Well, dear readers, I thought I had a lot to do today, but as it turns out things got pushed to other days, so other than a bit of shipping and writing, today may be a day where I can actually relax a bit and smell the coffee or the roses or the socks. Oh, I know that thing will rear their little heads, but I’m hoping that for the most part the day will be mine, because I have not had a “mine” day for quite some time. Yesterday, for example, was non-stop from morning until about seven. For example, I got up. That was non-stop right there. Then I had to jog, then toddle off to my breakfast meeting with Miss Joan Ryan. Things are starting to coalesce and we’re now making some choices and exploring certain things. I did come up with one thing that I think will be really fun to work on and very funny, which has to do with her lack of dance ability. After that meeting, I had to come home and make ready for the Brain reading. I got to LACC at two, and was shown the model of the set. It’s not finished yet, but the basic stuff I was shown is going to work really well. It’s just what I wanted – very sparse – set pieces that move in and out, the band on an elevated platform and everything else done with lighting and costumes. After that, we all gathered and had our first read-through of the latest version of the show. And I must say I was very pleased with what I heard. Oh, it was slow going a few times (the stage directions being read always make things seem endless), but the laughs were there, and everyone did a nice job for a first time through. Most of all, I was extremely pleased that all our little fixes and adjustments, along with the two new songs (and new music for a third song) all worked very well. Lots of new laughs, the new songs got good reaction, and I think it’s just going to be a blast to get the show on its feet. I think our company is going to be very strong – and our three guests are wonderful – Mr. Spirtas, Miss Rubin, and Miss Taylor. So, in two short weeks we have our first rehearsal. After we finished, I spoke to the company for about fifteen minutes, explaining how I like to work, and then I finally headed back home, where I made some dinner (first time I’ve actually cooked in ages), and then sat on my couch like so much fish).
Last night, I watched part one of Reds, a film of Warren Beatty. I’ll have more to say about it when I’m through, but it really holds up well, and it’s quite good. After the film hit it’s intermission (about an hour and ten minutes into its three and a half hour running time), I did watch the “documentaries” which, I’m sad to say, are more of that awful Laurent Bouzereau junk. This guy just gets worse and worse and his proclivity of punctuating every line of an interview with a clip that “illustrates” what the interviewee is saying, has reached epic and nauseating proportions. If Warren Beatty is explaining how he wrote the film, we cut to a scene from the film where Warren as John Reed is typing. If Warren is saying how he had a meeting with the Paramount bigwigs, we cut to a scene from Reds where Warren/John Reed is at a meeting. I mean, someone ride this guy out of town on a rail, please. Anyway, as I said, I’ll have more to say when I finish the film.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because tonight I am really going to try and get to bed before two o’clock in the morning.
I’m so happy there’s not much going on today. It will give me a chance not only to relax, but to catch up on a bunch of stuff, too. We have to prepare for our release party for Simply Sondheim – all the details have to be taken care of long before I leave for New York, because the party takes place the day after I return and directly after our first Brain rehearsal.
I also must call my New York assistant and make sure we’re locked with our engineer, and I must make sure he’s attending to all the other details that I cannot attend to from the West Coast.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, write, catch up, ketchup, and not do much of anything else. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films that are political in nature, but also are entertaining and thought provoking – like Reds? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we?