Barry Manilow meets fans as tickets go on sale for Broadway's 'Harmony'
MANHATTAN, New York City (WABC) -- Barry Manilow was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Williamsburg, and dreamt of Broadway as a teenager before achieving worldwide fame as a singer.
Manilow was back in the Theater District to launch a new musical, and he had a treat for fans.
When tickets went on sale for "Harmony" the first fans in line had a chance to have their tickets autographed by the star who wrote the music for the show.
For some, this was the opportunity of a lifetime:
Before he wrote the songs the whole world sings, Barry Manilow dreamt of composing for Broadway making this a rare moment of, well, "Harmony."
"Unforgettable Harmony. The box office at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre is now open," the cast sang out.
The first 100 people in line got a chance to greet the star.
"My name is Reggie. I've been here since yesterday morning waiting for you, Reggie Francke, a fan said.
Francke came all the way from Boston to meet Manilow.
"I've pretty much waited for this moment my entire life," another fan said.
She was rewarded with a ticket autographed by Manilow and his co-writer Bruce Sussman.
Manilow has been on Broadway before and each time feels like the fulfillment of a childhood dream.
"I was mostly into Broadway scores. I never listened to pop radio," Manilow said.
"And standing here, greeting these fans, does it have a special meaning because of that?" Sandy Kenyon asked.
"Gratitude. They tell me there's a lot of people out there, and I am always still amazed after all these years those are still with me," Manilow said.
"Harmony," which ran in California a decade ago, tells the story of a popular German singing group forced to disband due to Adolph Hitler's persecution of Jews.
Previews start in the middle of next month with opening night set for November 13.
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