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May 19, 2010:

THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I guess I missed the part about this month being half over already. Hell, forget that, this YEAR is almost half over already. How did this happen? It boggles the windmills of my already boggled mind, that much I can tell you and just have. In any case, here I sit, late at night, having just arrived back home from a staged reading of a new musical, the show’s first such staged reading, despite the fact that I’m told the show has already been published by Samuel French. Somehow, this seems to put the horse before the cart, doesn’t it? Or is it the cart before the horse? It’s something about a horse or a cart being in back or front. So, I must write these here notes in a hurry, so perhaps I’LL put the horse before or after the cart. I had a rather okay day yesterday. I got up around nine. That was okay. I then had to answer a lot of e-mails, print out some orders, and package up a few orders. I had a nice telephonic conversation, and then I headed out to Paty’s to meet David Wechter for our lunch meeting. We ate, we met, we did, and then we came back to my home environment and did another hour’s worth of work, always, of course, putting the horse before the cart. Then David left and I did some work on the computer, picked up a package and shipped off the orders, and then did an editing road map on our next BIG release. And then it was time to toddle over to the NoHo Arts Center to see a staged reading of a new musical.

Last night, I saw a staged reading of a new musical. It was fascinating to see that others are kind of doing the style that I’m sort of known for – no chairs onstage, and, in fact, the stage configured exactly as I had it for The Roxy. People making entrances and exits, and the show basically blocked. But they did two things that I never do – rough lighting with blackouts and props. Doing that just makes it look like a half-ass production of some sort and you never want the audience to think they’re seeing a production. I insisted we have no props (we actually used three minor ones) and no lighting other than general stage lights – you just don’t want to confuse things. Other than that, the show, which was whimsical, needs some work (what staged reading of a new musical DOESN’T), some tightening, some focusing, and if anyone was soliciting MY opinion, I would tell them to pare it down to one act sans intermission. That would require cutting about twenty minutes out of the show, but, for me, this sort of whimsical thing plays better without a break. My pal Brad Ross was the composer (very talented fellow), and the book and lyrics were the work of Mark Waldrop, someone with whom I’ve worked before and also a very talented fellow.

I saw quite a few people I know, including the orchestrator Larry Blank and his lovelier than lovely wife. I hung around for a while and chatted, and then I came home, which was putting the horse after the cart? Is that right? Or was it before the cart? Damn them, damn them all to hell.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must be up early so I can put the horse before the cart.

Today, I must be up early, helper is coming, and we have us some overseas shipping to do. After that, I’ll try to have the motor car washed, although that may have to wait till later in the afternoon. Then I take the long drive to Oak Park to work with David for three hours. I must be on the way home no later than two-thirty or three because otherwise the traffic will be utterly unbearable. Thankfully, tonight will be mine all mine and I can watch last night’s Lost and maybe even a motion picture.

Tomorrow, I think I’m trying to have lunch with dear reader Jeanne. David and I will work in the morning here, and then I’ll hopefully meet Jeanne at around two. We shall see. Friday I have a lunch meeting and then I’m seeing Jason Graae in the show he’s doing. And Saturday is the book signing.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship overseas packages, work with David Wechter, try to wash the motor car, do errands and whatnot and then eat. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all put the horse before the cart and vice versa.

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