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December 1, 2008:

THE BACHARACH BENEFIT

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry because today is the big show and I’ve got to get up really early, do my morning ablutions, and be at the theater at nine to begin a very long day. So, without further ado annie, the notes. Yesterday was a weird day, but it ended fine, so that was good. I got up and went down to the fitness room right away. Someone was using my usual machine, so I used another machine that was totally screwy and I ended up running about twice as fast as I usually do doing twice as few miles and burning twice as few calories – it was nuts, and despite a few people on this here site telling me it was me, it wasn’t, it was the machine. I know exactly how fast I’ve been running and how I feel and no one is going to tell me otherwise, I’m afraid. I’m really good at this stuff and something was definitely amiss with this machine and I HATED it. After that, I came up to the room, showered and shaved, and then prepared the lighting and projection script, which took less time than I thought. I then hurried down to the Public Theater to see Road Show. I met FJL and our very own Miss Juliana Hansen, and I also saw a couple of people I knew – including someone I went to LACC with, and the owner of the just finished Footlight Records – we had a very nice chat.

Yesterday, I saw a “new” musical entitled Road Show, which is a revised version of a musical entitled Wise Guys, Gold, and Bounce. I will only say that I enjoyed it, the cast was very good, especially Michael Cerveris who was really terrific. The band sounded great and it all runs a brisk ninety minutes. So, I’ll just add that I’m not a fan of John Doyle and my problems with the production all stem from his work. That’s just me, however, and I’m sure others love what he does.

After that, William Parry (who plays the Mizners’ father), FJL, Juliana, and I went to dinner at some nearby jernt. I had a bacon cheeseburger (pretty okay) and a tiny salad. Then I came back to the hotel, had to deal with a problem with our Powerpoint slides, then I hurried to the band rehearsal. What fun it was to hear our mighty seven-piece band tear into the charts. We had about two-thirds of our singers, and they all went through their numbers and I think it’s going to be a very good show. The rehearsal ran from seven to eleven, and we brought in some pizzas for a quick meal break. The entire ensemble showed up and sang through Turkey Lurkey Time and boy was it exciting. All in all, a very fun and satisfying evening, especially when Jill O’Hara and Tony Roberts did I’ll Never Fall In Love Again – it was really touching.

After rehearsal I cabbed it home (with a very amusing Indian driver who wanted me to put him in the movies) and had to answer e-mails and also I found that the fan in my computer has been on for at least four hours (it was on when I left). So, as soon as I can get these notes posted, I’ll shut the computer down for a few minutes and hopefully that will fix the problem.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve got to get as much sleep as I can so I can be useful and alert for our intense day of work.

Today, I shall be at the theater at nine to supervise exactly where the band will go. After that I’ll be sitting with the lighting person and writing the show. I’m hoping he’ll be good and can do most of it himself, after we establish the various and sundried “looks” for each number. Then our band arrives and we have a three-and-a-half hour sound check for band and singers that runs until five-thirty. I’ll also rehearse the way the projections work, and hopefully all of it will run smoothly.

And then, come seven-thirty, it’s show time. I think we’re going to have a very good house, and I’ll be in the audience rooting everyone on. After the show, there’s some sort of do in the lobby area and I’ll be going to that. Depending on whether I really have time to eat anything but a sandwich, I may then head somewhere for a little food.

Has anyone noticed that November is over and December is upon us? I have. My goodness, this year has flown by, like a gazelle with a hickey. Well, let’s hope December is a wonderfully wonderful month filled with positive and wonderfully wonderful things.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a whole slew of things in preparation for our show. Please send all excellent vibes and xylophones for a smooth and fantastic evening. Today’s topic of discussion: What else – what are your all-time favorite Burt Bacharach songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we prepare for a Bacharach benefit.

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