Well, dear readers, I have been Kander and Ebbing for the last three hours and they have written way too many songs. It’s daunting trying to narrow this down to seventeen songs, but narrow I must. And now it is quite late and I must write these here notes in a hurry because I am quite tired. But several interesting things happened yesterday, amongst them that my personal project, the web series, now has two guest stars – Jason Graae and yesterday we got word that we have a Tony Award-winning performer in episode two. I’m really excited about this. I’m putting out a few other feelers for guests today and tomorrow and we’ll see how that pans out. I’m hoping we can cast these in the next few weeks so people can hold that time for us. I did have to get up early again, and the helper and I got everything shipped out, so that was good. That took a couple of hours, and then I did some errands and whatnot and had a sandwich and sweet potato fries for my meal o’ the day. Then I picked up a couple of packages and no mail, after which I came home.
I then began loading Kander and Ebb CDs into iTunes. Then I had a few telephonic conversations, did some research into some potential Kritzerland titles, approved the cover for Jason Graae’s CD and did some other stuff I can no longer remember. Then I headed over to Grant Geissman’s home environment, where I joined Miss Barbara Deutsch to put the final fixes in her book. It took a couple of hours to get everything done, and it looks really nice and it’s all going off to the publishers now. Then something very exciting happened – after six months of prodding, Grant has finally begun creating the tracks for the new Guy Haines CD. He played me the first of them and it sounded great and hopefully he’ll now move along and get the others done. Our goal is to start recording vocals at the end of summer. After that, I came home and sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Limelight, written, directed, and starring Mr. Charles Chaplin, along with Claire Bloom and son Sydney. Yes, it’s a melodrama, yes, it’s occasionally soppy and over the top, but my goodness I do really like it a lot. It’s very moving at times, and I just love the old-fashioned feel of it. Chaplin himself, looking older than he really was at the time (63), is wonderful as the washed-up comic Calvero. It’s quite obvious that many of the lines are personal and heartfelt, although he occasionally wallows in self-pity. Claire Bloom is lovely – although directed to play scenes so loudly that it becomes melodrama-plus. The penultimate scene with Chaplin and Buster Keaton is lovely and funny, and despite the film’s length, it’s one I never tire of watching. Chaplin’s musical score is also wonderful. The transfer is really nice, too – it’s a region B disc, but Criterion has been issuing the Chaplin films here so I’m presuming they’ll get around to Limelight.
After that, it was back to loading Kander and Ebb songs and listening to them, too. I did manage to thin out the long list – too many similar-sounding songs and similar themed songs. But I still have six more CDs-worth of songs to load.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really need a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall hopefully sleep until nine at least. Then I have to finish casting the Gardenia show, finish choosing the songs, set a rehearsal with the musical director (John Boswell), write another episode of the web series, do errands and whatnot, and then take someone for a birthday dinner.
Tomorrow, I have a lunch meeting, and lots of stuff to do. Friday is the same and the weekend is quite busy, as well. And Sunday evening will, of course, be our Annual Tony Awards Bash. Be there or be round.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, get a good night’s sleep, I must cast, I must choose, I must set a meeting, I must write, I must hopefully pick up a package or two, and I must take someone for a birthday dinner. 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 I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall dream of happy things.