Well, dear readers, here it is, Sunday, the beginning of a brand spanking new week. Last night our little revue played to a sold out house. Have you ever played to a sold out house? It’s much more interesting than playing to a sold out apartment or a sold out motel. The audience was quite lively and gave the show a lovely standing O at the end. The interesting thing about last night and the night before is that the audiences are coming in having read a review or two, and therefore they know it’s supposed to be funny and they’re prepared to laugh right away, which makes all the difference in the world. For Friday’s show I made a change within the opening number – it’s the first time we introduce what a What If is. Tammy used to do What if Stephen Sondheim had written Cats (to the tune of Lucy and Jessie). It had never gotten a laugh and I was unhappy with it – I finally wrote a new one, still using Cats, this time What if Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields has written Cats (to the tune of Big Spender – I’m sure you’ll get the joke if you put a raunchy name for a cat in place of “spender”. It played like a dream Friday, and played like a dream last night, so it stays. I’ll be adding a couple of more things either next week or the week after. That’s the fun of a revue – I can keep honing it and adding and/or changing and/or cutting. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
Yesterday, I watched the first episode of the English TV version of Pennies from Heaven. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of it, but I think I’d like it better had I not seen the film first. But Bob Hoskins is excellent in what became the Steve Martin role. There are no elaborate production numbers, but the musical interludes work very well anyway. Then I began watching episodes from the new You Bet Your Life box set. This one, called “The Best Episodes” is giddy fun like the last one. I’ve only seen two episodes thus far, but I just get the giggles over these. The first episode is a famous one with an eleven year old Candy Bergen (and her dad) and Groucho’s daughter Melinda. It’s not the funniest show, but it has its moments. The next episode is hilarious, though, with a husband and wife and their eleven children, and a lady who brings on a chimp with her. Very funny stuff. I also want to start watching the Night Gallery box set, which I managed to get an early copy of. And I also must watch The Sugarland Express. I have the next four days off, so I can catch up with all my viewing.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because now is the time for all good men and women to do so.
Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, now is the time for all good men and women. Or should that be time is the now for all good men and women? Or should it be now is the men and women for all good time? So many choices, so little time.
Tonight I will be seeing The Producers in Costa Mesa, with Miss Alet Taylor’s ever-lovin’ husband in the role of Leo. The Taylor’s were sweet enough to arrange a car service so I don’t have to drive down there. I will, of course, have a full report for you. I haven’t seen the show since I saw it on Broadway in previews.
I’ve been listening to a three CD set of Tony Hatch music. It’s interesting that Tony Hatch had a huge number of number one hit songs, and yet his name is not nearly as well known as Mr. Burt Bacharach, with whom he shares much in common (both wrote many hits for the same person – Bacharach and David for Dionne, Mr. Hatch and Miss Trent for Petula). It’s a wonderful set, and if you can find it, you must get it.
Our Unseemly Live Chat will have to be on Monday night at six o’clock Pacific Mean Daylight Savings Time. Be there or be round. And don’t forget, Donald will have a new radio show up some time today. And don’t forget that now is the time for all good men and women (there’s an ending to that sentence – what is it? I think it’s “to come to the aid of their country” or some such).
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must relax until the car service arrives and then I must must be hied to the Mesa of Costa. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to choose the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we?