Well, dear readers, you’ve heard of Wicked? Well, I’m the sequel to Wicked – Wilted. Yes, Virginia, I am Wilted because the heat and humidity continue unabated. It didn’t help that the A/C unit in the bedroom just up and stopped working for about six hours. The owner called and told me the workaround, which worked and now it is doing its best to cool down the ninety-degree temperature in the bedroom. I’ll say one thing for New York, New York in this type of weather – there is a LOT of male and female eye candy on the street. People dressed in practically nothing, ambling here and there and also there and here. Then there are the poor business types in suits – how awful that must be. Every time I’d get to an appointment and I’d walk into the air conditioned room it was heaven. Then I’d leave and it was out into the sweatbox where I would immediately become the sequel to Wicked, Wilted. Speaking of Wilted, yesterday was a day that occurred in fits and starts – or was it in starts and fits? I got a pretty good night’s sleep, which was very needed. I then shaved and showered, made a few telephonic calls (I have used my cell more on this trip than in the entire two years I’ve had it), answered a few e-mails, and then I toddled off to a meeting with my casting director. We hashed through a few things, and we’re still playing the waiting game with the actress – my annoyance factor has now reached epic proportions. The interesting thing is that, outside of the six-person ensemble, there are only four roles to cast, and I’m just amazed they’re not cast yet. But, I’m hopeful that things will roll on a little more smoothly and that we’ll be fully cast by early next week. After that meeting, I had time to kill, so I came back to the apartment, which is when I found that the A/C unit had gone kaput. I made some more telephonic calls, answered some more e-mails, and then I toddled off to our production meeting, which took place in a conference room at the general manager’s office. It was so nice to finally meet everyone. I really like our general managers, Carl and Lauren, and I’m very happy with our creative and production team. Our set, costume, and lighting person all came by way of our very own Mr. Tony Walton, so I have complete confidence in them. They seem very on top of things, and I really liked the lighting guy, too – totally gets what we’re trying to do and is a real problem solver. The latter also applies to our technical director, who’s just terrific. There are lots of problems to solve, believe me, in just about every facet of the production, from designing sets that can be set up and broken down in twenty minutes, costumes that can be stored easily, and sound that’s going to work for all six shows that are sharing the venue. One interesting thing is that we’re not the only LA show in our venue – if you look back in this year’s notes, you’ll find my thoughts on Little Egypt, which played the Matrix Theatre in LA, and that show is at NYMF at our theater. We discussed things for two hours, and everyone knows how difficult it’s all going to be, but everyone has really good energy and, as I said, I couldn’t be more pleased.
After that, I walked back to the apartment, where I did the early evening performance of Wilted. I had to write some e-mails and deal with some other stuff, and then I toddled off to Joe Allen to sup with Mr. Craig Brockman and Miss Merrill Grant. It was the first time I’d eaten all day and I was a pretty good boy – shrimp cocktail, Buffalo wings, and a side of mac and cheese. Merrill and I split the hot fudge pudding cake, but I only had a couple of bites. And, towards the end of our stay there, I saw my old pal, Miss Karen Ziemba – hadn’t seen her in ages, and what fun it was to chat with her, albeit briefly. I then came home and yes, I was Wilted.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because frankly I am Wilted and just sitting here like so much fish, typing on a VERY hot keyboard and not even aware of what words I’m actually typing.
Today, I have much to do and I also have to do much. For example, I have to get up quite early, do my morning ablutions, and the hie myself over to our theater, to take a quick look at the space. I can only spend fifteen minutes there, and then I must hie myself to the dance callbacks so we can mix and match and see who goes well with whom. After the dancing, we’ll sing the couple of people who weren’t there on Monday. Then we change studios and have a two to three hour casting session, mostly for the character of Rod. After that, I have a couple of hours to kill, and then I’m meeting the set and costume gals to hear their ideas – that will run from six-thirty to seven-thirty, and then I’ll be meeting as many hainsies/kimlets as possible at Joe Allen (or wherever everyone wants to meet). On my hours to kill, I have to book transportation to the Newark airport (I have to leave about four-fifteen in the morning), and then try to get as much beauty sleep as possible – it probably won’t be much, but I’ll try to catch up on the plane.
These past few days have flown by, like a gazelle in a Chrysler convertible. I’ll be back in LA early tomorrow morning, and then must attend to a plethora of things that need attending to. We’re having an ensemble casting session for the November benefit, most likely on Monday.
Now wati just a darned minute. Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the shim-sham, for today is the birthday of our very own der Brucer. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own der Brucer. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN DER BRUCER!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, see a theater, attend a dance call back, do a casting session, have a meeting, and then have a get-together. 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 posts and let’s hope that I no longer have to do Wilted.