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September 9, 2012:

KRITZERLAND AT STERLING’S 25

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, Kritzerland at Sterling’s twenty-five could not have gone better. We’ve done a lot of great shows over the last two years, but this one was truly something else. We were packed to the rafters, not an inch to spare, but I think they managed to pack everyone in who needed to get in. Kevin Symons and Dennis Kyle kick-started the evening after my introductory remarks, and they killed with Dear Old Syracuse. Each shone in his solo song, Kevin with his very moving Old Habits Die Hard, and Dennis tearing up the place with my song, Born Too Late, which he did flawlessly. Lea Thompson was enchanting and beautiful and did her two Bells Are Ringing songs beautifully. Jane Noseworthy simply has one of the best soprano voices I’ve ever heard – clear as a bell, and she’s a wonderful actress to boot and she was just wonderful on her two solos. Jenna Rosen – well, in an evening of loud ovations from our sold-out audience, hers was perhaps the longest and loudest. She not only hit it out of the park, she hit it clear into another county, with the very long and very difficult film version of The Glamorous Life – people’s jaws were on the floor. Maybe one of the most amazing vocals a thirteen-year-old has ever done. Sarah and Sami Staitman were adorable and great on their duet, Sisters/If Momma Was Married. Again, two amazingly talented young people, holding their own with a lot of incredible pros. Lisa Livesay was brilliant on West End Avenue and Too Darn Hot, and Juliana Hansen took Disneyland to places it’s never been – a fantastic performance. Jason Graae was absolutely hilarious (with an assist from Michael Sterling) on You’ve Got Possibilities and Popular. He got so many loud and long laughs – he’s just such a great performer and he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. And then there was the Ruthless! reunion. It was magical. Seeing Joan Ryan tear into her songs as if no time at all had gone by, seeing Rita McKenzie bring down the house with I Hate Musicals, and seeing Lindsay Ridgeway, all grown up, and still blazingly talented. And having her do an adult song right after was just the right touch. The patter was fun, and I did have to step in for my close personal friend, Mr. Guy Haines, who accidentally went to the Gardenia. I sang If I Had My Druthers in his place and had fun doing so. Adryan Russ co-produced the evening – couldn’t do these things without her – and Tom Griep did his usual great job of musical directing.

There were lots of fun people in attendance, including Jason’s delightful mother and his long-time partner, ASCAP’s Michael Kerker, Michael Orland (he’s the pianist on American Idol), Kat Kramer (Stanley Kramer’s daughter), my pal Barbara Deutsch, Kay Cole and her ever-lovin’ Michael Lamont, Marcia Seligson (the woman who created Reprise here in LA), Outside the Box editor Marshall Harvey, our very own Amy and Mark and Vincent Jan, cousin Dee Dee, her mom Paula, and former dear reader Panni, and so many others. And so, on to show twenty-six: Nobody Does It Better – The Songs of Marvin Hamlisch.

After the show, a bunch of us went over to Little Toni’s and we had pizza and pasta and meatballs, oh my. If you check my Facebook page you’ll see some photos that people took.

Prior to all that, I was up early, did a three-mile jog, then did errands and whatnot, picked up no packages, and then relaxed until it was time to mosey on over to The Federal for sound check. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I am exhausted but feeling on top o’ the world.

Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep, after which I’m doin’ nothin’. Oh, I’ll prep our eBlast for Monday’s announcement, and then I’m attending a gathering to fete the EMMY nominated composers, but that’s it.

This week is very busy. I’ll be working heavily on Juliana Hansen’s act, plus announcing our new title and prepping the title that will follow that, plus meetings and meals and all sorts of other stuff, plus finishing casting the Kritzerland shows so I can assign songs, gather up the sheet music and get the performers their stuff so they can learn everything.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, maybe do a jog, do nothin’, and attend an event. 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, where I shall revel in the evening that was Kritzerland at Sterling’s 25.

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