Well, dear readers, I believe in fairies. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, believe in fairies. And yes, as you might have surmised, I saw Peter Pan last night and I clapped louder than anyone for Tinkerbell. I do love this show, and while I could certainly pick more than a few nits with the production itself, what’s the point. There’s no fighting Peter Pan – you just succumb and become a kid all over again. I first saw Peter Pan live on stage with Sandy Duncan on Broadway (also my pal Marsha Kramer was in it playing Wendy). Miss Duncan gave one of the finest performances I’ve ever seen, just really nailing Peter Pan in a way I’d never seen before. Actually, my history with Peter Pan goes back to 1965, when I auditioned for the show at Melodyland, a theater in the round in Anaheim. I guess I did okay (I don’t remember the song I did, but I do remember I did impressions of Tammy Grimes and Anthony Newley). I was hired to play either a lost boy or an Indian – can’t remember which. I attended one rehearsal and learned Ug-a-Wug or whatever it’s called. But I realized that there was no way for me to commute all that way every day and I dropped out. The Peter was Jane Powell. Anyway, I adored the Sandy Duncan version. Then I saw Cathy Rigby’s first time at bat and she was very good. My friend Penny Peyser did the show up in Sacramento and you can read about that in There’s Mel, There’s Woody, and There’s You. I saw Miss Rigby a few more times over the years, but never saw any of her many farewell tours.
At sixty, it’s pretty amazing to watch her strut her stuff in the flying and acrobatics stuff. She pours everything she’s got into it – it’s just breathtaking to watch. Her comedy timing is very good, and her Peter is a bit lower energy than I’m used to, but that’s a small nit to pick, really. The production is fun. But the real fun is our very own Mr. Brent Barrett. He’s just having the time of his life as Captain Hook and it’s just way too much fun to watch. He’d arranged great seats for me in the sixth row center. After the show, we went backstage and schmoozed and he showed us the set and I met some nice folks. One interesting thing about the casting is that both the young Darling boys, John and Michael, are played by girls. Then Brent, my Canadian friend Caitlynne and I went across the street to a little jernt and had a little snack and drink. It was great to catch up with him.
Prior to all that fun, I’d had a long day doing and going. I got up at nine, did stuff on the computer, went and had a bagel to tide me over and whilst eating it proofed the first chapter of the book, which I thought read very well. There were the usual typos, a couple of things that were awkwardly written that I smoothed out, but other than that I was very happy with it. Then I came home and the helper came by and I paid a couple of bills but not all the bills because I ran out of time. At one I had a short work session with the Kritzerland musical director, after which the singer’s bass player and musical director arrived. While they worked, I took a shower. Then the singer arrived and we ran straight through her show.
She’s been working long hours and diligently learning and working on the notes I’ve given her. The opening number was looking and sounding very good. Several numbers still were a little ragged and her patter, which was just written two days ago and which we’ve been finessing each work session is more than a little ragged, so she’ll be drilling herself on that. She didn’t have too many lyric flubs, which was good. The pace and structure are fine for a hastily assembled show, and I’m trying to get the comic numbers to play right, but there’s only so much time to finesse the performance and we can work on that stuff more when we’re doing the real version of whatever act we come up with. But it was good for her to get through it. It’s too short, really, but there’s nothing to be done about it, and when she’s got the patter right and there’s applause, it will probably come in at about fifty minutes, which is fine for this. After the run, we did some detail work on a couple of things, but the important thing is just for her to drill.
Then I had dinner at Musso and Frank. I don’t recognize any of the waiters anymore – I think all the regulars have gone. I had my usual combination Louis with Thousand Island dressing and I shared the bread pudding for dessert, having only a couple of bites.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get as much beauty sleep as possible before she of the Evil Eye arrives.
Today, I shall be stopping by a photo shoot with Juliana at ten. Then I’ll come back home, after which I’m lunching with the Staitman clan. Then we have our final rehearsal, and we’ll do detail work after for whatever needs it. Then Juliana’s having some birthday do at The Smoke House, so I’ll probably stop by there to say hello.
Tomorrow is crazy. I have to be at The Federal by eleven to judge a singing contest. I’ll be out of there at three and must go directly to a sound check for the singer. I’ll be done with that at five, and then I’ll probably go home and come back to the club at six-thirty or so, and then it’s the show. Next week I’ll be proofing the book, rehearsing the Kritzerland show and lots o’ other stuff. My Darling Daughter is flying in for this show, which will be her first Kritzerland show, so that will be fun.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, visit a photo shoot, lunch, rehearse, and make an appearance at a birthday Do. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your Peter Pan memories, from TV to film to stage? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall continue to believe in fairies.