Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry because it is late and I have a long day tomorrow and must be rested and ready to do the many things that need doing. First off, has anyone noticed it’s the last day of October? How did that happen? And tomorrow will be a brand spanking new month called November and it is my fervent hope and prayer that November will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.
Let me start by saying that the first rehearsal for the Kritzerland show was pretty smooth for a first rehearsal, which made me very happy. Part of the reason for that is our first-time-for-us musical director, Lloyd Cooper. We worked a bit last week on some arrangement things, and he showed up for rehearsal completely prepared, which really made things go smoothly. We changed up some keys, I switched up some stuff in the arrangements and it’s going to be a really good show, I think. Our cast is really strong. And really, what is more pleasurable than hearing great singers sing great songs by one of the greatest songwriting teams in musical theater history (well, most people would say the greatest team). Add in a little Hart and a little Sondheim and you have some pretty wonderful magic. The first singer was beautiful Jane Noseworthy. She led with Mr. Snow (she played Carrie in the Reprise Carousel, opposite Andy Taylor and got raves), then she did My Lord and Master, and her third song is the seriously gorgeous Moon in My Window from Do I Hear a Waltz? Then came Stuart Ambrose, a big, strapping fellow with a big, strapping voice. He did our put-together of Some Enchanted Evening and This Nearly Was Mine – beautiful. Then he did his biggie – Soliloquy from Carousel. Then Shannon Warne came and they did their duet – We’re Gonna Be All Right from Do I Hear a Waltz? Very funny and charming as can be. Then he left and Shannon did her other two numbers – a put-together of The Sound of Music and I Have Confidence, and a put-together of You’ll Never Walk Alone and Climb Ev’ry Mountain. She does all of them wonderfully. After that, we had Lisa Livesay. She began with a put-together of A Hundred Million Miracles and I Am Going To Like It Here, then did In My Own Little Corner/Impossible, and finished with a really fun arrangement of Do I Hear a Waltz? in which we have musical quotes from a lot of famous Rodgers waltzes. Finally, it was Dennis Kyle, who delighted with The Man I Used To Be from Pipe Dream, a put-together of Blue Moon and This Can’t Be Love, and finally Don’t Marry Me from Flower Drum Song. The other put-together is You Are Beautiful and My Best Love, which will be done by Alvin Ing. Guy Haines was thinking about doing Love, Look Away (which he recorded), but I’m thinking the show is probably fine without it. I’ll know more on Thursday. So, that’s the show and I’m very happy with it and more than happy with our wonderful performers.
Prior to rehearsal, I was up at eight, at the DMV to renew my license at ten – my appointment was ten-fifteen. There was a huge line for people sans appointments, but I walked in, went right up to the woman who was handing out the numbers for the appointments, got my number, waited for all of twenty seconds until it was called, went to the window, did my thumbprint, took the eye test (passed with flying colors), and had my photograph taken. From arrival to departure, ten minutes. The fastest DMV appointment EVER. Then I gave the motor car a bath, then had a small turkey sandwich to tide me over until dinner.
The package I was expecting did not arrive until after five, which is outrageous. This time I called Ontrac and gave them a piece of my mind. I spoke to a nice lady and she promised to pass on my disgust at this idiot driver’s making the UPS Store his final stop every single day. It’s not right and is really annoying – switch it up, baby. I did manage to get the package just before they closed. Then Jenna Rosen and mom Heather came over. We chatted, then decided to eat before we worked, so we had a lovelier than lovely birthday dinner for Jenna, who turned fourteen two days ago. We went to our beloved The Smoke House – unlike when ChasSmith was there, this time it was jammed – because it was the last day of their October special anniversary 33% off. I’m afraid I ate vociferously. I had a small cup of clam chowder, only two little pieces of the garlic cheese bread, but for the meal I finally had their cheeseburger and it was simply one of the most honest and best cheeseburgers ever. Just a bit of 1000 island dressing, onion, lettuce, tomato, and a superb bit of prime hamburger – what a difference that kind of meat makes. It was grand and I must go back and have it again soon. Jenna had a cup of soup and prime rib, and mom Heather had ribs. They loved their food.
Then we came home and worked on two songs. I just gave a few performance notes, and a couple of tiny staging things. She sounded great and she has a very good grasp on the intentions of the songs. Then she interviewed me for a class project – good questions, I was probably too long-winded, but if she edits carefully it will be fine. I know I gave her more than she needed, but that’s probably okay. Then they left, and it was too late to watch anything, but I did sample four of the films in the new and troubled Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection Blu and Ray set. I will have much to say, but not until I’ve seen more. Of the four I saw, only one gets a passing grade and that’s Vertigo, 90% of which looks terrific and while it’s a tiny bit irritating that 10% doesn’t and could easily have been fixed, 90% is good enough for me. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must try and get some beauty sleep.
Today, I’ll be up and at ’em by nine, have a rehearsal with Jason Graae around twelve-thirty, then we do his little show at his mom’s retirement home – really good people and should be fun. I’m sure we’ll grab something to eat afterwards, then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and then I’ll spend many hours giving out lots and lots of Halloween candy. Oh, did I forget to mention it is Halloween? Yes, it’s scarrrry time and the streets will be filled with hobgoblins and things that go bump in the night. Gypsy Rose Lee used to go bump in the night, but that’s another story. Actually, for Halloween, I’m going as Gypsy Rose Lee.
Tomorrow is our second Kritzerland rehearsal, Friday is other stuff, Saturday is our stumble-through, and Sunday is sound check, the premiere of Outside The Box, season two, and our show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, try to do a morning jog (after what I ate last night, I NEED to jog), have a rehearsal with Jason Graae, do his little Halloween show, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and then give out lots and lots of candy. 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, ready for the Halloween trick or treaters.