Well, dear readers, I feel twitchy and bitchy and manic. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I feel twitchy and bitchy and manic because I have had a very long day, a very long evening, and now the notes are going to be posted over one hour late and here I am feeling twitchy and bitchy and manic, not necessarily in that order. Also, my tongue is sore. I ask you, where else on all the Internet can you read such a sentence as “My tongue is sore?” Nowhere, that’s where. My Tongue Is Sore – that’s the title of my next novel. I don’t know why my tongue is sore – certainly it hasn’t gotten THAT much action over the last week. It’s probably from chewing gum (to keep my throat moist) and from sucking on Ricola drops (to keep my throat moist). I don’t know about you, but a moist throat is a must. A non-moist throat is just ever so annoying, don’t you think? In any case, I feel twitchy and bitchy and manic and my tongue is sore, I have very little voice and I’m sitting at Ye Olde Laptop like so much fish trying to be coherent at one o’clock in the moring. The moring? You see, I cannot even type “morning,” that’s how tired I am. Speaking of how tired I am, yesterday was a perfectly exhausting day. For example, I got up. That was exhausting right there. I jogged, and then toddled off to a tech rehearsal and run-through for The Party Animals. We all convened at the Avalon on Vine St. I, of course, remember the Avalon when it was called the El Capitan and then the Hollywood Palace, and it’s where I taped the Merv Griffin Show when I made my one and only appearance way back in 1972. In any case, it still looks nice, but it’s basically been gutted and it’s used as a rock-and-roll club. We did one run-through sans mics, just for the lighting and sound people, then we put the cast in mics and did it again. It’s actually a great venue for the show and I think it’s going to play really well there. I made a couple of line adjustments, a few staging adjustments, but the cast is really on top of it and ready to go. The rehearsal lasted about three hours, then I came back home, attended to some things that needed attending, and then got ready to go to the theater for our final performance.
Once again, we had about twenty-five people in attendance. It wasn’t quite as lively a crowd, but we got a few laughs and there was one funny moment where Barry Pearl didn’t come in with his line and I attempted to cover for him just as he finally came in with the line and we both adlibbed some amusing things. My voice held up okay and we got through it. Fellow alumni association board member Joanna Erdos was in attendance. After the show, I had a long chat with Gene Castle – I really like him and I’m glad we reconnected after all these years. I think I’ve mentioned that I hired him to choreograph a Hanna-Barbera kid-vid that I directed way back in 1990. We had a really good time working on it, but then didn’t stay in touch. Then most of the company convened at Mel’s Diner for a little cast party. Mel’s was insane – jammed with people, most of whom were celebrating graduation. We all managed to cram in to a long table all the way in the bowels of the restaurant. It was a fun gathering, and stories were told, food was eaten, and drink was consumed. As I’ve said, I bonded with several cast members, including Lisa Robert and Barry and Bridget, as well as a few other really nice folk. Whilst at the partay, I found out that I’d seen Bridget in two plays in LA back in the 60s, without even knowing it. She’d done Under The Yum Yum Tree with Del Moore and James Best. Those who’ve read Kritzer Time know I loved Yum Yum Tree and saw it many times at the three theaters it played in (it must have had a two-year run in LA). So, it was funny that she’d been in the show. She was also in a production of Private Lives with Judy Garland’s then-husband, Mark Herron at the Ivar. Well, not only did I see it, I was there opening night, and remember Judy being there in all her glory. At that time, I was friends with Lorna Luft, so I got to say hello to Judy and it was all grand fun. Isn’t that like six degrees of something or other? In any case, after the partay, I hied myself home and sat down at Ye Olde Laptop like so much fish. I’m happy the reading is done with, and I’m really not sure if I’d ever say yes to doing another – but, never say never, right?
Well, I feel twitchy and bitchy and manic so why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I also feel pooped and tired and exhausted.
In yesterday’s notes I wrote, “Tomorrow belongs to me. And I intend doing exactly nothing, since I haven’t had a day off in two weeks. I should have some new DVDs to watch and I shall just relax and smell the roses or the coffee or the linoleum.” Well, guess what? WRONG. I now have a two-hour rehearsal with Miss Joan Ryan, our final work session before I start staging the show. After that, I have to meet some people in Santa Monica, so basically the whole day, which was mine all mine, is suddenly jam-packed with things to do. I gotta tell you.
Tomorrow, we’re back in the rehearsal studio for one final run-through of The Party Animals, but it shouldn’t take more than an hour and the rest of the day is mine all mine and I’m going to keep it that way.
Have I mentioned that my tongue is sore? What does one do about a sore tongue, anyway? Also, if you must know, I have bitten the inside of my cheek about forty times in the last two days and that’s sore, too. In fact, I’m a wreck and there are no one, two, or even three ways about it.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, rehearse, meet, eat, and then hopefully sit on my couch like so much fish and watch a DVD or three. Today’s topic of discussion: I don’t really have a topic and I am feeling twitchy and bitchy and manic, so here’s the best I can do – what have been your favorite haineshisway.com memories – those wacky moments, those touching moments, those completely unpredictable moments? I look forward to reading the posts. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I begin my new hardboiled novel, My Tongue Is Sore.