might be here tonight..."

He pulled her into a full hug, which I'm sure made the Webdude's night. So her night was made even better when he invited her out to coffee Sunday morning. How cool was that? Could I love this man even more? He's taking the time to make time for our fair Webdude. He talked to me a bit more- asked if I could see differences in each show, and I said that I could. As we were leaving, I told him that I'd see him tomorrow, and then helped Webdude float down the street to her subway stop.

Saturday the 28th. I had an all day rehearsal, and made it into the city with enough time to meet Webdude for an early dinner. We headed to the theatre around 7:40 or so, and sat in the same row as the night before - A. After the show, we once more went outside to meet and greet. Said hello to Coby and Anthony again, who probably thought I had flipped my lid when I said I was coming to see the show 2 more times during the extended run. 

Jason was greeting fans - there was a gaggle of girls who literally wouldn't let him climb up the stairs. Webdude and I stayed back - both of our usual style. Jason approached us, and walked over to Webdude to make plans for the next day. He programmed her number into his cell phone. I was dying -for- Webdude. Then I chatted with him a bit more. I apologized to him - I felt I had come on a bit strong about something the night before, and he disagreed with me. "You've been -so- sweet this entire time," he said. He pulled me into a hug, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. He told me that he hasn't had a problem with me at all, and that I hadn't come on too strong. I then told him that the show was the best -ever- - which it was. It was even -more- intense - maybe because they weren't going to be doing it again until the 8th of July. Jason told me that it was really emotional for him that night - but didn't go into details as to why. Which was cool. He then shook Hubby's hand (Hubby had a meeting cross town, and decided to meet me after the show so we could go home together). I told him that I'd be back on the 12th. " You're coming back again?" I wasn't sure if he was freaked or surprised. But he didn't seem -upset-, if you know what I mean.

And here is where my Jason Encounters end - for now. This is going to be continued after July 12th, when I next venture into the Big Bad City to see my 6th viewing of SAFE. 

To say that June has been an extraordinary month would be an understatement. I can't even tell you how wonderful it's been getting to know Jason - as brief as it might be. He has a way of making you feel like you're an old friend, even if you only spend a few minutes with him. His personality is dynamic, sweet, and personable. And it's his apparent lack of ego that makes him even more endearing to me.