Well, dear readers, this week has flown by, like a gazelle wearing yellow rubber galoshes. Does anyone still wear yellow rubber galoshes? They were all the rage when I was a mere sprig of a twig of a tad of a lad of a youth. I had my very own pair of yellow rubber galoshes because believe it or not it actually used to rain in Los Angeles. I feel the yellow rubber galoshes are poised to make a comeback. I feel the world is ready again for yellow rubber galoshes and the first person to bring them back will reap the rewards. I’d like to reap some damn rewards right about now. I am ready to reap some damn rewards so why doesn’t someone send some damn rewards for me to damn well reap and damn well soon, damn it all, damn, damn, double damn. Why am I talking about yellow rubber galoshes when it’s eighty damn degrees in Los Angeles? Don’t I have some notes to write? And shouldn’t I be writing them? I should and I shall and I am.
Yesterday was a fine little day as fine little days go. I was up at eight-thirty after about seven hours of sleep. I then went to rehearsal. We continued where we’d left off the day before, running scenes, cleaning blocking, and finding moments. As we began act two, we finally began finding the energy level necessary to follow a big number, and that was fun. We made it most of the way through act two. Then we had a two-hour music rehearsal, with our new musical director, Alby Potts, who I just really like a lot. We set all the beginnings of songs – where those cues come within dialogue and such. After that, I had to see a bunch of costume choices. Then I saw some of the lighting design my lighting guy is working on – he’s really terrific and I’m really glad we have him and I’d work with him anytime. So, I didn’t really get out of there until five-thirty or so. The only thing I’d eaten by that point was a homemade scone – Adryan Russ made them and brought them for our cast and crew, which was lovely. She’s so wanting to see what we’re up to, but I just think it’s not productive for her to see anything until the actors are comfortably off book and somewhat secure in their lines, which hasn’t quite happened yet. She did see the opening of act two and seemed to like it a lot.
I went and had a cup of soup and a chili, cheese and onion omelet and an English muffin for dinner, and then I came home, fairly exhausted. I answered e-mails, didn’t return phone calls (I wish I could but I just don’t have the energy for it after a long day), did have a couple of show-related telephonic calls and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished watching a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled The Purple Rose of Cairo, written and directed by Woody Allen. Watching it again, I find I feel about it as I pretty much always have. I basically think it’s a wonderful movie, but one that doesn’t quite pull off its central hat trick, and one that has a little too much repetition in the Mia Farrow/Danny Aiello scenes. But the basic ideas and feel of the film (it’s got a bit of Sherlock Jr. in it, and a little White Sheik, too) are wonderful, and the cast, especially the cast of the film within the film is great. But the movie belongs to Mia Farrow and it may be her finest work. She is heartbreaking, funny, beautiful and the film’s final shot is magical, moving, and marvelous, right up there with the final shot of City Lights. The transfer on the Twilight Time disc is not of new vintage, but it looks pretty much like the other Woody Allen films they’ve released, which is excellent. Even with its minor flaws, this is highly recommended by the likes of me. Oh, and special attention given to Dick Hyman’s original score – it’s one of only four Allen films with original music (Take the Money and Run, Bananas, and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex are the others).
After that, I did some work on the computer. Since Grant Geissman can’t start on the book design for another week or so (which is when I’d finally have time to), I decided to have one more person proof it. We also got an absolute love letter of a review for Sandy Bainum’s It Might Be Fun album from Cabaret Scenes. I posted the link in last night’s posts, so check it out.
Today, we have a rehearsal, of course. Some communication got screwed up somewhere, and so I won’t be able to do what I wanted, which was a complete run-through. We might be able to get close – we’ll see. But I only have the complete cast for two-and-a-half hours. Ridiculous, but what are you going to do? When we lose two of our cast, then I’ll just work stuff with the other actors, as we can. This is the huge problem with this piece, of course – it’s six women who are ALWAYS onstage together for every single scene. Then we immediately start our paper tech and that will go well into the evening. I’ve already arranged for dinner to be Dino’s Pizza, so that will be good.
Tomorrow, we begin our long, long weekend. Because I’m losing time today, I will absolutely keep them an extra hour beyond what I was planning. We can do up to ten hours, and I’ll now probably do nine, although that will include an hour meal break. Frankly, I wouldn’t even mind doing three run-throughs if we could squeeze it in. Sunday is the same deal and then finally on Monday we all get a day off before the big push to opening.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, rehearse and paper tech. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start – NOTHING until Monday. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, fondly remembering my very own pair of yellow rubber galoshes.