If you sit towards the right inside the Playhouse show, you'll be able to exit towards the front of the crowd when the show is over. Manny has always been on the left when you walk out (the right when you're facing the building). We haven't been down since Feb though, maybe his location has changed.
Also, right after the show starts there seems to be no lines to see him, or very short ones. That's been the case on our last few trips anyways.