The Greatest Showman #740 - Small Premiere

Tessa Britton's footsteps faltered as she paused, glancing left and right. She was certain she was at the right place—Lincoln Center, home to the world-famous Juilliard School. There was no mistaking the iconic landmark. Yet, despite the confirmation, the scene before her only deepened her confusion. She took a few more steps and saw the square teeming with people. The crowd was so massive it felt as if she had mistakenly entered the wrong venue.

The square was packed to capacity, and describing it as "bustling" seemed an understatement. Thousands of people, perhaps tens of thousands, gathered in every direction, shoulder to shoulder. The energy was palpable—people were dancing, chatting excitedly, and the air was alive with enthusiasm. Tessa couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of disbelief. How could this be?

The temperature in New York had dropped, and it was already December. The chilling wind cut through the city streets, making even a thick coat feel insufficient against the biting cold. Despite this, the atmosphere around Lincoln Center felt almost defiant against the winter chill. The falling snow added an unexpected touch of romance to the scene.

Tessa's eyes widened as she tried to process what was happening. She couldn't quite grasp the enormity of the situation.

Today marked the premiere of Me Against Cancer, but instead of a grandiose event, Lionsgate had planned a small, intimate gathering in the spirit of New York City.

The premiere was being held at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. Known as one of New York's artistic hubs, Lincoln Center houses over 70 cultural institutions and the city's premier classical music venues, earning it the title of the "world center of classical music." Juilliard is located here as well, and Alice Tully Hall serves as its main performance venue, hosting everything from concerts to the New York Film Festival.

Despite its prestige, Alice Tully Hall is relatively small, with just 1,095 seats, making it the smallest concert hall in Lincoln Center. It's primarily used for classical music performances and the annual New York Film Festival. While other famous venues like Hollywood's Chinese Theatre and Kodak Theatre cater to grand premieres, Alice Tully Hall is known for its more artistic, niche selections, often favoring literary and critical films over commercial blockbusters.

Rumors suggested that Lionsgate had only released 500 tickets for the event, signaling a modest premiere. However, what Tessa encountered was anything but small. The sheer volume of people, crowding every corner of the square, was overwhelming.

She wandered through the masses, searching for familiar faces. The premiere wasn't set to begin until 5:00 PM, but Tessa had arrived early—at 11:20 AM. Yet, the scene before her was beyond anything she had imagined.

After about 30 minutes of disorientation, Tessa finally spotted Tyron Johansson, whom she had met at the Toronto Film Festival. He waved her over, and with his help, she found her group.

William Taylor, Graham Hughes, Hope Baez, Chanel Laurent, and other familiar faces had gathered here, drawn together by the same person—Renly. With the semester winding down, they couldn't afford to leave their studies behind, but they all felt compelled to support the premiere of Me Against Cancer. They had come to cheer Renly on, hoping to see the film for the first time.

"Jesus Christ, who said there wouldn't be anyone at the premiere?" Tessa exclaimed in disbelief.

Hope chimed in, "We were just talking about that! We were terrified when we first arrived—what happened? Why are there so many people here? There must be at least 2,500 people, and more are still coming!"

William nodded. "I even wondered if we'd come to the wrong place."

Graham had confirmed they were in the right spot, which only fueled the group's excitement.

As Tessa surveyed the crowd, she couldn't shake the question: Why were there so many people here for a low-budget independent film? She had seen crowds for blockbuster premieres, but this felt like something else.

Chanel, who had been surveying the scene, answered, "Most of these people are here because of Crazy in Love. The turnout is insane, and people are passionate, like they've lost their minds."

Chanel also mentioned the large group there to support Renly for his album, Don Quixote. They weren't just attending the premiere—they had come with posters, banners, and cheer cards to show their gratitude. It seemed their devotion was more organized than Tessa's group.

Hope immediately became excited. "Let's go join them! William, let's see what we can do—maybe we can get some ideas for future collaborations!"

The fans had initially formed a group to support Renly's movie work, but after the negative press surrounding Me Against Cancer, the group's focus had shifted to supporting Renly personally. This event had attracted far more attention than they had expected, with the 500 invited group members barely making a dent in the crowd.

As they gathered, Tessa said, "So, what's our plan for today? This is our first official event, and I'm pumped!"

Graham, grinning, answered, "We've got slogans prepared, and we're going to surprise Renly with our support."

The sun dipped lower, and by the time the premiere was approaching, the crowd outside Alice Tully Hall had swelled to an incredible size. What had started as a modest gathering now seemed like a massive event. Even the reporters were shocked by the size of the crowd. Many of them were only arriving after 4:00 PM, and they could hardly find a spot to stand.

By the time the premiere began, it was clear that this wasn't just a small gathering. Over 5,000 people had turned out for an independent film premiere. Such an overwhelming turnout was unprecedented—this was a level of enthusiasm usually reserved for major franchises like Harry Potter or Star Wars.

Lionsgate had intended for this to be a small premiere, but it had quickly turned into the most talked-about event of the year, second only to the Harry Potter and Twilight finales.

And this was only the beginning.