Well, dear readers, Kritzerland at Sterling’s 38 is over and I’m happy to say it was a great show. The audience was one of the most responsive we’ve ever had and for many of them a lot of the Maltby and Shire songs were first hearings. There were no flubs at all, a real rarity in our shows and the cast was just fantastic straight down the line. I have to call them out once again – Heather Barr (aka The Helper), Will Collyer, Heather Lee, Ashley Fox Linton, John Sloman and Shannon Warne, each delivering exemplary performances. And Terri White, as I knew she would, tore the roof off the jernt. There were so many highlights in the show and there wasn’t a number that didn’t land perfectly. John Boswell is a great musical director and he even got to sing twice, which was really fun for the audience. It was a full house, despite the fact that at least twenty reservations never showed, nor did they bother to call to say they weren’t coming. I find that so weird, but we made up for them with the walk-ins and add-ons. Cousins Alan and Dee Dee were there with neighbors Tony Slide and Bob Gitt – also at their table was occasional dear reader VinTek and his lovely wife. Not in evidence were dear readers Amy and Mark – too bad, a great show was missed. At my table were Jenna Rosen and her mom, Sami and Sarah Staitman and their mom, and Adryan Russ and her ever-lovin’ Dale Cooke. At the table next to us we had a bunch of nice folks, including eight-year-old Hadley Miller – she’s so adorable and played the youngest Darling child in the recent tour of Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby (both Darling boys were played by darling girls). Also in attendance, director David Galligan and Mary Jo Catlett, former helper Amy Ennis and family, former Dancing Dildo Artie Shafer, many agents from The Gage Group, and lots of other fun folks, including our very own Robert Yacko. I had my usual artichoke before the show. I have to say, the patter last night had some of the biggest laughs we’ve ever gotten and yes I went to the David Shire coprophilia place and the jokes all got laughs save for the people who couldn’t believe I was doing coprophilia jokes. Of course, I said blame David Shire, not me. I love responsive audiences like we had last night – I thrive on it, actually, and feel much freer to veer away from the patter script, which I did several times last night. Guy Haines was a no-show so I sang the song that introduced him to the world – Her Laughter in My Life. All in all, just a wonderful evening in every way.
After the show, all the kids had to get home (due to our starting one hour later than usual) so instead of going to Little Toni’s, five of us went downstairs and I finally ate dinner and way too damn much of it – three teeny-tiny chicken sliders and an order of mac-and-cheese. I feel like I’m going to burst right now.
Prior to all that, I think I’d gotten about three hours of sleep – just too much stuff going on in the old brain right now – songs, Outside the Box, projects, and the new book, all vying for their time in my thoughts. Once up, I didn’t do much at all. I did a three-mile jog, planked and did forty sit-ups, I picked up a couple of packages, I had a short visit with Mr. Nick Redman, who dropped off the new Twilight Time blu and ray entitled The Other, which I plan on watching this very evening. Otherwise, I just relaxed, did a little writing and then moseyed on over to the Federal for sound check and show.
Today, I shall try to take it easy – work on some liner notes, jog, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, finish a bit of music for the two upcoming shoots of Outside the Box, and hopefully hear about this project that may or may not be happening immediately. Perhaps if we have some excellent vibes and xylophones it will get the green light.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals, hopefully getting package approvals on two titles, meeting with the gal who I hope will complete our recording cast of And The World Goes Round, and seeing a couple of shows.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, eat, write, hopefully pick up some packages and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What books have you read recently that you would recommend highly, and what books would you say stay away from? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that Kritzerland 38 went so very well.