Well, dear readers, the second Kritzerland rehearsal went very well and was smooth and trouble-free. We mainly adjusted tempos (I’m VERY picky), some segues from one song to the next (I’m VERY picky), and made sure I was hearing the right chords a few times (I’m VERY picky). We did some handography for the duet with Sami, and we were always on schedule and finished at five-thirty just as we should. We also added another guest star to the show, this one not a mystery – Mr. Richard M. Sherman, who’ll be singing a song from a film I loved when I was a kid – The Parent Trap. It’s the only time we veer away from show tunes, but I thought it was appropriate and Richard, who was coming to the show anyway, is happy to do it. So, that part of the day was very pleasant.
Actually, I never saw the morning because I fell asleep at two and slept until noon, which I really needed. I believe that was thanks to a dose of NyQuil. I feel so weird but I’m not the only one – we all think it’s just allergies as the weather keeps changing. So, send some excellent vibes and xylophones that I remain healthy and in strong voice. I’m taking all my usual precautions – Sambucol, Coldeez, Claritin-D, but I’m out of Airborne and will buy some tomorrow. Last time we did a Costco run we got enough stuff to last until the return of the real helper, but with her new trip back home it’s another two weeks at least, so there will have to be a Costco trip with the interim helper – no way around it. I got an impromptu invite to lunch with little Hadley Miller and her dad, so I met them at one and had a turkey sandwich. It was fun.
Then I came home and we had our rehearsal. After it, I went to Gelson’s and got a few drumettes and some melon balls for my evening snack, came home and sat on my couch like so much fish and ate them all up, whilst watching a documentary on the Flix of Net.
Last night, I watched a documentary on the Flix of Net entitled An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story, yet another tale of a man accused of murdering his wife railroaded by a prosecution who did not turn over evidence that would have pretty much lost them the case. I mean, they did not turn over evidence. What kind of people are these – so power hungry to win a conviction that they break the damn law? They ARE the damn law and every one of these people should be fired and put in jail for as long as the person they railroaded. What is most infuriating about this documentary is that it is not an isolated case – it happens with shocking frequency. How can you trust that justice will be served when those who are prosecuting resort to withholding exculpatory evidence from the defense? You can’t. And what if Mr. Morton had received the death penalty. He would be dead is what. He was in jail for twenty-five years. Thankfully, he had a legal team who believed him and believe in him, and thankfully the amazing group of lawyers known as The Innocence Project got involved along with an equally amazing lawyer named John Raley. They never gave up and it’s thanks to their belief and hard work that things, in this case, came out right, thanks to DNA testing. And the prosecutor – he was cited for contempt, refused to admit any wrongdoing because he “couldn’t remember” and was unseated from being a judge, sentenced to serve ten days in jail (of which he served five), fined $500 and had to do 500 hours of community service or whatever they call that. There is now a new law that forces prosecutors to turn over all evidence without the need for a court order. When I say this is not an isolated case, in the last two decades over 2,000 convictions have been overturned due to this very same thing, the withholding of evidence from the defense or other such specious goings on from prosecutors. Unfortunately for some innocent people, they were executed before the attorney’s got the proof they needed. There is something so fundamentally askew in our justice system and in every part of it – where the wealthy can win lawsuits because they have the money to out wait and out last those who are being sued by them, mostly in frivolous lawsuits – and so many other instances of that kind of thing. Anyone could be arrested tomorrow for a crime they didn’t commit, and if this kind of hanky-panky went on, could probably be found guilty. Several members of the Michael Morton jury were shocked and dismayed that they hadn’t heard key evidence. They found him guilty thanks to the lies and histrionics of the prosecution. I really recommend this documentary – it’s done very simply and people just tell their stories and thankfully the director is not a show off and just puts the camera down and films the people. He doesn’t think he’s making a thriller and he’s not trying to get a feature deal, which is the problem I see with a lot of documentaries. Check it out – it will make you yell at your TV, but it’s something that should be watched.
After that, I pilled up, relaxed and that was that.
Today, I’ll relax and get ready for the musical theater workshop I’m doing at LACC. That will last from three to seven. I may have a snack before, but I don’t really want to eat until after – and then I may have to do an Astro Burger. We shall see.
Tomorrow, I’m getting coifed by Teddy in the morning, then I’ll do stuff until it’s time to go see Damn Yankees’ opening night. Saturday is our stumble-through and then food, Sunday we have sound check and show and Monday I’m taking off completely. We have no November show, which is a good thing because I really could not do another show two weeks later. It’s not a full month off, but I’ll start casting the holiday show next week.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, relax and then do a musical theater workshop at LACC, after which I will eat a nice little meal. Today’s topic of discussion: What do you all think of our judicial system – what do dislike, what would you improve, and what do you think works? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall only have pleasantly pleasant dreams (I’m VERY picky).