Well, dear readers, and so it beginneth. Yes, you heardeth it hereth, dear readers, so it beginneth, the week of the crazy busy. But before it beginneth may I just point out that somehow this is the final day of October and not only that, it’s Halloween. And then tomorrow is a whole new month, November, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that November will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.
Yesterday, after eight hours of sleep, I took some steps to alleviate some of the stress I felt could come later in the week. I took some steps from the bedroom, which got me to the computer in the kitchen, and once seated I found an assistant to assist me with our first three Brain rehearsals. Adam Cates, our New York choreographer, found me a dancer gal out here who had the time to do it, and she will now watch all the group numbers, make notes, and help me restage those – that includes the opening number, Saucers in the Sky, Now (the act one finale), the act two open, All About Men, and the finale and bows. Adam’s choreography was much more complicated than my original staging of all those numbers, so we’re doing mine as it will go much faster and be much easier on the cast. We’re going to try and do a combo platter of mine and Adam’s All About Men – his dance break choreography for sure, the rest will probably be mine. So, that was a big load off.
Then Cheryl Baxter and I texted back and forth about the tap number, which she then taught to our ensemble later in the afternoon. She seemed very happy with what she did, and if she’s happy, I’m happy. It was gray out and a bit drizzly so I decided not to chance doing a jog – I needed a day off anyway. All the while, I was listening to lots of music, specifically a marvelous English composer named Ruth Gipps – every time I discover a female composer I’m so grateful because all the ones I’ve discovered have been as amazing as the male composers I love. Classical music of the twentieth century was pretty much a male world, which was a real shame, since some of these women are simply brilliant and Ruth Gipps is one of those. There’s not much on CD, but I found out how to convert You Tube videos into mp3s and three of her unrecorded symphonies were on You Tube taken from radio broadcasts. They are masterful and really terrific. And then I heard more Japanese composers, several really good ones like Fumio Hayasaka, who was also a film composer and wrote the great scores to Kurosawa’s Rashomon and Seven Samurai. His music is just great, and then I had a CD of music by Koichi Kishi and boy is he great. There’s not much information about him, but from what there is I gather he was a child prodigy who wrote most of his major compositions by the time he was twenty-five. He died at twenty-seven from some sort of illness. His music is fascinating as it’s clearly trying to bring the nineteenth century into the then-modern 1930s, so the music is really forward thinking at times and really traditional at times. His violin concerto is filled with gorgeous melodies.
Then it was time to get ready, which I did, then I moseyed on over to the Eclectic Café to have an Eclectic meal. I ordered a small Caesar and then their risotto with chicken and asparagus. It was all yummilicious. As I was finishing, Kay Cole, her ever-lovin’ Michael Lamont, and two friends of theirs came in, so we yakked for a bit. Then I took a walk around the neighborhood, then went to the theater to see a show by an old and really nice school chum of mine from over fifty years ago. It was a one-woman show, or a parody thereof. This is, I believe, its first production and I’m sure they’re working out the kinks as they go along (it plays six weeks, but Sundays only). For me, I found a lot of it enjoyable, but there are things that could easily go and it might work better in one act. The actress is very good and funny. My friend and I, I’m sure, will converse about it.
Coming out of the theater I could see it had rained. It’s been drizzling every now and then, but I must tell you I haven’t actually seen a drop of rain – it happens when I’m asleep or inside where I don’t know what’s going on outside. I came home, had a lot of e-mails to answer, listened to more music, had some textual coversations, and then it was time to write these here notes.
Today and this entire week I need your strongest most excellent vibes and xylophones for no irritants and no distractions from the many tasks at hand. I have some banking to do in the morning, then I’ll eat, jog, do Brain work (have to figure out all the sound effects we need, have to record all the voiceovers, and get all that to our sound person), hopefully pick up some packages, and then I will be handing out a LOT of candy to a lot of trick or treaters, which I always enjoy doing.
Tomorrow we have our first Kritzerland rehearsal, which I’m looking forward to. Wednesday is our second Kritzerland rehearsal, Thursday two Kritzerlanders have to come in the morning since they can’t be with us on Wednesday, then at four we have the first Brain rehearsal. I plan to try and block the entirety of act one in our four hours. If the cast has done as I asked, they’ll all be familiar with the blocking from the videos, so hopefully we’ll move along quickly and get it all done. Friday is our second Brain rehearsals, Saturday is our third Brain rehearsal followed by our Kritzerland stumble-through and let me tell you I will be ready for a nice, relaxing meal after that. Then Sunday is our sound check and show, and then comes the big, long Monday, with sound load in in the morning, a band rehearsal as that’s going on, then the cast arrives at one-thirty, gets into their mics, and we begin a full-out run with costumes at two-thirty or three at the latest. And then it’s show time.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some banking, do Brain work, eat, jog, hopefully pick up packages, perhaps record the voiceovers, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are the best one-person shows you’ve ever seen? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I will be rarin’ to go as we head into the week of the crazy busy. And please send those most excellent vibes and xylophones for no irritants or distractions.