Well, dear readers, Kritzerland at Sterling’s 70 and our six year anniversary show could not have gone better. We were completely sold out, the audience was just great (we get the best of the best audiences – none of that stupid whooping and hollering for any little thing – respectful, attentive, vocal in the best way in terms of laughs and then applause, and just an old-fashioned great bunch), and, for me, our cast was simply flawless. Marc Ginsburg was a first-timer and he was just great – I have real difficulty finding male performers I like – I’m VERY picky – but he’s everything I like. A real musical theatre voice, not like today, but classic, and a really strong presence. He’ll be back, I can assure you. Ilene Graff recreating two numbers she sang on Broadway was just great and her hubby Ben Lanzarone is a superb pianist – wonderful. Sharon McNight, first in the Whatever Happened to Baby Jane duet, where she hilariously channeled Bette Davis), and then her beyond fierce rendition of Some People – she’s unique, no one like her, and I just love her. Reagan Pasternak – as has happened at all three ALS benefits, the audience just adored her – there’s something really special about her and she just glows. Jenna Lea Rosen, opening the show with such good energy and she sounded great and socked that number to the rafters, and then her duet with Sami of Anything You Can Do, for which I wrote some special revised lyrics, brought the house down. I wanted to do the number for one gag and I’m here to tell you that gag got such a huge laugh – my favorite kind – the audience just was not expecting what we did. I’m not telling what it is but I will post the video and then I can assure you that that gag will be ripped off hundreds of times. Mark my words. That duet was an instant Kritzerland classic. Nick Santa Maria, another first-timer – just did a great job and the audience loved him. He’s very funny, but he also has a very sweet side that’s really lovely. Hayley Shukiar – well, ten about to turn eleven years old – we’ve had her in one other show and couldn’t wait to bring her back, and I knew exactly what I wanted her to do in this show and boy did she do it – she was incredible, and then when Sharon McNight came on as Bette Davis she stood there and held her own, which, if you know Sharon, is not easy. Sami Staitman, for me, had the hardest number in the show – I had real doubts about letting her do it, but she really wanted to so I said okay. The opening number from A Broadway Love Story that hits so many emotional beats – I adjusted about six words for her so it would make more sense for a sixteen-year-old – but I gave her direction and she took it, understood it, and delivered a really powerful performance that I could not have been more proud of. I did the arrangement for that crazy brilliant freak voice of Christiane Noll, but Sami just delivered it flawlessly. And finally our beloved Richard Sherman doing a slightly naughty number from his Broadway musical, Over Here, brought down the house. Guy Haines was a no-show, so I filled in for him. I had a great time doing two numbers in this show – The Maladjusted Jester and That’s All. And for the entire cast, there was nary a lyric flub. Richard Allen was great at the piano, and one simply could not even fathom doing these shows without a co-producer like Doug Haverty. Here’s our merry troupe. Left to right: Reagan Pasternak, Doug Haverty (kneeling), Jenna Lea Rosen, Hayley Shukiar, Sharon McNight, li’l ol’ me lurking in the back and I can finally see the loss of twenty-two pounds), Sami Staitman, Richard Sherman, Richard Allen, Nick Santa Maria, Ilene Graff, Marc Ginsburg, and Ben Lanzarone.
Here’s Jenna, Haley, and Sami.
And the ubiquitous Sami and ME photo.
After the show, so many wonderful comments from so many people. Our very own Amy and Mark were there, neighbors Tony Slide and Bob Gitt, Grant Geissman couldn’t be with us, but wife Lydia and Grant’s mom were, Adryan Russ and Shelly Markham, a few of Sami’s friends, and lots of others. It was just a great night.
After, some of us went to Little Toni’s – I had a salad and a sandwich, so not so many calories. We were there quite a while, then I came home.
Prior to all that, I think I got ten hours of sleep. I was congested, but I relaxed, then did a two-and-a-half mile jog that pretty much got me uncongested, so that was good. Then I relaxed until it was time to mosey on over to The Federal for sound check and show. Of course I had my beloved artichoke prior to the show.
Today, I’ll hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep, then I’ll relax until it’s time to go do this birthday concert thing. Two of these back-to-back is a little nutty, but hopefully I’ll have some energy. The concert itself is at seven and will probably run thirty minutes or so, then I’ll beat it out of there pretty quickly.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals and going and doing and doing and going and casting the next Kritzerland show, which is just one short month from now.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, relax, do a jog, relax, and do a birthday concert. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Labor Day – what was the most unpleasant labor you’ve ever had to do? And what was the most pleasant? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a wonderful Kritzerland at Sterling’s 70 anniversary show.