Well, dear readers, even though it was a somewhat rainy day here in the York of New, nobody, no nobody, is gonna rain on my parade, so I continue to have a marvelously marvelous time. Yesterday, for example, I had a marvelously marvelous time, although yesterday is still technically today if you’re in California which I’m not so yesterday is yesterday. I got up at nine and was in the teeny-tiny fitness room by nine-thirty, where I did the treadmill for fifty-five minutes, going four miles at a fairly good clip. After that, I showered and did some work on Ye Olde Laptop. I looked outside and the sun was out, so off I went to rehearsal. I decided to walk, stopped in the theater district and decided to get a ticket to a show. I first went to God Of Carnage, but I didn’t care for the ticket they offered me and so went directly to the nearby Shubert Theater where I scored a second row center seat for Blithe Spirit. I then walked up to the ASCAP building, which was a three-mile walk from my hotel. We had our rehearsal, but we were in a really “unfriendly” conference room with dead acoustics and a horribly out of tune piano – so, we will not be having today’s rehearsal there, as originally planned. When I walked outside, it was pouring rain. Of course, since the sun was out when I’d left, I hadn’t brought my umbrella. I was just a fella without an umbrella, but I ran across to a Duane Reade and bought a cheap one. There were no cabs to be had so I started to walk back to the hotel, but I lucked out at 59th Street and got a cab. By the time I got back to the hotel, the rain had stopped. I came up, did a few things on the computer, and then headed right back to Times Square to meet my choreographer, Adam Cates at the Brooklyn Diner. I really am fond of the jernt. We had a very long meeting about Nudie Musical, settled on our four female ensemble members and made some other key decisions, all the while whilst eating wonderful food. I had the iceberg wedge with bacon, cheese, and Russian dressing (out of this world), and a club sandwich, which I couldn’t even finish. Then Adam and I split a piece of their wonderful coconut cake. All in all, it was a lovelier than lovely meal, and yes I will be posting video. Oh, and dear reader Ben even stopped by to say hello.
I then headed to the Shubert Theater to see Blithe Spirit. I must say I can barely tolerate people who attend theater these days and I have to really bite my tongue to not just get very nasty. The lady next to me was having a pointless phone conversation right up to curtain, at which point she refused to shut her phone off – she just put it on silent, because heaven forbid she should have a little respect and just shut the damn thing off. This was a middle-aged woman – they’re even worse than the kids. A young gal in front of me didn’t shut her phone off either, and it went off during the show and I almost smacked her upside the head. In back of me were ancient people who would not shut up during the entire show – repeating lines to each other, commenting on the actors and the play – I again had to bite my tongue and do everything I could not to turn around and tell them to shut their traps. When Miss Lansbury entered she got respectful applause from everyone, save for the idiot teens in the balcony, who felt they had to whoop and woo woo and it’s just so obnoxious. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?
Last night, I saw a play entitled Blithe Spirit. As is the fashion these days, no curtain, just a scrim with a projection of the play script of – Blithe Spirit. As the house lights fade, there’s another projection of the scene and description, right out of the script. That device was carried through the entire show, and I didn’t care for it at all because it just kept reminding me I was seeing a play. The set was very nice, although again, as they seem to always do today, they used the entire stage from side to side and all the way up – in the old days they would always bring the stage in with a false proscenium, but those days are gone. The show got off to a somewhat slow start (it’s the play) and Rupert Everett was very difficult to understand, but I absolutely fell in love with Jayne Atkinson, who really is the heart and soul of this production. Mr. Everett got better as the evening wore on. Miss Lansbury is just a ton of fun as Madame Arcati. Yes, she trips up on lines, and yes, she is miked, but she’s a star and a legend and at eighty a bloody wonder. Christine Ebersole does a very good job with Elvira – she finds a lot of interesting things and is very funny. The gal who plays the maid is good, too. I really am a fan of Michael Blakemore, the director, and his production hits mostly the right notes – one might wish the pacing were better occasionally, but his comedy instincts are fantastic and there’s lots of good business. It’s a very professional production and it’s fun to see a real play. I was trying to remember if I’d actually been in the Shubert since A Chorus Line had closed – it seems like I must have but I can’t think of what show it would have been. It’s a beautiful theater and I have two grand memories of shows there – A Chorus Line (many times) and Promises, Promises.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get my beauty sleep and I am a little overtired.
Today, I’ll be getting up around nine, doing the treadmill, doing a little errand and then rehearsing at Ripley-Grier studios. After rehearsal, I’ll come back to the hotel and do some work, then it’s off to a dinner partay at FJL and Skip’s, which I’m very much looking forward to – I hear there’s going to be quite a stellar group there.
Saturday, we’ll be going over to the Metropolitan Room in the morning, just to scope it out and figure out where things will go, and then I may try to see a matinee, after which we’ll convene at the club at six-thirty for your half-hour sound check and tech. And then show time is at seven-thirty, and I really hope to see a few dear readers and lurkers in attendance.
I forgot to mention that after Blithe Spirit I ran into Alice Ripley coming out of her theater and we had a nice chat and I told her I’d be seeing her show on Sunday night. On Sunday day I think I’ll be visiting with Mr. Walter Willison and Miss Pat Suzuki.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the treadmill, do errands, rehearse, attend a dinner partay, and hope for no rain because nobody, no, nobody, is gonna rain on my parade. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, nothing. DVD, nothing. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and remember, don’t rain on my parade.