Well, dear readers, what a wonderful anniversary partay we had around these here parts yesterday. We had over five hundred posts, wonderful reminiscences, and even a new dear reader. Frankly, it warmed the cockles of my heart. I don’t know about you dear readers, but one simply cannot have enough warm cockles. My cockles have been decidedly cold of late, but now, thanks to over five hundred cherce postings, my cockles are warm. Warm Cockles – that’s the title of my next novel. I had a wonderful day, too. I got a reasonable night’s sleep, I did a three-mile jog, I proofed the packaging for the new CD, I had some wonderful telephonic calls, I did some errands and whatnot, I shipped some packages and picked up some mail (but no packages), and I had a lovelier than lovely luncheon with my designer, to discuss what will be a very slow journey to bringing this site up to date with the latest technologies, and perhaps a slightly new look. We will finally have our Unseemly Interviews back, the radio show will be much smoother and we’ll be able to archive some of them, and we’ll have video, as well. This will all take time and we’re going to go about it very methodically. And then, we’ll put it up at a phantom address and test it and then test it again and again until we’re absolutely certain that everything is working just as we want it to. And then, after all that is done, I’m finally moving this site to a new host, one with 24/7 customer service (the same company where Kritzerland resides) and where we’ll be on our own dedicated server, which is what we need. I’m hoping that by March or so we’ll be ready to migrate the site. So, stay tuned for all the details as they come in. After luncheon, I came home, did some work on the computer, and then got ready to toddle off to the Dale of Glen to see a musical comedy entitled Fade Out – Fade In. I arrived early so that I could hang out at Mystery and Imagination Books, but they were closed, so I went over to Brand Books and hung out there. I then went to the theater, and saw lots of folks I know, which is always pleasant. I also met several people I didn’t know, which is always pleasant, especially when they’re fans.
Last night, I saw a musical comedy entitle Fade Out – Fade In. The original production was created for and starred Miss Carol Burnett. Even though it started off doing great business, there was much drama backstage, the show shut down for many weeks and then reopened but closed again soon thereafter at a complete loss. I’d never seen it and really didn’t know the score at all, despite being huge fans of Comden and Green and Jule Styne. I think I’d recorded the song Call Me Savage on Sally Mayes’ Comden and Green CD, and, of course, Mr. Kevin Spirtas has his way with My Fortune Is My Face in the show we created. I wish I could say it was an rediscovered gem but it wasn’t. It’s really very second tier Styne, and third-tier Comden and Green – we’ve seen it all before and they’ve done it better elsewhere. Still, there are some genuinely funny moments and Styne is never less than tuneful. There was about a ten piece band, which sounded really good (I was very impressed with the musical director). They put these things together very quickly at MTG, in about twenty-five hours. So, there is perfunctory staging and some perfunctory choreography. I was happy to see that the choreography was by Miss Cheryl Baxter who, with Joseph McKee, provided the brilliant choreography for What If. I’ve been to a lot of shows at MTG and this one had an excellent company of players. In the Burnett role was our very own Miss Beth Malone. For those who may not remember, Beth was one of the stars of Sister Act when it premiered in Los Angeles, and she performed her knockout song at the benefit I directed at the Alex Theater. We got along like a house afire and when it came time to do the first private reading of The First Nudie Musical it was her that I asked to do the Cindy Williams role of Rosie. She was great in Nudie and was meant to do the staged reading last June, but her schedule got screwed up and I had to use someone else, who, happily, was terrific. Beth is just so talented, and even though she isn’t Carol Burnett and therefore at an immediate disadvantage because the part was specifically tailored to Burnett’s personality and comic abilities, she did a great job. What a voice this woman has (if you don’t know her, just hie yourself to YouTube and watch her sing The Life I Never Led from our benefit), and she’s just so endearing and cute you just have to love her. The fellow who played the Jack Cassidy role, Damon Kirsch, was also really good. But everyone did well. The first act seemed really long and the second act seemed really short (the first act has twelve musical numbers, the second act has four – very weird construction), but it was an enjoyable evening. After the show, I talked to Beth, who will be in LA for a while, so I think she’ll be able to do our next private reading, just so we can test the changes we’ve made before coming to New York to do the staged reading. She really wants to do that, too – which puts me in a predicament, but one I’ll have to deal with. Beth was there first, and there’s just something about her that feels so right for Nudie Musical. Speaking of the latter, the choreographer of Nudie the film was there, so we had a nice chat. And our Dick Davis was there, and I told him that if he can get himself to New York that I would love him to do the staged reading there – I think he wants to very much. Several people came up to me and had such nice things to say about my CDs – I’m always so appreciative when anyone takes the time to say something nice. And the other Jeff Kaufman was there, and I signed for him the booklet for Stages/Together Again. All in all, it was a nice night.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve got to get these here notes posted so I can then download the first pass of the master to the next Kritzerland release.
Today, I shall do the long jog, do errands and whatnot, make some very important telephonic calls, approve our new master or give notes about changes, and then we have the private table reading of the long musical, which I’m sure, as always, will be very interesting. It’s the first time the composer will not be playing and singing, so he’ll finally get to sit and just hear the show from start to finish, which is a good thing. After the reading, the creative team will go out for a snack. Then the following morning we have a firm two-hour post mortem, and then I have to go directly to the tape transfer place to transfer tapes.
The rest of the week is quite busy, and hopefully Mr. Cason Murphy will be coming over to help address the next batch of boxes because we could have Inspector Clouseau in as soon as Friday, although I can almost guarantee it won’t ship then, as I’m not sure I’ll have had the time to get to the composer to have him sign the booklets – that may have to wait until the weekend, but I’ll know on Wednesday, and if there’s any way for me to do it on Thursday, I will.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog, I must do errands and whatnot, I must approve a master, and I must attend a private table reading of the long musical. Today’s topic of discussion: Who are your all-time favorite funny ladies, and which of their performances are your all-time favorites? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I enjoy my warm cockles.