Well, dear readers, we are in our final four days of rehearsals – actually, two days of dress/tech (with a small audience of high school students on Tuesday night), then two previews, and then come Saturday evening, it’s our opening night at the Chance Theater in the Heim of Ana. We still have some technical issues to work through, our live sound isn’t really being attended to until tomorrow (or, if a miracle happens, tonight), and we’re still cleaning and tightening the show. But, overall, I think we’re in excellent shape. This evening we hear our three-piece (rather than five-piece) band, and I’m sure that will both perk things up and present some new balance problems. Speaking of new balance problems, yesterday was another two run-through day. I got up early, still felt queasy, and got down to the Chance by nine. We began our first run-through at ten-fifteen and it actually went very well indeed. We shaved two minutes off act one and one minute off act two. Then everyone had an hour and fifteen-minute lunch, and then we reconvened to do the second run-through. As with the day before, the second run wasn’t as good, and it’s never optimal to do two back-to-back runs without a longer break in between. But, it was very helpful, tech-wise, and the lighting and sound cues are very smooth now, with only a handful of things to clean up. We let everyone go at around four-fifteen. I was originally going to stick around and attend the band rehearsal at eight, but that was when we were rehearsing until six. I just couldn’t see killing four hours down there, and I was still not feeling up to par. So, I trekked back to the home environment, where I once again had two small sandwiches. I was quite hungry, and whilst eating them I felt okay, but now, as I write these here notes, my stomach is still in turmoil, and I’m really quite tired of it. I then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD whilst feeling like I was going to vomit on the ground. The moving picture was entitled Caboblanco, starring Mr. Charles Bronson, Miss Dominique Sanda, Mr. Jason Robards, Jr., and others. I saw Caboblanco the day it came out, as I was a fan of these International co-productions with weird casts. Well, there are bad movies and then there is Caboblanco. I’d forgotten just how bad it is on just about every level, save for nice location photography. Even the Jerry Goldsmith score is a stinker. As you might surmise from its title, Caboblanco wants to be like Casablanca, right down to Bronson owning a café, Fernando Rey as a Claude Rains-like police official, and even a popular song that weaves throughout the film – rather than As Time Goes By we get The Very Thought Of You. Most of the film is completely incoherent and one suspects that it partially the fault of its eighty-three minute running time (methinks that much footage was cut prior to its release, when the producers realized what a stinker they had on their hands). Even the always-excellent Jason Robards is bad, sporting one of the worst German accents in the history of cinema. There’s pointless narration that bookends the film, completely unnecessary nudity from just about every female in the film (and even a couple of the ugliest, hairiest male butts you’ve ever seen), and the whole thing is just stultifying beyond repair. Caboblanco is a public domain film and there are several awful region one full-frame DVDs out, but this is a German DVD and the transfer is perfection – not that that means much when the film itself is not watchable, but it is a small consolation.
I got a very nice e-mail from author Marc Acito, who wrote a critically acclaimed and much loved by musical theater folks novel entitled How I Paid For College. I know that several of our very own dear readers were tickled pink by it. He was sent a link to this here site, and professed to like it, and asked if I would let you all know about his upcoming tour schedule for his new novel, Attack Of The Theater People, which I’m more than happy to do for a talented fellow scribe. So, here are the dates and hopefully some of you can attend some of these events and be sure to tell Marc Bruce-O sent you.
APRIL 29, 2008 – Bagdad Theater–7PM (Portland, OR)
Marco! The Musical – A book “singing” sponsored by Powell’s Books to celebrate publication of “Attack of the Theater People.”
MAY 1, 2008 – Border’s Books, Union Sq.–7PM (San Francisco, CA)
MAY 2, 2008 – A Great Good Place for Books–7PM (Oakland, CA)
MAY 4, 2008 – Palm Springs Book Festival (Palm Springs, CA)
MAY 6, 2008 – Elliott Bay Book Co.–6PM (Seattle, WA)
MAY 7, 2008 – A Different Light–7:30 PM(Los Angeles, CA)
MAY 10, 2008 – Make Out Room–7PM (San Francisco, CA)
MAY 12, 2008 – Barnes & Noble, 82nd St.–7PM (New York, NY)
MAY 13, 2008 – Barnes & Noble–7PM (Menlo Park, NJ)
MAY 17, 2008 – Aladdin Theater–8PM (Portland, OR)
MAY 20, 2008 – Borders–7PM (Beaverton , OR)
MAY 21, 2008 – Borders–7PM (Eugene, OR)
MAY 22, 2008 – Salem Public Library–7PM (Salem, OR)
MAY 24, 2008 – Mississippi Studios (Portland, OR)
MAY 30, 2008 – Wy’east Books–7:30PM (Welches, OR)
For more info, and for the rest of the year’s events, visit Marc’s website, marcacito.com. We wish him the best with the new book! I hope to meet him when he’s back in LA. And I will, of course, get back to mine own new novel, entering all the fixes from editor number one. Editor number two has the manuscript now, and I’ll have her fixes shortly, then it’s off to Ye Olde Publisher.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I want to finish writing these here notes and get a good night’s sleep, and hopefully my tummy in turmoil will not be too much of a problem.
Have I mentioned I am officially bored of having a tummy in turmoil? Have I mentioned that this is our final few rehearsals before we open The Brain From Planet X?
Today, I must ship about thirty count them thirty packages, including one large order, and then I’m going to do nothing but relax before heading out for a meal and a dress rehearsal.
I should be hearing from the car place about when Ye Olde Motor Car will be ready, but really have no idea when.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship packages and do nothing, not necessarily in that order, and then I must sup and attend a dress rehearsal complete with band. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Monday – the day you’ve been looking forward to for it’s the Initial Game Day. Remember, one name per post. Today’s initials were amazing for Mr. Rothman and I last week – it went on for three days. So, have a great time doing H.H. I’ll start with my favorite – Harold Hill. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hope that today brings no tummy in turmoil.