Well, dear readers, I feel there has been a certain stasis in these here notes of late, so why don’t we all get off our complacent butt cheeks and do the Locomotion? C’mon, baby, do the Locomotion. I feel that the Locomotion is the answer to what ails you. For example, something was ailing me this evening, and the Locomotion was the answer. Don’t you love when there’s an answer and there hasn’t even been a question? What the HELL am I talking about the Locomotion for? I don’t even have a clew as to what the HELL the Locomotion is. Oh, I know it’s a dance and it has motion and maybe even a little Loco. I’m sure we’re all supposed to dance whilst looking like a locomotive (the ten-dollar version of train), but frankly my caboose is too tired to want to move with Locomotion. In fact, I’d like to uncouple my caboose and put it out to pasture. What are these, train notes all of a sudden? We’re having a whole train thing going on here, aren’t we? Oh, well, like Ol’ Man River we’ll just keep chuggin’ along. Oh, wait, ol’ man river kept rollin’ along, not chuggin’. Actually, young man river was chuggin’ while ol’ man river was rollin’ and between the chuggin’ and the rollin’ we got the Locomotion. Well, that was bizarre, wasn’t it? Speaking of bizarre, yesterday was another very long day. I woke up at the crack of dawn, did the Locomotion, and then did a four-mile jog, which was difficult from the very first step I took. In fact, I thought I was going to die. I then got back home, shaved and showered, and was then on my way to rehearsal. We started where we left off, finished act one, and then moved on to act two. We got through all of act two, which had a couple of really complicated sequences where a lot of people were on stage, then I ran Alet’s act one scene and she left. We took a quick lunch break, and I had to seriously make a decision that is always difficult, which was to replace one of our actors. It was clear to me at our first music rehearsal that I might have to do it, and it became clearer yesterday, and a necessity today. The actor in question is a wonderful person whom I adore, but it was apparent that there was too much going on, too much on the plate, so the concentration wasn’t there, and because the music has changed so drastically and isn’t as easy as last year, there were major problems coming in on time, hearing pitches, and getting rhythms right. We completed the rest of the rehearsal, with me basically cleaning up as much as I could, and doing a tiny bit of staging with our ensemble on a couple more numbers, then we had the discussion with the actor, who totally understood and, I think, breathed a huge sigh of relief. I called someone who’d been involved in the informal reading at my house, and who, in fact, had sung this person’s songs (none of the cast at the reading sang their own songs – it was just me, Cason Murphy, and this other person), so we were ahead of the game on that point. I sent the script, mp3s, and sheet music, and today we’ll be working for three or four hours at my house, getting the blocking down. Luckily, 80% of this character’s blocking is in exactly the same place, so that should be easy. It’s a little crazy, but if anyone can pull it off, this person can. I made the announcement to the cast, apologized if any of my directorial behavior had been brusque (I explained that I simply have to cut to the chase when there’s this little time – and that I don’t have time to clean up and be gentle about it – it’s just about getting it done).
After rehearsal, Barry Pearl and his ever-lovin’ Cindy and I went over to Genghis Cohen. They’d never eaten there. Well, it was yet another great meal – we had the orange chicken (extra crispy), the green beans (the best anywhere), the garlic chicken (amazingly amazing), crackerjack shrimp (yummilicious), and the filet of sole in ginger. All food was eaten, and they thought it was really terrific cuisine. The conversation was fun, much dirt was dished and a good time was had by all. What all was doing there, I have no idea, and frankly I didn’t give a Flying Wallenda if all had a good time or not.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it’s time for all of us to get off our complacent butt cheeks and do the Locomotion. C’mon, baby, do the Locomotion.
Well, this is the week when the mine fields and pot holes will be everywhere, so please send all excellent vibes and xylophones for dodging same, and then for having to deal with the ones that cannot be dodged. However, today and tomorrow I cannot worry about them – if they present themselves, I’m afraid I shall have to ignore them.
Today, I had planned on relaxing until our 5:00 walk-through, but now I’ll be rehearsing from noon to about 4:15 and then heading over to the theater. So, I’ll have to get my jogging in early, and then I’ll have to find a moment to go pick up the books, which will be arriving. I’ll try to get them packaged up, but I’m thinking that really won’t be able to happen until tomorrow morning. I’ll definitely ship them out tomorrow, though.
Again, I extend an invitation to all our West Coast hainsies/kimlet and all West Coast lurkers to come see our reading. It’s tonight and tomorrow night at 8:00 at the Stella Adler Theater in Hollywood – that’s at 6773 Hollywood Blvd., which is literally just a few steps east of Highland on the north side of the street. If you’re coming, simply tell the person at the door that BK sent you. Hope to see some of you there.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, rehearse, pick up books, do a 5:00 walk-through, and then do the first of our two performances. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s everyone’s favorite Monday pastime, The Initials Game™. Remember, you’re on the honor system – only people you’ve heard of, please, and the only checking you should be doing on the Internet or reference books is to make sure that you’ve got the name right. Celebrities, sports figures, characters from books, plays, and films, cartoon characters, etc. One name per post, please. And today’s initials are A.M. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and I, for one, will be doing the Locomotion all the livelong day and evening.