Haines Logo Text
Column Archive
February 10, 2011:

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, we’re finally all cast for the next Kritzerland at the Gardenia show, Unsung Irving Berlin (plus I’ve added a couple of Sung Berlin just so we get a couple of classics). Our merry troupe consists of Dan Callaway, Juliana Hansen, Jane Noseworthy, Kevin Symans, and Jessica Keenan Wynn – along with twelve-year-old Melody Hollis (who co-starred in the Broadway Berlin show, White Christmas) and our guest star Jonelle Allen (Tony-nominated star of the musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona). There’s also a slim chance we’ll have one additional guest for the evening, but I won’t know until the week before. This guest would be very easy to plug into the show and the song’s already chosen. So, a wonderful group of players – very much looking forward to working with them. The Jonelle Allen thing was a total fluke and surprise – we’d been searching for someone to guest, and she just happened to see my Facebook update about the show and she wrote asking how she could be part of one of the shows. I instantly wrote her back and the deal was done. As hard as these are to wrangle, I must say I’m having a total blast doing them. And, if I stick to my plan, the show following Unsung Irving Berlin will be very interesting – the first show we’ll do that’s not based on one of my albums – but an album I would have done had I continued doing that sort of album – so, that one will be a little more work in that it will require arrangements, but I’m really tickled by the idea and I’ve chosen a composer/lyricist I really like, especially his early work. If that goes well, then we’ll do some others that aren’t based on albums, or, as the kids like to say, based off albums. That’s almost as irritating as remake having been replaced by reboot. Whenever I hear reboot I want to put on a boot and put that boot up someone’s bum (mub, spelled backwards).

I had a perfectly okay day yesterday. I had to be up early and I went to storage and pulled the charts for Unsung Irving Berlin. Unfortunately, the musical director for that album always had charts that are useless for the kind of thing we’re doing – in other words, no piano vocals, not a one. It was kind of disastrous, actually. Luckily, the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization put out an Unsung Irving Berlin songbook, and about eighty percent of what I needed was in there – and thank the Lord, elmore had orchestrated a couple of songs for the album and those charts had proper vocal sheets. I managed to get everything but one song, and I’m hoping the singer can just work from the recording and the MD will either have to do a takedown or use the weird chart we have (no lyrics, but at least the arrangement is playable). This is the last time I decide on a show without first checking the music situation. After that, I took everything over to Staples to be Xeroxed. Then I came home, printed out some orders, answered e-mails, booked our last performer, made CDs, and then I went and had soup and a sandwich. After that, I picked up the Xerox stuff, picked up one package, and came home. I spent the next couple of hours organizing the music by performer and then one of our singers came to get his stuff. The others will, I suppose, be coming today, at least that’s the hope. Then I had a very long telephonic conversation with our very own Mr. Barry Pearl, who’s in New York to start rehearsals for Baby, It’s You. It was nice to catch up with him and he’s in fine spirits. I also began to have allergy problems, which I hope goes away soon. I finally had to take a pill, but it’s not doing much good even as I type these here notes. Then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled An Affair To Remember, starring Mr. Cary Grant and Miss Deborah Kerr. It’s a movie I never tire of – it’s just utterly charming and when you watch two authentic movie stars do their thing, you just know that the poseurs that pass as movie stars today are just not in any way, shape, or form in that class. The writing sparkles, as does the direction by Leo McCarey. He plays it safe as most did back then who were directing in Cinemascope in those early years, but his direction of the scenes is just wonderful – simple camera set-ups and just let those actors do what they do. The transfer is fantastic – Cinemascope lenses were not that sharp, but this transfer really replicates what the film looked like – with perfect color and wonderful clarity. Of course the usual know-it-alls-who-don’t-really-know-anything have to mention that certain moments are very grainy (really – wow – yes, that’s what happens with opticals) and that some of the shots are out-of-focus (and then they specifically mention scenes with rear projection – duh) – Fox deserves kudos for making this look like it should.

After that, I just played on the computer. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must attempt to get some beauty sleep.

Today, I will be working with the new helper, doing some of this and some of that, mostly organizing and giving her some new orders to prepare. After that, I have to be home for the singers to pick up their stuff. Then I’ll go get something light but amusing to eat, and I will absolutely try to do a short jog. I’ll also hopefully pick up a package or three.

Tomorrow should be a nice, light day – I can proof and do some errands and whatnot. The weekend is pretty light, too, and I hope it stays that way so I can be rested for my trip to Florida.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, work with the new helper, I must be here for singers to pick up stuff, I must eat, I must pick up packages, I must proof and I must relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What is the all-time weirdest album you ever bought – the most outrĂ©, the oddest, the wackiest? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall have an affair to remember – certainly I’m not having one in real life.

Search BK's Notes Archive:
 
© 2001 - 2024 by Bruce Kimmel. All Rights Reserved