Well, dear readers, it was another scorcher in New York, New York. Yes, Virginia, it was another scorcher, about ninety-eight degrees-worth with incredibly incredible humidity. I did the fifteen minute walk to rehearsal at nine-thirty this morning and by the time I got there I was drenched in sweat. By the time the evening came, it was still in the high eighties and the humidity hadn’t abated one bit. What am I, a weatherman all of a sudden? This is a way to open the notes? Of course, opening the notes like this means we’ve got heat, baby. We are the hottest notes in town. Hit me with a hot notes and watch me bounce. Speaking of bounce, yesterday was a hot day from start to finish. I got up early, did my morning ablutions, then toddled over to our rehearsal space on 54th. As mentioned, by the time I got there I was literally dripping with sweat. I dried myself off, then began rehearsal. Merrill was first up and she got right back into Donna-mode as soon as she began singing. We made some adjustments in her ballad, just minor tone things, and then she was off to do her final performance of Slammer! Next up was Amy, and I must say, she’s such a quick learner and I just like her whole energy. After her, we had Rod and one of our ensemble men, who’d missed the first music rehearsal, so they learned all that music. I went over the upcoming week’s schedule, and then rehearsal was over. I walked back to the digs, and packed up the rest o’ my stuff. Then Cason and BJ came by to help me make the trek up to 51st Street and the new digs. The fellow who I’m subletting arrived and I was delighted to find a really nice guy, very organized and very helpful. The building is undergoing renovation, so the lobby doesn’t really exist, but there’s a 24-hour doorman and it’s all very safe. We went up to the studio apartment and the minute he opened the door and I was greeted with lovely cool air conditioning and a clean and lovely apartment, I knew I was going to have a very comfortable five weeks. There’s a nice, comfy bed, a big desk for Ye Olde Laptop, a plasma hi-def TV, unlimited long distance calling, Time Warner cable modem, a nice kitchen, a nice-sized bathroom, closets and a spectacular 32nd floor view of the river. Who could ask for anything more? I unpacked and got comfortable, actually watched some hi-def TV stations (which looked faboo), and then I toddled off to meet Cason and BJ at Joe Allen. Prior to arriving I visited Marty Cooper at Colony Records and was pleased to see he had the Skinner/Ripley CD on the front counter, and a bunch of our other CDs in various sections. We had a nice chat, and then I toddled off to Joe Allen. It was like a ghost town in there, very surprising for a Saturday night. We kept thinking it would get more crowded when shows let out, but that didn’t prove to be the case. The food was, as always, excellent, but I’m now done with Joe Allen as a dinner place for at least a week. We were there for about two hours. I then came back to the new digs and enjoyed the gorgeous nighttime view from the big window. It’s such a difference to the other digs, which, while clean, I suppose, looked ugly and gritty and old and disgusting. The only thing I enjoyed there was the grand piano, which I played frequently.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because these here notes are sizzling and are making me bounce.
Today, it is my intention to sleep until ten o’clock. It is then my intention to attempt a jog. It is then my intention to attend a production meeting for all the shows performing at the Acorn Theater – there are several things we all have to hash out and come to agreement on, and I’m hoping it won’t get ugly.
After the meeting, I’ve got some stuff to do in preparation for Monday’s first blocking rehearsal. We’re doing the opening number (and scene), the opening of act two, the end of act one, and the finale ultimo. Miss Adriana Patti, Brain assistant, will be arriving in the later afternoon, and I’m sure we’ll sup and go over all the details of this week’s rehearsals.
I’ve also got to attend to a bunch of fundraiser details in the next couple of days, and I’ve got to lock down more talent for the show. I’ve got to work on the arrangement of the opening number with our musical director, which we’ll do over the phone. I’ve also got to chat with the gal who did the Brain costumes in LA – she’s redoing a couple of things for this production (just to help alleviate the pressure of a very tight wardrobe budget), as well as redesigning Alet’s tall alien wig.
Now wait just a darned minute – we’d all better put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, we’d all better break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, we’d all better dance the Hora and the Polka, because today is the birthday of our very own Jrand. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own Jrand. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY WON JRAND!!!
Now wait just a darned minute – you’d all better leave on your colored tights and pantaloons, leave out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, keep dancing the Hora and the samba, because today is also the birthday of our very own dear reader Jose. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own dear reader Jose. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN DEAR READER JOSE!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, attend a production meeting, have a meeting with Miss Patti, and then try to relax a little before a very long week of rehearsals begins. 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 all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, as we continue to sizzle and to hit me with a hot notes and watch me bounce.