Well, dear readers, I am a stranger here myself. Frankly, I have that song embedded in my cranium but not as much as I have Speak Low embedded in my cranium. That darn Kurt Weill could write a sinuous melody and last night I heard plenty of them in One Touch of Venus. It was interesting to see the show – very lightweight, with some truly amusing lines (one about a character’s teeth feeling like they have sweaters on them is a classic), but a creaky, silly plot that just gets tiresome very quickly. I saw the show last evening at the Alex Theater as done in quickie style by Musical Theatre Guild. They throw these things up very quickly, so not a lot of time to be clever, although I’ve seen a handful of things there that did achieve something more than just having people come on and off. Thanks to a little grant, they were able to have a fourteen-piece band and that was very nice. Some of the Weill/Ogden Nash songs were absolutely bizarre, but it was fun to hear them, and I’m A Stranger Here Myself is a song I’ve always loved, and Speak Low, a song I’ve never loved, is, in its original orchestration, kind of intoxicating. The cast did fine. I saw a lot of folks I know and hung out for a while after the show.
Prior to that, I’d had an extremely long day. I got up at six in the morning, announced the new Kritzerland title, and then began printing orders, which I could barely keep up with. I did go back to bed for about forty-five minutes, then got up again, printed out more orders, and then it was time to go to Miss Linda Purl’s house for a rehearsal. She’s in a cast up to her knee, but is managing to get herself around the house. We ran through all the patter, and most of the songs. She’ll be stationary for the entire show, on a stool, while Gregory does whatever movement there is. It will work fine and usually audiences are not only understanding about stuff like this, but they are even more supportive that they’d normally be. But the one thing we all know at this point is that it’s a really solid act and the two of them play off each other beautifully – there’s a real sense of fun and charm that I think the audience will eat up.
After the rehearsal, I came home and had to print out so many orders that it took a full hour to do, then I went and had a quick sandwich and onion rings and picked up two small packages – one Blu and Ray and one CD that was sent to me by Mr. Dave Brubeck’s manager – I’ll talk about that in tomorrow’s notes.
I’m almost done choosing the songs for the Irving Berlin show – about three left. And I may have found a little guest star who’d come in for one number. Not a star or anything, but someone who works all the time and is out here for pilot season and itching to do something. I’ve got our musical director, someone new to me, but highly recommended by Alet.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it is very late and I am very tired, which is why I’ve been speaking low.
Today, I shall have another really busy day. I have a rehearsal with The Singer at eleven, and I must meet the new helper and the interim helper at one. I must leave them by three and then have a rehearsal with Linda and Gregory, probably our last one. After that (probably done by six) I’ll have to go eat something light but amusing and then I can finally settle down with a motion picture.
Wednesday, I’ll be working with the new helper, I’ll be pulling the music for the Irving Berlin show, Xeroxing it, and then the singers and musical director can come get their music and CDs. I’m not sure what’s happening the rest of the week, other than a couple of meetings and meals – we shall see. I do have some liner notes to write, so I’ll get those out of the way, and I do have to finish proofing my book.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, rehearse, work with the new helper, rehearse, eat, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorit Kurt Weill songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and in my dreams I shall speak low.