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May 6, 2014:

TAKEN ABACK

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, there was a little occurrence yesterday that was so sick and twisted that it took even li’l ol’ me aback.  In the end, what happened will work in my favor, but boy I was just shocked by the occurrence, as were the people who it involved and who reported it to me.  But you know what – I’m just gonna stay positive and do what I do and that’s that.  And what I’m doing is a production of Li’l Abner that is causing me much joy overall.  We had our designer run-through yesterday and while there are obviously things to address, to tighten, to make smooth, the fact is it was pretty amazing, since we’d never actually had any kind of run-through before.  Act one ran an hour and nineteen minutes, which is nine minutes longer than I want, but that’s pretty amazing in itself because once we tighten the pace it will run an hour-ten easily.  The second act ran just under fifty minutes and that was with a couple of brief stops, so the whole show, even rough, ran exactly two hours, which is exactly what I want it to run.  Anyone who’s ever done Li’l Abner knows that it has never run under two-and-a-half hours, frequently more.  So, I was very proud of everyone and especially the students – I get very moved when I see things click with them and see performances growing.  And we had great news that the horrid, beat-up upright piano we’ve been using is done after this week.  We’re getting a proper upright, for free, and that will make things so much better.  I took lots of mental notes about things that need adjusting or a couple of bits I want to rethink, but mostly the flow of the show felt kind of terrific.

Prior to that, I’d gotten up way too early.  Eventually, I fell back asleep for a couple of hours, so somewhere in there I got about six hours of sleep.  I went and had a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich and some fries, picked up some packages, did some banking, and then went to rehearsal.

After, I got the call about the little occurrence and had all that to think about and then I had a long conversation with someone and then I was calm and collected as well as collected and calm.

Today, I had to cancel a teeth-cleaning appointment, as I have no time for that until after Abner is closed.  I’ll eat, write liner notes, hopefully pick up some packages, and then mosey on down for our rehearsal – Kay Cole is back with us and we’ll run all the numbers for her and she’ll probably do some clean up on them – or not.  We’ll see how she likes everything.  I may or may not have a meeting with the LACC Foundation about our Sherman Brothers evening, plus some other business.

The rest of the week is meetings, meals and rehearsals.  We’re even going to do a four-hour rehearsal on Saturday. I think I’m attending the STAGE benefit on Saturday night, and I have an opening night invite for the Pasadena Playhouse on Sunday.  I’ll also be getting singers their music for the June Kritzerland show.

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 or the tap tap Tapioca, because today is the birthday of the errant and truant dear reader Danise.  So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to the errant and truant dear reader Danise.  On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO THE ERRANT AND TRUANT DEAR READER DANISE!!!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, hopefully pick up packages, maybe have a meeting, and then have our rehearsal.  Today’s topic of discussion: If you had to pick a song that was your personal anthem, what would it be?  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I will hopefully wake up to a day that will not take me aback.

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