Well, dear readers, I have finally finished my proofing of the new book. I ran all the stuff by Muse Margaret, then I had to enter the last 150 pages’ worth of fixes into the manuscript and that part of the process is done. I sent the book off via e-mail to two of the proofers (the third gets it via hard copy) and I also sent it off to one of the people who’ll do a blurb for it (the other gets it via hard copy). I smoothed out quite a few things, dropped occasional words, rewrote a few little things that didn’t feel right, and I’m very pleased with everything now. And REALLY pleased I’m done with the major stuff.
Otherwise, I had a pleasantly pleasant day. I was up much earlier than planned, at around eight-fifteen. I proofed, then got ready to go judge a singing contest at The Federal. I arrived there at eleven-fifteen.
I was a judge at the very first one of these Michael Sterling contests, and I’ve judged for the last three years. I only knew one of my fellow judges, director/choreographer Dan Mojica. The two I didn’t know were both casting directors. There were a lot of talented folks this year. Michael Sterling had asked the four judges to please keep their comments to thirty seconds. I was thrilled to hear this because in past years it’s been excruciating listening to some fellow judges pontificate ad nauseum about extraneous things like clothes and resumes – sorry, fellow judges who did that – not about you, and certainly not about clothes and resumes. And I already knew it had happened more than once in this year’s contest because when we came in to do our sound check for the New Kids in Town Kritzerland show, the contest had run almost an hour late thanks to the pontificating about extraneous things. If you can’t say what you have to say succinctly and on point, then you should not be judging these contests, because it does no one any good. We four, however, all kept our comments to thirty seconds and therefore those comments were focused, to the point, and short. It did help that we agreed with each other in terms of our critiques.
This session, the singers were asked to sing a song by “S” composers – Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Sondheim, Marc Shaiman, and the Sherman Brothers. I know – arbitrary. Certainly I would have had Jule Styne rather than one of the names on the list, but that’s just me. Only one person sang a Sherman Brothers song. Most sang Sondheim, a couple sang Shaiman stuff from Smash – I could not believe how much I did not care for those songs. I think he’s done some really fine work, especially in film scoring, but the Smash songs I heard just didn’t do it for me, and certainly Fly, Fly Away didn’t do it for me when I saw the show from whence it came, nor did it do it for me yesterday. But that’s just me. I go back next week to judge the finals – thankfully we don’t have to speak.
After that was done, I came right home and finished proofing, had the telephonic conversation with Muse Margaret, and then entered all the fixes. After that, I went and had a ham and Swiss on rye with no fries or onion rings, then I came back home.
I watched a bit of a motion picture on Blu and Ray called The Titfield Thunderbolt, an Ealing comedy I’ve never seen. So far it’s very enjoyable. I’ll probably finish it this evening. After that, I just relaxed.
Today, I shall print several copies of the manuscript, I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll get our new release ready to announce (I’ll open it up for pre-orders here this morning, as we won’t really announce until Wednesday morning), I’ll write some liner notes, I’ll try to finish choosing the songs for the Kritzerland show and we hopefully will cast the remaining three performers, then I’m seeing a candidate for the role of Abner Yokum. Then I’ll finish The Titfield Thunderbolt.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals, seeing our show on Thursday night and maybe on Saturday night, and mostly finishing liner notes and relaxing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, print copies of the manuscript, eat, hopefully pick up packages, prep our new release announcement, write, choose songs and cast members, and audition a candidate for Abner Yokum. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite songs from the musicals produced or directed by Harold Prince? KIDDING. What was your most memorable Valentine’s Day? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be done with phase two of the new book.