Well, dear readers, yesterday was a really long day. I awoke at about nine-thirty, shaved, showered and then walked down to 22nd St. to attend a little of the brush up rehearsal. I met everyone, made a little spiel, heard a couple of songs, went over some details with Mr. Tony Walton and then headed over to do Kerry Butler’s duet. She arrived early and we got right to it. First off, may I just say that Kerry Butler is impossibly pretty, with sparkling eyes and a beautiful smile. Second off, may I just say she’s got an adorable voice that records really well. We did a quick rehearsal, then just did three takes (short song), and we were done. The third take was mostly it. Guy Haines’ vocal was already on the track and she made him sound so much better. Her pal and used-to-be dear reader Mr. Craig Brockman was there to take some photographs of the session – it was very nice to see him again. Also in attendance was my former compatriot, Mr. David Levy – I hadn’t seen him since the whole business of four years ago. He looks great, and it was like no time had gone by at all. Also there was Iris, who is doing a splendidly splendid job, and Jonathan hung out, too. We then walked over to Studio 54 to attend the Theatre World awards. It was an interesting event, which was directed by Mr. Walter Willison. I saw many folks I knew and had lovely conversations with Mr. Peter Filichia, Mr. Scott Siegel and his ever-lovin’ Barbara, and quite a few others. Handing out the awards were the likes of Miss Judy Kaye, Miss Lucie Arnaz, Miss Pat Suzuki, Mr. Tim Daly, Brian F. O’Byrne, Michael Cerveris, John Cullum, Patricia Elliot, Joanna Gleason, Michael McGrath, Estelle Parsons, and Mr. Willison. Happily, I was let in before anyone else and I got us all great seats. Miss Kaye brought the house down with a number from On the Twentieth Century, Mr. Cullum did likewise singing On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, and Miss Pat Suzuki was cute as a button singing I Enjoy Being a Girl. Mr. Willison did his big song from Two by Two, I Do Not Know a Day I Did Not Love You. This year’s winners included Christina Applegate (a no-show – resting her weary bones and voice on doctor’s orders), Hank Azaria, Gordon Clapp, Cheyenne Jackson and a few other lovely people. We all had a lovelier than lovely time. Musical direction was by Mr. Jeffrey Silverman, at whose house I spent Passover a few weeks ago. Then, Mr. Richard Valley and his ever-lovin’ Tom invited me to come along to Angus McIndoe where a whole mess o’ people were dining. I went and had a Diet Coke before going to Joe Allen. One of Richard’s DVD reviewers, Kevin Shinnick, was there with his pal, a very pretty young lady named Natasha. She came over to Joe Allen to dine with Jonathan and I (Kevin rejoined us after his rehearsal) and we all had a splendidly splendid time. I then returned to my hotel room, exhausted.
I then had to read through quite a few e-mails and then had to be quite nasty in leaving a message with AFTRA here in New York. They’d sent a fax to one of the actors stating we could not begin the session until we had the AFTRA paperwork for the session. Iris got the paperwork a week ago. I told the voice mail to pass on the message that I really didn’t need this sort of thing after having done over 130 albums. I know how AFTRA works. They’re concerned because they don’t know which company is the signatory, but since it’s me who’s producing, I don’t see why there should be any concern, given the amount of employment I’ve given to AFTRA performers over the years. The fact is, I’m using a payroll service for this album and they are the signator. I know what will happen – they’re going to try and make me make Kritzerland the signator and I don’t think I will be doing that under a threat. Nor do I have to. We shall see what we shall see.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve got to toddle off to bed so that I will be fresh as a daisy tomorrow morning.
I walked quite a bit yesterday and my dogs are awfully in need of a little TLC. Unfortunately, I have no TLC people available to attend to my dogs so my dogs will have to wait until my return to Los Angeles, California, USA.
Not only are my dogs tired, my gams are also tired.
Well, that was a sentence, wasn’t it?
Oh, and at the Theatre World awards, I was seated across the aisle from the man who we all suspect to be the poster known as finding namo. All I know is he saw I was there, never looked at me again, and he ran out of the theater before the house lights came up at the end of the show. I do believe if I were incorrect about his identity, that he would have said hello to me. Damn them, damn them all to hell.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, record After the Ball, I must then eat, I must then pack, I must then sleep, and then I must wake up very early to be on my way back to Los Angeles, California, USA. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite sporting events? I hate sports, but I do occasionally like to watch ice skating. So, I will be interested in hearing your choices. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and do keep the home fries burning whilst I am having a ball recording After the Ball.