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August 13, 2004:

OPENING NIGHT

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, we have survived our opening night and we are here to tell the tale. We were jam-packed, every seat taken, but thankfully we didn’t have to put any folding chairs on the stage – it worked out perfectly. There were many interesting people in attendance, including Mr. Mel Brooks, Mr. Carl Reiner and his ever-lovin’ Estelle, Mr. George Furth, the ubiquitous Skip E. Lowe, Richard Sherman and his ever-lovin’ Elizabeth, Billy Barnes, Nancy Dussault, Mark McGrath, Jack Klugman, our very own Jason Graae and many others. Of course, dear readers Panni, daughter and daughter’s boyfriend were there, along with dear readers Charles Pogue and his ever-lovin’ Julieanne, dear reader Jay, and dear lurker/reader Mark Rothman. Some reviewers, too, although I don’t know who. The show played extremely well, with lots of huge laughs throughout. The audience seemed to mostly love it, and were completely attentive during the ballads, which was nice. Interestingly, for the second time, the number that really killed the most was our spoof of coming attractions for Broadway shows. The laughter was so loud and so raucous it literally shook the theater. It got a huge ovation at the end and I was worried that poor Ryan would never be able to start his next number. The cast did very well, and the audience really liked them a lot. Afterwards, Mel and Carl went up on stage and gave the cast a ton of lovely complements and, since I was elsewhere, Mr. Brooks sent kudos to me via Panni’s daughter, who spoke to him briefly. Mr. Reiner sent me congrats, too, as did Mr. Furth. Best of all, all three gentlemen gave us wonderful quotes to use in our advertising, which to me is worth more than any review our revue could get. As for me, I still think a couple of things could work better than they are, and I’m going in early tomorrow to work on them to get them so they’ll land better – they were the only spots in the show where I felt a lull or let-down. Fixable, though, and I’ll do my best to work some magic. And that is the tale of our opening night. There was a lovely party afterwards that went on for quite some time, which is why these here notes are going up late.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because opening night is already over, don’t you know.

I am totally exhausted, I must say. I am weary, baby, weary. But I’m also wired. Wired and weary, that is me at this particular moment. I do hope our dear readers who were in attendance will post all about their impressions of the evening. I must say, Mr. Richard Sherman really was complementary and really loved our very own Jose, who got many complements this evening. Anyway, enough about the show – we’ve got critics coming all weekend and we’re desperately trying to fill the theater for those performances. Tomorrow is especially worrisome, but we’re all working hard to find people. Saturday is actually pretty full right now, and Sunday is starting to look good.

Now wait just a darned minute – I believe we should all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, I believe we should all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, I believe we should all dance the Hora and the Waltz because today is dear reader Stuart’s birthday. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Stuart. On the count of three: One, two, three – HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR READER STUART!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must relax and chill out, I must finish watching The Bad Seed on DVD, I must eat various and sundried foodstuffs and then I must go to the theater to make two numbers work better. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video player? I’ll start: CD, a Frank Chacksfield two-fer, two of his Phase Four albums with absolutely amazing sound. DVD, The Bad Seed, followed by This Gun for Hire, The Black Angel and Criss Cross, all part of the Universal Noir Collection. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we? We shall.

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