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March 25, 2016:

SHOW OFF YOUR BODY

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I just got an e-mail titled “Show off your body.” I used to enjoy writing myself roles wherein I had my shirt off or my pants off (as long as I had boxer shorts on – funny boxer shorts always best). I’m not sure I ever wrote a show in which I appeared where I didn’t take off my outer garments. That is because in those days I weighed 137 pounds. When you’re young, being that weight (which is very low for my height) is okay because, well, you’re young. If I tried to be that weight now I would look horrid. That said, as long as I am at my current weight I shall not be showing off my body despite the e-mail that is imploring that I do. Even if I lost forty pounds I would not show off my body, but I’d show off nicer clothes. Will I ever again be able to lose thirty or forty pounds – I’m beginning to think not. I have done everything I know how to do – jogging regularly, eating nothing but calorie-free salads, or reasonable meals, and while I’m sure I’ve lost a few pounds, it’s just terribly difficult. What the HELL am I talking about? Isn’t it Friday already? Don’t I have some damn notes to write? I do, but I’m currently showing off my body.

Yesterday was a day in which I did not show off my body because I hadn’t gotten that e-mail yet. I only got about seven hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails, had a telephonic call, and then John Boswell arrived and we went through the songs we had to go through. I was very happy when he laughed throughout a silly little three-song put-together I did – so I think that will work really well. I just got another e-mail that told me I can get my teacher certification. Is that before or after I show off my body?

The Boswell session was short and fun, and then I moseyed on over to LACC to meet our sound designer, Alex. He’s a young fellow, but smart and a very nice guy. We couldn’t actually get into the theater because at the last minute they moved what was in the big theater into our theater. But he was able to see the equipment they have and the speakers, so he can now put our sound package together. He’ll also be engineering the run of the show. After that was done, I hurried home to beat the traffic, but there’s no beating traffic anymore. Going to LACC there was horrible traffic – at twelve-fifteen. Who ARE these people? And coming home at one-thirty – same thing. Once back in the Valley I picked up a package, then went and had a cup of soup and a sandwich, both of which were very lovely. Then I came home. I finished writing the commentary, and then I did a ninety-minute phone interview about Nudie Musical for some radio show. The fellow was very nice and asked good questions and I revealed a couple of things I’ve never revealed before.

After that I went to Von’s rather than Gelson’s and got some snacks for the evening. It was too late to watch anything, so instead I spoke to Lanny, heard his latest two orchestrations, which were wonderful, and he’s actually in very good shape with almost half the score done. Then I made the decision (at least for now) to open act two with Born Too Late and to move what was opening the act a bit later, where it actually helps and will work much better. Then I wrote two song set-ups – I’m trying not to overdo that, but in act one there were three songs in a row with no spoken set-ups, and I felt the third of them, which was C.C. Brown’s could use something short. So, I did a little history of the place – very short – four lines and I think that helps. If not, those things are easy to either rewrite or cut altogether as the show starts to take shape on its feet and I see how the flow is working.

Other than that, I had a few other telephonic calls and ate a couple of little snack thingees.

Today, I shall continue working on the LA show – seeing if I want any other song set-ups, and maybe even reading and playing through it myself. We shall see. I’ll eat, hopefully pick up some packages (books should be here), and then I’ll relax.

Tomorrow is more of the same – if the books have arrived, I’ll drive a few out to Mystery and Imagination Bookshop so they have them. Then I’m supping with Doug Haverty and Adryan Russ, then we’re all seeing the Glendale Center Theater production of My Fair Lady. Sunday, I’ll just relax and do a little work on the LA show and see if I need to revise any of the commentary. Then we begin our busy Kritzerland rehearsal week – this time rehearsals are on Tuesday and Thursday, then our stumble-through on Saturday, and sound check and show on Sunday.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, work on the LA show, eat, hopefully pick up packages, 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, upcoming Kritzerland stuff. Blu-ray, a foreign film called Sophie Scholl. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall show off my body in my dreams.

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