Well, dear readers, the countdown to Christmas continues here at haineshisway.com, with nary a bah humbug in sight or even in site. Sometimes I feel a bah humbug coming on, but then I just say it backwards – hab gubmuh, and all is well with the world. Hab Gubmah – that sounds like a Bollywood movie, doesn’t it? Where was I? Oh, yes, the countdown to Christmas continues here at haineshisway.com, and each day is merrier and jollier, not necessarily in that order. Yesterday, for example, was a particularly merry and jolly day. I don’t know why, really, but it just was. I began the day arising at nine o’clock. I then did a few things around the home environment, and then I went to a little work session with Miss Linda Purl and her musical director, Mr. Ron Abel. We chatted for a bit, and Ron caught on right away to what I wanted to do. We went through her current set list and told Linda to choose the songs she absolutely could not live without – I think we chose five, and we’ll somehow make those five have a point and work within the structure of the show we create. We went through some other songs, made some choices, and some things are really becoming focused. I’m trying to design at least three “sectional” sections – where we have several songs that tie into a specific theme and patter, and those are really coming along nicely. It was a very productive meeting, and we chose the six or seven songs that she’ll do in New York in January – kind of a “preview” of her act. We start working on that in earnest in a couple of weeks. After that, we immediately begin putting the show together, because her first date to try it out is in late February. After the rehearsal, I had luncheon with Miss Tammy Minoff, then addressed some more Christmas cards, did some errands, and then toddled off to rehearsal. It’s always tough coming back after three days off, and the rehearsal was fairly low energy, which everyone felt. The one thing that is abundantly clear is that if this show is performed with low energy, it just lays there like so much fish and dies like a herring in the moonlight. We continue to work intensively on the end of act one, to get it sharp, definite, and perfect. Our third actor was shooting a film and never made it to rehearsal, which didn’t really make anyone happy. I think our producer let him know pretty strongly that we can’t have these last-minute calls that they can’t make a rehearsal. The first any of us heard about it was two o’clock yesterday. Actors have been told to be off book by next Monday, as that is our final week of rehearsals (and run-throughs every night) before we move into the theater to rehearse. Also, a week from Friday everyone has to be ready to shoot the little video sequences for the play. Then we have three rehearsals in the theater, and we tech the show and then begin previews – it’s all coming up very, very fast. I really like our costume designer, and our special effects gal was with us last night, and will be with us again tonight for some show and tell. After rehearsal, I came home, ate some red licorice, and nosed around the Internet whilst relaxing and feeling very merry and jolly.
Last night I began watching another von Sternberg/Dietrich film, the only one I’ve never seen – Dishonored. I’m enjoying it so far and will have a full report for you tomorrow.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we all say hab gubmuh in unison.
I’m sure I remember a song called Hab Gubmuh in a Bollywood film. I think the lyric went something like:
Hab gubmuh
I just had some food called hab gubmuh
And suddenly I’m sick
Because the food was ick
It’s true
Hab gubmuh
Full of grease and the fat was scummy
Now I’m ill with a pain in my tummy
Hab gubmuh
I will not be eating hab gubmuh
The most horrible food I’ve ever had
Hab gubmuh
Yes, that was quite a good Bollywood song, wasn’t it? I hope all of you sang along as you read through the lyrics.
Today, I shall be having a production meeting at eleven, and then an LACC meeting about my Musical Theater Workshop class, which will begin in February. I also have to ship a few packages, mail a few cards, and pick up a few packages of mine own. And, of course, attend rehearsal.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be jolly and merry or was it merry and jolly, I must sing Hab Gubmuh all the livelong day and night, and I must be productively productive. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films that feature Christmas in them? What are your favorite carols? And what are your favorite renditions of classic Christmas songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we continue the countdown to Christmas.