Well, dear readers, did you know that sex has been going on for a long, long time? I know this because last night I began watching The History of Sex on The History Channel. Unfortunately, I feel asleep and now I know nothing about the history of sex. When I woke up, after about ninety minutes, they were only in Roman times and I think I already knew about the Romans’ proclivity for roamin’ in the gloamin’ with all their orgies and whatnot. In the little bit I did see they talk about aphrodisiacs and stimulants and all but never did they mention my favorite, Love Potion Number 9. I gotta tell you, The History Channel has failed, for what is The History Of Sex without a mention of Love Potion Number 9. How many of you dear readers have taken Love Potion Number 9? I know the last time I took it I became so arduous that someone had to give me the Heimlich Maneuver. Actually, I just looked up and noticed that The History Of Sex is over, so apparently sex ended with the Romans. I wonder if I can get some Love Potion Number 9 here in New York? I remember some years ago I got some Love Potion Number 4 here in New York, but that didn’t really do the trick – all that happened was a dog tried to hump my leg. Actually, it was Stephen Sondheim’s dog, but that’s another story. You know, I do believe I have no clew as to what the HELL I’m talking about. Interesting factoid: The lead-off clue in yesterday’s New York Times crossword was something Miss Marple would need. The answer was, of course, “clue” but it didn’t fit until I realized that they wanted the Marple spelling of “clew.” I wonder if they read this here website, these New York Times crossword people. Speaking of crossword people, yesterday was Saturday, and it was actually a bit nippy, which was a pleasant change of pace, weather-wise. I got up, toddled off to rehearsal, saw a bunch of costumes, and then we began our run-through. It went very smoothly and everyone is beginning to hone what they’re doing. I had very few notes, and they were all small things. After rehearsal, we had a production meeting, then I had some Hooters’ wings and a salad, after which I bought a DVD and toddled back home. I was supposed to see a show called The Awesome 80s Prom, but I’m just not quite 100% yet, health-wise, and I thought it better to rest and relax rather than be around a bunch of people.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Robinson Crusoe On Mars. I’d actually never seen it all the way through, despite having owned the laserdisc. It’s a very enjoyable Saturday-matinee kind of film – not a classic, really, but entertaining and fun and certainly the kind of film that Hollywood will never make again. The film stars Paul Mantee, who is on-screen alone for a good deal of the film (well, he and his monkey – just stop right there, this is a family film), until Victor Lundin shows up as man Friday. It’s a handsome-looking film, gorgeously shot by Winton Hoch (The Searchers), and well-directed by Byron Haskin (The War Of The Worlds), with a terrific score by Nathan Van Cleave (here billed as Van Cleave). Mr. Mantee is really good, as is Mr. Lundin, the monkey, Mona, acquits itself nicely, and Adam West has a brief role as another astronaut. The special effects were low budget even for 1964 but I like that sort of thing. Criterion has done the film proud – it’s a great, stunning transfer (yes, Virginia, the opticals, of which there are plenty, are grainy, as they should be), sharp, wonderfully vivid color, and good mono sound.
My goodness, what fun to write about a DVD again – it’s been weeks. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst I try to find some Love Potion Number 9 online.
Yesterday, we spoke of Mah Jong, and one of our dear readers said they actually played it recently. So, what IS Mah Jong? How does one play? Can someone give us a little haineshisway.com tutorial?
Today, I don’t have to get up early. I have a telephonic meeting at noon, and then at two must go to the Acorn Theater for our little four hour pre-tech stuff. We’re hoping to get some of the general light cues that occur multiple times (the “looks”) written, we’re hoping to get everything programmed, and we’ll see what our “set” looks like, so I’m very excited. After that, I’ll decide what to do about foodstuffs.
Tomorrow will be a very long day, and a somewhat odd one for us being as close as we are to opening, in that our leading lady won’t be with us but for an hour in the morning. That’s one of the madnesses of the Equity Showcase contract – actors can leave for almost any reason. Hers is important to her, and she’s been great about being there, and did have to endure several rehearsals without her leading man. I’ll have our associate choreographer stand in for her, but it will be hard to get a good run-through. She felt bad about it, but, again, it’s something very important to her, so we’ll make do. I’ll try to run as much of the first act with her as possible in the hour that we have her. After the run, I’ll be working a few scenes, and then the cast will go and we’ll have our first band rehearsal. Tuesday, will be a complete run-through with everyone, and how that goes will inform the rest of the work day. And then we have what they call a sitzproble – the band and cast singing through the score. We do a final dress on Wednesday, maybe two, and then it’s into the theater on Thursday morning, and we open that very night. Whew!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, sleep in, have a telephonic meeting, go to the theater, sup, and then relax and get ready for a very big week. 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 get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, and all I have to say is that if I find some Love Potion Number 9, watch out New York and someone get ready to give me the Heimlich Maneuver.