Well, dear readers, by the time you finish these here notes, you’ll be able to see episode two of Outside The Box. Episode two guest stars Brad Oscar and Nikka Graff Lanzarone – if you like it, spread the word – share it on Facebook and Twitter and tell all your friends. In other words, start spreadin’ the news – oh, a Kander and Ebb reference. www.youtube.com/outsidetheboxseries. Pardon me while I have a malted milk ball. That’s all there is to eat in the home environment and all that remains of the Halloween candy – little packets filled with little balls. Little Balls – that’s the title of my next novel. Where was I? Oh, yes, the notes.
I had a nice day yesterday. I was awakened by the arrival of she of the Evil Eye. I did the early morning four-mile jog, did some errands and whatnot, did part two of my banking, picked up two small packages but not the one that is overdue, and then it was time to be on my way to LACC and rehearsal. Damon Kirsche drove with me and we were both rather amazed that rush hour on a Friday had no traffic whatsoever, but one-thirty on a Saturday the freeway was absolutely jammed – to say that the City of Angels has turned into the craziest place on Earth is not stretching the truth one or even two iotas. I did the wise thing and got off the freeway at Hollywood Boulevard. I took that to Vermont and we were at the school in ten minutes. Heaven forbid we should ever have our complete cast all together for a run-through – yesterday one of the LACC gals was missing. Her cover went on and considering we’ve never given her any kind of rehearsal to even run stuff, she did amazingly well. I’ve told her that she has to really get solid now, and we’ll schedule a couple of hours next week to get her up to snuff – all she needs is to work with Jose and then go over steps with whomever she’s doing numbers with. She’ll be playing both matinees, albeit a different track for each.
The run-through went very smoothly – still having lyric flubs and my new dictum is if someone goes up they need to start covering – no more stopping or letting the audience know there was a screw up. But, performances are really coming along nicely – it’s a really good company and I think everyone is bonding and having a good time, at least I hope they are. It’s a very enjoyable show to watch, I think, and I’m beginning to have some fun with the contextual commentary, although I get very mush-mouthed sometimes and stumble too much – I’m working on it, believe me.
After rehearsal, Jose, Damon, and I went to Fred 62 and had a quick bite. This time I tried the fried chicken poor boy – basically chicken tenders on bread with a good light sauce, onions, lettuce – it was very good, and so were the fries. Then I finally came home, answered e-mails, had a couple of telephonic calls and sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, miraculously, I was able to watch an entire motion picture on a homegrown DVD. As some may remember, I’ve been on a little Inspector Maigret kick. I watched the one episode of the Michael Gambon Brit series, and last night I watched the first of the three movies made in France, starring Jean Gabin as Maigret. It was called, not surprisingly, Inspector Maigret (based on the novel, Maigret Sets A Trap – that story was also adapted for the Gambon series, so I’ll watch that one, and also for the French TV series starring Bruno Cremer – I have that DVD, too). I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Gabin was a wonderful actor in the Bogart mold and his Maigret was, for me, more interesting than Gambon, but mostly because Maigret is French, Gabin is French and everyone in the movie was French, whereas Gambon and company are all playing French characters but making absolutely no attempt at using an accent. It was a good yarn with some excellent plotting (there’s a serial killer on the loose), some quite frank subject matter for the time, and excellent performances. There’s a nice score by Paul Misraki, too. The direction is nothing to write home about, and yet I immediately wrote home about it – funny that – but it was very professional and atmospheric. I’d like to see the other two films but haven’t been able to locate copies that have subtitles.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, whilst the upload of episode two of Outside The Box finishes completing. I’m hoping that we all finish at exactly the same time.
Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s sleep, which I desperately need. Then I have to deliver a box o’ CDs, and prep our new release announcements – not sure it will be Monday morning – maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. Otherwise, I really have to take it easy and rest. Then at six I have to go to Vitello’s to see an act – I plan to just watch and run. I want to get to bed nice and early tonight.
Tomorrow is very busy – lots o’ stuff in the morning, then a paper tech at two-thirty, after which I’ll have to grab a bite to eat, then a run-through and detail work. Same for Tuesday and Wednesday and then it’s Thanksgiving and four days off, during which I plan to do very little.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the four-mile jog, I must deliver CDs, I must eat something light but amusing, I must prep our new release announcement, I must see an act, and I must, most importantly, get some rest. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and premiere episode two of Outside The Box.