Well, dear readers, it is late and therefore I must write these here notes in a hurry because I must be up early so I can get ready and attend a screening at Disney studios. The reason for the lateness of the hour is because I began adjusting some of the Sami show – nothing major because as I read through it I just really like it the way it is. I like the structure and the feel, what it says and how it says it. I added a little bit to the opening of the show, just to clarify who’s talking and to also clarify in a not heavy-handed way, what kind of evening it’s going to be. There were several people who felt that needed to be set up at the top so people aren’t expecting a plot or that kind of show, but also to make sure we aren’t coming across as a cabaret kind of evening. I’d already made certain changes in the rehearsal process, so I inserted those, and changed some words and lines to make them less awkward for Sami, added a few things here and there to make transitions smoother, moved some lines around in one monologue to make what’s being said a little clearer, but no major additions or deletions. The set up to the song Let Me Sing wasn’t really working for me, so I made some adjustments to the very top of it, which I already know works a lot better. So, we’ll read through these little changes next week, and if we all like them, then any changes after that will come during our three weeks of rehearsals, where I can really see how things will play, how the set will work, how lighting transitions will work, etc.
Yesterday was a perfectly okay day. I got eight hours of sleep, got up, answered a slew of e-mails and had a telephonic conversation, then decided to mosey on over to a place called Uncle Bernie’s, a deli in Encino. I’d eaten there once before with Barry Pearl and had wanted to go back. But the reality is it’s just okay. The pastrami isn’t a patch on the butt cheeks of Langer’s or even Nate ‘n’ Al’s and their Russian dressing is nothing to write home about. It was an okay sky high sandwich but they really do pile on the meat, unlike Langer’s version of the sandwich, which isn’t quite so sky high. I will say their potato salad is very good and their kishka isn’t bad, but I don’t care for their gravy that comes with it. I was way too stuffed and that was even leaving half the kishka. After that, I picked up a couple of packages, then came home.
Once home, I did some work on the computer and then it was time for our second Kritzerland rehearsal. This is a wonderful cast of players and everyone’s pretty secure on their songs. We had one more gal who couldn’t be with us at Tuesday’s rehearsal – Tory Stolper. She’s the talented young lady who won the Sterling’s Next Great Stage Star contest this year. She’s really excellent and she’d doing her three numbers wonderfully. The first is Walk Away from How Now, Dow Jones, the second is a put-together or Hot Stuff (from the Fancy Free ballet) and the song from On the Waterfront. Few know that the On the Waterfront theme had lyrics added – I don’t know that it’s ever been performed, actually – the lyrics are by John Latouche. Finally, she belted out Beyond My Wildest Dreams from Merlin. After rehearsal, I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched the first ninety minutes of Far From the Madding Crowd, the original version starring Miss Julie Christie, Mr. Alan Bates, Mr. Peter Finch, and Mr. Terence Stamp, directed by John Schlesinger, from a screenplay by Frederic Raphael. I’ve always liked the film – I saw it several times during its roadshow engagement in a 70mm blow-up at the Wilshire Theater. The photography by Nicholas Roeg was and is stunning, as is the gorgeous score by Richard Rodney Bennett. The film came out on Blu-ray a couple of months ago via Warner Archive. I got it and had to shut it off. I was not happy at ALL with the image quality, which was clearly off some element that was generations away from the camera negative, and the sound was tinny and ugly and made hash of Mr. Bennett’s score. But I knew there was another version coming from the UK that was a 4K restoration from the original camera negative, supervised by Mr. Roeg himself. So, that’s what I watched last night – right up to the intermission. And it is a stunner – one of the best transfers I’ve ever seen. Everything about it is perfection – the color, the contrast, the look of it – just spectacular. And the sound is glorious. If you have a multi-region player, I give this my highest recommendation. I cannot wait to finish it this very evening.
After that, I began doing the little finessing and futzing on the Sami show whilst eating a few Saltines.
Today, I’m seeing a screening of the new Pixar movie, Inside Out (not to be confused with the musical I recently directed). I pretty much love almost all Pixar movies so I’m really looking forward to this one. And I so rarely see these movies with an audience that that will be fun in itself. After that, I’ll probably eat some lunch, then I’ll hopefully pick up packages, then Tory Stolper is coming back for her second rehearsal.
Tomorrow, I go and finesse the mix on the David Wechter song, and then he and I will go find something amusing to eat somewhere. Frankly, if he was up for Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles I should think that would be amusing. Then I’ll relax. Sunday is our stumble-through and then our annual Tony Awards Bash right here at haineshisway.com. No better or more fun place to be than right here – be there or be round. Then Monday is our show. We’re finally starting to get some reservations, but we really need another twenty or thirty people and hopefully that will happen between now and then.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, see a screening, eat, hopefully pick up packages, have a rehearsal, and relax. 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 – CD, the new expanded Return to Oz. Blu and Ray, Far From the Madding Crowd and then I have this stage version of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg to watch. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and try to forget the oh so so-so pastrami.