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May 2, 2009:

FRUITY SNACKS

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, it is late and I must write these here notes in a hurry because May is already flying by, like a gazelle eating a Fruity Snack. The first of May turned out to be quite a wacky day. I had to do the long jog quite early, and then I had to hie myself to USC to return tapes, after which I stopped at Langer’s for an early lunch. My waitress was a hoot – an old Scottish woman with only a handful of teeth. The food was, as always yummilicious in the extreme. I then came home, answered a few e-mails and then went to Costco to buy a bunch of water and Diet Coke and Fruity Snacks for the gazelle. Fruity Snacks makes an appearance in my new novel. After Costco, I picked up a few packages that had arrived. I then came home and printed out several new orders, and did other things around the home environment, after which I headed over to the Colony Theater to see Doug Cohen’s No Way To Treat A Lady.

Last night, I went to the Colony Theater to see Doug Cohen’s No Way To Treat A Lady. As some of you might now, I premiered two songs from the show on my album Broadway Bound. I then produced the cast album of the show’s York Theater production, which was a really good experience. I’m really fond of the show, but it’s a very tricky show to pull off correctly. The York production got a lot of it right. The Colony Theater production is less successful, but that’s only my opinion – the audience really liked it. For me, the biggest problem was one giant and somewhat fatal piece of miscasting in a role that has to be perfectly cast. The actor in question was simply too young for the part and too lightweight, even though he has a wonderful singing voice. Since the role is of a psychotic killer (and actor), you need someone flamboyant, great with accents, and who can be chilling. In the film, it’s Rod Steiger. In the York production it was an excellent Paul Schoeffler. The one truly successful thing in this production is the performance of my friend Heather Lee, who plays a whole slew of characters, and she was brilliant doing each and every one of them. The murders were played more for laughs than chills – can’t do that. What precedes them can be fun, but the moment the switch comes and the murders happen, it really needs to get serious and maybe even a little uncomfortable for the audience. I remember trying to make those moments really tense and “visual” on the CD.

It was a rather starry crowd at the show. Sitting across the aisle from me was the delightfully delightful and wackily wacky Jason Graae, his ever-lovin’ Glen, and his mother. Also seen, producer Marc Cherry, actor Kevin Chamberlin and a few other interesting folks. I stayed and chatted with Heather after the show.

Doug wrote book, music, and lyrics, and really did a good job on all. I’d have to play the CD to see if the orchestrations were the same – if they were, they neglected to credit the person who did them – the talented David Siegel. It was where I met him and I liked his work so much I hired him to orchestrate an album and ended up using him a lot. Little known fact (I think) – the radio announcer who opens the CD is played by Guy Haines.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must get these here notes posted and get myself into my bed because even though I planned not to do much today, suddenly there’s a lot of things to do.

Today, I have to go to my designer’s home environment to drop off stuff for our next three Kritzerland releases, and while there I’ll be picking up the edited version of the Bacharach concert (edited from the two really amateur and awful cameras that shot it) – I’ll be posting clips on YouTube over the next few days, including Turkey Lurkey Time. After that, I have to write the liner notes for our next release (which I’ll announce to you loyal dear readers sometime this coming week – official announcement coming on the 11th). I also have to address a lot of packages and get them ready for shipping, so that when the CDs for House Of Flowers arrive, they can get shipped right out. And then I’ll be seeing a play this evening at LACC.

Tomorrow, I have 0 plans and I would really like it to stay that way. Monday and Tuesday are loaded with stuff, and then bright and early on Wednesday morning I head in to New York. Mr. Graae will also be in New York, so we’re going to get together and have a meal.

Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Charleston, for today is the birthday of our very own dear reader FJL, our parodist supreme and a hale and hearty fellow well met. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own dear reader FJL, our parodist supreme and a hale and hearty fellow well met. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN DEAR READER FJL, OUR PARODIST SUPREME AND A HALE AND HEARTY FELLOW WELL MET!!!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog (maybe), go to my designer’s house (and see how he’s progressing on the new version of the Kritzerland site), write liner notes, address packages, eat something amusing, and then see a play. Today’s topic of discussion: What is the single most chilling murder you’ve ever seen – on screen, on stage, and the single most chilling murder you’ve read in a book? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all eat some Fruity Snacks.

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