Well, dear readers, Olga Smirnov asks where did I go? Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, Olga Smirnov asks where did I go? I first became aware of dear Olga Smirnov when she sent me a wonderful personal e-mail saying she’d seen my Facebook page and thought it lovely, and there was a clickable link in it, which I must say I neglected to click. But she’s persistent, our Olga Smirnov is, and she sends me e-mails every day and today’s e-mail asks where did I go? And in this e-mail’s clickable link it says, “I’m here, where are you?” I just love Olga Smirnov, but these Russians are always rushin’ and pushin’ to get involved with elderly Jewish people. I gotta tell you. She’s very forward but I kind of like getting my Olga Smirnov e-mails me and I feel honored that she’s chosen only me to e-mail. Perhaps someone can tell me what the HELL I’m talking about? Perhaps some notes would be in order right about now. Perhaps Olga Smirnov will read them and desire me even more.
Yesterday was a non-stop day that had no stops. I got up at nine, I did some stuff on the computer, had a telephonic conversation, and then I went and had an early luncheon consisting of a turkey sandwich along with no fries or onion rings. Then I came home and had a nice chat with Juliana Hansen, after which I picked up one package. I then came home, did more work on the computer, and then my pal David Wechter came by and we had a nice visit. A little way into our visit, musical director Shelly Markham showed up with a surprise visitor, the wonderful Gene Castle. We all sat around and yakked and boy was it fun. The singer came and she joined the yakking and oh the show business tales that were told, including some cherce stories about Mr. Jerome Robbins, with whom Gene worked in the original cast of Gypsy. Then Gene and David left and we began running the singer’s new hastily thrown together act.
The song selection is working very well. As she would run each number, I’d stop her, give notes and she’d do it again and little by little she started to understand the vibe of what this show is. That’s always fun to watch happen. She’s very used to her own little comfort zone, but that zone no longer exists in this show – and she’s really enjoying the process of what we’re doing. Once I felt she understood what the opening number had to accomplish, we moved on to the second number. She was fine on that, basically, and my notes were just about where the builds in the song had to happen (she was starting at full throttle and had nowhere to go). The third song, which is the put-together of Some Enchanted Evening and But Not For Me, when it’s right, is going to be unique and magical. I spent more time on that than any other number – setting the blocking exactly (not blocking blocking, but hand movements and how to sell the concept of what we’re doing with it). She began to understand and she’s going to be really good in it once she gets it in her bones. She then does a BK song, When You’re Waiting For Love, which is a very tricky song to negotiate in terms of its humor and phrasing, so we worked on that extensively. The next number is my favorite in the show, Where or When, because of the arrangement I’ve done, which is totally different than this song has ever had. I’ve had this concept for two years and it’s really thrilling to hear it come to life, and she’s doing it very well. And that’s how it was for the rest of the show – detail work on everything. As we got towards the end, I made the decision to switch up two songs, order-wise, and cut a third, as we had one too many ballads. She was thrilled we were cutting one – less for her to learn. She has literally had a week to learn all these songs she didn’t know at all and she’s doing really well. She did have a couple of lyric meltdowns and I was thrilled that it happened then rather than later – that it was going to happen was inevitable and so it was good to get it out of the way.
She left, and then Shelly and I went to CPK and I their new cedar plank salmon, which is only 600 calories and really good. So, a fairly good calorie count for the day. So far I’ve been very good this week. After that, I came home, listened to an upcoming Kritzerland project and had two longish telephonic conversations. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, is really busy. I have to do banking in the morning, then I have a work session with the Kritzerland musical director, then the bass player for the singer’s act is coming to work with Shelly for an hour before we run the act. The singer arrives at three and we run the act straight through. Then I have to amscray and go to dinner before seeing Peter Pan at the Pantages. Then I may or may not go out with our very own Brent Barrett after the show. I will, of course, have a full report.
Tomorrow, I have to be at a photo shoot at ten with Juliana, then I have to have lunch with the Staitman clan, then we have our rehearsal and notes and we’ll clean up as much as we can. Sunday, I have to be at The Federal at eleven to judge a singing contest, then I’ll go directly from there to sound check at the Catalina Bar and Grill on Sunset and then it’s the show. Next week is very busy, with Kritzerland rehearsals, meetings, meals and all sorts of other things.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do banking, have a work session, hopefully pick up packages, rehearse, eat and see Peter Pan. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, Kritzerland stuff. Blu and Ray, finishing The Seven Per-cent Solution. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall undoubtedly dream of Olga Smirnov.