Well, dear readers, the early bird catches the worm. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, the early bird catches the worm. Of course, in certain rare instances the worm catches the early bird and then all HELL breaks loose, early bird and worm-wise. Today, I shall be an early bird and I shall indeed catch the worm. I haven’t decided what I’ll do with the fershluganah worm – I might fricassee it, just for the halibut. Where was I? Oh, yes, catching the worm, since I shall be an early bird. I shall arise early, I shall, and I shall greet the day with a laugh and a smile and a song, not necessarily in that order. Speaking of order, yesterday had very little order, yet not much chaos, for which I am always grateful. I began the day by jogging. I then met up with new dear reader Jeanne. New dear reader had never met up before and they got along like a house afire. She and up wanted to go to the Farmer’s Market, and I, being the extremely nice person I am, took her there. She glommed onto the crepe place right away and got herself a spinach and cheese crepe. I felt like something much lighter, so I got a fried catfish po’ boy from The Gumbo Pot. As it turned out, what should have been a very filling and heavy sandwich turned out to have three teeny-tiny little strips of catfish on a big roll with hardly any mayo, a bit of lettuce and a tomato. That was actually a blessing in disguise. I once saw a blessing in disguise – the blessing was dressed as a Randy Vicar. Which reminds me, perhaps now would be a good time to recount the story of The Randy Vicar and the Exhaust Pipe. Perhaps not. After lunch, we walked around the Farmer’s Market for a bit, and then I bid new dear reader Jeanne adieu – she goes back home on Thursday. I then went home and wrote like the wind. After writing like the wind, I wrote like me, just for a change of pace. Then I toddled off to the 50th birthday party for my dear friend, Mr. David Wechter. His mother, Cissy, threw the party and what a splendidly splendid party it was. David’s son Daniel was Bar Mitzvah’d last Saturday, so there was quite the Wechter contingent from around the United States of America. Mostly family, but there were a few of us just friends as well. I always find these Wechter gatherings a little bittersweet – they are a loving, warm and very close-knit family, something I never had. A few of us were called on to speak and I recounted the first time I met David. His then writing and directing partner Michael Nankin (with whom he did Disney’s Midnight Madness) came to see Stages at the Matrix Theater. He really liked me in the show and called me in to read for the lead in Midnight Madness. I, of course, did not get the part – I jokingly attributed not getting it to David (Mike shouted out that he’d fought for me). Anyway, the party was lovelier than lovely, the food was really good (I tried to be a good boy – I had the equivalent of another sandwich – there were half-sandwiches of different types and I had two halves – one chicken, one salmon, and the salmon I didn’t eat the bread – I also had some salad and fruit and a very small piece of birthday cake), and the people were very warm and friendly. I had quite a nice conversation with Mike Nankin and his lovely wife, Liz, and their three children are really swell. I’ll be sending Mike the Kritzer books, since he grew up near the same area I did. I was worried that I’d grow weary of the goings on, but I didn’t and stayed until the end.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button – remember, the early bird catches the Unseemly Button.
Today I must write up a storm. I’m going to give the storm a very nice write-up. I must also do some errands, and then I must ready myself to toddle down to the Ahmanson Theater for the opening of Curtains. I’m looking forward to the show and the party and I shall, of course, have a full report in tomorrow’s notes, although said notes may go up late, in which case the late bird will be catching the worm, if not a lot of shuteye.
Tomorrow I have a meeting with one of the singers who I’ll be directing in a new one-person show (along with helping to create said show), and I think I’m supposed to see a play at the Hudson Theater tomorrow night. And, on Friday Mr. Wechter and I hope to begin our rewrite of The Brain. I actually began writing a new number today to replace a song I’m less than thrilled with early in act one, sung by the teen daughter of the husband and wife characters. I’m still sort of hung up on giving this song a 50s sort of vibe – the one I’m working on is better, I think, but I also might try one that doesn’t have any 50s feel to it – that may be what’s bothering me about it. We shall see.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, write, sup, attend an opening night, attend a party, drive about in my motor car, and catch the worm. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we?