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May 11, 2006:

MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, it is already midnight at the oasis and I, for one, am only just beginning to write the notes. These nocturnal goings on must stop, for I have not been getting nearly enough beauty rest for a person of my age. And tomorrow I must be up bright and early and also early and bright for the musical theater workshop (MTW), so I’d better get crackin’. Speaking of crackin’, yesterday wasn’t everything that it was cracked up to be. Of course, I have know idea what yesterday was cracked up to be, so I’m really just making a supposition, aren’t I? I got a pretty good night’s sleep, awoke, and had to immediately have about five telephonic conversations. I then had to deal with a plethora of things, most of them things I’d much rather not have had to deal with, and I did manage to get a jog in and to do some work that needed doing. Then, Miss Jessica Rush arrived and we hurried over to the Dena of Pasa, to attend the opening night performance of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure. We got there nice and early, picked up our tickets which, as per usual lately, were really lousy last row seats. We then had a bit to eat at a local Mexican eatery, and then we went back to the theater. I don’t know what’s happened to their opening night crowd, but you know something’s awry when I’m the biggest celebrity there – well, me and Kenny Kingston and Mary Jo Catlett. I did see my friend, Mr. Sheldon Epps, and we had a nice chat. He was happy to meet Jessica and she was happy to meet him. Also in attendance were the owners of Mystery and Imagination Bookshop, where I do all my book readings and signings. Other than those few people, I knew absolutely no one in attendance.

At 8:05, the curtain rose on the play. It’s one of the more entertaining shows that I’ve seen at the Playhouse, but the play isn’t that great – the first act has some nice things in it, but the second act really bogs down and it ends with a thud rather than a bang. Part of that is the director’s fault – he’s not a bad director, but there’s not that much visual flair in evidence and some of the blocking is not so hot. The gentleman who played Mr. Sherlock Holmes was terrific – maybe the best performance I’ve seen at the Pasadena Playhouse. The Watson was fine, but a couple of the supporting players were not all that good, unfortunately. The set was okay, the lighting better than okay, and the use of dramatic music to underscore a few scenes was quite annoying. If I want underscoring, I’ll go see a movie. Happily, the play ran two hours even including intermission, so we were out by ten. Jess and I then went to Du-Par’s for a little pie – she the chocolate cream, me cherry ala mode. Mr. Kevin Spirtas joined us and then we all went back to the home environment and Kevin picked up some CDs and dropped off the camera tapes for editing, which I’ll start doing in a week. And then, suddenly it was midnight at the oasis and I had to start writing these here notes in a hurry.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it’s Thursday, and that’s just what one must do on a Thursday.

Today I shall hopefully block the rest of act one, and then I must pick up the Deceit digi-beta masters, and then I must do a bunch of stuff that needs doing. I think I have a couple of appointments tomorrow, but I’ll be damned if I can remember what they are. I’m sure someone will remind me at some point.

I’m also hoping to do all the script changes to the musical so I can print up some new and current scripts – but that requires going back and forth between scripts and I’m just dreading doing it because I know it will be a pain in Ye Olde Butt Cheeks.

I’m deciding whether to do another quick reading of the new play, with different players (except for me), just to hear different voices, which I think would be helpful for me. If we do, I’ll try to do it next Monday or Tuesday.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, block a musical, drive about in my motor car, and do many errands and whatnot. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Sherlock Holmes stories, plays, movies, and TV shows? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I try and get my beauty rest.

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