Well, dear readers, it is late and I must therefore write these notes in a hurry. The reason for the lateness is simple: I buckled down, Winsocki and finished the final two monologues for the one-girl musical and wrote the finale lyrics to the opening song. So, that’s all done now, at least for the time being. I’m sure I’ll futz and finesse as we go, but I’m pretty happy with it so far. While I’m talking about it, we had a full-on music rehearsal yesterday with our musical director Alby Potts. The charts are mostly really good, and as we find things to correct, Alby makes notes and then we’ll send them all the to person who created the charts and they’ll incorporate all the changes. Sami sang through all the songs, we set tempos on the metronome, and Alby plays like a dream and I think Sami is already comfortable with him, which is very important. He will be a stickler about the notes and rhythms, though. I’m so glad that part is off my shoulders, because now I can just watch and direct and get the performances of the songs right. It was a fun session and now the real work begins.
Prior to that, it was another day of one e-mail after another – we’re still trying to get Petula here but the only way it can happen is if we either get the flight paid for or the hotel comped – otherwise they just can’t afford to do it. It would be a real shame, but it will be what it will be. Otherwise, I got about six hours of sleep, answered one e-mail after another, had some chicken tenders for my meal o’ the day, picked up some packages, did some banking and revised the ALS script. Then Sami, mom, and Alby came and we did that. Once that was done, I went to Gelson’s and got a really small thing of mac-and-cheese, a small thing of rice and peas, and some super Chinese slaw for my snack. Then I came home and sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Big Eyes, starring Miss Amy Adams and Mr. Christoph Waltz. It’s the story of Margaret and Walter Keane. She created the phenomenon of the Big Eyes waif paintings that were a real craze back in the day. Then husband Walter took credit for them, while keeping her in the background. The real-life Walter never admitted to having lied, but there was never any evidence that he even had the ability to paint, and in the famous court case, the judge made them both paint in court – she of course did one of her classic paintings in ninety minutes, while he just sat there and complained that his shoulder was sore. In the end, she won the case and everyone pretty much knew the story. I found the film really excellent. I know there were many who didn’t think it was excellent or even good, but I just enjoyed it a lot. First of all, Amy Adams is just one of the best actors working today. She’s simply the real deal. Her co-star is all over the map in this – it’s a really larger-than-life performance, sometimes veering into vaudeville territory. But I enjoyed him nonetheless, even though the real Walter Keane was American as apple pie and Mr. Waltz can in no way disguise his slight accent or the cadences it produces. The supporting cast is excellent. I’m not such a fan of Tim Burton, but I really liked his work here. For me, one of the best films of 2014. Transfer and sound are exemplary.
Then I did the two hours of writing to finish the show, made a PDF of it, and sent it along to Sami’s mom so she can print it and so Sami can transfer all her notes to this new version – also, several of the monologues have little changes in them, so she’ll have to read through them carefully.
Today, it will be an all ALS day, I’m sure. There will be the usual e-mails, adjustments of the working draft, one rehearsal, plus we’re now fully cast on the Kritzerland show so I need to get our final gal her music, which I’ll do when I arise this morning. Then that’s one less thing to worry about, although I do have to make a show order and start writing the commentary.
The rest of the week is more of the same – Sami rehearsals, ALS rehearsals, and hunkering down for the final countdown to Monday and that hugely long day of tech and sound check and then show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, answer e-mails, do adjustments, eat, rehearse, hopefully pick up packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have finally finished the one-girl musical.