Well, dear readers, the week is at an end, which means that my trip back to New York, New York, to begin rehearsals is in a mere five days, which means I have to get crackin’ and organized, as I will be there for close to six count them six weeks. I have to ship my clothing so that I don’t have to carry it on the plane. And there’s a lot of stuff I have to bring, and I have to be very careful to not forget anything. I also have to ship Brain CDs before I leave, and attend to a whole plethora of details. In fact, every single day will be jam-packed with things to do – I’m trying to get the rest of the Brain money in the bank, but the one check that went through NYMF, despite my many entreaties, isn’t being mailed until today, so I have no idea if it will get here by Tuesday – if not, I’ll leave deposit slips just in case I have to have someone deposit it in my absence. I know our other check is in the works and I’ve asked them to please insure that it’s ready by Tuesday, as well. Hopefully, it will all work out fine. I have to take clothes to the dry cleaning today so I can ship them ahead on Monday. I have to ship two boxes o’ props. I’m not sure the costume person at LACC is going to get the stuff we need in time to ship this week, but I hope it will happen soon thereafter, although I’ll probably have to send someone down there to retrieve the stuff and then ship it. The mind boggles, oh, yes, the mind boggles. Speaking of boggles, yesterday was another long day filled with nice things and annoying things and things that went bump in the day and evening. For example, I got up early and had no news about any casting, which I took as a good sign for after all, no news is good news. I then had many telephonic calls and e-mails to attend to, and then had a work session for a couple of hours. Then I got the news that our latest actor offer wasn’t working out because said actor didn’t feel like commuting from Long Island (he’s renovating his Manhattan digs). I continue to find things like that odd, but then again I don’t profess to understand how actors think these days. In days of old, I would have commuted in a heartbeat to play the lead in a show that was going to be seen by a lot of good people, and also a show that was going to be fun to work on. But, what do I know. Actors are a whole different breed today – stage actors especially. They get in a Broadway show, everyone’s dream come true, and then miss shows left and right for any old reason. That, in my view, is shameful. They should get down on their knees and say a prayer of thanks that they are getting to work and make money in the Broadway theater, and they should never, ever miss a performance. End of mini-rant. We went to our next candidate, who will probably be busy buying shoelaces or going to the gym. We have one more pair of actors to go to after that, and if none of them work out, I’m afraid I’m at a loss as to what to do. As always, we’ll hope for the best. After that news, I was so frustrated that I actually jogged for the first time in four months. It was difficult, but it felt good, and it put me in a better mood upon my return. I spoke to our sound designer, a young girl with some good experience in smaller shows, but she seems very focused and really loves the script and assures me she’s miked shows bigger than this, and, after our conversation, I felt very comfortable with her. After that, I toddled off to a dinner/work session with Mr. David Wechter. We went over our notes from our last work session, and boy is this project unique and fun. He’s going to now write the opening sequences and then I’ll take over for a couple of sequences, and that’s how it will be written. After that, I finally came home and sat on my couch like so much fish (which is what I ate at dinner – the Fisherman’s Special).
Last night, I didn’t have time to watch a whole motion picture on DVD, so instead I watched an episode of McCloud that I TIVOd about two years ago. I’d never really watched the show back in the 70s, and I must say if this episode was anything to go by, it wasn’t very good. It was part of the NBC Mystery Movie series that included Columbo and Banacek. The reason I’d TIVOd it was because of its guest star, and I don’t mean Fernando Lamas – I mean, the gorgeous, sublime Miss Leslie Parrish, who, at thirty-nine (when this episode was filmed) was every bit as stunningly beautiful as she was at nineteen. Mr. Lamas was a trip, and it’s always fun to see 70s character people like J.D. Cannon strutting their stuff. Mr. Dennis Weaver is fine as McCloud, but the writing is just ordinary. There is nice location photography in 1974 New York, which jarringly cuts into backlot shots of New York streets that don’t look anything like New York streets.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because the mind is boggling and my lids are heavy. My Lids Are Heavy – isn’t that a book by Mickey Spillane? The Mind Boggles – isn’t that a book by Robert Heinlein?
Have I mentioned that my lids are heavy? Have I mentioned that the mind boggles? I can barely keep them open, so heavy are my lids. Today is a day of trying to figure out exactly what must be done prior to my leaving. I shall take clothing to dry cleaners, I will probably ship the two boxes of Brain props and one box of 100 Brain CDs to our general managers office. I’m going to try and see Teddy for a haircut, but that would have to happen today, tomorrow or Tuesday – we’ll see if he has an opening for me.
Tomorrow and Sunday will be days of organizing and preparing for the trip. Monday, I’ll ship clothing, toiletries and Brain script ahead to New York. Cason is being kind enough to pick up apartment number one’s keys and will meet me upon my arrival late Wednesday afternoon. If we’re still in a bind, casting-wise, we may even have a casting session that evening, but I’m praying we’ll be finished casting either today or Monday at the latest. All excellent vibes and xylophones accepted.
Now wait just a darned minute. Quick, let’s once again put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s once again break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s once again dance the Hora or the Monkey, because today is the birthday of our very own S. Woody White. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own S. Woody White. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN S. WOODY WHITE!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do bunches of errands, ship a few packages, answer telephonic calls and e-mails, and attend to things that need attending to. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, a homemade CD of John Williams unreleased score to Alfred Hitchcock’s Family Plot. I’ve had this one on repeat for four days, ever since it was sent to me – excellent sound, fantastic score, and quite addictive. DVD, not sure – it will depend on what I get today. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I begin chapter one of My Lids Are Heavy, after which I’ll read The Mind Boggles.