Well, dear readers, we had a lovelier than lovely stumble-through yesterday. I’ll tell you one thing about Mr. Newley and Mr. Bricusse – their tunes are memorable. There is just no question about it when one hears nineteen songs back to back. You can’t get these insidious tunes out of your head once you’ve heard them. The stumble-throughs are always a little nerve-wracking for the newbies – it’s my living room in full light with the rest of the cast sitting there in full view. And yet, it’s almost my favorite part of our process – we’re all just sitting there rooting for each other and enjoying what everyone is doing. We had a ton of lyric flubs in the first third of the stumble-through but once we got past that point everyone settled down and things ran very smoothly from that point on. It’s a very strong cast, the songs are great, the song order works really well and I was very pleased. Tom Griep, our musical director, keeps it all together. I’m sometimes very difficult for musical directors – I am very focused and very picky about everything and I just cut to the chase when I have a problem, but thankfully the musical directors who’ve done our shows just take it in their stride, knowing none of it is personal and all of it is just about the work and trying to get things as smooth as possible.
Prior to the show, I’d gotten up early, did a three-mile jog, then had some bacon, eggs, an English muffin and tomatoes. JOS Bank was having yet another incredible sale, so I bought some shirts, since I just don’t have many shirts and the ones I do have are over a decade old. Then I picked up a couple of packages, one of which was the softcover version of the new book (hardcover will arrive in a few days) – holding the book is such a special moment for me, every single time. I prefer to hold the hardcover, but even the softcover is special. Then we had our rehearsal, then the Staitman clan and I went to Mo’s, where I had filet of sole and vegetables, and a cup of their very peculiar matzo ball soup. After that, I came home and sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture entitled The Enforcer, starring Mr. Humphrey Bogart, Mr. Zero Mostel, and many fine character actors. I’d never seen this film and I quite enjoyed it. It was directed by Bretaigne Windust. But the real fact is that Mr. Windust fell ill after only a short amount of shooting, and Raoul Walsh finished the film, directing most of it, but refusing to take any credit because he wanted the film to help Mr. Windust, whose big break it was meant to be. But alas, it was Windust’s last feature-length film credit and he moved directly into television, where he directed The Thin Man series, Hitchcock Prsents, and others. It’s always fun to watch Mr. Bogart do his thing surrounded by such great character actors like Mr. Mostel, Roy Roberts, Don Beddoe, and Ted de Corsia, not to mention Everett Sloane. The transfer is nothing to write home about, and yet I wrote home anyway. Home was very appreciative.
I then read a little more of Martyn Bedford’s new book, Flip, which I’m enjoying. I read two or three chapters a night.
I may as well point out that today is Cinco de Mayo. It was on Cinco de Mayo that we began filming on The First Nudie Musical some thirty-eight years ago. And it was on Cinco de Mayo when we began filming on The Creature Wasn’t nice six years later. So, Cinco de Mayo always holds a special place in my heart and elbow.
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 shall do a jog and relax until sound check at which time I’ll mosey on over to The Federal. And then it’s the show, after which some of us will go out for a bite to eat, since I only eat the artichoke prior to the show. We’re almost but not quite sold out, thanks to several last-minute cancellations. I will, of course, have a full report for you.
Tomorrow, work begins in earnest with our website conversion – it was supposed to begin last week, but the tech guys had to finish one other job. But this entire week is basically writing liner notes, having meetings and meals, casting the final two performers for the June show, choosing the songs, gathering the music, and seeing a couple of shows.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora and the samba because today is the birthday of our very own wonderful dear reader George. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own wonderful dear reader George. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN WONDERFUL DEAR READER GEORGE!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, relax, do a sound check, do a show, sup, and come home. 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 humming my favorite Newley/Bricusse song, Once In a Lifetime.