Well, dear readers, I’d say our first weekend of Summer Evenings of Cabaret was a complete success. Yes, Virginia, our first weekend of Summer Evenings of Cabaret was a complete success, and I must say it was delightful to bask in the sweet smell of success. Last night, Miss Susan Egan was completely sold out and we even had to add an extra table. We worked on the sound and it got better – much better, in fact. Still some tweaking to do, but the better sound made all the difference in the world. Miss Egan, who was excellent for her first show, was stupendous last night – she had the audience in the palm of her hand for the entire show. Her applause was long and loud for each number, and she received a well-deserved standing ovation. Her musical director, Christopher McGovern is a wonderful musician and is an integral part of the act. The show does what all good acts should do – it has structure, a point, it builds, and it lets the audience feel like they’re learning something about the performer. A fantastic night, I must say. The comments from everyone about the setting, the atmosphere, was so incredibly positive, with many remarking that it’s now the best cabaret space in LA. That made us all feel very good indeed. What we all wanted was for the space to feel inviting, and to that end we succeeded perfectly. It’s a warm, sweet space and intimate in all the right ways. So, now it’s on to weekend two and Miss Heather MacRae. We’re hoping we have lots of returnees. In last night’s audience we had Mr. Kevin Spirtas, ASCAP’S Michael Kerker, Miss Adryan Russ, my Kritzerland art director, Doug Haverty, the lovely (and I do mean lovely) Roslyn Kind, and many other nice folks.
Prior to attending the show, I attended the Hollywood Collector’s Show in the Bank of Bur. It wasn’t the most star-studded affair, but I think us lesser lights benefited from the lower wattage. The two big guns, Mickey Rooney and Debbie Reynolds didn’t arrive until after one, and both Kevin Spirtas and I did really well prior to their arrival. Then things slowed down. In fact, it was my best show there in terms of money taken in. I sold books, I sold DVDs, I sold a Guy Haines CD, I sold a whole slew of photographs, but more importantly I had a blast. Our very own Nick Redman was there most of the day, and we laughed and laughed and just when we thought we could laugh no more, we laughed again. Kevin and I were in a prime location and boy does that help. Across from us were Alan Young and Connie Hines and Betty Lynn. On the other side of Kevin was Patrika Darbo, who played his wife on Days Of Our Lives. I met Barbara Luna, spoke to Chuck McCann and Richard Herd and Stella Stevens, and Linda Blair. Erin Moran and I made funny faces at each other for most of the day. Surprisingly, one of the busiest celebs there was Bruce Boxleitner of all people. Huge lines. Margaret O’Brien was there, the two Hunter stars were there, and lots of others. I’m looking forward to today, too.
After the cabaret show, I took new dear reader, Adriana Patti, and her mother to the House of Pies. And there I told young Adriana that I have stolen her first name as the heroine’s name in my new novel. And I coerced Adriana to be today’s helper, so she’ll be sitting with me until four.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we bask in the sweet smell of success.
Today’s show starts an hour earlier, at nine in the morning. I’m getting up at seven so that I can jog at seven-thirty, and get over there by nine. We’ll wrap up at four, and then I can come home and sit on my couch like so much fish and relax.
This coming week is going to be tremendously busy, with a lot of meetings, several meals, a live in-person radio show Heather and I will be doing, and then cabaret weekend two.
My goodness these notes are late. They should have been up fifty minutes ago, but because I was having a bacon cheeseburger, slaw, and coconut cream pie with whipped cream, they are later than late. So, I shall stop being pithy and finish up the rest of these here notes sans pith, baby.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, sell a few items like books, DVDs, CDs, and photos, I must eat VERY reasonably, and then I must sit on my couch like so much pithy fish. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, and let’s all breathe in the sweet smell of success.