Well, dear readers, the 19th Kritzerland show is done and it was a complete success from start to finish. In fact, I have to say it was probably one of the three best shows we’ve done – every song landed, the cast all delivered, the MD delivered and the audience response was wonderful. Normally, I don’t really veer too far from my commentary script, but things kept happening that I was able to play off, so it was especially fun for me – I had an absolute blast. As expected, Melody’s Tchaikowsky (And Other Russians) got the biggest ovation of the evening – in fact, I brought her back for another bow (it took her forever to come back – I think she was scared I was going to make her sing it again). But all her numbers were great and, for me, one of the big highlights of the evening was her Bidin’ My Time – I did the arrangement of it and it just worked great and she delivered it perfectly. Everyone was stellar and the audience just ate it all up. Other highlights in an evening filled with them, were Shannon Warne’s superb reading of The Man That Got Away, Jane Noseworthy’s beautiful Someone To Watch Over Me/The Man I Love, Shannon and Damon Kirsche doing the adorable In Our United State, and Damon bringing down the house with By Strauss and Liza. Andrea Marcovicci was sly and wonderful on The Saga of Jenny. All in all, a perfect evening. I talked to a whole slew of nice folks afterwards. And now, it’s onward to Kritzerland 20, which will inaugurate a brand new venue. Our show will be Take Me Along – The Songs of Bob Merrill, and will star Julie Garnye, Melody Hollis, Kristopher McNeely, Jane Noseworthy, and Jeffrey Todd. We should know our musical director by the end of today. We’re close to having someone who will be an incredible guest star, if she can work out her schedule.
Prior to the show, I spent a rather lazy day. I woke up feeling grand and sunshiny, mostly because of getting a large albatross off my back – I should have done it much sooner, but once done, it was like a breath of fresh air and as if a heavy weight was removed from my being. I did a four-mile jog, did some work on the computer, made the decision to switch from Jule Styne to Bob Merrill (and, of course, we still get Jule Styne), and that was really about it. I did a few errands and whatnot, and then headed over to the club to do the sound check.
After the show, a few of us went down to the main restaurant and I finally at some real food (I only had a salad before the show) – spaghetti and meatballs. We had a fun time, dirt was dished, laughs were laughed, and it was a perfect end to a perfect evening.
Then I came home, exhausted. I checked out stuff on the Internet and then it was time to write these here notes. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I have a lot of small stuff to do – I’ll jog, I have to create some invoices and ship a few things, I have to book transportation, I have to hopefully pick up some packages, and, most importantly, I have to choose the songs for the next Kritzerland show and begin to gather up all the music. I’m really hoping to get the singers their stuff before I leave for New York.
Tomorrow and the rest of the week will be filled with lunches, meetings, writing, hopefully seeing a galley and cover proofs and getting them approved, a rehearsal with Melody (we’re doing her act again and want to have plenty of time to get it back in tip-top shape), then packing and getting ready to go.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, create invoices and ship, book transportation, hopefully pick up a package or two, choose songs, and gather music. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Bob Merrill songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall dream of the wonderful show we did last night.