Well, dear readers, Kritzerland at Sterling’s number forty-two was a wonderful show any way you look at it. An evening of some of the best movie songs ever written, sung by an amazing cast – Brennley Brown, Emma Degerstedt, Dennis Kyle, Lisa Livesay, John Sloman and Shannon Warne, along with the magical Andrea Marcovicci and the amazing Richard M. Sherman. Our musical director, Shelly Markham did a great job and none of these shows could happen without our co-producer, Adryan Russ. The show was completely sold out, and we had a wonderful audience. This show was about ten minutes longer than our normal shows, but no one seemed to mind and the pace of the show was great. Lots of patter laughs and I was much looser than usual in terms of going off the page and just playing with the audience.
Prior to that, I was up at nine, and out of bed at nine-thirty. I began the day by futzing and finessing the weekend’s writing – that didn’t take all that long because I only wrote about seven or eight pages the entire weekend. Then I wrote around five new pages very quickly, beginning the penultimate chapter of the book – obviously a key chapter in which a lot happens. Then I did some banking, then came right back home, at which point I went on a writing tear, ultimately doing a total of nearly fifteen pages before leaving for sound check. I’m sure there will be some futzing and finessing to do, but I was so happy to do that many pages. One of the reasons I was able to was because for the past week I’ve actually been doing rough versions of certain parts of the chapter – as I would get ideas and think of things while in the shower or in bed, I’d type them into the manuscript. While I smoothed all those things out, there were there and could just be inserted where they belonged, so that made things easier. But when I’m in the end of book mode, I just tend to write in frenzies – I’m thinking I will definitely be finished by Friday, but depending on how much I write tomorrow, I could be finished as soon as Wednesday, which I would love.
When I got home after our late dinner (there were about ten of us that went), I rewrote the last page I’d done and did another two-thirds of a page. This chapter probably has another eight pages to it, then it’s on to the final chapter – so, twenty chapters in all for this book, unless I decide to split the current chapter into two parts.
Today, I’ll be up by nine and probably will only futz and finesse in the morning, because I have to be at the car dealers to have my passenger side mirror replaced. That will take about an hour, and I’ll go have a bite of breakfast while they do it. Then I’ll come directly home and begin writing for the day. I’m really hoping I have another twelve to fifteen page day, but one never knows. Minimally I will finish the chapter I’m on.
Tomorrow is more writing. If I’m not finished, then I will be on Thursday or Friday, but whenever it is, I will then print and Xerox the last batch of pages, which will be over seventy, and then I’ll get them to Muse Margaret and hope she likes them. Friday afternoon I’m going to the big book fair in Pasadena – neighbor Tony Slide is going with me. Saturday I’ll be back at the book fair in the morning, then that evening I’m seeing our show then having a birthday dinner at Ruth Chris steak house for Sami Staitman. Then it’s prepping our next release, whatever it may be, and planning the next Kritzerland show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, get a mirror replaced, write, hopefully pick up some packages, write, and write. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite songs from musicals produced or directed by Harold Prince. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a wonderful, productive day and a stellar Kritzerland at Sterling’s number forty-two.