Well, dear readers, let’s get right down to business, shall we? The new Kritzerland releases are up for preorder at www.kritzerland.com. For those who haven’t had a peek, you can see the cover artwork, hear audio clips, and even view photographs from the original two productions of Stages. And, of course, you can order the CDs. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the best way you can show your support for both the new label and haineshisway.com is to preorder CDs or, at the very least, purchase them at some point. I was heartened to see that many orders came in within just an hour or two. So, if you haven’t checked it out, please go take a look. My goodness, that was a very business-like opening for the notes, wasn’t it? I don’t recall the notes ever being so business-like right from the top. I feel we’ve been given the business, frankly or even stevely, and now it is time to get back to the business at hand – there we got with the “business” again. Apparently, these here notes are going to be all business today. Well, sometimes the notes need to do their business, I suppose, so today is as good a day as any. Speaking of today, yesterday was quite a busy day around these here parts. The pressing plant turmoil was explained to me, and now all is well and we’ll be moving to a new plant in a week or so. I’m told we’re still on track for me to have discs just prior to Labor Day, which means they’ll go out to those who preordered a good week-and-a-half to two weeks prior to street date, should all go according to Hoyle. I then had to oversee the uploading of the new material to the Kritzerland site, and then I had to go run and do some errands, including taking the After the Ball print back to the pressing plant – yes, Virginia, I’ve had to repress this title, as I’m down to the last thirty copies. I also wrote a few pages of the short story, and then perused the galley of the new book, which seems to look just fine (they’re sending me a hard copy, too, because that’s easier for me to check out). I should be seeing the jacket proof within the next week, and then we’re good to go. I’ve now got to attend to getting the Rewind site up and running – you’ll be able to read a sample chapter and order the book in about three weeks time. Stay tuned. I then had several telephonic conversations, and then I toddled off to sup with Kasey Rogers, her friend Mark, and Mark’s friend, Kathy. Kasey couldn’t make it as she was under the weather, so the three of us had a fine old time, and I must admit to eating way too much yummilicious food. And that was the business of the day. There we go with the “business” again. Well, I guess that means we’re back in business, and ain’t it grand?
Last night, I finished watching a motion picture on DVD entitled The Bad Sleep Well, a film of Akira Kurosawa. I’d only seen it once before, so it was grand to see it again – it’s one of my favorite Kurosawa films, not quite as good as High and Low, but close. I must say I really like Mr. Kurosawa’s non-Samurai, non-period films. The Bad Sleep Well (ain’t it the truth, baby, ain’t it the truth) is a sort-of modern-day reworking of Hamlet, only The Bad go unpunished in Mr. Kurosawa’s film. As portrayed in this film, the corruption and evil in the business world of post-war Japan is truly nauseating. There we go with the “business” again. Everywhere I look it’s business, business, business (that is three businesses). The film is beautifully shot in TohoScope and black-and-white, and the transfer is quite good. It’s only available in region 2, however, but if you have a multi-region player, I really recommend both this and High and Low, both from BFI. The film’s only real misstep is the use of some “comedy” music for some decidedly non-comic scenes. Very strange. Otherwise, the score is really top-notch.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Well, don’t we have to go about our business of clicking on the Unseemly Button below, so we can see what sort of business is in the next section? There we go with the “business” again. Ah, well, it’s business as usual.
Today I must begin organizing the orders that have come in, so that my shipper will have no problems getting these things ready in advance of the discs coming in. And this evening, Miss Tammy Minoff and I will be supping with a potential line producer for the play. I shall try to be a good boy at dinner, as it’s a business dinner. There we go with the “business” again.
Our Stages launch partay continues to shape up as quite an event. I sent out a mass e-mail about it yesterday, and I’ve been getting excellent response. At some point, I have to decide what kind of food we’re serving (probably deli platters – that’s easiest, I think) and sodas, juices, and bottled waters (no hard stuff allowed).
I feel as if I’m in need of a massage from my Russian masseuse. We’ll see if I can eke out some time to do so. My neck has been very sore from so much sitting at the computer, and I’m just feeling all-around achy, muscle-wise.
Now wait just a darned minute. I believe we’d all better just put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, we’d better break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, we’d better dance the Hora and the cha-cha-cha, because we’ve got us a birthday to celebrate and that birthday belongs to our very own S. Woody White, one of our leading curmudgeons (to use yesterday’s word of the day). So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own curmudgeon, S. Woody White. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN CURMUDGEON S. WOODY WHITE!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must write, I must organize, I must answer e-mails and have telephonic conversations, I must pick up packages, and I must sup with a potential line producer. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite title songs from musicals, and what are your all-time favorite act two openers (a very difficult spot to fill in a musical). Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we – well, just make it business as usual.